Nevada edges PCM football with last-second touchdown

NEVADA — Career nights from a plethora of Mustangs weren’t enough for the PCM football team against Class 3A Nevada on Friday.

The Mustangs took two separate leads after trailing at halftime, but the Cubs scored on the final play of the game to win the non-district game, 30-28.

Nevada led 9-0 after one quarter, but PCM scored seven in the second and seven early in the third to take its first lead.

Gavin Steenhoek’s 54-yard touchdown catch put the Mustangs in front 14-9, but Nevada built a 28-14 lead with 7 minutes to go in the game.

Mason Hjortshoj’s first career varsity interception with 3 minutes left allowed PCM (1-1) to score a go-ahead touchdown with 1:32 to play in the game. It was a 1-yard TD pass from Chase Wagaman to Steenhoek.

But John Nelson’s 35-yard TD catch as time expired sent the Cubs to a big home win. The two teams have rotated victories since 2023.

Alex Wendt hauled in a 76-yard TD from Wagaman in the loss. Wendt finished with a career-high six catches for a career-best 111 yards and one TD.

Steenhoek added four catches for a career-best 99 yards and two scores, Shay Burns gained 27 yards on 10 carries and Jax Strait added 23 yards on seven rushes. Danson Drake grabbed one pass for 15 yards.

Wagaman was 11-of-13 through the air for a career-best 225 yards and career-high three touchdown passes. He also had 31 yards and one TD on six carries.

Strait led the defense with a career-best 15 tackles, Burns totaled a career-most 12.5 tackles and Keegan Fenton and Wagaman each contributed a career-most 8.5 tackles. Fenton added one sack and two tackles for loss and Drake posted a career-most eight tackles.

Wendt tallied a career-most six and two tackles for loss, Evan Jones had a career-best 7.5 tackles and Brock Barnett chipped in a career-high five tackles. Steenhoek and Hjortshoj both snagged interceptions.

Nevada (2-0) rushed for 336 yards on 58 carries. Jaden Grimm gained 150 yards and scored one TD on 24 carries and Austin Waldera rushed for 120 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries.

Drake Hinson was 17-of-31 through the air for 156 passing yards, one touchdown and two picks and added 66 yards and one TD on 10 carries.

Carson Clem led the Nevada defense with nine tackles.