'Playing our best football': Moapa Valley downs Elko, advances to 3A final

Members of the Moapa Valley High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 22, 2025. They include, from left, Caden Rawson, Tony Carrillo and Brody Redd. Photo by: Christopher DeVargas

The Moapa Valley football team’s bus ride from Overton to Elko for the Class 3A state semifinals included a practice stop in Ely, roughly the halfway point of their journey.

The Pirates fine-tuned their preparation for a showdown against Elko — but it won’t be their last practice of the season. They still have a championship to win.

Despite trailing 21-3 early in the first half, Moapa Valley never stopped believing. The Pirates shut down Elko’s offense, allowing just seven more points the rest of the way, and stormed back for a 43-27 victory to punch their ticket to next week’s state championship game against Churchill County of Fallon at UNR.

“We were pretty upset at that point,” Moapa Valley coach Brent Lewis said after his team surrendered its third touchdown. “I tell you what, from that point on we dominated the game — literally. They couldn’t stop us offensively, and we only gave up one more score in the second half.”

Briggs Hickman was the star of the game, rushing for 204 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. He also returned an interception for a touchdown in the second half, helping turn the tide.

Defensive tackle Jax Carlton added another defensive score when he intercepted a screen pass and raced the other way to extend the lead. Moapa Valley exploded for 21 points in the fourth quarter alone.

“I tell you what, this has been a really fun, cohesive group to coach, because they all play for each other,” Lewis said. “They’re all good friends. I was just tickled pin with the way we played.”

Kamden Drosos and Stetson Houston also had rushing touchdowns for the Pirates.

Moapa Valley started the season 0-3. Now, the Pirates will be playing for the program’s 18th all-time state championship dating back to 1943, when they won the 6-man crown, and their first title since 2021.

“I always thought and knew that we had the guys that were good enough to go play for a state championship,” Lewis said. “But early on our tough preseason schedule kind of exposed a bunch of weaknesses. We just slowly got better and better. That’s how we usually operate. So feel like we’re playing our best football.”