The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans track and field team traveled to Shadow Ridge High School on Saturday, April 5, to compete in the Red Rock Invitational—one of the largest and most competitive meets of the season. The event drew powerhouse programs from across Nevada, including more than two dozen 4A and 5A schools such as Bishop Gorman, Centennial, Liberty, Foothill, Arbor View, Green Valley, and host Shadow Ridge. Yet despite being one of the smallest schools in attendance, the Trojans made their mark.
“This was by far our biggest test this season in terms of competition,” said Head Coach Dan Nagle. “We competed well, with a couple of new names scoring points for us—Brenden Thorn and Sonny Skinner. Very proud of how most athletes competed to the end.”
The Trojan boys delivered multiple standout performances, showcasing their continued development and hard work.
Sprinters came out strong, with Randy Murray clocking a season-best 11.86 in the 100m dash. Keegan Freeman followed with a personal record of 11.98, breaking into sub-12 territory for the first time, while James Dela Rosa finished with a solid 12.35. In the 200m, Ben De Santiago led the team with a time of 23.65, trailed by Freeman (24.10) and Dela Rosa (24.64), showing consistency across the sprinting events.
In the 400m dash, De Santiago claimed 11th overall with a time of 51.19, holding his own in a fast field. Aydon Veloz notched a season-best at 54.50, showing the team’s depth in mid-sprint events.
Distance runners continued to impress, with Antonio Veloz running a strong 800m to finish 11th overall in 2:05.52. Joaquin Flores shattered the five-minute barrier in the 1600m with a PR of 4:55.95, while teammates Hunter Wydick (5:23.87 PR) and Josh Gent (5:26.94) added solid efforts. Flores returned to the 3200m to post an 11:26.76 finish, with Logan Tilley recording a PR of 11:50.81 and Gent finishing in 12:34.26.
In hurdles, Randy Murray showed off his versatility with a personal best of 17.79 in the 110m hurdles. Jayden Crisler placed 12th overall in the 300m hurdles, clocking 44.42, and Ulisses Alvarez added a PR of 47.05.
The boys relay teams were strong across all distances. The 4x100m relay (Alvarez, Dela Rosa, Murray, and Eric Figueroa Renteria) finished in 47.69. In the 4x200m, Dela Rosa, Justin Byers, Freeman, and Alvarez combined for a 1:39.32 finish. The 4x400m team (De Santiago, Aydon Veloz, Antonio Veloz, and Flores) ran 3:37.79, and the 4x800m team (Josh Slusher, Antonio Veloz, Tilley, and Flores) clocked in at 9:25.76.
The field events saw a breakout performance from Brenden Thorn, who placed third overall in the discus with a personal best of 127 feet, 1 inch. Teammate Sonny Skinner followed close behind in fifth with a PR of 126 feet, 4 inches. Hunter Mellinger added depth with a 70-foot, 5-inch throw. In the shot put, Mellinger led with a 39’6” mark, with Skinner (29’11”) and Anthony Hunt (29’1.5”) rounding out the effort.
In jumps, Crisler placed sixth overall in the triple jump with a PR of 42’1”, a significant milestone. He also cleared 18’7” in the long jump. Thorn added a PR in the long jump at 17’4”, and Joseph Scheer jumped 15’7”. Aydon Veloz cleared 5’6” in the high jump.
The Lady Trojans proved they could keep pace with the state’s best, highlighted by multiple PRs and top-20 finishes.
In the 100m dash, Rosie Miller led the team with a 13.65 finish. Both Diona Nixon and Natalia Vallin achieved personal bests of 13.71, finishing just milliseconds apart. In the 200m, Payton Weaver turned in a 28.66, followed by Vallin (30.15) and Valery Romero (31.82).
The 400m race saw Jules Ondrisko place 16th overall in a competitive heat with a 1:03.40 finish. Weaver hit a PR with 1:04.74, while Monahan came through at 1:11.79. Ondrisko also claimed a top-10 finish in the 800m, running a personal best of 2:35.45. Addi Nelsen followed with a PR of 2:47.79, and Robinson completed the event in 3:01.71.
In the 1600m and 3200m, the Trojans continued to show their endurance. Clouser clocked in at 6:30.11 in the mile, followed by Robinson (6:40.91) and Abarca-Franco (6:53.46). In the 3200m, Clouser led again with a 14:24.17 finish, trailed by Sophie Romero (14:34.13) and Robinson (14:44.91).
In hurdles, Sasha Strain recorded a season-best of 18.14 in the 100m hurdles, with Nixon following at 18.49. Strain also competed in the 300m hurdles, finishing in 53.43.
The girls relay teams turned in impressive times. The 4x100m team (Monahan, Vallin, Romero, and Nixon) posted a 55.81. The 4x200m team (Strain, Weaver, Nixon, and Ondrisko) ran 1:52.98. In the 4x400m, the team of Strain, Weaver, Ondrisko, and Romero ran a solid 4:28.75. In the 4x800m, Robinson, Clouser, Romero, and Miller ran 11:35.91.
In the field, Tiler Ledford led the way in shot put with a season-best of 23’9”, joined by Julie Briggs (22’4”) and Jemima Chavez (21’). Ledford also led in discus with a throw of 74’3”. Chavez followed at 48’0.5”, and Nyomi Skinner threw 47’5”.
Rosie Miller cleared 4’6” in the high jump, while Kyndra Cardwell competed in the pole vault, clearing 6’0”. Melanie Carson jumped 10’5” in the long jump.
With PRs scattered across nearly every event group—from sprints and distance to hurdles and throws—the Trojans are trending upward as the season heads toward championship meets. Coach Nagle and his staff are seeing the payoff from consistent training and focus, even when up against the top-tier programs in Nevada.
The Trojans will continue their season with confidence, knowing they can compete with the best. With athletes like Brenden Thorn and Sonny Skinner emerging as new point scorers and veterans setting new records, Pahrump Valley is building both momentum and belief.
