By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 54th Arcadia Invitational is scheduled for Friday, April 8 and Saturday, April 9 at Arcadia High.

ARCADIA INVITATIONAL LIVE WEBCAST INFO

Here are 10 storylines involving female athletes to follow at one of the nation’s elite high school track and field competitions, which features athletes from 29 states and more than 600 schools:

Another profound pole vaulting moment

Two of the most exciting moments in the meet’s recent history occurred in 2018 and 2019 on the center of the infield at Arcadia High, with the attention focused on the pole vault runway and the performances of Sondre Guttormsen of Davis Senior and Chloe Cunliffe of West Seattle High.

The stage is set for another memorable pole vault showcase Saturday with the presence of Amanda Moll and Hana Moll, both juniors at Capital High in Washington, and the most accomplished prep siblings in the history of the event.

Amanda Moll eclipsed the national high school record March 25 at the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays with a clearance of 14 feet, 9.50 inches (4.51m), also setting American Under-20 and World Under-18 all-time marks in the process.

Hana Moll is the reigning champion at The Outdoor Nationals Presented by Nike at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., clearing 14-4 (4.36m) in July. She followed in January with a 14-8 (4.47m) indoor performance at the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit in Reno.

Cunliffe, now training professionally, is a former teammate of the Moll sisters at Northwest Pole Vault Club, where she trained as a prep athlete under the guidance of coach Tim Reilly. The Washington state record holder produced the best female clearance in Arcadia history with her 14-8 effort in 2019.

Guttormsen, the reigning NCAA Division 1 indoor champion representing Princeton and a Norwegian Olympian, set the boys meet record of 18-2.50 (5.54m) in 2018.

If either of the Moll sisters can clear 14-10 (4.52m), they would elevate into the top all-time World Under-20 competitors.

Fellow Washington athlete Ella McRitchie of Bainbridge is also scheduled to compete.

California will be represented by Allison Leigh of Del Norte, a UCLA commit, along with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo-bound Lexi Evans of Scripps Ranch and Dublin sophomore Jathiyah Muhammad.

Nicole Loy of Del Norte is also entered, in addition to Rose Wagner of Fallbrook and Poway teammates Avery Hilliard and Evangeline Thomsen, as well as Brielle Davis from Copper Hills High in Utah, Tatum Richards of Emmett High in Idaho and Megan Baird of Coronado High in Nevada.

Leigh is the only other competitor in the field, in addition to the Moll sisters, with a 14-foot career clearance. Evans is the California outdoor leader this season at 13-8 (4.16m).

Substantial sub-10 potential

Only once in meet history has an invitational girls 3,200-meter race produced a pair of sub-10 performances, with only four athletes achieving the feat overall.

That group could increase significantly Saturday, with national outdoor leader Dalia Frias of Mira Costa High headlining a field filled with cross country All-Americans.

Frias ran 9:59.94 at a local tri-meet March 2 to ascend to the No. 9 performer in California prep history, but the Duke commit has since set the state record in the mile with her 4:35.06 performance March 26 at the Meet of Champions Distance Classic at Azusa Pacific.

Alexa Efraimson, a Nike professional, set the meet record during her prep career at Camas High in Washington by clocking 9:55.92 in 2014. Claudia Lane of Malibu, Brie Oakley of Grandview High in Colorado and Katelynne Hart of Glenbard West High in Illinois have since joined the list of sub-10 performers at Arcadia.

Kate Peters of Lake Oswego High in Oregon, an Oklahoma State commit, boasts strong potential to achieve a sub-10 effort, especially since she is more accustomed to running 3,000 meters during races in her home state.

Sophia Nordenholz of Albany High, a Washington commit, placed second last year in 10:05.91, and along with Frias, is joined by Santa Rosa Montgomery freshman Hanne Thomsen, Acalanes sophomore Olivia Williams, Poway senior Mackenzie Rogers, Sacramento St. Francis senior Cate Joaquin, Oaks Christian sophomore Payton Godsey, Del Norte junior Hannah Riggins, Newbury Park freshman Tiffany Sax, as well as Buchanan teammates Sydney Sundgren and Grace Hutchison among the leading California entries.

In addition to Peters being joined by fellow Oregon runners Emma Bennett of Jesuit and Barrett Justema of Summit, Lauren Pansegrau of Middleton High in Wisconsin, Bethany Michalak of Air Academy in Colorado, Ella Borsheim of Bellarmine Prep in Washington, Tatum David of Richland County in Illinois, Eva Klingbeil and Mia Prok of Niwot High in Colorado, Ava Parekh of Latin School in Illinois, and Utah standouts Avalon Mecham of American Fork, Addi Bruening of Herriman and Jane Hedengren of Timpview are all scheduled to compete.

Mia Barnett of Crescenta Valley, a freshman All-American at Virginia, prevailed in last year’s race in 10:01.18, but she does rank No. 4 all-time in California with a personal-best 9:52.23.

Experiencing Autumn in the spring

Autumn Wilson, a Georgia-bound senior at St. Dominic Savio High in Texas, produced an all-conditions outdoor national leader March 26 with her wind-aided 11.19 performance in the 100-meter dash at the 94th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.

Wilson has also run a wind-aided 23.14 on March 5 at the Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational, which ranks as the top all-conditions 200 performance in the country.

Wilson, who boasts a wind-legal best of 11.36 in the 100, has big aspirations to challenge the 1998 meet record of 11.32 established by Angela Williams of Chino High.

Only Marion Jones of Rio Mesa (22.87) and Allyson Felix of L.A. Baptist (23.08) have run under 23.10 in the 200 in meet history.

Wilson will have the opportunity to square off against sophomore Mia Brahe-Pedersen of Lake Oswego High in Oregon, the Nike Indoor Nationals champion in the 200. Brahe-Pedersen has already run 11.57 and 23.39 in her career, and has ambitions of pursuing the Oregon state records of 11.30 and 22.95 established by Margaret Johnson Bailes of Churchill High in 1968.

Colleen Branch of Westlake High in Georgia, Amare Harlan of Fremont High in Utah, Reign Redmond of Carson and Jordan Washington of Serra are also expected to add depth to the invitational 100 field, with Laila Campbell of Spring Grove Area in Pennsylvania boasting sub-24 credentials in the 200.

The most magnificent mile

The challenges don’t get any easier each week for Ventura High freshman Sadie Engelhardt, but the New Balance Nationals Indoor mile runner-up wouldn’t have it any other way.

The last two occasions that Engelhardt ran the mile, she finished second indoors in 4:37.40 behind a legendary 4:37.23 performance March 13 from Juliette Whittaker of Mount de Sales High in Maryland at The Armory in New York, and then took runner-up March 26 in 4:36.63 behind a California state record 4:35.06 from Dalia Frias of Mira Costa at the Meet of Champions Distance Classic at Azusa Pacific.

Engelhardt is entered Saturday in the invitational mile, looking to eclipse the 2007 meet record of 4:43.34 held by Alex Kosinski of Oak Ridge High. She ran a national outdoor leader by clocking 2:05.66 in her most recent outing April 2 at the West Coast Relays at Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Engelhardt also has aspirations to challenge the 15-year-old mile world record of 4:36.0, established by Norwegian athlete Gunvor Hilde in 1979.

There hasn’t been a sub-4:45 mile since then, but the quality of the field this year could produce several spectacular performances.

Joining Engelhardt is Stanford commit Riley Stewart of Cherry Creek High in Colorado, along with Brigham Young signee Riley Chamberlain of Del Oro and Washington-bound Chloe Foerster of Jesuit High in Oregon.

Samantha McDonnell of Newbury Park, an Alabama commit, has continued to round into form following a foot injury that sidelined her during the indoor season and has the potential to keep pace with the lead pack.

Hanne Thomsen, a freshman at Santa Rosa Montgomery, is entered in the mile and 3,200, but will likely be forced to pick only one event, with the short turnaround between races.

Taylor Rohatinsky of Lone Peak High in Utah, Madison Shults of Niwot High in Colorado, Kate Brigham of Jackson Hole in Wyoming, Maelynn Higgins of Broomfield High in Colorado and Mary Grace Hegberg of St. Viator in Illinois are all capable of producing sub-5 performances. 

Is 52-second pickup in the cards for Cenci?

There hasn’t been a sub-53 effort in the invitational 400 meters since 2001, but at the rate national leader Takiya Cenci of Clovis North has been improving this season, she could not only become the sixth female athlete in meet history to achieve the feat, but also secure the Central Section record in the process.

Cenci clocked 53.19 seconds April 2 at the West Coast Relays at Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium, one week after running 53.77 on her home track at the Central Valley Classic.

Former Buchanan High standout and Oregon All-American Hannah Waller set the Central Section record of 53.01 in 2016, a mark Cenci has been targeting her entire career.

She will square off against the deepest field she has faced all season, including UCLA commit Naomi Johnson of Eastvale Roosevelt, Cate Peters of Monte Vista and Adonijah Currie of Golden Valley, along with Hali Murphy of St. Dominic Savio in Texas, Trinity Henderson of Mountain Pointe High in Arizona and Twaneise Johnson of St. Francis Catholic in Florida.

Monique Henderson of San Diego Morse still holds the meet record of 52.51 from 2001.

Carrying rivalry across state lines

The last time Joy Moorer of North Canyon and Neya Jamison of Chaparral matched up in the 300-meter hurdles in Arizona, the outcome of the race wasn’t decided until the final step March 26 at the Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational.

Moorer, a Texas A&M signee, edged the Colorado State-bound Jamison by a 42.52 to 42.56 margin, with junior Saira Prince of Williams Field High in Arizona taking third in 43.26.

Moorer and Jamison will not only get their rematch Saturday, but have plenty of competition from reigning champion Kapiolani Coleman of Cathedral Catholic, as well as Charlize James of San Diego High, Aaliyah McCormick of Scripps Ranch, Madyson Wilson of Westlake High in Georgia and Prince.

Moorer boasts a personal-best 41.69 from last year and is pursuing the Arizona state record of 41.38 held since 2019 by Ma’Kayla Dickerson of Betty H. Fairfax.

The 2019 edition of the Arcadia meet showcased a pair of sub-42 efforts from Leah Phillips of The Bullis School in Maryland (40.82), now an All-American at LSU, and Anna Hall from Valor Christian in Colorado (41.34), the reigning NCAA Division 1 Indoor pentathlon champion representing Florida.

What’s in a name on the path to fame?

Arielle McKenzie of La Canada and MacKenzie Browne of Riverside JW North enter Saturday’s invitational 800 as the top two entries, both producing sub-2:10 efforts this season.

McKenzie clocked 2:08.89 on March 12 to triumph at the Redondo Nike Track Festival.

Browne ran 2:09.60 to win March 26 at the Mt. Carmel/ASICS Invitational.

But regardless of who is pushing the pace up front, they will have company from California rival Emma Hadley of Anaheim Canyon, as well as Madison Shults of Niwot High in Colorado, Logan Smith of Boise Senior High in Idaho, Kate Brigham of Jackson Hole in Wyoming, Ali Ince of Normal Community in Illinois, Elyse Jessen of Alta High in Utah, Odessa Zentz of Helena High in Montana, Jaycee Williams of Berthoud High in Colorado, Cady McPhail of Chelsea High in Alabama and Makayla Clark of Lees Summit West in Missouri.

Hannah Riggins, who is also entered in the distance medley relay and 3,200 for Del Norte, would be the top returning competitor in the field after placing sixth last year.

McKenzie is highly motivated after finishing 13th in the invitational race last season, before rebounding to win a Southern Section Division 3 title. She also captured the 1,500 crown Jan. 29 at the California Winter Outdoor Championships at Arcadia High.

Dominique Mustin of North Canyon High in Arizona, now competing at Texas A&M, ran a meet-record 2:06.01 in 2019.

Long jumpers have 20/20 vision

The only time the meet has produced a pair of 20-foot long jumpers in the same year was in 1995, with Jernae Wright of James Logan setting the meet record of 20-9.75 (6.34m) and LaShonda Christopher of River Ridge High in Washington achieving a mark of 20-0.50 (6.10m).

With Kylee Davis of Golden Valley, a UC Davis commit, and Alabama-bound Caelyn Harris of Upland, there is strong potential that the invitational long jump could showcase similar success Saturday.

Davis is one of three female athletes in the country this season to surpass the 20-foot mark with her 20-0.50 effort Feb. 26 at the Long Beach Poly Trackrabbit Invitational.

Harris boasts a personal-best 20-8.50 (6.31m) from her freshman year, and has jumped 19-7 (5.96m) this season.

But they might not be the only competitors looking to join the nine female athletes in meet history to surpass the 20-foot mark.

Colleen Branch of Westlake High in Georgia also arrives at Arcadia with a 19-7 effort and her teammate Amaya Cooper has jumped 19-3 (5.86m), with Amare Harlan of Fremont High in Utah, Catherine Littlewood of Queen Creek in Arizona, Alexandra Bonn of Union Catholic High in New Jersey capable of big performances, in addition to California competitors Meagan Humphries of Golden Valley, Eve Divinity of Redondo Union, Julia Alexander of St. Mary’s Berkeley and Long Beach Poly’s Lauren Reed. 

Raising the bar

The quest for the first 6-foot clearance in the invitational high jump since 2014 will showcase one of the most versatile freshmen in the country in JaiCieonna Gero-Holt from Emerald Ridge High in Washington, matching up against junior Ashanti Elie from Whitney High and senior Zharia Taylor of Long Beach Poly.

Only six female athletes in meet history have cleared the 6-foot barrier, with 10-time U.S. champion Vashti Cunningham of Bishop Gorman High in Nevada producing the all-time mark of 6-2 (1.87m) in 2014 to hold off Claire Kieffer-Wright of South Pasadena at 6 feet (1.82m).

Elie and Gero-Holt have both produced 5-10 (1.77m) clearances, with Taylor making 5-9 (1.75m) this season.

Brooke Naughton of Fort Collins High in Colorado has cleared 5-8 (1.72m), with several athletes adding depth to the field with 5-7 (1.70m) performances.

The last freshman to triumph in the invitational high jump was Kamiya Dendy of Pendleton High in South Carolina, clearing 5-10 in 2017 and prevailing against Iesha Hamm of Bakersfield Stockdale on fewer attempts.

Shot put could be decided by slimmest of margins

The invitational shot put competition Saturday features the top three competitors in California who are separated this season by three inches, in addition to Katelynn Gelston of Hanford High in Washington, who is looking to elevate her performance in the deepest field she has faced this season.

Kennedy Clarke of Cathedral Catholic took over the state lead April 2 with a 44-foot performance (13.41m) at the University City Track Classic.

Feyi Olukanni of Clovis East swept both the shot put and discus competitions April 2 at the Stanford Invitational, including a 43-10.50 (13.37m) effort to conclude her schedule in Palo Alto.

And Hope Gordon of Notre Dame prevailed March 26 at the Pasadena Games with a 43-9 (13.33m) performance.

Gelston won the Ram Relays on March 26 with her 43-3.75 (13.20m) mark and is one of the best all-around throwers in Washington, also competing in discus, javelin and weight throw.

Haedyn Bambolo of Bothell High in Washington is also scheduled to compete and has produced a mark of 42-8 (13.00m) this season.

The history of the shot put at Arcadia is so strong that a 50-foot effort is needed to move into the all-time top 10, but the competition will prove valuable for the elite athletes in preparation for the postseason.