3A HONORS: Pirates rack up postseason awards

Moapa Valley’s football team didn’t end the season with the Class 3A state championship it desperately wanted.

A long list of postseason awards, however, gives the Pirates something to smile about in the offseason.

Moapa Valley senior quarterback Kelan Weiss was named 3A Southern League Most Valuable Player, senior receiver Casen Lewis took Offensive Player of the Year, and Brent Lewis was named Coach of the Year when league coaches recently voted on the awards.

“It’s an honor for our program,” Brent Lewis said. “From where we started this season to where we finished, it was a really good year for us.”

Moapa Valley (7-5) lost 27-7 to Truckee in the 3A state final Saturday, its second straight loss to the Wolverines in the title game.

The Pirates didn’t end the season on the most positive note, but reached the championship game for the fifth consecutive year despite building an entirely new offensive line — one that helped Weiss pass for 2,222 yards and 14 touchdowns and run for four more.

Lewis said Weiss’ biggest improvement from last year came in leading a young team.

“This year, we really needed him as a leader and as a captain,” he said.

The coach’s son, Casen Lewis, caught 58 passes for 902 yards and seven TDs. The 5-foot-8-inch, 130-pound speedster proved durable over the middle and an elusive deep threat.

“He was quick and able to find those little holes in the defense,” Brent Lewis said. “With him and (receiver) Hayden Cooper, the defense had to decide which they were going to stop.”

Defensive Player of the Year went to Virgin Valley senior linebacker Kyler Hughes, who helped the Bulldogs to a 7-3 record after finishing 3-7 in 2009.

Boulder City center and defensive end Bleu Huxford was named Lineman of the Year. The senior posted 42 tackles and three sacks to help the Eagles finish 4-6.

Class 3A All-Southern League

First Team Offense

QB–Kelan Weiss, Moapa Valley. RB–Zach Waite, Moapa Valley; Dee Bowler, Virgin Valley; Joe Woodbury, Boulder City. WR–Casen Lewis, Moapa Valley; Hayden Cooper, Moapa Valley; Daniel Gleave, Virgin Valley. TE–Nolan Tanner, Virgin Valley. OL–Bleu Huxford, Boulder City; Robert Lilly, Virgin Valley; Matt Devore, Virgin Valley; Lane Stringham, Moapa Valley; Taylor Schwartz, Moapa Valley. K–Keenan Sharp-Bryant, Boulder City.

First Team Defense

DE–Lilly, Virgin Valley; Huxford, Boulder City. DT–Zach Staley, Moapa Valley; James Morgan, Boulder City; Devore, Virgin Valley. LB–Kyler Hughes, Virgin Valley; Weiss, Moapa Valley; Haydn Waite, Moapa Valley; Frankie Badgely, Boulder City. DB–Lewis, Moapa Valley; Cooper, Moapa Valley; Gleave, Virgin Valley; Brandon Cohen, Virgin Valley. P–Austyn Hyde, Boulder City. KR–Lewis, Moapa Valley.

Second Team Offense

QB–Humberto Urias, Virgin Valley. RB–Richard Vidal, Virgin Valley; H. Waite, Moapa Valley; Colton Jensen, Virgin Valley. WR–Cohen, Virgin Valley; Jack LaMarca, Boulder City; Shane Terril, Moapa Valley. TE–Jake Rebman, Moapa Valley. OL–Blake Leavitt, Virgin Valley; Ben Rebman, Moapa Valley; Christian Brotherson, Virgin Valley; Kyle Erickson, Boulder City; Dayton Lee, Virgin Valley. K–Dylan Mortensen, Moapa Valley.

Second Team Defense

DE–Parker Chappell, Moapa Valley; Leavitt, Virgin Valley. DT–Stringham, Moapa Valley; Schwartz, Moapa Valley; Erickson, Boulder City. LB–Tanner, Virgin Valley; Riley Solomon, Moapa Valley; Jade Jensen, Virgin Valley; Colton Schulz, Boulder City. DB–LaMarca, Boulder City; C. Jensen, Virgin Valley; Tyler Washburn, Boulder City; Urias, Virgin Valley. P–Cohen, Virgin Valley. KR–Woodbury, Boulder City.
Most Valuable Player–Kelan Weiss, Moapa Valley.
Offensive Player of the Year–Casen Lewis, Moapa Valley.
Defensive Player of the Year–Kyler Hughes, Virgin Valley.
Lineman of the Year–Bleu Huxford, Boulder City.
Coach of the Year–Brent Lewis, Moapa Valley.