2006 Arcadia Invitatonal
Event Previews
Friday Invite Relays
Southern Section -
By
Doug Speck
Fri-Sat April 7-8, 2006
At Arcadia HS
Unbelievable fields once again!!
Friady late afternoon/evening
Invitational Relay Race previews
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 along
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 Pearson 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
This could be the event of the meet. Corona del Mar has a tough dual
on Thursday and has decided to concentrate there and on Saturday's
Invitational level races. Saratoga Springs, New York the nation’s
most decorated distance program has a 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 this will be a super event!
Other treams of quality are here–Fountain
Valley, College Park, Oak Park, Royal, South Tahoe, Woodbridge, Murrieta
Valley,
Dana Hills,
La Costa Canyon, Los Gatos, 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!