Top high school cross country teams begin season — PHOTOS

Coronado’s Vera Lee finishes first in the girls “South of Sahara” section of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Leaders of the boys “North of Sahara” section begin the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Shadow Ridge’s Elynn Okuda lays on the pavement after finishing the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Desert Oasis’ Kenan Dagge finishes first in the boys “South of Sahara” section of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sky Pointe’s Aislin McMahon finishes first in the girls “North of Sahara” section of the the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Shadow Ridge’s Carson Wetzell finishes first in the boys “North of Sahara” section of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Runners compete in the boys “South of Sahara” section during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado girls cross country warms up for the Red Rock Running Company Invitational at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The girls “South of Sahara” section lines up to start the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Runners cheer for their peers during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Durango’s Chloe Segmiller (771) competes during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Girls runners cheer for their boy teammates during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Green Valley’s MaryJane Gutierrez-Hess competes during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Shadow Ridge’s Dylan Bailey competes during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Green Valley’s Lola DeCania, center, leads a cheer before her team competes in the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Foothill’s Reed Richards powers through the last steps of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Moapa Valley’s Mordechai Yadegar crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The “South of Sahara” girls section begins their race, including Coronado’s Vera Lee, center, during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Coronado’s Brooke-Lynn Miller crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Doral Red Rock’s Annalise Echavvaria leads a pack during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sky Pointe’s Katherine Hodges, center, smiles while running in the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sky Pointe’s Mackenzie Teal crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Faith Lutheran’s Scarlett Cotrone crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sky Pointe’s Kaden Lay takes his final steps during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Green Valley’s Andrew Poirier reaches the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Shadow Ridge’s Carson Wetzel, right, leads the pack during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Liberty’s Sienna Maisano crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)