Inside the towering walls of Allegiant Stadium, under lights built for Sunday legends, the Pershing County Mustangs walked onto the turf Tuesday morning, November 25, with the same thing they’ve brought all year, discipline, heart, and the quiet certainty that small-town kids can punch well above their weight.
They did exactly that.
In a hard-fought 2A State Championship game, the Mustangs fell 22–12 to the Needles Mustangs, closing out a season built on resilience and sheer grit in the trenches.
For nearly three quarters, the contest was a defensive deadlock. Both teams were senior-heavy, well-coached, and familiar with each other’s tendencies. They traded stops and field position like seasoned prizefighters. Pershing County pounded out long, clock-eating drives. Needles leaned on size and speed. Yard by yard, it became clear this title game wasn’t going to be won by flash, but by the kind of football small towns still play with pride: physical, disciplined, and unforgiving.
Steve Evenson and Dan Murphy travelled to Las Vegas to call the game which was broadcast on Fallon radio station KVLV 980, supported by a multitude of local businesses who pitched in to cover costs.
Pershing County’s opening drive looked promising until a tipped pass turned into an interception deep in Needles territory. Needles capitalized, marching down field for the game’s first score and converting the two-point attempt to go up 8–0, a lead they carried into halftime.
But if Pershing County is known for anything, it’s refusing to roll over.
With senior quarterback Aiden Montez battling an injury, freshman Orion Houston stepped in and played with remarkable composure for a kid who, weeks ago, wasn’t expecting to lead a team onto an NFL field. Early in the fourth quarter, Houston rolled left and on a play drawn straight out of Mike Brooks’ "pull-it-from-the-bottom-of-the-bag" folder, hit Ramon Sanchez for a clutch touchdown that cut the lead to 8–6.
The Mustangs were right back in it.
Needles answered with a grinding drive, leaning on their senior running backs and a sizable offensive line that eventually wore down Pershing County’s front. A fourth-quarter touchdown pushed their lead to 16–6.
But Pershing County refused to go quietly.
With 3:17 left, senior standout Trenton Rhodes muscled across the goal line to bring the Mustangs within striking distance, 16–12. The two-point try failed, but momentum swung wildly between the two sidelines — nervous energy in the stadium thick enough to touch.
The onside kick that followed was textbook, bouncing high and dangerous, but Needles secured it. On the next play, Needles broke a long run that put the game out of reach.
It wasn’t the ending the Mustangs wanted but it was the kind of performance that defines a program.
Pershing County finishes another deep playoff run with seniors who carried the team on their shoulders, and a JV squad that went undefeated, a reminder that the Mustangs aren’t going anywhere.
This was the final high school game for eleven seniors who have worn the red and white with pride: Aiden Montez, Marcus Allen, Trenton Rhodes, Ramon Sanchez, David Cobarubias, Josiah Hunt, Ashton Jimenez, Taylor Montez, Logan Hunt, Jeffrey Elrich, and Juan Gonzalez. Every one of them walked off the NFL turf with their heads high.
This team delivered another season that will be talked about in coffee shops, bus barns, locker rooms, and living rooms across Pershing County for years.
The Mustangs finished as State Runner Ups with an 11-2 record, and were crowned league champions for the 3rd consecutive season.
Steve Evenson and Dan Murphy travelled to Las Vegas to call the game which was broadcast on Fallon radio station KVLV 980, supported by a multitude of local businesses who pitched in to cover costs. This story was taken from their broadcast.
Comment
Comments