The 3200's
Of course, this is the event for which the Arcadia Invitational has become most famous! Top distance runners fly in from all over the country to run under the lights, and the meet leads the nation in sub-9 boys times (19 last year, in what could actually be considered a slightly slow race overall, not to mention 16 girls under 10:30). This year's boys' race boasts the current top 10 3200 runners in the nation and 14 of the top 15, and that list doesn't even include the #1 runner indoors and Foot Locker champion, Garec Bielaczyc (East UT), or Indiana standout Ben Veatch (Carmel), who finished the 2015 season as the #2 returner in the country! Current US leader Cooper Teare (St. Joseph Notre Dame) is one of 5 California runners already under 9 minutes this season (Michael Vernau, Callum Bolger, Jack Van Scoter, and Luis Grijalva are the others) and they are joined in that lofty territory by Casey Clinger (American Fork UT) and Kenny Kneisel (Mount Tabor NC). That mad dash down the final stretch is always something to behold, and it looks like this year will be no exception!
On the girls' side, the field is just as stacked. The US #2 returner from 2015, Hannah Debalsi (Staples CT), was one of two girls to break 10 last season (the other, Great Oak's Destiny Collins, is not entered). Fiona O'Keeffe (Davis Senior) ran 10:00.85 last year, and she will be among the favorites after finishing 2nd at this meet in 2015. She leads a potent NorCal contingent in this race, which also includes current US #5 Kristen Leung (Lowell) as well as Niki Iyer, Rylee Bowen, Brooke Starn, Morgin Coonfield, Megan McCandless, and Cate Ratliff. Another North Carolina star, Green Hope's Elly Henes, ran under 10:30 indoors and will be making her 3rd appearance on the West Coast after earning NXN bids the last 2 years. Foot Locker Finalists Annie Hill (Glacier MT) and Nicole Zielinski (Canyon) are also in the race, and you certainly can't count out Baylee Jones (Desert Vista AZ), who beat many of California's best at Woodbridge in the fall.