SATURDAY RUNNING EVENTS
Mile (Girls & Boys)
Meet Record Girls: Anna Maxwell San Lorenzo Valley-CCS 4:43.27 '14
Meet Record Boys: Eugene Hamilton III Bishop O'Dowd-NCS 4:12.74 '13
The first individual race on the track will be the girls mile. The top returner from last year's race is Christina Aragon Billings Senior-Montana who had the fastest time out of all three heats (4:53.75). She also recorded personal best times later in the season that included 2:04.00 and 4:37.91 (mile). She is the class of the field as well as a future Stanford Cardinal. Her family is no stranger to running success with both of her older sisters (Alexa and Danielle) running at Notre Dame, her mom, Kathleen, who participated in 3 Olympic Trials and her dad, Chuck, who missed making the 1984 Olympic team in the 1500 by 5 hundredths of a second. He was also the first New Mexico runner to run a sub 4 minute mile indoors.
The rest of the field is quite talented and there are plenty of girls that will be aiming at a potential win. Allie Schadler Rio Rico-Arizona posted a PR of 4:45.15 last season. Brooke Starn Monte Vista-NCS has already recorded a sub 5 minute 1600m and has a lifetime best time of 4:48.95. Another runner from out of state will be Sophie Cantine Lakeside-Washington (4:52.45). With 35 entrants, it's very unfortunate they will not get to race each other but there is plenty of depth to fill up three potential heats. With the Arcadia Invitational one week away, it appears several girls will be using this meet to set themselves up for a fast 3200m in Southern California. Kristen Leung Lowell-SF currently has the 2nd fastest time in the nation in the 3200m. (10:33.71) followed closely by Niki Iyer Harker-CCS (10:34.62) and Cate Ratliff Santa Cruz-CCS (10:37.17).
The 2013 meet record in this event is very much in danger provided that the pace is honest from the start. Eduardo "Lalo" Herrera Madera South-CS could have a very busy Stanford Invitational with three potential races over two days. He is coming off a very fast mile at the Azusa Meet of Champions with a lifetime best time of 4:04.99. Herrera finished in 5th place in the fastest heat at last year's meet and will be looking for the win here. He should have plenty of competition from the front running Michael Vernau Davis-SJS as well as Armijo-SJS teammates Alec Woodson and Luis Grijalva. A couple of out of state runners that will be looking for a breakthrough race are Hayden Dressel Mt. Spokane-Washington and Logan Spodabolski Bishop Manogue-Nevada.
4 x 100m. Relay (Girls and Boys)
Meet Record Girls: James Logan-NCS 46.23 '03
Meet Record Boys: Long Beach Poly-SS 41.03 '98
The top 9 teams from the morning trials will qualify for the afternoon final. The fastest time in California this year belongs to Carson-LA (46.59). They will compete here this weekend as the strong favorites to defeat their Northern California opponents. The best from the North is Bishop O'Dowd-NCS with their season best time of 47.26 from last weekend's Mt. Carmel Track Invitational. Also in the hunt will be NCS rival Newark Memorial which ran 47.61 last week at the Oakland Relays.
We will have a new champion this year in the boys' short relay as the defending champion, Castro Valley-NCS, will not take part. Woodcreek-SJS will participate but after two very strong seasons that included a state championship in 2014, Woodcreek seems to be in a rebuilding mode. The fastest time this season belongs to Whitney (Rocklin)-SJS with a time of 42.51. They will be challenged by San Leandro-NCS (42.80), St. Mary's Stockton-SJS (42.90) and Golden Valley Merced-SJS (42.99).
800m. (Girls and Boys)
Meet Record Girls: Sarah Walker Germantown Friends-Philadelphia 2:10.56 '15
Meet Record Boys: Connor Ross McQueen-Nevada 1:50.75 '15
Some teams may lament the elimination of the 4 x 800m. relay at this meet but the positive has been the addition of the open 800m. We had two dominant efforts last year as the individual champions established two new meet records that may be difficult to surpass. The defending champion, Sarah Walker, is a senior this year and will be attending Stanford University next year although she will not be making the cross country trek to the Invitational. That leaves Christina Aragon Billings-Montana (2:04.00) as the favorite although she may not compete considering she is also entered in the mile and 400m. One runner who will certainly compete is the defending California state champion, Erica Schroeder San Marcos-SS (2:07.08). Aside from Aragon, Schroeder will have plenty of out of state competition with Emma Kuntz DuPont Manua-Kentucky (2:12.69) and Allie Schadler Rio Rico-Arizona (2:11.51). The three best competitors from Northern California are Avi Wilson-Perteete St. Mary's College-NCS (2:09.31), Heidi Fuhriman Monte Vista-NCS (2:09.78) and Mari Friedman Santa Cruz-CCS (2:12.39). Aimee Holland Santa Rosa-NCS won the Dublin Distance Fiesta (2:18.48) and may be leading the race early which could lead to a spectacular winning time.
If you had to pick one California event that has stood out above the rest, it had to be the APU Meet of Champions boys mile last weekend. Connor Dunne San Clemente-SS won the race in a national leading 4:04.59 and led 11 California boys under 4:10. His focus may shift to the mile this year but Dunne will be here to make a statement in the 800m. as a strong favorite. He ran 1:51.71 last June at the USATF World Youth Track and Field trials. Willie Hall Davis-SJS will certainly give Dunne all he can handle with the next closest personal best time in the field (1:52.95) and a strong winning effort at the Dublin Distance Fiesta. Two juniors who had strong sophomore campaigns are Ben Micallef Bellarmine-CCS (1:53.90) and CJ Dowd University SF-NCS (1:55.10). Logan Spodabolski Bishop Manogue-Nevada (1:55.63) may be doubling back from the mile and looking for a fast half mile here. If you are looking for an upset special, look no further than Daniel Ambriz Merced-SJS (1:56.24). He won the 1600m. at the Dublin Distance Fiesta and has recorded his fastest open 400m. this season with a time of 50.89.
400 Meters (Girls and Boys)
Meet Record Girls: Deonna Lawrence Sheldon-SJS 54.32 '04
Meet Record Boys: Tim Brown McClymonds-OAK 47.31 '97
Kaelin Roberts Carson-LA had a spectacular freshman season at Long Beach Poly-SS with personal best times of 11.79, 23.47 and 52.52. She was the state champion in the 400 meters helping LBP win another state team title. She is now competing at Carson after sitting out last season due to transferring schools. She will be the favorite here and will look to improve her season best time of 54.33. Roberts is a fast starter and should establish her lead early. Chasing her should be Tierra Robinson Jones Bishop O'Dowd-NCS (55.90), Jade Harrison Cupertino-CCS (56.03), Maya Miklos Gunn-CCS (56.06) and Mikayla Revera Santa Catalina-CCS (57.11).
We are not quite into April and the eye popping times/marks in most events are still on the horizon. Most of the elite athletes have not been pressed yet so you may not be be impressed yet with the top California marks. That is definitely the case in the 400m. as only one athlete has dipped under the 48 second mark and we all know that it may take a sub 45 second mark to win this year. For this Invitational, the fastest entrant is Mason Mitchell Santa Margarita-SS (48.03). He will be challenged by Shraee Harrison San Benito-CCS who won the CCS championship last year with a 48.58. Four other sprinters who have recorded sub 50 second efforts this season are Myles Ellis Antelope-SJS (49.34), Adrian Aguirre Antioch-NCS (49.56), Jordan Tillis Franklin-SJS (49.59) and Garrett Cardoza Whitney-SJS (49.73).
Girls 100m. Hurdles/Boys 110m. Hurdles
Girls Meet Record: Trinity Wilson St. Mary's College-NCS 13.41 '12)
Boys Meet Record: David Klech California-NCS/Noah Blue Skyline-OAK (Both 13.86)
During every post-season, lots of controversial decisions (and non-decisions) are made as athletes and teams scratch and claw for the right to win a coveted California state title. Last season, Mecca McGlaston Dublin-NCS finished in 2nd place at the CA state meet with a lifetime best time of 13.18. It was a spectacular time and an improvement from her state winning performance the previous season. The controversial part was that she appeared to be interfered with by another hurdler but no action was taken, leaving McGlaston in 2nd place. Now that she is a senior, McGlaston has her sights set on winning her 2nd state title and winning the Stanford Invitational will be the first step to that goal. Kara Awakoaiye Bishop O'Dowd-NCS will look to continue her undefeated season and improve her season best time of 14.20. Also within striking distance of Awakoaiye are Kaylay Robinson El Cerrito-NCS (14.48), Tierra Crockrell Calabasas-SJS (14.53) and Jazlynn Shearer Silver Creek-CCS (14.82).
San Lorenzo Valley has done quite well at this meet in the distance department but this season, they are equally adept in the hurdles and the girls' high jump. Sam Schubert set the SLV school record earlier this season running 14.46. Deion Lightfoot-Shelton John C. Kimball-SJS is the defending SJS champion in the hurdles with a lifetime best time of 14.27. Khalil Dorsey, Colony-SS, is no stranger to this meet and has a season best 14.65 and a lifetime best 14.52. Two other notable competitors here are the two best high jumpers at this meet, Darius Carbin, Mt. Pleasant-CCS and Isaiah Holmes, Oakmont-SJS. Holmes is the more accomplished high hurdler at 14.66 but Carbin is really hitting his stride in other events including a 7'1.75" high jump this past indoor season.
100 Meters (Girls and Boys)
Meet Record Girls: Ashton Purvis St. Elizabeth-NCS 11.50 '07
Meet Record Boys: Deondre Batson Laguna Creek-SJS 10.44 '10
There are 54 entrants in the girls' 100m. so picking a favorite is a bit difficult. The field will be narrowed down to 9 after the morning trials but I would be guessing at best to try to pick out those nine athletes. To narrow down the field, the two returners who made the final last year are Kayla Ford Vacaville-SJS (3rd place) and Kaylah Robinson El Cerrito-NCS (6th place). Tai McDonald Sheldon-SJS has the fastest season best time with 12.17.
The boys' field appears to be more wide open than the girls. It seems like most of the field from last year was very senior laden and only two returners made the final. Nathen Francisco James Logan-NCS finished in 5th place while Kyle Macauley Bellarmine-CCS finished in 9th place. The fastest time this season belongs to Clinton Spellman Laguna Creek-SJS who has run a wind aided 10.83.
4 x 400m. Relays (Girls and Boys)
Meet Record Girls: Kennedy (Granada Hills)-SS 3:44.4y '81
Meet Record Boys: Berkeley-NCS 3:14.0y '81
The toughest event to predict may be the long sprint relay here. A lot of teams entered in this meet may not have run their four fastest athletes together in a race to date or may have and were not pushed. The relay is also the last event after a grueling two days of competition and some athletes may not be so eager to compete in one more event. The fastest time in California this year belongs to Carson-LA and they will be the slight favorites with their 3:50.84 and the best 400 meter runner in the field, Kaelin Roberts. Del Oro-SJS has the next fastest time with 3:55.88 just ahead of Newark Memorial-NCS 3:56.51. St. Mary's College-NCS won the California state meet last year in this event and although they are not as potent as last year, they are still capable and have a season best 3:56.62.
The boys' race should be a competitive one with the winner most likely coming out of the last and fastest heat. Los Gatos-CCS has the fastest season best time with 3:22.79. That should make them one of the favorites to win this race as well as at the CCS championship meet in May. They will be pushed by several teams from NCS and SJS with Laguna Creek-SJS (3:24.79), San Leandro-NCS (3:25.03), James Logan-NCS (3:25.70) and Franklin-SJS 3:25.79. A couple more teams that should be in the mix are Davis-SJS, Junipero Serra-CCS and Bellarmine-CCS. Those three teams finished in that order last year and they all have the depth to keep reloading talented relay teams.