The Pershing County High School football team traveled to West Wendover this past Thursday night for its last game of the regular season.
The Mustangs beat the Wolverines 55-8 to end the Northern 2A season at 6-0.
The first quarter ended with the teams within shouting distance (13-8), with Pershing County on top by five points. But the Mustangs steamrolled their opponent from there. The Wolverines did not get past the Mustangs’ defense again.
“We took charge in the second quarter and reeled off 30 points,” said PCHS head coach Dave Mclean. “Defensively, we got a great pass rush from Martin Cholico, Davis Murphy, Axel Gonzalez and Owen Bake.”
Pershing County racked up a total 55 points behind a plethora of touchdowns and tackles.
“On offense, we ran behind Jorge Rosas all night,” said McLean. “Joaquin Wanner, Lane Condie and Jayce Leyva all had good nights running the ball. Derek Sandusky did a great job as a dual threat.”
Lead blocks from Ben Plimpton and Gonzalez carried Leyva to the end zone. The PCHS junior led the scoring with four touchdowns. He rushed for 86 yards on 11 carries.
Between Condie and Sandusky, Pershing County lit up the scoreboard three more times. Condie scored two touchdowns in the last regular season game of his high school career.
Sandusky, a PCHS junior, scored another six points for the Mustangs.
To the dismay of the JV Mustangs, officials canceled their game against West Wendover. But a handful of boys got a taste of varsity competition.
“We brought up five JV athletes to help us out,” said McLean. Ricky Reitz, Saul Valtierra, Juan Jimenez, Sebastien Donaldson and Daniel Schaeffer contributed to the Pershing’s varsity win.
“They did great,” said McLean.
McLean and defensive coordinator Lance Condie are retiring at the end of the 2017 season. The West Wendover game crowned the last regular season of coaching careers that stretch back for decades.
Before they hang up their whistles, Condie and McLean will coach the team through the postseason.
Pershing County enters the regionals as No. 1 seed, ranked 8-1 overall and undefeated in the 2A Northern league at 6-0.
Battle Mountain (5-1) breathes down their necks as runners-up. Yerington (4-2) and West Wendover (3-3) complete the lineup.
Pershing hosts fourth-seeded West Wendover on Friday at 6 p.m. in the opening round of the Northern 2A playoffs.
The contest is an NIAA event and season passes will not be honored for entrance. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and $3 for seniors 65 and older.
If the Mustangs win, they’ll host a school from Southern 2A on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m.
Battle Mountain hosts Yerington in the other first round game at 6 p.m. on Friday.
The Mustangs hope to compete in the NIAA 2A State Championship on Saturday, Nov. 18. The showdown will be in northern Nevada, at a site to be determined.
