The Pahrump Valley High School track and field team closed out an impressive 2026 season at the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Class 3A State Championships held Friday and Saturday, May 15-16, at Proctor R. Hug High School in Sparks. Competing against the top athletes from across the state, the Trojans delivered strong performances across both track and field events while continuing a season defined by broken records, personal bests and program growth.
The meet began Friday afternoon with the boys 4×800-meter relay team narrowly missing the podium. The Trojans finished fifth overall in 8:29.23, less than two seconds away from earning a state medal. The girls 4×800-meter relay team followed with another fifth-place finish, crossing the line in 10:42.60.
In the hurdle events, Ulisses Alvarez represented the Trojans in the boys 110-meter hurdles, finishing with a time of 19.45.
The sprint events once again highlighted the speed Pahrump Valley showcased throughout the season. In the boys 100-meter dash, Ben De Santiago earned a state medal with a third-place finish and a time of 11.46. On the girls side, Anjolina Mercado posted a time of 13.37 in the 100-meter dash.
The boys 4×200-meter relay team of Jace Wulfenstein, Justin Byers, Ulisses Alvarez and Aeden Redditt added another medal-winning performance for the Trojans, placing fourth overall in 1:34.42. The girls relay squad of Ma’liyah Collins, Diona Nixon, Aurora Bowers and Anjolina Mercado finished sixth in 1:50.61.
Distance runners continued the evening in the 1600-meter races. Joaquin Flores completed the boys race in 5:01.26, while Julianna “Jules” Ondrisko finished sixth in the girls race with a time of 5:53.15.
One of the biggest moments of the meet came in the boys 400-meter dash. De Santiago raced to a state runner-up finish in 48.67, missing first place by only a step while also breaking his own school record for the sixth time this season.
In the girls 400-meter dash, Ondrisko finished in 1:03.15 while Aurora Bowers crossed in 1:05.57.
Friday’s field events also produced several strong finishes for the Trojans. Kyndra Cardwell cleared 8 feet in the girls pole vault, while Savannah Thompson posted a mark of 32 feet, 4.5 inches in the girls triple jump. Kaitlyn Brown threw 81 feet, 6 inches in the girls discus.
On the boys side, Jayden Crisler jumped 19 feet, 0.75 inches in the long jump, and Sonny Skinner earned a state medal with a fourth-place finish in the shot put after recording a personal-best throw of 46 feet, 7 inches.
Competition resumed Saturday morning with Sophie Romero representing the Trojans in the girls 3200-meter run, where she finished in 13:03.46.
The boys 4×100-meter relay team of Wulfenstein, Byers, Alvarez and Redditt clocked a time of 45.78, while the girls team of Rosie Miller, Aurora Bowers, Ma’liyah Collins and Mercado finished in 52.60.
In the boys 300-meter hurdles, Crisler posted a time of 43.68. Ondrisko followed with another record-breaking performance in the girls 300-meter hurdles, placing fifth in 47.00 while lowering her own school record for the second time.
The boys 800-meter run featured a close finish between Trojan teammates Joaquin Flores and Ben De Santiago. Flores crossed in 2:01.30, just ahead of De Santiago’s 2:01.35. Ondrisko continued her busy weekend in the girls 800-meter run, finishing in 2:29.76.
De Santiago added another strong sprint finish in the boys 200-meter dash with a time of 23.52, while Mercado ran 27.66 in the girls race.
The Trojans wrapped up the track portion of the championships in the relay events. The boys 4×400-meter relay team of Jace Wulfenstein, Aeden Redditt, Josh Slusher and Joaquin Flores finished in 3:37.83. The girls relay team of Ava Bowers, Rosie Miller, Ella Odegard and Aurora Bowers completed the race in 4:26.92.
Saturday’s field events included Rosie Miller clearing 4 feet, 10 inches in the girls high jump and Diona Nixon recording a 16-foot jump in the girls long jump.
In the boys discus, Brenden Thorn threw 128 feet, 9 inches while Sonny Skinner added a mark of 123 feet, 8 inches. Crisler capped off a standout meet by earning a state runner-up finish and medal in the boys triple jump with a leap of 44 feet, 4.75 inches.
Following the conclusion of the championships, Head Coach Dan Nagle reflected on a memorable season for the Trojans program.
“This season was full of ups and downs, but the ups definitely outweighed the downs,” Nagle said. “We saw more records broken in one season than I have ever witnessed. Overall, it was an amazing season that I will always remember. Our seniors especially left a lasting impression on me, and they will truly be missed.”
