While Pahrump Valley High School did not crown any region champions over the weekend, six boys and 12 girls punched tickets to the states by finishing in the top four of their events at Moapa Valley High School.
Leading the way was junior distance runner Michael Sonerholm. Sonerholm finished second in the 1,600 meters (4 minutes, 40.11 seconds), third in the 800 (2:03.33) and fourth in the 3,200 (10:24.92), the latter two marks personal records.
“The PRs were a direct result of hard work and committed focus during the week of practice” leading up to the regions,” Trojans track and field coach Fred Schmidt said.
Sonerholm also will represent the Trojans in the 4 x 800. A year after he and fellow junior Grant Odegard made up half of a unit that won the event in a record-setting 8:06.95, they joined Isaak Cruz and Jacob Cipollini to finish fourth in 8:41.34.
Odegard also will be moving on in the pole vault after he cleared 11 feet, 6 inches to finish third at Moapa Valley.
Two Trojans qualified in the high jump, as seniors Chance Farnsworth (6-4) and Ethan Whittle (6-2) placed second and third, respectively. Whittle’s mark was his personal best.
For the Pahrump Valley girls, junior Jazmyne Turner, sophomore Makayla Gent and the 4 x 100 relay team each posted second-place finishes to highlight the meet.
Turner took second in the 100, running a season-best 12.79. She also was part of the second-place 4 x 100, joining Jessica Anderson, Georgina Avent and Shanniah Tripp to post a time of 53.24. Gent, who placed sixth in both the 800 and 1,600, took second in the 3,200 in 12:42.73, her best time of the year.
“These young athletes are proving the system will work when they buy in,” Schmidt said.
Gent ran on the 4 x 800 that placed fourth in 11:01.33, following Patricia Roundy, Kate Goodman and Kimberly Roundy.
Juniors Kylie Stritenberger (third, 32-10.25) and Destany Korschinowski (fourth, 32-8.25) each hit a personal best in the shot put to qualify for the state championships. Kate Daffer’s PR of 96-9 in the discus was good for fourth place, as was Elaina Dattilio’s 4-8 in the high jump.
The Trojans girls team finished with 72 points, 4 more than last season, which was a big jump from the 25 they totaled in 2017. That will make for an interesting couple of days at the Class 3A State Championships, which will be held Friday and Saturday at Desert Oasis High School in Las Vegas.
“This week will be exciting to watch unfold,” Schmidt said. “We will continue the education of being focused and committed to moving forward.”