The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans boys’ golf team has earned its place among Nevada’s best, clinching a third-place finish at the 3A Southern Region Tournament and qualifying for the State Tournament. Only the top three teams from the region advance to State, making the Trojans’ strong showing a significant accomplishment. The regional tournament was held over two days, though rain on Tuesday, May 6, limited golfers to only nine holes on the first day. Conditions improved on Wednesday, May 7, allowing all competitors to complete the full 18-hole round.
Leading the charge for Pahrump Valley was Carter Nygaard, who finished 12th overall individually with a +24 to par across the two rounds. Nygaard shot a 43 on the first day and followed it with an 89 on day two. Teammate Matthew Lopez was right behind him in 13th place, carding a 47 and 88 for a +27 total. Cayden Cowley finished 14th overall with a +32, posting scores of 51 and 89.
Travis Floyd contributed a steady effort, finishing in 18th place with a +35 after shooting 50 on day one and 93 on day two. Keir Sheppard tied for 23rd with a +48 (53-103), and Kamden Moore was 25th overall with a +50 (54-104).
The team’s collective performance earned them a total score of +118, just behind Virgin Valley at +48 and Boulder City at +84. Meadows School came in fourth at +153, with Moapa Valley placing fifth at +163. In addition to the top three teams, six individual golfers not on qualifying teams also advance to the State Tournament based on their standings—underscoring the competitiveness of the field and the significance of Pahrump Valley’s top-three finish.
The Trojans will now head to Elko next week to compete at Ruby View Golf Course in the 3A State Tournament. With their qualification secured and confidence building from a solid regional performance, the Trojans are poised to make a strong showing at the final event of the season.
*Thank you to Darla Sheppard and Lacie Cowley for the photos.
