In the end, it was a game of missed opportunities for Moapa Valley.

The Pirates failed to capitalize on multiple red-zone chances Saturday, and Churchill County capitalized with a fourth-quarter touchdown to defeat the Pirates 21-14 in the Class 3A state championship game at UNR’s Mackay Stadium.

Moapa Valley’s offense looked strong early, getting into the red zone on its first two possessions. But the long drives yielded only a field goal, and the Pirates (8-5) fell behind 7-3 after the Greenwave (12-1) scored on a 10-yard run by Camden Richardson late in the first quarter.

“It just came down to a couple of mental mistakes,” Moapa Valley coach Brent Lewis said. “We had some penalties that got us behind the sticks. We had our chances.”

The Pirates trailed 21-14 with 1:52 remaining in t

See Full Page