Cross-country: Odegard leads pack to victory
On Tuesday, junior runner Bryce Odegard led the Trojans boys cross-country team to victory with a first-place finish at the Sunrise Mountain weekday meet. The boys cross-country team took first, second and fourth on the 5,000-meter course to take their opening meet at Sunrise Mountain.
Pahrump boys finished first (22 points), Cheyenne second (43), Desert Pines third (74) and Western fourth (89).
Junior runner Bryce Odegard took first despite a detour on the course (18 minutes, 50 seconds), junior Layron Sonerholm was second (18:57) and Cole Goodman was fourth (19:32).
Trojans cross-country coach Matt Kolodzieczyk said despite a minor hiccup by his lead runner, Odegard, the meet ended the way he had predicted.
“I was not surprised that the boys would do well at this meet,” the coach said. “There was confusion on the course. Odegard would have finished with a faster time but took a wrong turn during the race and was redirected onto the course. During that time Layron Sonerholm, his teammate, actually passed him.”
The Trojans had two other runners in the top ten, sophomore Jacob Cipollini, sixth place (20:49) and senior Stephen Thelaner, ninth (21:23).
The girls cross-country team’s best time was run by junior and newbie Grace Plumb, who finished fifth (26:54). Senior Alicia Quiroz was right behind her in ninth place (28:04), and freshman Terrena Martin came in 10th place (28:16).
“Plumb finishing before Alicia didn’t surprise me,” Kolodzieczyk said. “She had been finishing before her in practice.”
The cross-country coach said the next meet at the Labor Day Classic, the times will be faster.
“The next course our boys and girls know a little better and I think the team will perform better,” Kolodzieczyk said.
The Trojans’ next meet is this weekend at the Labor Day Classic at Palo Verde High School on Saturday at 8 a.m. About 27 teams are registered for this meet.
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com