The Pahrump Valley High School cross country team opened its season Saturday, Aug. 22, with a strong showing at the Red Rock Running Company Invitational at James Regional Park in Las Vegas.
Racing in the evening against a field that included several larger schools, the Trojans turned in competitive performances across the newcomers, boys and girls races. The Pahrump boys finished fourth overall and were the highest-finishing 3A team in their race, while the girls placed fifth against a field that included tough 5A competition.
Two Trojans began the evening in the girls newcomers race, which covered 1.65 miles. Arianna Roberts led Pahrump with a 41st-place finish, completing the course in 13 minutes, 19 seconds. Brandie Blumer followed in 59th place with a time of 14:06, giving both runners their first taste of high school cross country competition.
The Trojans then put together a strong team effort in the North of Sahara Boys race, led by Joaquin Flores.
Flores crossed the finish line eighth overall with a personal-best time of 17:14, taking the top spot for Pahrump. His top-10 finish earned him a HOKA bag, while he also received a medal awarded to the top 35 finishers.
Josh Gent gave the Trojans a second runner inside the top 20, placing 17th overall with a time of 18:00. Logan Tilley was close behind, finishing 29th overall in 18:30.
Josh Flores rounded out Pahrump’s first four finishers, crossing in 34th place with a time of 19:09 and joining Joaquin Flores, Gent and Tilley among the top 35 runners in the race.
The depth continued behind the Trojans’ leading group. Daniel Thompson finished in 19:29, followed by Zander Thompson in 20:35 and Azael Machuca in 20:46. Manny Dupart completed the course in 21:34, Kamden Moore finished in 23:27 and Alex Martinez crossed in 24:34. Isaiah Veloz recorded a time of 29:22, while Ace Blumer finished in 31:27.
Together, the Trojans earned fourth place in the team standings, trailing only Somerset Academy Sky Pointe, Shadow Ridge and Arbor View. The results put Pahrump ahead of the other 3A programs in the race and provided the boys with a solid starting point for the season.
Pahrump’s girls followed with a fifth-place team finish in the North of Sahara Girls race.
Addi Nelsen led the Trojans, placing 30th overall with a time of 22:48. Sophie Romero followed just 12 seconds later, taking 34th place in 23:00.
Ava Bowers was close behind, finishing 36th overall with a time of 23:09. Bowers narrowly missed joining the top 35 and earning a medal.
Kimberly Trejo added a personal-best performance for Pahrump, completing the race in 24:39. Rosie Miller crossed in 25:14, while Anjolina Mercado and Alexis Clouser finished just seconds apart at 25:39 and 25:43, respectively. Ella Odegard rounded out the Pahrump runners with a time of 29:16.
The fifth-place finish gave the Trojans a competitive opening result while facing several larger 5A programs and provided the team with an early benchmark as runners continue working to lower their times throughout the season.
With a personal best, several top-35 finishes and strong team placements on both the boys and girls sides, the Red Rock Running Company Invitational gave Pahrump a positive start to its 2026 cross country season.
