by Doug Speck
co-editor, DyeStatCal

Girls Invitational 4x800 Relay

Archibishop Mitty (San Jose) was the 2005 Arcadia winner in a fine 9:12.71, with Jeanell English and Renisha Robinson back from that team. Fountain Valley is a solid group with sub-9:20 capabilities, with Los Gatos from the CCS capable of the same running with a fresh group. Xavier College Prep (Az) and Fairfield 9:28 here last year, along with the great group from Saratoga Springs, New York, should make this a good event to start the weekend!!

Boys Invitational 4x800 Relay

This is a huge event for developing talent nationwide, and Golden Staters may get a solid lesson in that fact here with a group of eastern sub-7:55 teams coming in and looking for Penn Relay qualifying clockings! Warwick Valley, New York averaged a snappy 1:57 in taking the national Scholastic Indoor title at 7:48.42, with Ridgewood (New Jersey) 7:53.46 in third in that contest. Shaker (NY) won the New Balance Collegiate Indoor prep section with a 7:52.43 time, with Monsignor Farrell (NY) 7:52.60 this winter! Shaker is the defending champs here at a quick 7:46.73. Californians who could challenge are Jesuit (Sacramento), Madera, both of whom entered under 8:00.

Boys 4x200 Relay

After setting a National Record Indoors while competing unattached last year at 1:26.09, the Long Beach Poly group should be ready to put one together here after some frustration in the event during their return trip to New York last month! The Jackrabbits have the ability to move way up the Golden State all-time list here, with the 1999 Poly team the California State record at 1:24.79. Rio Mesa (Oxnard), Cimmarron-Memorial, who had a great meet here from Las Vegas last year, and Rancho Cucamonga also had quick seeds. Keep an eye on Franklin of Elk Grove, who have been dominating the Sac Joaquin section as one of the state’s strongest overall teams.

Girls 4x200 Relay

James Logan lit it up indoors! The squad raced to US prep history’s #2 indoor clocking ever in their National Scholastic Indoor win at 1:36.41! Might as well aim high, as the Meet Record here is the National Record 1:33.87 by Poly, Long Beach from 2004. Logan will be pushed! Poly, competing unattached was second to them in the New York Indoor event at 1:37.72, with West Catholic (Philadelphia). Cheyenne (Las Vegas), a super group at St. Lucy’s (Glendora), St. Mary’s (Inglewood), and Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley) all dangerous squads.

Boys Invitational Shuttle High Hurdles

Californians will take another back seat to out of staters, with the depth of some of the hurdle crews entered here quite impressive. Wayne, Ohio, a long time hurdle power out of the midwest, returns to defend their title, with a 60.81 clocking here last year, and they are coming off another Nike Indoor Nationals win in Maryland in mid-March, attempting to take their national level success from one coast to another! Brophy Prep (Az), Shaker (NY), and Ridgewood (NJ) also are bringing fine groups west for the event.

Girls Invitational Shuttle Hurdles

The Muir Mustangs, with a great barrier history, return the majority of their 2005 winners here, who had the top time in the nation at 61.73 with their run! Kiana Profit, Jalisa Williams, and Jasmine Clark are great all-around tracksters, so the Mustangs have to be the favorites!! Lynwood was a heat winner here last year, and alonag with Galena (Nv) and the inland Empire’s Vista Murrieta, hopes to challenge.

Girls Sprint Medley (1600m)

West Catholic (Philadelphia) owns this event! The national record holders off their 3:52.22 by the 2004 squad (the 2005 team was 3:53.78 prep history’ #5 clocking ever!). The squad leads with 2:06.76 800 winner her last year Latavia Thomas, with Knesha Sheard 54.88 indoors this winter for 400 meters and Simone Carter, who was 24.78 on the boards for the half lap. 2:08 and 54 leaves two 25 second 200's to be right at the record, so keep an eye on this one!!

Boys Sprint Medley (1600m)

Colonie HS (NY) ran 1:29.66 in the National Scholastic Indoor 4x200 and 7:58.49 in the 4x800, with this event of 400-200-200-800 meters fitting those squads like a glove, making the east coasters the pre-meet favorite. Indian Hills (NJ) has indoor stars Garret Kroner (49.07 400-48.2 outdoors last spring) and 1:56.4 800 star Max Bruner leading a squad that was 3:37.56 on the boards this winter. Lodi has Alex Goldberg, Matt Council, and Jeff Merrill as Sac Joaquin Section 400 and 800 finalists from last May, so they should lead the California group along with Logan, with speedsters James Crichlow, Quentin Powell, and 800 stars Lucas Liu and Matt Cobette leading the way. Upland has State meet 800 placer Ryan Gamboa on the anchor.

Girl’s 800m Sprint medley Relay

This contest of two 100 meter segments, a half lap, and full lap is becoming popular in relay meets in California, with the current National Record, a wholesale destruction of the old 1:42.0 best, is 1:38.73 set here by Long Beach Poly in 2003. A number of big-name sprint powers will hook up here, with James Logan (Union City), St. Mary’s (Inglewood), Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland), Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley), and Mt. Eden (Hayward) very solid on paper.

Boys’ 800m Sprint Medley Relay

A good grouup will battle here. James Logan features good speed up through the 400, with Rancho Verde another strong sprint school so far this Fall. Colonie, New York ran 1:29.98 indoors for the 4x200 event this winter and will be a factor.

Girls 4x 1 mile relay

If everyone shows up this could be the event of the meet. Corona del Mar (Newport Beach) was ranked #1 in the nation for much of the Fall Cross-Country season, with state 1600m champ Annie St. Geme (4:51.00 miler) along with Sara Cummings (4:49.59 mile), Shelby Buckley (10:46.99 3200), and Allison Damon (5:06.94) or Nichole Slykhous (5:08.84). Saratoga Springs, New York the nation’s most decorated distance program ever counters with their own super group, with Lindsey Ferguson (4:52.68 mile), Hannah Davidson (4:57.73 mile), Kipling Hill (5:04.07 mile), and Ashley Campbell (5:10.97). The best ever time by a prep squad is the 19:59.24 by Saratoga Springs from the 2005 indoor season, with no prep squad ever averaging under 5:00 per mile outdoors. Again, if everyone shows here all the records could be blown away! Other treams of quality are here–Fountain Valley, College Park, Oak Park, Royal, South Tahoe, Woodbridge, Murrieta Valley, Dana Hills, La Costa Canyon, Los Gatros, and Crescenta Valley make this one of US Prep history’s deepest ever races over the distance!! Another not to miss!!

Boys 4x1 Mile Relay

Royal of Simi Valley will be back to defend their championship in this event, with their 17:48.59 last year the nation’s quickest to that point in the season! The trio of Andrews, Pedersen, and Cybulski return for last year’s Royal winners and they will be tough to beat once again! Jesuit (Sacramento) had a great close to the fall cross-country season, with that squad showing up here to challenge. Warwick Valley (NY) with the duo of Mike Segal and Jerry Greenlaw, Clovis, with Mikel Thomas looking sharp, Marina with the trio of Jesse Morrill, Shin Matsamuto, and Celso Arcos, Murrieta Valley, with Patrick Milloy and Mike Munoz, Monsignor Farrell (NY), with Vito Cannavo and Dan Lewis, and El Toro all entered at under 18:00 a 4:30 average for the four racing runners. This will be a super race!