By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

Breaking down every event:

BOYS FIELD

BOYS TRACK

GIRLS FIELD

GIRLS TRACK

Here are 10 storylines to track Friday and Saturday at the 49th Arcadia Invitational:

Under Cloud Nine

After 19 athletes eclipsed 9 minutes last year in the boys 3,200 – the third consecutive year at least 18 individuals achieved the feat – another loaded field will attempt to exceed that total, despite Arcadia senior Phillip Rocha choosing to focus instead on the mile. All six athletes who have already run under 9 minutes – St. Joseph Notre Dame’s Cooper Teare, Davis Senior’s Michael Vernau, Armijo’s Luis Grijalva, San Luis Obispo’s Callum Bolger, Flintridge Prep’s Jack Van Scoter and Kenny Kneisel of Mount Tabor (North Carolina) – are part of the field. In addition, Ben Veatch of Carmel (Indiana), Jack Yearian of Bellarmine Prep (Washington) and Madera South’s Eduardo “Lalo” Herrera all return after eclipsing the standard last year and Utah stars Garek Bielaczyc of Salt Lake City East along with Casey Clinger of American Fork both broke the barrier in the recent indoor season. Great Oak’s Cole Spencer and Dana Hills’ Jake Ogden have also run under 9 minutes earlier in their careers.

Vaulters Seeking Rarefied Air

Armand Duplantis and Rachel Baxter both competed in the pole vault at the World Youth Championships, albeit for different countries. Now they’ll have an opportunity to be linked again as Arcadia champions and potential record holders. Duplantis, a sophomore from Lafayette (Louisiana) who won World Youth gold for Sweden, is the national outdoor leader at 17-8.5 and looks to break the 2008 record of 17-4 set by Los Gatos’ Nico Weiler. Baxter, who placed ninth for the U.S. in Colombia, also leads the country with a 13-10 outdoor clearance. Her sights are set on the 2013 meet record of 13-8 set by former Santa Margarita star Kaitlyn Merritt, a three-time Arcadia champion.

Triple Threat Tara

Agoura junior Tara Davis, seeking her first career invitational victory at Arcadia, has a legitimate opportunity to win three events in less than three hours when she competes in the 100-meter hurdles, triple jump and long jump. Davis won the long jump and triple jump – with a national-leading 43-2 – at the Texas Relays, but wasn’t able to contend in the 100 hurdles after clipping a hurdle and falling. She placed in the top three in all three events at last year’s state meet and will use this competition as a dress rehearsal to prepare for her postseason schedule.

Lyles Brothers Ready To Let Loose

The nation’s fastest brothers will attempt a sweep of the 100, 200 and 400, in addition to trying to lead T.C. Williams (Virginia) to a victory in the 4 x 100 relay. One of the meet’s biggest showdowns will be the matchup involving Josephus Lyles and Vista Murrieta’s Michael Norman in the 400 in a battle of the country’s two fastest returning prep competitors from last year. Noah Lyles won’t get a rematch with Norman in the 200, but T.C. Williams will go head to head with the Broncos in the 4 x 100 relay. Noah Lyles is attempting to become the first male athlete since Taft’s Jamere Holland in 2006 to sweep the 100 and 200 titles.

Showdowns For Sprinting Supremacy

After Ventura County standouts Zaria Francis of Rio Mesa, Celera Barnes of St. Bonaventure and Lauren Rain Williams of Oaks Christian swept the top three spots in the 60-meter dash in the New Balance National Indoor final, Barnes and Williams will square off for the first time outdoors this season in the invitational 100-meter heat. Williams will look to repeat her sweep of the 100 and 200 last year, with World Youth 400 silver medalist Lynna Irby of Pike (Indiana) entered in the 100, 200 and 400. The 400 also includes the past two Arcadia winners and state champions in Buchanan’s Hannah Waller and Carson’s Kaelin Roberts.

Great Oak Eyes Return To Relay Royalty

After winning the girls 4 x 1,600 and distance medley relays last season, Great Oak has aspirations of adding a victory in the 4 x 800 relay to their resume as well this year. Destiny Collins has chosen not to compete in any individual events in order to compete on all three relays in an effort to bolster the Wolfpack’s pursuit of the triple crown. Great Oak’s biggest test will likely come against Davis Senior in the 4 x 1,600, where Collins and Fiona O’Keeffe could go head to head. Palos Verdes presents a significant challenge in the distance medley relay after taking second to the Wolfpack last year. Clovis North has won the past two girls 4 x 800 titles, so Great Oak’s path to a potential trifecta must begin with a victory Friday. The Wolfpack are also in contention to win all three boys distance relays after Dana Hills edged Great Oak in both the 4 x 1,600 and distance medley relay last season.

Raising The Bar

Only 12 athletes in meet history have cleared 7 feet in the boys high jump, but one of the deepest fields ever to compete at Arcadia has the potential to add another seven individuals to that list. Darius Carbin of Mt. Pleasant and Jaron Brooks of Henry Clay (Kentucky) renew acquaintances after competing in Colombia at the World Youth Championships and again in the New Balance National Indoor final, with Carbin prevailing in both showdowns. Justice Summerset of Mountain View Marana (Arizona) is the defending champion, with Trabuco Hills’ Sean Lee, Oakmont’s Isaiah Holmes, St. Francis Mountain View’s Darius Thomas and JW North’s Elijah Hughes all having cleared 7 feet already in their careers. The meet record has stood since 2003, when Mike Morrison of Willingboro (New Jersey) cleared 7-3.

Legendary Throw Down

Sophia Rivera of Brentwood (Missouri) and San Jose Valley Christian’s Elena Bruckner were the top two outdoor high school performers in the shot put last year, both cracking the all-time prep top 10. After both placing in the top five at the New Balance National Indoor final, they meet for the first time this year outdoors, pursuing the 2014 meet record of 52-1.25 set by former Dos Pueblos star Stamatia Scarvelis. Bruckner is the national outdoor leader at 53-5, in addition to leading in the discus throw at 181-1, looking to repeat as invitational champion in both events. Esperanza’s Bronson Osborn is looking to become the third male athlete in meet history to surpass 70 feet in the shot put after St. John Bosco’s Matt Katnik ascended to No. 2 last year with a mark of 71-3.5.

Spotlight Shines On Carson

With all of their athletes finally eligible following the mandatory 30-day sit-out period, the march to a CIF State girls team championship officially begins for Carson, which is entered in three invitational relays. Long Beach Poly transfers Kennedi Atkins, Kenyla Miles, Kaelin Roberts and Autumn Wright won’t get a chance to square off against their former teammates, but are scheduled to run together for the first time on the 4 x 100 relay. The Colts also have the potential to win the 4 x 400 and 800 sprint medley relays, in addition to Roberts seeking her second career Arcadia victory in the 400. Carson will also showcase its prowess in the jumps, with Jo’non Young and Crystal Washington both competing.

Canadian Clash

The battle in the girls 800 involves not only the top two returning competitors from last year, but a pair of athletes who could both be representing Canada this summer in the World Junior Championships. Ginelle DeMone from Leduc Composite in Alberta placed second last season in 2:09.29, with Huntington Beach’s Cassie Durgy fourth in 2:10.10. Durgy has dual citizenship and is eligible to compete at the Canadian Junior Trials if she chooses. Another Canadian standout, Dallyssa Huggins from Bill Crothers in Ontario, is also entered in the invitational 800, along with the heptathlon beginning Thursday and the invitational high jump Saturday.