Panthers shut out Mineral County

by

As happened when the teams met last year for the first time, Pahranagat Valley Football again thoroughly dominated Mineral County 42-0 in their league meeting last Friday in Hawthorne and spoiled the Serpents’ Homecoming festivities.

On a bone-chillingly cold night, the Panthers’ backfield of Gage Davis and cousins Paul Lewis and Jaren Leavitt completely controlled the first half.

Pahranagat scored on all five of their possessions in the first half, usually doing so in four or five plays, moving the ball almost at will through the Serpents’ defense, on the ground or in the air.

Dave Maxwell – Paul Lewis booms the kickoff in a recent game. Pahranagat plays Round Mountain for Homecoming this Friday.

The backfield trio accounted for 480 yards by themselves, plus the 108 yards receiving by Wyatt Madsen amounted to 588 of the total 656 yards the Panthers put on the Serpents during the entire game.

Davis was 6-of-8 passing for 162 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball nine times for 123 yards and one touchdown, amassing 285 yards alone. Madsen caught three of Davis’ passes and one touchdown. Leavitt carried seven times for 83 yards and two touchdowns, and Lewis had five carries, 58 yards and one touchdown.

Lewis was big as a defensive back with 10 tackles, and Jordan Fiatoa had five, keeping Mineral County’s running game in the first half to limited yardage.

The Serpents did get into the Panther red zone late in the first half, but Davis intercepted a pass in the end zone for a touchback to end the threat.

Mineral County held Pahranagat scoreless in the second half as Pahranagat was using mostly second-team players, which Mineral County defensive coach Phillip Jaramillo said was “its own little victory for us.”

The Serpents made an interception in the fourth quarter and had good field position but were not able to move the ball in for a score.

This has been the Panthers’ Homecoming week, with  numerous interesting activities.

The football game matches Pahranagat Valley (4-1, 1-0) against

winless Round Mountain (0-4, 0-2) Oct. 15. The Knights lost to Tonopah 74-42 last week.

In volleyball, the Lady Panthers played a double header at Mineral County last week. Although the 1A Central League is playing a home-and-home schedule this year, the double header was played because Mineral County had to cancel their visit to Alamo in September when the school was closed for a week with a COVID flare up.  

Pahranagat won both matches, 3-0, scores not posted. The girls (7-4-1, 4-0) will also host Round Mountain (8-10, 4-3) Oct. 15 for Homecoming.