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Mojave seeks Sunset elbow room

The high school football season has followed a frighteningly familiar pattern for Mojave.

Just like last season, the Rattlers opened Sunset League play with wins over Pahrump Valley and Sierra Vista before losing to Faith Lutheran.

Mojave hopes the familiar trend doesn't continue when the Rattlers (3-2, 2-1 Sunset) visit Spring Valley (4-1, 2-1) at 7 p.m. today.

"I'm not worried about it," senior linebacker Kaleb Friedman said. "We did lose to Faith again, but we lost to them in a different way than last year. We're a more disciplined team; we'll be able to bounce back."

Last season, the loss to Faith Lutheran started a three-game losing streak, and Mojave ended up in a five-way tie for second place in the league at 4-3. The Rattlers ultimately missed the playoffs on tiebreakers.

The Sunset standings seem destined for another logjam this season, with four teams tied for second in the league at 2-1. Only the top four teams in the league make the playoffs.

"That was a great learning experience, especially for our seniors," Mojave senior defensive lineman Dai'jon Payno said of missing the playoffs last year. "Since that happened to us as juniors, we know what we have to come out here and do. We know that this year is a very important year for us, and we know what we have to do not to be in that same predicament as last year."

Team chemistry and an improved defense have Mojave coach Joe Delgado confident his team can avoid another cluster in the standings.

"The confidence level of the team is up a lot higher than it was last season," Delgado said. "Our defense is a lot better than it was last season. We'll hold our own. I don't think we'll end up in that big mess again like we were last year."

Defense has been Mojave's calling card, with the Rattlers allowing a total of 13 points in their three wins. Even in last week's 30-2 loss to Faith Lutheran, Mojave allowed only 175 yards.

"Defensively, we've been playing good," Friedman said. "These last couple games the scores don't dictate that, because field position put us in bad situations. As a whole, the defense is really solid, one of the most solid areas of our team."

Mojave's defense even held its own against third-ranked Desert Pines, at least for three quarters. The Rattlers held the Jaguars scoreless in the first half before eventually losing 41-6. Desert Pines led 14-6 after three quarters.

"Our biggest downfall right now, honestly, is our special teams," Delgado said. "Our defense is holding up really well. Our offense is struggling right now, and our special teams is struggling, and we're putting our defense in bad spots. You can only expect so much out of them every series."

Spring Valley will offer a new challenge for Mojave's defensive unit. Grizzlies quarterback K.C. Moore is second in Southern Nevada in passing yards with 965. He's thrown eight touchdowns and four interceptions.

"We haven't had that many teams throwing on us yet, so that'll be a good test right there," said senior defensive back/receiver Jaylon Delgado, the coach's son.

While Joe Delgado is confident his team can hold up against Spring Valley's passing attack, moving the football on offense will be its own challenge. Mojave has scored a total of 10 points in its past two games, and the Rattlers will be without starting quarterback Lamaja Cunningham, who injured his collarbone during the second series against Faith Lutheran.

Joe Delgado said he's leaning toward starting Khalid Walker against Spring Valley, though he didn't rule out using Taiwan Braden or Jesse James.

"He's one of our running backs, and he's a big, strong junior," Joe Delgado said of Walker. "I like him at quarterback for the fact that he's just another running back back there. And we like to run our quarterbacks, so I'm leaning toward him this week."

The younger Delgado has another idea on how to jump-start the offense.

"I feel like we need to start throwing the ball more," Jaylon Delgado said. "We have to start taking advantage of our skill positions, because our receivers are very talented."

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

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