The Pahrump Valley High School cross country team traded the Southern Nevada desert for the lakes and cooler temperatures of Minnesota as its top varsity runners competed in the Dragon Twilight Invitational on Friday, Sept. 4, at Minnesota State University Moorhead.
The Trojans’ second consecutive trip to the invitational produced considerable progress, with the girls finishing sixth among 18 teams after placing 17th out of 17 teams a year ago. The boys also turned in a strong team performance, placing third among 19 teams, according to Head Coach Erik Odegard.
The idea of taking the team to Minnesota began unexpectedly while Odegard was putting together Pahrump’s schedule two summers ago.
“Going to Minnesota actually started out as a small joke,” Odegard said. “I was working on our team schedule a couple of summers ago, and most of the meets around the Las Vegas area were not posted. I was starting to wonder if some of these meets were not happening for one reason or another.”
Odegard jokingly suggested that the Trojans could instead enter a meet in the North Dakota and Minnesota area, allowing members of his family to watch his daughter compete. As the conversations continued, the possibility began to feel more realistic, and he contacted coaches responsible for several meets in the region.
The team initially considered a competition in Grand Forks that attracts runners from South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Canada. Although the opportunity sounded exciting, the dates did not fit well with Pahrump’s schedule. Odegard then discovered the Dragon Twilight Invitational at Minnesota State University Moorhead, and its timing worked with the meets the Trojans already had planned.
Making the long-distance trip financially possible was the availability of Odegard’s sister-in-law’s lake cabin, where the team could stay without incurring hotel costs. The cabin is approximately an hour from the university and also offered the runners an experience far removed from their usual desert surroundings.
“It is something unique for the kids, way different than the desert,” Odegard said. “Cross country up in the Midwest is just a way different way of racing, and I thought it would be good for our kids to experience this. They run a little more like they do in Northern Nevada.”
The meet also held a personal connection for the coach. Odegard and his wife both attended Minnesota State University Moorhead, adding another layer of meaning to the Trojans’ appearance on the campus.
The team traveled Thursday before competing under the lights Friday. After using last year’s trip as an opportunity to learn and become accustomed to the event, the Trojans returned with the goal of improving their performances and competing more effectively against an unfamiliar field.
“Last year we came, we participated and did some learning, and we had a fun experience,” Odegard said. “This year, the plan was to perform just a little bit better—and we did.”
Sophie Romero led Pahrump in the girls’ 5-kilometer race, completing the course in 22 minutes, 46.3 seconds. Ava Bowers followed closely and recorded a personal-best time of 22:59.5.
Addi Nelsen was the third Trojan across the finish line in 23:23.2, while Rosie Miller completed the course in 25:22.7. Alexis Clouser finished in 25:56.7, and Anjolina Mercado rounded out Pahrump’s varsity entries with a time of 26:23.7.
Together, their performances carried the Trojans to sixth place in the 18-team field, an 11-position improvement from the previous year.
“Our girls finished sixth overall out of 18 teams,” Odegard said. “Last year we were 17th of 17—a huge improvement—and overall, we raced well.”
Ella Odegard also made the trip and competed in the junior varsity 4-kilometer race, completing the course in 18:39.2.
In the boys’ 5-kilometer race, Joaquin Flores paced the Trojans with a time of 17:47.1. Logan Tilley followed in 17:59.4, giving Pahrump two runners who completed the course in under 18 minutes.
Daniel Thompson crossed the finish line in 18:46.6. Josh Gent and Josh Flores finished nearly side by side, with Gent recording a time of 19:22.5 and Flores following in 19:23.7. Zander Thompson finished in 19:42.5, while Azael Machuca completed Pahrump’s lineup in 20:03.6.
Although some of the boys were not fully satisfied with their individual performances, Odegard said their combined effort demonstrated their willingness to remain engaged and compete as a team.
“I was impressed with how they stayed in the race or bounced back after a setback,” Odegard said. “These races are about learning and adjusting, and we did that.”
Because the Trojans were facing athletes they did not know and competing in conditions different from those at home, Odegard said the team’s focus was not solely on finishing times. The larger goal was to see how the runners responded to unfamiliar competition and whether they could make adjustments throughout their races.
“The plan for these races is never about time; it’s about competing because we don’t know any of the kids we are running against,” Odegard said. “This year, we did that.”
With both varsity teams placing near the front of their respective fields, the Trojans’ return to Minnesota demonstrated how much they had gained from their first appearance. The runners returned to Pahrump with experience competing in a different region, lessons they can apply throughout the remainder of the season and an 11-place improvement by the girls that showed how far the program had progressed in one year.
*Photos provided by Lori Odegard.
