Canyon Springs running back earns Gatorade award

Donnel Pumphrey of Canyon Springs started the football season off with a bang, rushing for 347 yards and five touchdowns on only 10 carries in the season opener.

He ended his senior year with a prestigious award.

Pumphrey was named the Gatorade Nevada Player of the Year. He rushed for 1,491 yards and 18 touchdowns and had nine receptions for 107 yards and a TD this season for the Pioneers.

Pumphrey, who has committed to San Diego State, was named the Northeast League's Most Valuable Offensive Player.

He also had two returns for touchdowns and finished with 149 points.

■ DIVISION IV FOOTBALL - Pahranagat Valley and Spring Mountain dominated the Division IV Southern League this season, and the two met in the state title game.

So it shouldn't come as a surprise that they swept the top honors and had every player on the first team on offense and defense when the coaches picked their all-league team.

Pahranagat Valley running back Tyler Higbee, who rushed for 1,278 yards and 17 TDs and caught 21 passes for 357 yards and seven scores, was named the league's Most Valuable Player. He also had a team-high 47 tackles.

His teammate, cornerback Austin Poulsen, was named the league's Outstanding Defensive Player after picking off 10 passes. And Pahranagat Valley coach Ken Higbee, who guided their Panthers to their fifth straight state title, was Coach of the Year.

Spring Mountain quarterback Marcus Thomas, who passed for 1,437 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 1,363 yards and 19 scores, was the league's Outstanding Offensive Player.

■ VOLLEYBALL HONORS - Alex Hall of The Meadows and Calvary Chapel's Deja Harris and Brooke Davis were named to the Division III all-state volleyball first team selected by coaches.

The Meadows' Nikki Lenardson, Lake Mead's Taylor Vetter and Calvary Chapel's Jamie Mejia made the second team.

Pershing County's Sarita Jo Condie was the Most Valuable Player, and her coach, Shauna Bake, took the Coach of the Year award.

The Division IV Southern League also released its all-league team, with Tonopah's Deanna VanPoucke picking up the MVP award.

Tonopah coach Judi Boni was Coach of the Year after leading the Muckers to the state title.

Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4587. Follow @DamonSeiters on Twitter.