DON McDERMOTT / PVT For the first time in memory, a cross country meet was contested in the Pahrump Valley, with the Trojans running against Las Vegas teams Durango and Sierra Vista on the Lakeview Executive golf course. Above, McKenzie Dean of the Trojans leads the pack down the first straightaway. DON McDERMOTT / PVT The PVHS boys get off the starting line in the 2.5-mile race. DON McDERMOTT / PVT Richard Andersen, the Trojans' first-year coach. Advertisement

Bright sunshine, cooler temperatures and an energizing positive mood turned what is believed to be the first interscholastic cross country meet ever staged in the Pahrump Valley into a top-flight event Wednesday.

With 31 boys and 18 girls competing for the host Trojans and Las Vegas teams Sierra Vista and Durango, the meet went off without any problems on a 2.5-mile course laid out on the Lakeview Executive Golf course.

Pahrump Valley sophomore McKenzie Dean won the girls' race in 15 minutes, 57 seconds, finishing 1:54 ahead of her nearest rival, Kayla Arizmadi of Sierra Vista.

The Trojans' Nicole Dillon was ninth in 21:09, with Tiffany Kelley 11th in 21:16. Durango won with 36 points, while Sierra Vista had 43 and Pahrump Valley 59.

Djordje (George) Cijanovic of Durango was first in 13:17 in the boys' race, leading the Blazers to a first-place finish with 19 points. Sierra Vista had 43 and Pahrump Valley totaled 84.

For coach Richard Andersen's team, freshman David Jacobi was 14th in 15:13. Daniel Spradlin was 17th in 16:00, while Gabe Veloz was 19th in 16:26.

Josh Armendariz (21st, 16:36), Noah Poulos (23rd, 17:22), Scott Moser (27th, 18:23) and Dylan Dance (30th, 20:12) completed the PVHS lineup.

"I thought things went really well," said Andersen, advising he received approval from Executive management to run the race here "just 1-1/2 weeks ago." While the runners were competing on the front nine, golfers were touring the course on the back.

Pahrump Valley returns to action Saturday in an invitational meet at Laughlin, where the Class 3-A regionals will be contested Oct. 27.