By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Here are 10 relay storylines to follow Friday and Saturday at the 50th Arcadia Invitational:

You can watch the live Webcast of the meet Friday and Saturday here

One last run at a record

Although much of the focus entering the meet is on the pursuit of the boys 4x1,600 national record by American Fork UT, the girls from Great Oak CA are also looking to produce another memorable performance under the lights Friday.

Seniors Kiyena Beatty, Sydney Belus, Evelyn Mandel and Nicole Rice, instrumental in the Wolfpack running under 20 minutes each of the past two seasons, will compete together in their final appearance at Arcadia.

Great Oak celebrated the fastest 4x1,600 performance in U.S. prep history by clocking 19:52.88 at last year’s Mt. SAC Relays, which converts to 19:59.95 for the 4xMile relay, No. 3 all-time behind New York powers Suffern 19:56.75 and Roxbury 19:58.07, both efforts from 2006.

Another impressive field has been assembled, with Great Oak being joined by past champions Davis Senior CA and Saugus CA, along with Claremont CA, Buchanan CA and Utah programs Davis and Timpanogos.

Seeking the sweetest 16 laps of all

The country’s top three returning teams from last season in the boys 4x1,600 relay will clash Friday, but only American Fork UT has aspirations of challenging the national high school record of 16:52.95 set last year by Great Oak CA.

Casey Clinger, Patrick Parker, McKay Johns and Carson Clinger have been pointing toward this opportunity since American Fork ran 17:01.26 at last year’s Timpanogos Relays.

Great Oak should still be among the leaders, along with another past champion Dana Hills CA and national leader Alexander GA, but American Fork is prepared to not only break the 17-minute barrier but potentially run under 16:50.

California programs Roosevelt, West Ranch and Saugus also have the potential to place in the top five, in addition to Neuqua Valley IL.

Back in the spotlight

Carson CA had to wait until last year’s meet to have all members – Kenyla Miles, Kennedi Atkins, Autumn Wright and Kaelin Roberts – of its girls 4x100 relay available to compete and the Colts didn’t disappoint, prevailing in 45.81, more than a full second ahead of the field.

The challengers expect to be much tougher for a veteran Carson lineup this year, especially from Chandler AZ, which has run 46.26 this year anchored by Anaya Bailey.

Roosevelt CA, Bishop O’Dowd CA and Tahoma WA could all be in the picture to place in the top three, but as long as the baton is passed efficiently, it should develop into a two-team battle in the middle of the track.

Three-peat pursuit will be tough

Los Alamitos CA has been impressive the past two years in winning the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay, but only Jose Rubio returns from last year’s Griffins’ lineup, making the prospect of a third consecutive victory quite a challenge, especially with the experience of Ian Issa and Steven Camacho at Long Beach Wilson CA.

Rancho Verde CA and Union Catholic NJ not only have the potential to contend for the title, but also pursue Los Alamitos’ meet record of 3:26.36 from last season.

Showdown in shuttle hurdles

Caitlyn Little and Michelle Nkoudou were members of the victorious Hoover AL lineup in 2015 in the girls 4x100 shuttle hurdles relay.

They return to not only seek another championship, but possibly pursue the meet record 57.17 set in 2014 when Vacaville CA ran what was then the fastest time in U.S. prep history.

Hoover has run two of the top 10 times in history, both under 58 seconds, looking to match Western Branch VA with its third historic performance.

Union Catholic NJ, Centennial NV and Santa Margarita CA will also compete in the invitational section. The last time any of the three competed in the meet’s invitational shuttle hurdles was Santa Margarita in 2005. 

Bellarmine Prep expecting a battle

Following its national-leading 10:03.67 performance at the 42nd Stanford Invitational, had Bellarmine Prep CA fielded the same lineup in the distance medley relay, the Belles had the potential to become the 18th team in U.S. prep history to break the 10-minute barrier.

But with anchor Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau competing in the 3,200 earlier Saturday, Bellarmine will adjust its lineup that features Alex Scales, Tommy Rocha and Ben Micallef, giving several challengers the opportunity to contend for the title.

California programs Claremont, Dana Hills, Loyola, Mira Costa, Roosevelt and Rubidoux will battle with Alexander GA and Utah powers Davis and Timpanogos.

Approaching cloud nine

Only one team in meet history, A. Phillip Randolph NY in 2002, has run under 9 minutes in the girls 4x800 relay, but Chandler AZ has the potential to challenge the prestigious barrier Friday with sophomore standout Morgan Foster on its anchor and three other athletes who have run under 2:20.

The invitational field has outstanding depth, with Centennial NV including Alexis Gourrier and Karina Haymore, and defending champion Great Oak CA returning Ally Talpash and Kiyena Beatty from last year’s lineup.

Palos Verdes CA, North Canyon AZ, Peak to Peak CO, Long Beach Poly CA, Santa Cruz CA and Union Catholic NJ all have the potential to be in the top five.

Distance medley dynasty

For the past 20 years, California high schools have won the invitational girls distance medley relay, with Salt Lake City East UT the last program outside the Golden State to capture the title in 1996.

Davis UT has the potential to end the run with a senior-laden lineup anchored by Ally Geisler, but Great Oak CA – with Ally Talpash and Kolonnie Green returning from last season’s quartet – is looking to extend its own streak with a third consecutive victory, which would match the success of Corona del Mar CA from 2005-07.

San Marcos CA enters the meet with the fastest time in the field, but anchor Erica Schroeder isn’t expected to be running for the Royals in order to focus on the 800 earlier Saturday.

California contenders Oak Ridge, La Costa Canyon, Claremont, Davis Senior, Saugus and Palos Verdes all have the depth to prevail in a deep field.

Border battle

Two of the elite programs in Arizona, Chandler and North Canyon, will look to close out the meet Saturday in impressive fashion when they square off with California powers Oaks Christian, Santa Margarita, St. Mary’s Berkeley, Long Beach Wilson, Roosevelt and Westlake in the girls 4x400 relay.

Chandler set the Arizona state record by running 3:47.98 at its own invitational March 25 – although Morgan Foster is likely to be replaced by LaMeyah Charlton to join Armani Harris, Anna Foreman and Anaya Bailey – with North Canyon clocking 3:53.70.

Oaks Christian is the unknown, especially because USC signee Lauren Rain Williams will not run for the Lions along with Carolyn Wilson and Julia Sullivan. Cassidy Palka and Hannah Wilson are expected to run the other two legs.

Dana Hills is currently entered in the seeded section, but boasts the fastest time by any California team after clocking 3:50.87 at the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Spectacular showcase in sprint medley

Although the 2003 meet and national records of 1:38.73 by Long Beach Poly CA won’t be challenged, and the fastest team in the country Carson CA is not entered, an impressive field is assembled in the girls 800 sprint medley relay Friday, looking to produce the second time under 1:44 in three years.

Long Beach Poly, which won three in a row from 2012-14, has a quality lineup led by Ariyonna Augustine.

Bishop O’Dowd CA has depth with Tierra Robinson-Jones, Jordan Jones and Jasmine Powell, with Chandler AZ – featuring sisters LaMeyah Charlton and Jayde Charlton – also expected be in contention, in addition to Parkland NC, with sophomore Del’Nique Penn and senior Zjinaiya Francis.