2013 Moapa Valley Football Capsule

Coach: Brent Lewis, 12th season

2012 record: 12-2 (5-0 Division I-A Sunrise League, first)

Returning letterwinners: 14

Returning starters: Seven offense, seven defense

Base offensive set: Wing-T/Spread

Base defensive set: 4-4

Top offensive players: RB Jared Repp (Sr.); RB Justin Hughes (Sr.); QB Lance Hilton (Sr.); WB Jake Repp (Sr.)

Top defensive players: LB Hughes; LB Jar. Repp; LB Jak. Repp; S Hilton; CB Jeremy Waite (Sr.); DT Mat McDermand (Sr.)

Top newcomers: QB Zach Hymas (Jr.); WR Bunker Wimer (Sr.)

Key losses: RB Conner Mortensen; WB Sean McConnell; FB Kasen Hughes; OT/DT Cody Tolbert; QB Josh Repp

Outlook: The Pirates have been to seven straight state championship games, and eight of the last nine, but they haven’t won the title since 2008.

Moapa Valley will have to replace several key pieces on offense and develop depth on both lines if it’s going to return to the state final this season.

“Our numbers are slightly down this year, so many guys will go both way, or at least rotate a lot,” Lewis said. “We have high expectations to return and challenge for the title, but we know that we have many holes to fill. We will need to work hard and execute, and hopefully avoid injuries.”

Jared Repp rushed for 523 yards and seven touchdowns on only 72 carries as a junior and will likely get the bulk of the touches with Mortsensen departed. Jake Repp (177 yards, four TDs) and Hughes (166 yards, one TD) round out the backfield.

Hilton is expected to start at quarterback, although Lewis said Hymas should see time as well. They’ll operate behind an offensive line led by tackle Mat McDermand (6-6, 260), who has scholarship offers from UNLV and Texas-El Paso and is drawing interest from Harvard, Northern Arizona, Stanford, UNR and Utah.

The core of the Pirates defense is back and features linebackers Hughes (95 tackles, nine sacks), Jared Repp (85 tackles) and Josh Repp (45 tackles) with McDermand (63 tackles, six sacks) up front. Hilton had five interceptions in five games before being injured and joins Waite (five INTs) in the secondary.

“We are a smaller group this year, but our guys are very tough,” Lewis said. “We think our league will be very competitive so we will have to bring our ‘A’ game to repeat at Southern champs.”