CAPTION – Laticia Prince
Senior Brodey Maxwell looks for the seam against the Tonopah defense in first-round playoff action last Friday.

The lights lit up the sky in Alamo as the Pahranagat Valley High football team faced off against Tonopah in the first round of playoffs last week.

The Panthers then lit up the Muckers for a 44-0 win to advance to the state semifinals.

Against Tonopah, Panther quarterback Preston Higbee led the team in quarter one with a 15-yard pass to Brodey Maxwell for a touchdown, followed by a good rush conversion to Richard Lewis to bring the score to 8-0.  Then, at four minutes left of the quarter, there was a 13-yard rush from Preston Higbee for a touchdown, but no conversion from a pass to Brodey Maxwell, leaving the score to 14-0 in the first quarter.

The second quarter started with a 10-yard rush from Higbee for a touchdown, with a rush conversion for another two points by Brodey Maxwell for a score of 22-0.  Next, there was a 3-yard rush by Higbee for another touchdown, followed by another good conversion with a pass to Brodey Maxwell, bringing the score to 30-0.

Two minutes later, a 7-yard pass to Stockton Maxwell scored a touchdown, followed by Richard Lewis running in the conversion, bringing the score to 38-0. There was a fumble recovery made by Stockton Maxwell in the first half of the game and right before halftime, Brodey Maxwell got an interception.  

Midway through the third quarter, one more touchdown was made with Higbee running 25 yards for the score. A pass to Josh Callahan was incomplete, leaving the score 44-0.

In the fourth quarter, a fumble at the 1-yard line was recovered by Cody Hatch with seven minutes left in the game. Hatch ran it all the way into the end zone for a touchdown, but a clipping penalty negated the touchdown.

The Panthers move on to play against Whittell today in Alamo at 7 p.m. The Warriors knocked off Eureka 42-18 in their first-round matchup.

In the other semifinal matchup, an undefeated Virginia City squad will take on southern two seed Spring Mountain in Virginia City this afternoon.