Pahranagat’s Jake Carter takes out two Virginia City players, Steven Punchard (25) and Bodie Blakley (44), allowing Wade Leavitt (5) to score on a 19-yard screen pass. Pahranagat Valley went on to beat Virginia City 44-0 in its first-ever football meeting. It was the Panthers 60th consecutive win dating back to 2007. (Dave Maxwell photo)
For the third game in a row, freshman quarterback Tabor Maxwell had multiple touchdown passes and the Pahranagat Valley defense dominated their opponent, this time holding Virginia City to only 135 total yards, in taking a non-league 44-0 win at Virginia City Sept. 13. Meanwhile Pahranagat Valley was running up 448 total yards.
This was the first ever meeting in football between the two schools; Virginia City only reinstated football in 2007 after a 64-year layoff. Alamo and VC did play for the Division IV state basketball championship last February with Alamo winning a come-from-behind thriller.
But it was no come-from-behind nail biter for football in Virginia City though, as Maxwell threw for 255 yards on 13 for 21 with four touchdown passes, each to a different receiver. He connected with his favorite target Wade Leavitt, on a 19-yard scoring pass early in the second quarter, and added a 10-yard score to Caleb Hansen shortly before halftime.
However, coach Ken Higbee said, “We were not as crisp or as sharp at the beginning as we need to be. We didn’t execute as well as we have in the past. But it was a good wakeup call for our kids to work hard in practice, to build and become better and get where we want to be.”
In the third quarter, Maxwell had TD passes of 15-yards to Jeremy Minick and a 42-yard strike to Jordan Cryts.
Pahranagat (3-0) did very well on the ground as well, getting 167 yards from the backfield. Hansen had a fine game with 35 yards on six carries including scoring runs of 4 and 27 yards, and Leavitt carried 14 times for 70-yards and caught four passes for 85 yards.
Shawn Wadsworth had the longest pass reception of the day, 54-yards down to the 20-yard line near the end of the first quarter. Leavitt scored five plays later on a 19-yard screen pass.
Jake Carter led the Alamo defense with eight tackles and 2½ sacks, one which caused a safety for the Panthers.
Paden Higbee, Utah Ray, and Carter, plus the Alamo secondary held Virginia City to only 45 yards rushing on 24 carries and Mucker quarterback Christian Lindsey was limited to only 90 yards on 7 for 12 attempts. “When you control the line of scrimmage,” coach Higbee said, “you put yourself in real good position.”
The win was the 60th consecutive for the Panthers, continuing their state record setting pace. The previous record was 41 by The Meadows, 1998-2001.
This week, Pahranagat Valley begins league play at Beatty Sept. 20. PVHS beat Beatty in Alamo last year 58-8.
The Hornets opened the season with a 26-0 win over Pyramid Lake.
