It’s a rookie mistake to underestimate your opponent, an error the Pershing County Mustangs are unlikely to make.
In 2017, the CASR Falcons (Coral Academy of Science — Reno) became the first charter school in Nevada to field a football team.
The last time Coral came to Lovelock, on Oct. 24, 2019, the Mustangs sent them packing 50-0.
But the Falcons have persevered. They’re eager to challenge the Mustangs this Friday at 7 p.m. under the lights of Joe Yanni Field, dimmed for nearly a year now.
Officials are still finalizing plans, but it looks like the Renoites will stay home. Local football fans can attend on a limited basis.
Watch the Pershing County Mustangs Facebook page for announcements from Mike Brooks, Pershing County’s athletic director and head coach.
Friday’s contest will be the ‘last first game’ for 11 Mustang seniors: Nik Pavlov, Jessy Gonzalez, Guti Lopez, Raul Rincon, Colton Wanner, Haydon Burrows, Logan Oberman, Daniel Reitz, Victor Flores, Jordan Gentry and Zeke Jackson.
Eight juniors make up the rest of the varsity squad: Devin Moura, Esteban Vidrio, Diego Gonzalez, Brayden Wagner, Ashton Nolf, Ulises Corona, Mariano Gomez and Jose Jimenez.
Also, look for six dedicated Pershing County cheerleaders: Maya Renfroe, Julia Steele, Marya Burke, Kaylah Hanley, Dany Zepada and Jena Pilon will cheer on Friday night. Cece Thornhill coaches.
Nevada’s wrestlers and basketball players lost their seasons, but both invigorate the Mustang football team.
For example, Moura, Wanner, Burrows, Pavlov and Gomez wrestle. Gentry, Flores and most of the others play basketball. Each sport enhances their athletic performance on the field.
Alum Davis Murphy (Class of 2019) demonstrates the concept.
“Davis is a high school champion wrestler,” says the Shasta College Knights’ head coach, Bryon Hamilton. “He’s physical and consistent, and he can be a key piece that makes our offense go.”
For the Mustangs, players like Moura bring wrestling skills to the football field. Moura returns as quarterback, along with Rincon, a basketball standout.
The pandemic can tackle even the most carefully planned schedules. But with luck, Pershing County will host the Incline Highlanders next Friday, Mar. 12.
The Highlanders lost to the visiting Mustangs by three points (12-7) on Sept. 27, 2019. Nobody scored after the first quarter in what turned out to be a war of attrition.
On Saturday, March. 20, the Mustangs travel to Silver Springs to play the Silver Stage Nighthawks at 11 a.m.
The Nighthawks also fell to the Mustangs at their most recent meeting. On Saturday, Oct. 12, Pershing County knocked off Silver Stage 27-0.
Meanwhile, about 17 JV players will take to the road for three of their four games, heading to Elko (March 13), Spring Creek (March 20) and Battle Mountain (April 2).
They’ll play one home game against Battle Mountain on Friday, March 26, at 4:30 p.m.
At an awards ceremony a few years back, Thomas Brooks thanked the football team “for doing what they needed to do to keep this thing alive.” It looks like they’ve done it again.
“We typically have around 42 or 43 players, but with our current smaller school size we’ve dropped to about 35 the last couple of years; still great percentage-wise,” Mike Brooks. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to play, and we’re crossing our fingers.”
