By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 53rd Arcadia Invitational is scheduled for Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8 at Arcadia High.

ARCADIA INVITATIONAL LIVE WEBCAST INFO

Here are 10 storylines to follow at one of the nation’s elite high school track and field competitions, which will only feature California athletes this season:

Newbury Park looks to win numbers game again

Even following the graduation of Nico Young and Jace Aschbrenner, Newbury Park has continued to demonstrate unprecedented distance depth during the past year and Saturday night in the invitational 3,200 meters has the potential to provide another example.

Newbury Park already became the first high school program to have five athletes under 15 minutes in the same 5,000-meter track race Dec. 5 in Arizona.

The Panthers will attempt to achieve another memorable feat by having at least three athletes eclipse the 9-minute barrier in the same race for the first time in meet history. And they might not be the only team pursuing that goal, with Bellarmine Prep also having three athletes capable of showcasing that depth.

Utah programs American Fork, Ogden and Springville have all had two individuals run under 9 minutes in the same invitational 3,200 competition at Arcadia.

Casey Clinger (8:44.70) and McKay Johns (8:51.71) accomplished the goal for American Fork in 2017, along with Garrett Barton (8:51.21) and Travis Feeny (8:54.20) for Ogden in the same race.

Brandon Garnica (8:57.25) and Grant Gardner (8:58.14) followed in 2018 for Springville.

The closest any California program came was in 2016 at Arcadia when Great Oak had Cole Spencer run 8:59.42, followed by Isaac Cortes in 9:00.28 and Spencer Dodds at 9:01.60.

The 1975 team from Hammond High in Indiana produced three sub-9 performers in Rudy Chapa, Tim Keough and Carey Pinkowski, with each individual running under 8:53.

Northport High from New York had three athletes achieve sub-9 efforts in the 2-mile championship race at the 2014 New Balance Nationals Outdoor meet in Greensboro, N.C., with Mikey Brannigan and brothers Tim McGowan and Jack McGowan all finishing in under 8:58, which converts to sub-8:55 in the 3.200.

Colin Sahlman enters the race as the state leader for Newbury Park at 8:47.05. Lex Young has run 8:57.27. But the Panthers have already experienced a few agonizing near misses this year, with Nick Goldstein running 9:00.50, Leo Young clocking 9:03.38 and Daniel Appleford achieving a mark of 9:04.03.

All five athletes are scheduled to be part of the field Saturday, along with the Bellarmine Prep trio of Galen Topper (8:59.29), Nolan Topper (9:02.34) and Colin Peattie (9:04.80), all chasing the 2019 meet record of 8:40.0 achieved by Young.

Ajani Salcido of Jesuit is also entered, following an 8:56.67 performance April 24 at the Dublin Social Distance Fiesta, as well as Pasadena’s Isaiah Givens, who eclipsed the 9-minute barrier Feb. 27 in Arizona by running 8:59.64.

Bryce Gilmore of Sage Creek, Christopher Caudillo of Clovis and Ethan Godsey of Agoura also have the potential to run under the 9-minute mark as well.

Sommers seeks another historic height

Whether it was former Davis Senior standout Sondre Guttormsen setting the California boys state record in 2018 or Chloe Cunliffe of West Seattle achieving the national outdoor girls all-time mark in 2019, there has been a legacy of exceptional pole vaulting at Arcadia, and Westlake senior Paige Sommers is motivated to add her own chapter Saturday.

Having already eclipsed the national prep outdoor record with her 14-8.50 (4.48m) clearance April 3 at the Vaulter Club Vaulter Magazine Frosh/Soph Championships in Sun City, the Duke-bound Sommers is taking aim at the absolute record of 14-9 (4.50m) achieved indoors in 2019 by Cunliffe, who went on to produce a 14-8 (4.47m) clearance later that year at Arcadia.

Only Cunliffe and Anaheim Canyon graduate Rachel Baxter have surpassed the 14-foot mark at Arcadia. Baxter, a senior All-American at Virginia Tech, cleared 14-2 (4.31m) at the 2016 event. Sommers cleared 13-5 (4.08m) to place second to Cunliffe at the 2019 meet.

It will mark the first time that Sommers will reunite with all of her peers from the San Diego Section at the same meet since June. Sommers has competed against several of the top vaulters in the state at the Big Red Barn facility in Sun City during the past 10 months, but hasn’t squared off against 2019 state champion Ashley Callahan of Rancho Bernardo since June 13 in Arizona.

Allison Leigh and Nicole Loy of Del Norte are expected to compete, along with Maya Grudman of Sage Creek, Avery Hilliard of Poway and Melodie Quiroz of Rancho Bernardo, along with Southern Section peers Gabrielle Pack of Peninsula and freshman Aspen Fears of Vista Murrieta.

Fears became only the 12th freshman in California history to clear at least 12 feet April 15 against Yucaipa.

Crawford, Upland are up for any challenge

Junior Delaney Crawford will be taking on a unique schedule at the meet, including the pursuit of a meet record and possible state all-time mark Friday in the 4x110-meter shuttle hurdle relay.

Kai Graves-Blanks, Davis Davis-Lyric, Dequan January and Crawford are attempting to eclipse the 2007 meet standard of 59.28 seconds achieved by Brophy Prep of Arizona.

The California record of 59.17 established by Long Beach Millikan has stood since 1983. Millikan and Muir High of Pasadena are the only programs in state history ever to run under one minute with automatic timing in the shuttle hurdle relay, with Hawthorne being credited with a 58.6 hand-timed performance at the 1984 Mt. SAC Relays, the year after Millikan set the record at the same event.

Loyola has been the fastest among all California teams competing in the event at Arcadia, clocking 1:00.26 in 2008.

Crawford is also scheduled to compete for Upland on the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, as well as squaring off against St. Mary’s of Stockton three-sport star Jadyn Marshall in the 300-meter hurdles in a matchup of the top two competitors in the state.

Graves-Blanks is expected to compete against Marshall in the 110-meter hurdles.

Barnett ready to continue remarkable run

Crescenta Valley senior Mia Barnett, a Virginia signee, is on her way to establishing herself as the most well-rounded female distance competitor in California prep history.

Already with personal-best efforts this year of 2:07.31 in the 800, 4:41.32 in the 1,600, 4:43.11 in the mile and 9:52.23 in the 3,200, Barnett has an opportunity to not only challenge the meet record, but all-time state mark Saturday in the invitational girls 3,200.

Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks ran 9:48.59 in the 3,200 in 1996, with no other California competitor running under 9:50.

Barnett produced a solo effort to achieve the No. 4 performance in state history April 17 at the Laguna Beach Distance Carnival, and isn’t expected to be challenged Saturday, despite eight of the top 10 competitors in the state scheduled to race.

Only four female athletes in event history have run under 10 minutes, with Alexa Efraimson of Camas High in Washington, now a Nike professional athlete, setting the meet record of 9:55.92 in 2014.

Claudia Lane of Malibu is the only California competitor to eclipse the 10-minute barrier at Arcadia, edging Brie Oakley of Grandview High in Colorado by a 9:57.52 to 9:57.59 margin in 2017. Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West in Illinois won the 2019 race in 9:59.57.

Dalia Frias of Mira Costa, Hannah Fredericks of Saugus, Emily Richards of Aliso Niguel, freshman Payton Godsey of Oaks Christian, Jill Walker of Simi Valley and Tiani Goeson of Serrano are among the other top competitors in the Southern Section, racing against North Coast Section athletes Sophia Nordenholz of Albany, Audrey Allen of Miramonte and Harper McClain of St. Helena, in addition to Buchanan teammates Sydney Sundgren and Grace Hutchison, along with Sierra Burror of Bishop Union and Miliana Perez of Clovis North, all representing the Central Section, plus Stormy Wallace of Sage Creek and Annika Salz of Torrey Pines in San Diego, and Sofia Abrego of Granada Hills from the Los Angeles City Section.

A new sprint star surges into spotlight

Four of the top seven marks in meet history in the boys invitational 100-meter dash were produced by the winners of the event from 2016-19.

The potential to produce a new fastest man in California is the opportunity that awaits several underrated sprinters Saturday, looking to shine on center stage in the closest race that will resemble a state final, with the official championship scheduled for June 25-26 at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Buchanan High in Clovis being canceled for the second year in a row.

Nathan Johnson of Clovis ran the fastest all-conditions time in the state this season with his wind-aided effort of 10.49 seconds May 1 at the West Coast Relays at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Patrick Ize-Iyamu of Chaminade boasts the top wind-legal mark this year at 10.56 from April 10 at the Simi Valley Invitational.

Christian Trapps of Pittsburg, Daniel Sarisky of Thousand Oaks, Bryce Brock of Cathedral Catholic, Jack de Bos of Huntington Beach Edison, Max Thomas of Servite and Steven Marks of Cathedral have all run under 10.80 this season and are capable of securing the victory and the respect that comes with prevailing in such an elite field.

The fastest performance by a California athlete in meet history is 10.34 by Javelin Guidry of Vista Murrieta in 2017, with the meet record achieved the year before by Noah Lyles of T.C. Williams in Virginia, clocking 10.17.

Cenci, Clovis North cherish the competition

Takiya Cenci and her Clovis North teammates have traveled throughout the country during the pandemic in order to take on the toughest challenges in both individual events and relays.

Following trips to Arizona, Florida and Virginia during the past 10 months, Cenci is ready to see how well prepared she and the Broncos are Saturday when they face the top sprint and relay competitors in the invitational 4x100 and 4x400, along with the 200 and 400.

Cenci is the state leader in the 400 at 54.75, along with producing the fastest all-conditions mark in the 200 at 24.32. Clovis North has also run 3:52.05 in the 4x400, the fastest invitational performance of the season, and is scheduled to square off against JW North, which is credited with running 3:49.35 in an April 21 dual meet against Elsinore.

Cenci is expected to match up against Katriina Wright of University City, the 2019 state champion in the 400, along with Long Beach Wilson’s Aujane Luckey and Sadia Green, in addition to her teammate Tiara Adeniji.

In the 200, Cenci should be tested by Carson’s Reign Redmond, San Diego Madison’s Aysha Shaheed, Oaks Christian’s Jahzara Richardson, Buchanan’s Lauren Fowler and Luckey.

Several challengers are capable of winning the girls invitational 4x100, with Clovis North squaring off against Calabasas, Carson, Long Beach Poly, Long Beach Wilson, Oaks Christian, Roosevelt and Serra.

Bellarmine Prep has potential for big opening night

Patrick McCrystle understands the history of exceptional boys distance relays, especially for Bellarmine Prep, which became the first program from West of the Mississippi River to win a Championship of America title in the distance medley relay at the Penn Relays when Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau, Tommy Rocha, Ben Micallef and Alex Scales followed their win at Arcadia that season by rallying for a thrilling victory in 2017 at Franklin Field.

McCrystle has another elite quartet capable of producing a memorable performance, this time much closer to home, with Colin Peattie, Daniel Vaca and brothers Nolan Topper and Galen Topper ready to join the all-time prep greats Friday in the 4x1,600 relay.

The national record has been set multiple times at Arcadia, with Great Oak clocking 16:55.85 in 2016, only to have American Fork relish the opportunity to travel from Utah and compete closer to sea level to run 16:41.30 in 2017.

American Fork and Great Oak remain the only programs in prep history to run under 17 minutes in the 4x1,600 or 4xmile relays.

Great Oak is also scheduled to compete Friday, along with Dana Hills, El Toro, Mira Costa and West Torrance among the top Southern Section programs ready to challenge Bellarmine Prep.

JSerra hoping youth is served

It hasn’t taken long for the young talent at JSerra High to flourish under the guidance of coach Chase Frazier, who knows what it takes to prepare a program to excel under the big spotlight at Arcadia High.

Frazier was the coach in 2019 at Mission Viejo, when the Diablos won the invitational distance medley relay and placed second to Great Oak in a thrilling 4x800 showdown.

JSerra enters the meet having produced the fastest times in the state this season in both events, running 9:38.09 in the 4x800 and 12:22.70 in the DMR on April 10 at the Earl Engman Relays.

Georgia Jeanneret, Ashlee Gallegos and Anastasia Snodgrass are expected to compete on both relays for JSerra, with the invitational 4x800 scheduled for Friday and the DMR on Saturday.

Hanna Barmettler is scheduled to be part of the DMR quartet, with Brooke O’Brien completing the 4x800 lineup for the Lions. None of the five athletes competing on the two relays for JSerra are seniors.

Great Oak was the last California program to sweep both the girls 4x800 and DMR in the same year in 2016.

Great Oak, La Canada, Marina, Fountain Valley, Torrey Pines and Oak Ridge are expected to be the leading contenders in the DMR, with Beckman, Anaheim Canyon, Cathedral Catholic, Northwood, Vista Murrieta, Northwood and Great Oak all potential challengers to JSerra in the 4x800.

Expect strong throws to be part of the show

Despite not having the presence of impressive throwers from Arizona and several other states attending this year’s meet, the invitational boys discus and shot put are still expected to be deep competitions Saturday, with the California leaders in both events scheduled to participate.

Shafter junior Nick Godbehere produced a 61-foot effort (18.59m) in the shot put May 1 at the West Coast Relays to become the first athlete in the state to surpass the 60-foot mark this season.

Garces Memorial senior Zach Buckey achieved a 187-1 (57.02m) performance April 23 in the discus at the Clovis East Carnival.

Golden Valley’s Kienan Donovan, Murrieta Mesa’s Cade Moran, Whitney’s Christopher Buck, Bakersfield Liberty’s Andrew Trottier, Clayton Valley’s Andrew McGallian, Oceanside El Camino’s Hawkin Miller and Ontario Christian’s Christian Burroughs are expected to compete in both invitational throwing events.

Bakersfield Liberty’s Grant Buckey and Silver Creek’s Charlie Dang are also entered in the discus, with Esperanza’s Adrian Moreno also competing in the shot put.

Athletes from the Central Section have won the past three boys invitational shot put competitions at Arcadia, including back-to-back victories for Daniel Viveros of Bakersfield Liberty in 2018-19.

The last Central Section athlete to win the invitational discus at Arcadia was Bakersfield Foothill’s Dayshan Ragans in 2008.

Harris headlines outstanding horizontal jumps

Caelyn Harris, a junior at Upland, is one of the few remaining state champions from 2019 scheduled to compete Saturday, but she is still seeking her first victory at Arcadia, following runner-up finishes in both the long jump and 4x100 shuttle hurdles relay during her freshman season.

Harris is also looking to become the 10th female competitor to surpass the 20-foot mark at the event, following a 19-6.50 (5.95m) performance in 2019 that finished second to the 19-11.25 effort (6.07m) achieved by Alysah Hickey of Coronado, now competing at Oregon.

Agoura graduate Tara Davis, now the collegiate indoor and outdoor record holder at Texas, was the last female athlete to achieve at 20-foot mark at the meet in 2017.

Harris has produced 20-foot performances in each of her first two outdoor seasons at Upland and is looking to extend the streak Saturday, along with prevailing against an exceptional field that includes Buchanan’s Lauren Fowler, St. Anthony’s Asjah Atkinson and Whitney’s Sydney Johnson.

Long Beach Poly’s Jade McDonald, San Pasqual’s Elise Miller, Great Oak’s Summer Stevenson, Buchanan’s Helen Chu and Julia Alexander of St. Mary’s Berkeley are all scheduled to participate in both the invitational long jump and triple jump.

McDonald, who has previously competed at Arcadia for Mater Dei in 2018 and Calabasas in 2019, will battle Miller in a showcase of athletes with 40-foot credentials in the triple jump.

Alyssa Perkins, a teammate of McDonald at Long Beach Poly, is also entered in the triple jump, in addition to Buchanan’s Maddie Passmore, Burbank’s Jayla Flowers, Great Oak’s Sami Bollinger and St. Anthony’s London Lee.

Miller was second in her open section of the triple jump in 2019, with McDonald placing seventh in the invitational field, as four athletes surpassed the 40-foot barrier at the event two years ago.