On Tuesday Nov. 26, Pershing County High School hosted its annual fall sports awards night in the high school auditorium. The JV and varsity football and volleyball teams attended.
The PCHS girls soccer team treated its athletes to a dessert buffet earlier in the month in the middle school cafeteria.
"Everyone brought a dessert to share — cookies, cakes, root beer floats, arroz con leche and snicker apple salad," said PCHS girls soccer coach Kelly Brooks.
The coach named Anika Happy the Most Valuable Defender. Lily Anderson-Burt won the Wall Award for her success at preventing opposing teams from scoring.
Yasmin Acosta earned the Most Valuable Offense/Goals Award. Desaray Vidrio is Rookie of the Year. Riley Harvey walked off with the Heart of a Mustang Award.
Volleyball
JV volleyball coach Faith Jimenez named Katelynn Elerick MVP. The Heart and Hustle Award went to Alexa Watson. Magdalena Ramirez won the leadership award.
For the varsity squad, Raegan Burrows was named
The Northern 2A MVP. Arya Garland and Khloe Montes made the first team and honorable mentions went to Jaymie George and Aaliyah Allen.
Coach Monica Halverson named Kenya Vaughan the Most Improved. Emma Blondheim earned the Mustang Award. Laura Gomez won the coaches award.
The Mustangs finished the regular year undefeated 18-0 and came within shouting distance of the state title.
They advanced to the 2A regional playoffs but lost to the Incline Highlanders in five sets.
Halverson was selected as the Northern 2A Coach of the Year. She started as JV coach in 2018 when she, her husband Ben and their children moved to Lovelock.
Since then, she's coached the varsity girls.
Now many of the soccer and volleyball girls are gearing up for basketball.
Last season they made it to state as the No. 2 seed but lost in the first round to Needles.
Lee Houston coaches. This year, Allen will be the team's only senior.
"Raegan (Burrows) is playing club volleyball this season to better her chances at playing college volleyball," Houston said.
The juniors are Vaughan, Kyra Cerini, Mia Canchola, Harvey and Happy. Garland and Montes are sophomores.
The JV girls are Valerie Franco, Vidrio, Millie Canchola, Jessie Malone and Annie Uhart.
Lillie Wagner, Emma Hughes and Pamela Sanchez are managers.
The JV boys and girls play at home in the PCHS JV tournament this weekend.
Meanwhile the varsity team have a preseason tournament in Hawthorne.
Ramirez will represent Lovelock at the Wooster Girls Wrestling Showdown at Wooster High School on Saturday.
"We feel good about our team and look forward to the challenges ahead," said Houston.
"I'm so proud of each one of my girls. I want to wish all those participating in winter and spring sports to be just as hungry and go after those wins-whether as a team or as individuals," said Halverson.