Pahrump Valley’s Odegard, Albertson win state track titles
Going into the Class 3A state championship track and field meet last weekend in Carson City, Pahrump Valley senior Bryce Odegard was looking for his first state title.
That’s not to say he hadn’t had success at that level. As a junior, he finished second in the 800 meters, second in the 1,600 and fourth in the 3,200 at Foothill High School. He also scored in all three events the year before in Carson City. But the runner who won the Class 3A cross-country title as a junior had not broken the tape at the state meet in the spring.
Now he’s done it twice.
Odegard had a weekend to remember, winning the 800 in 1 minute, 57.69 seconds, winning the 1,600 in 4:29.61, taking fourth in the 3,200 in 10:23.77 and teaming with Layron Sonerholm, Michael Sonerholm and Grant Odegard to finish second in the 4 x 800 in 8:09.40.
Add that up, and Bryce Odegard had a hand in 33 of Pahrump Valley’s 78.5 points as the Trojans boys finished third behind Mojave and Desert Pines.
Altogether, distance runners accounted for 43 points. Senior Layron Sonerholm scored in three individual events as well, placing fourth in the 800 (2:02.28) and seventh in the 1,600 (5:03.13) and 3,200 (11:13.46), while sophomore Michael Sonerholm placed eighth in the 1,600 (5:10.79).
There was a bit of a surprise in the 4 x 800, as the Trojans’ quartet unanimously agreed that their toughest competition would come from 3A Southern Region runner-up Desert Pines. But it was Elko finishing in 8:08.40 to edge Pahrump Valley’s region record-setters by just more than a half-second.
Pahrump Valley’s other state champion was Jeremy Albertson. The senior, who won discus at the 3A Southern Regional meet by more than 35 feet, won the title at the state meet with a throw of 160 feet, 7 inches, improving his second-place throw from a year ago by 14 feet.
Another thrower enjoying a big day was senior Morgan White. On a day when few personal records were recorded, White posted two of them, finishing second in the shot put (47-4.75) and third in the discus (137-1) to provide 14 of the Trojans’ team points.
Two Trojans placed in the high jump, as Chance Farnsworth took third (6-2) and Jacob Sawin tied for fifth with a season-best 5-10. In the pole vault, Grant Odegard finished seventh by clearing 11 feet.
Distance runners also provided the bulk of the points on the girls side as the Trojans tied for 14th with 23 points, a dramatic improvement over the one point they managed a year ago.
Freshman Makayla Gent and senior Sydney Dennis turned in solid days. Gent placed in three individual events, taking sixth in the 800 (2:28.04) and 3,200 (13:12.76) and eighth in the 1,600 (5:52.95), while Dennis finished fifth in the 800 (2:27.57) and seventh in the 3,200 (13:13.85).
Gent and Dennis also teamed with Grace Gundacker and Diamond Sonerholm to put together Pahrump Valley’s top finish of the day, running the 4 x 800 in 10:05.79 to finish fourth. Gundacker also placed eighth in the 400 in 1:04.66.
Elaina Dattillio, who provided the only point for the Trojans last year, added three this year by finishing sixth in the high jump by clearing 4-8. Kylie Stritenberger finished eighth in the shot put with a throw of 32-1.5.
Lowry won the team title with 72 points, followed by Tahoe-Truckee (63) and Sunrise Mountain (58).
Granados stars for Beatty boys at 1A meet
Sophomore Jose Granados won the 800 (2:02.01) and 1,600 (4:36.62), finished second in the 3,200 (10:11.12) and placed fourth in the pole vault (8-6) to lead the Beatty boys track and field team to fourth place in the Class 1A state championships last weekend in Carson City.
The Hornets finished with 58 points. Spring Mountain ran away with the title with 209 points, followed by Sierra Lutheran (116) and Excel Christian (67).
Junior Yadir Rodriguez had a big day in the jumps, finishing second in the long jump (19-8) and fourth in the high jump (5-8). Freshman Noel Gutierrez was the Hornets' other individual place winner, taking sixth in the 300 hurdles (47.31). The rest of Beatty's points came from relays, as the Hornets scored in all four.
In the girls meet, senior Karina Villanueva and junior Seida Gutierrez each placed in two individual events and the Hornets placed in three relays to finish 11th of 17 teams.
Villanueva finished sixth in the high jump (4-2) and seventh in the 400 (1:21.24), while Gutierrez took eighth in the 100 (15.06) and 200 (31.36).
Villanueva was also part of two of the scoring relay teams, while Gutierrez was on the sixth-place 4 x 200. Carmen Stephenson and Ashley Anderson ran on all three of them, while Amaya Horton was also on the 4 x 200.
