Arcadia Invitational 2018

The 3200m has become the king of the distance races and the amount of sub 9 minute 3200m runners has skyrocketed.

South Lakes super sophomore, Hannah Waller, made the most of her outdoor debut.

Interview with the Roosevelt girls 4x800 relay team of Jewelyn Felix, Alexys Ford, Miranda Camargo and Paloma Barron after they won the seeded race Friday at Arcadia in 9:24.36. That time was sixth overall and CA #6. 

Sophomore Tori Gaitan anchored Great Oak to winning times in the 4x800 and 4x1600 relays on Friday night at Arcadia. Gaitan, the national leader in the 3,200 (10:18.80) and CA #7 in the 1,600 (4:51.60), anchored Great Oak to a 9:05.34 winning time over Santa Cruz (9:08.84) in the 4x8 and 20:09.46 over Pine Crest of Florida (20:24.73) in the 4x16. The 4x8 times for Great Oak and Santa Cruz rank US #1 & #2 and the top four times in the 4x16 lead the nation. Clovis Buchan (20:28.52) was third and Claremont (20:48.05) is fourth.

Mission Viejo distance coach Robert Belo talks about his boys SMR victory (3:27.64) and Brett Hickman's epic anchor leg. 

The Santa Cruz High girls 4x800 team talk about Friday's competition with Great Oak. The team of Anaya Ward, Ella Hedrick, Lila Roake and Mari Friedman placed second to Great Oak, running 9:08.84. 

Twins Maddy and Elena Denner of Oak Ridge talk about running in the girls 3200m seeded race Friday night at Arcadia. Maddy won the race in her first 3200 of the season, running 10:28.32, with Elena second in 10:34.56. Elena is just getting back into top shape after missing five weeks with an injury. Maddy was second and Elena was fourth at the CIF-State 3200m final last June. They ran the 3200m race Friday night and are competing in the DMR on Saturday. 

Great Oak's 4x800 boys relay team of Gavin Korby, Chris Verdugo, Jacob Korgan and Carlos Carvajal discus their 7:53.29 victory over Roosevelt (7:53.90), Redondo (7:54.08) and Vista Murrieta (7:54.42). The Wolfpack quartet's time ranks CA #1 and US #6.

Interview with Chaminade junior Bailey Umans after she won Heat 7 of the girls 400 meters during the day session Saturday at Arcadia. Umans' time of 56.29 was third overall behind Quartz Hill senior Alonna Johnson (56.02), and Citrus Valley freshman Cieanna Norman-Thomas (56.26).

Interview with West Rancho junior Natalie Ramirez after she placed 4th in the invitational girls discus throw at Arcadia. Ramirez's best of 154-01 was just off her posted PR of 154-05 earlier this season at Redondo. Watch highlights of the Invitational Girls Discus Throw

Interview with Wheatland's Erica Grotegeer who placed second in the invitational discus throw at the 51st Arcadia Invitational. Her best of 166-05 was just off her PR of 167-9 set last June at the State Meet preliminaries. The San Diego State-bound Grotegeer was 3rd at State last season. Watch highlights from the Invitational Girls Discus Throw

Alyssa Brewer followed up her back-to-back CIF-State titles in the 800 meters by making it two in a row at Arcadia as well. Brewer held off Jana Shawver (Lees Summit West (Mo.)) to win in 2:09.81. The USC-bound Brewer, who also won at Arcadia last year, has now won 18 or her last 19 races at 800 meters dating to the last race of his sophomore year. 

Interview with Davis High senior Sondre Guttormsen after he cleared 18-2.5 in the pole vault to set CA, Arcadia and Norwegian Junior National records and qualify for this summer's European Championships. Watch his record clearance and attempts at 18-5.50

Great Oak senior Carlos Carvajal closed out his career at the Arcadia Invitational by anchoring the winning team in the distance medley relay on Saturday night after doing the same in the 4x800 relay on Friday night. 

Interview with Makayla Kelby of Lees Summit West High in Missouri after she won the discus throw at the 51st Arcadia Invitational. Kelby, headed to the University of Washington, won with a PR of 168-6 that vaults her from to #6 US from #17. Watch highlights from the Invitational Girls Discus Throw

In his first outdoor meet of the 2018 season, Austin Kratz of Dock Mennonite Academy in Lansdale, PA crushed his PRs in both the 100m and 200m to sweep the sprints at the 51st Arcadia Invitational. Kratz won the 100 from Lane 1 in a wind-legal 10.34 (1.2) and the 200 in 20.74 (0.4). He ranks #3 US in the 100m among legal marks and #3 US in the 200. In both races, Eric Allen Jr. of the Bullis School (MD) was second and top-returning CA sprinter Asani Hampton of Yucaipa was third.

Katelynne Hart, a sophomore from Glenbard West HS in Glen Ellyn, Illinois - just outside of Chicago - talks about her first 3,200 of the outdoor season: A US #1 10:02.56 PR to blow away the field at the 51st Arcadia Invitational. Mariah Castillo (Saugus) was 2nd in 10:09.12 with Gillian Wagner (Redwood) 3rd in 10:14.11.

The girls 4x1600 relay team from Pine Crest (Fla.) set a state record and ran a US #2 time during the Friday night 'Burnin Batons' portion of the 51st Arcadia Invitational. We caught up with them late Saturday night. For more on their accomplishment, check out this story at fl.milesplit.com:http://fl.milesplit.com/articles/237053-pine-crest-girls-break-4x1600-state-record-at-arcadia

Interview with Jett Charvet after he won the 800m at the 51st Arcadia Invitational in 1:52.60 (CA #1, US #5)

Second-day action from the Arcadia Invitational on April 7, 2018.

The Pine Crest girls 4x1600m set a new state record, current US#2, and US#13 A-T mark of 20:24.73 at the Arcadia Invitational.

The MileSplit LIVE crew broke down the situation revolving the Blue Springs School District in Missouri

The high flying Arcadia Invite is ready to bust at the seams!

The MileSplit LIVE crew discusses the loaded Arcadia Invitational boys 3200m field

The MileSplit LIVE crew breaks down the girls 3200m at the Arcadia Invitational

Check out the full entry list for the Arcadia Invitational 

Here is our results and coverage board from Week 2 of the season along with highlights from each meet. 

First day of Arcadia action was just the appetizer

Rancho Bernardo's Josh Farmer overcame a disastrous start to the decathlon to post the third-best performance in CA history, leading San Diego Section athletes at the 51st Arcadia Invitational.

It was an all-time great performance by Ms. Katelynne Hart in California

Arlington junior finishes sixth overall in loaded 3,200-meter race.

Kratz dominated the 100 and 200 meters against loaded fields in California.

It was a big travel weekend for some of the best athletes in Maryland, and they re-shaped the state leaderboards from across state lines.

Awesome early season performances for our New Jersey athletes here.

In a slow week for Georgia HS Track, there were some great performances at Arcadia and Westminster Relays! pictured is Sterling Lester and Kennedy Simon

Chiles senior and Syracuse signee Michael Phillips has logged his second sub nine minute performance in the last month.

In other Arcadia action, the Pine Crest girls fresh off their runner-up finish behind Great Oak in the 4x1600, placed 4th in the distance medley relay.

A small, but talented group of Utah individuals and relays traveled to the Arcadia Invitational this past weekend in California.

For our first Salute To Seniors article, we caught up with Andy Ference of the Salpointe Lancers for a look back at his career highlights before he leaves for the University of Tennessee.

We Salute Aksel Laudon as he reflects on his career for the Desert Vista Thunder and looks forward to attending Boston University and competing for the Terriers.

Drew Burns reflects on his running career for the Brophy Broncos, as he turns his focus to Santa Clara, California.

A total of ten boys ran sub-4:20 for 1600m on Day 1 of the AIA Track and Field State Championships for our No. 4 Story of the Year.

MileSplitCA visited with some of the returning CIF-State Track and Field champions for the purpose of filming a regular practice to produce a series of videos we are calling 'Workout of a State Champion.'