Pahrump Valley football tough to beat at home

By Jesse Granger

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015 | 2:40 p.m.

Former UNLV player Adam Gent is new to coaching high school football in Nevada, but he may have hit a gold mine with his first gig.

The Pahrump Valley Trojans have increased their win total each of the past four seasons, and were only one win away from the playoffs last season in the Sunset Division of the Division I-A.

Now, Gent takes over a squad that returns key starters at multiple positions.

Senior signal caller T.J. Milk (6 foot 1, 185 pounds) is back after throwing for more than 1,000 yards as a junior. Milk threw for 13 touchdowns in 2014, a number that he could drastically increase in Gent’s new spread offense.

“I think it has looked a lot better than previous years,” said Milk when discussing how the team has fit into the new offense during the offseason. “The way our skill players mesh I think we are a perfect fit for it.”

Milk will be joined in the backfield by the Trojans leading rusher from a year ago, Tommy Gascoigne. Gascoigne (5 foot 8, 185 pounds) ran for more than 500 yards as a junior and found the end zone eight times.

One of Milk’s targets from 2014, senior wide out Devin Dillon (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) will be back as well. Dillon finished his junior year with 96 yards and two touchdowns receiving.

The offense wasn’t bad last season, averaging 24.5 points per game, but they could be even better with a faster tempo under Gent.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior middle linebacker Sean Bergan (6 foot, 195 pounds) leads the way.

But perhaps the best thing Pahrump Valley has going for them is their location. It turns out, high school football players aren’t fond of hour-and-a-half-long bus rides through the desert, and it shows in their performance.

The Trojans were a perfect 4-0 at home last season, while going winless on the road.

“We have a great community in Pahrump,” Gent said. “We pack the house. People want to support our football team.”

And that fan support has been there through years of a struggling football program. If this team can break through and find a seat at the postseason table, it will only increase.

After coming so close the past two seasons and falling short, Milk is determined to will the Trojans into the playoffs.

“I think it made us hungrier, knowing how close we were,” Milk said. “If we just work that much harder we will be fine.”