Fallon's soccer and cheer groups pose in entrance of the scoreboard after the Greenwave defeated Moapa Valley at Mackay Stadium.
Photograph by Thomas Ranson.
By Steve Ranson
Monday, November 24, 2025
RENO — Soccer is a recreation of inches, ft, a couple of yards and destiny.
Maxton Richardson shortly realized how a recreation’s final result will be decided by inches after the Churchill County Excessive College junior made the play of the 12 months at Saturday’s Class 3A state championship soccer recreation at Mackay Stadium.
With Fallon holding a landing lead with 2:02 left within the recreation, Richardson intercepted a go by Moapa Valley’s Kamden Drosos that finally led to Fallon successful its first state championship in seven years, 21-14.
Within the closing minutes of the sport, the Pirates charged down the sphere however the Greenwave’s protection dug in. Fallon zeroed in on Moapa Valley’s operating again Briggs Hickman on three consecutive performs inside the 2-yard line. On a fourth and objective from one-and-half yards, Drosos pressured his go — or what appeared like an underhand toss — right into a beehive of gamers earlier than Richardson stretched his 6-foot-1-inch body to clutch the ball with 1:43 left.
“After they threw that interception, our line went wild. We knew we simply need it,” Fallon quarterback Matthew Chicken stated. “We simply needed to get one first down, two first downs, after which we might simply take a knee till the sport was over.”
Fallon took over on its 20-yard line, and secured the win with a minute left after operating again Carson Melendy ripped via the Pirates’ protection and reached the 49-yard line with seconds ticking away.
Melendy unofficially rushed for 185 yards.
“We wish to play quick with our guys, we belief our guys,” stated second-year coach Calvin Connors. “They’re highschool youngsters and you understand, they executed the sport plan, after which with Carson, he was actually conserving them off. Carson runs his butt off. He’s a three-time state wrestling champ.”
Connors stated the choice was made to present Melendy the ball on the finish of the sport and “let him roll with it” as a result of he’s used to it.
Though 48 minutes of soccer got here right down to the previous few performs, Melendy stated Moapa Valley took an opportunity, and the Greenwave denied them.
“Should you do not stack the field on our O line, you are not going to win the hand, there isn’t any likelihood,” stated Melendy. “And our large receivers are simply good, so it doesn’t even matter.”
Melendy gave the Pirates protection matches for your complete recreation.
“They have been simply principally enjoying chase. Yeah, I do not even assume they’re making an attempt to sort out me,” Melendy stated.
Even with Fallon enjoying behind within the first half after which tied within the closing two quarters, Melendy stated he and the workforce remained assured. The swagger confirmed within the fourth quarter.
“We have been down a couple of video games,” he stated. “We’ve got dealt with adversity, (and) we come again each recreation.”
Chicken agrees the momentum shifted within the second half.
“We knew the sport was 0-0 once more, and we needed to come out sturdy. We bought the ball, drove down, and we did get stopped, however after we went backwards and forwards and we lastly scored, you understand, that was the momentum change,” he stated. “That was once we got here out on high, and so they form of fell down a little bit bit, power sensible. They have been concentrating on the receivers and so they continued to try this and the second half, and rapidly we sprung Carson unfastened, and so they did not know how one can deal with him.”
Chicken had a robust recreation, unofficially throwing for 151 yards and speeding for 56.
The Pirates took the opening kickoff and marched right down to the Fallon 25-yard line on 13 performs earlier than Devon Campbell drilled a area objective.
Drosos combined up his play calling by passing to 2 of his favourite receivers, tight finish Ryder Katich or Caden Rawson, and handing the ball to Hickman.
The Greenwave protection saved Drosos to underneath 20 yards speeding and 63 yards passing.
Fallon responded on its subsequent sequence, starting with Matthew Chicken throwing a 39-yard go to Richardson. Chicken then linked with Wyatt Peek for a 15-yard strike to maneuver the ball to the Pirates’ 26-yard line.
Chicken and Melendy every had 8-yard runs, and on a primary and objective from the ten, Camden Richardson outraced Moapa Valley to the top zone for Fallon’s first rating with 2:16 left within the quarter. Chicken’s additional level kick put Fallon on high, 7-3, and Fallon by no means trailed once more.
Fallon’s defensive position prevented Moapa Valley from scoring on its subsequent sequence. Strain from the road and good protection from the defensive backs pressured Drosos to throw a fast go that Fallon’s Wyatt Dixon blocked on the Greenwave 16.
Moapa Valley scored on its subsequent sequence of downs on Campbell’s 26-yard area objective to slice Fallon’s result in 7-6.
A low kickoff gave Fallon renewed momentum. Peek took the kickoff to the Fallon 31, and Chicken took over.
A pitch to Melendy, a quarterback keeper and a 43-yard Chicken go to Maxton Richardson put the Greenwave again in enterprise, however it took Fallon 4 performs to punch the ball throughout the objective line.
On third and objective from the 1, Chicken handed off to Melendy who crossed the objective line 1:28 remaining. Chicken’s kick gave Fallon a 14-6 lead, which appeared protected sufficient heading into halftime.
The Pirates, although, rode Drosos’ arm to the Fallon 6. Drosos handed the ball Hickman who muscled his approach into the top zone in opposition to two tacklers. A 2-point conversion tied the sport at 14 with 9 seconds left within the half.
Hickman completed the sport with 129 yards speeding.
Whereas the protection held its personal in opposition to Moapa Valley, the offensive line opened holes and guarded the runners and quarterback.
“That is our final recreation, so I simply went on the market and gave him my all, and I believe that is what it actually was,” stated senior lineman and defensive finish Joseph Romero. “It wasn’t about method; it wasn’t about something. It was simply the grit we had, and we simply saved on going, simply saved going.”
Romero stated an interview on Moapa fired him up. He stated the interview reported Moapa was extra bodily than the Greenwave.
“No, they are not, as you noticed,” he stated.
Erik Townsy is one other senior lineman who performed in his closing highschool soccer recreation.
“I really feel like our efficiency on the workforce stage was simply nice,” he stated. “We had a few errors, however we have been capable of blow previous these and get to the state championship.”
Townsy and Romero stated they weren’t apprehensive when the Pirates tied the sport.
“We have been preventing all 12 months via adversities. We knew we might come via it once more right here,” Townsy stated,
Each gamers stated others doubted the Greenwave’ success this 12 months.
“What’s there to doubt now? Nothing,” Townsy stated.
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