The Pahrump Valley High School cross country team delivered a strong showing at the Palo Verde Labor Day Classic on Saturday, August 30, with runners earning top finishes across all grade divisions. The event was divided into four races—9–10 grade boys, 9–10 grade girls, 11–12 grade boys, and 11–12 grade girls—giving athletes a chance to compete against peers in their grade levels.
In the 9–10 grade boys race, the Trojans packed the field with a series of strong performances. Josh Gent led the way, finishing first for Pahrump and ninth overall in 19:09. He was followed by Daniel Thompson, who placed 15th overall with a time of 20:47.60. Kris Trejo came in 22nd overall in 21:19, just ahead of teammate Nicoli Money, who crossed in 21:27.80. Alexander Martinez finished next for the Trojans in 25:03.20, with Mozes Quinonez clocking 27:20.20, and Ace Blumer and Isaiah Veloz rounding out the group.
The 9–10 grade girls made their mark as well, highlighted by Rylan Bliss’s outstanding performance. She finished second overall in the race with a time of 22:39.90, placing her among the top runners of the day. Addi Nelsen was next for Pahrump, placing 14th overall in 25:13.40. Keelee Gieni finished 17th overall with a time of 27:19.80, followed by Ella Odegard, while Kimberly Trejo and Lynette Doty rounded out the Trojan squad in this division.
In the 11–12 grade boys race, the Trojans once again earned a top-10 finish, this time from Joaquin Flores. Flores clocked 18:58.30 to place ninth overall. He was followed by Timmy Stutzman in 20th place with a time of 19:24.80. Benjamin De Santiago finished 24th overall in 19:56.50, while Aydon Veloz placed 32nd overall in 20:25.50. The Trojans’ depth continued with strong contributions from Sam Grabbe at 23:07.80, Jacob McLaughlin at 24:02.70, and Akim Khan at 24:10.60.
The 11–12 grade girls put together one of the Trojans’ deepest team performances of the day. Rosie Miller led the way with a ninth-place overall finish, crossing the line in 23:29.20. Just seconds behind was Savannah Thompson, who finished 11th overall in 23:35.90. Kaylan Robinson added another top-15 performance, taking 15th overall in 24:01.50. Alexis Clouser followed with a 22nd-place finish in 24:52.70, while Sophie Romero narrowly missed the medal cutoff, placing 26th overall in 25:12.30.
With medals awarded to the top 25 finishers, several Trojans earned hardware to take home, reflecting both their individual talent and the team’s depth across all divisions. The Palo Verde Labor Day Classic proved to be a successful early-season test, and Pahrump Valley emerged with plenty of momentum for the meets ahead.
