Two dominant backs in Briggs Hickman and Carson Melendy are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Moapa Valley Pirates will host the Churchill County Greenwave at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Moapa Valley is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They strolled past Elko with points to spare, taking the game 43-27. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Pirates.
Kamden Drosos had a dynamite game, rushing for 89 yards and a pair of scores on only nine carries, while also throwing for 110 yards while completing 73.3% of his passes. Those 89 rushing yards gave him a new career-high.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Moapa Valley was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 307 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Briggs Hickman
| 11/15/25 @ Elko | 187 |
| 11/07/25 vs Pahrump Valley | 101 |
| 10/24/25 vs Virgin Valley | 170 |
| 10/17/25 vs Democracy Prep Agassi Campus | 35 |
| 10/10/25 vs Pahrump Valley | 66 |
| + 7 more games |
Moapa Valley didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off five passes before the game was over. Jaxson Bunker led the group effort, picking up two of those interceptions all by himself. With that strong performance, Hickman is now averaging an impressive 103.2 rushing yards per game. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Churchill County faced Virgin Valley in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Saturday. The Greenwave came out on top against the Bulldogs by a score of 31-19.
Churchill County's win came from a few key players Moapa Valley will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Maxton Richardson, who picked up 151 receiving yards and one touchdown. He showed off some serious burst, cutting upfield on a catch for 66 yards. Matthew Bird was another key player, throwing for 213 yards and one TD on only 15 passes.
Moapa Valley's victory bumped their record up to 9-4. As for Churchill County, their win bumped their record up to 11-1.
Saturday's contest might be decided on the ground. Moapa Valley has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 164.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Churchill County struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 178.6 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Moapa Valley took their victory against Churchill County in their previous matchup back in November of 2021 by a conclusive 42-21 score. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Greenwave's Keaton Williams, who threw for 139 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also rushed for 32 yards and one score. Now that he won't be playing on Saturday, will it be easier for the Pirates to walk away with another win? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
