Pahrump Valley wins 3A Southern Regional wrestling title; 18 advance to state

Pahrump Valley High School climbed to the top of the Class 3A Southern Regional standings at Virgin Valley High School in Mesquite, scoring 235 points to outpace Moapa Valley, which finished with 207.5 points. The 27.5-point margin gave the Trojans the regional crown and, according to team posts, all 18 Pahrump Valley wrestlers at the meet secured berths to the state championships scheduled for the weekend of Feb. 13-14.

After finishing as runners-up the previous two seasons, Pahrump Valley delivered team depth across weight classes to vault past Moapa Valley and the rest of the field. Final regional team standings list Pahrump Valley 235, Moapa Valley 207.5, Boulder City 148, Virgin Valley 120, The Meadows 97 and Equipo 56.

Individual highlights included a fast pin at 106 pounds as Timothy Stutzman of Pahrump Valley defeated King Walker of Moapa Valley with a fall at 1:30 in the championship bout. The southern region also saw Moapa Valley wrestlers pick up several weight-class wins, including Stetson Houston at 132 pounds and Ryker Katich at 165 pounds, each going 2-0 with dominant finishes. Moapa Valley’s Connor Wolfley is reported to have gone 3-0 and won the 138-pound final 10-9 over Pahrump Valley’s Zachary Hulderson with an escape with 42 seconds remaining, a finish MVHS coach Ryan Anderson described as “a nail biter in the finals.”

Coach Ryan Anderson praised the Trojans after the meet. “Pahrump did an awesome job. They have a great team this year and have been working really hard,” Anderson said. “I’m very happy for them and their success. They have a great coaching staff and some great young men on their team.” Anderson also singled out Moapa athletes: “Connor Wolfley had a nail biter in the finals... He probably was an underdog, but he decided to go get it and he did. It was awesome to watch.” On another Moapa performer he added, “Caleb Anderson is wrestling really well right now. He pinned his opponent in the finals, which helped for team points but was also a huge confidence booster for him.”

Some reports include conflicting details around the 138-pound championship, with one account also describing Caleb Anderson as a 138-pound winner by pin over Virgin Valley’s Micah Woods in 3:01. Official NIAA final results and the regional brackets will provide definitive confirmation of individual champions and should be consulted for the state seeding.

Beyond the mat, the regional title underscores the role school sports play in rural Nye County: youth physical activity, teamwork and community ties. For Pahrump families, travel and support logistics for the state tournament will become a local conversation as 18 student-athletes head north to compete. The state sessions are listed as Session I on Friday, Feb. 13 and Session II on Saturday, Feb. 14, with times noted as approximate after the first round each day.

For readers, the immediate takeaway is community momentum: Pahrump Valley’s program has surged into the state spotlight, and local supporters can follow official NIAA brackets and school athletic channels for confirmed weight-class lineups, match times and travel details as the Trojans prepare for the next step.