Boys 1600 / Mile (4:08 pm / 7:53 pm)
Meet Record: Connor Dunne, San Clemente (2016) 4:03.13/4:04.59Break into Top 10: 4:07.16
In the afternoon session of the 1600 meters, the top boys will come back to compete in the 3200 in the evening. Leading the charge is Great Oak senior Carlos Carvajal (4:16) and Gavin Korby (4:18). Korby (Ben Crawford photo above) has out-leaned his teammate the past two weekends in the 1600 and 3200. Crescenta Valley's Colin Fitzgerald ran a 4:17 for the full mile in 2017 and will keep the pace honest for a sub-4:15 effort. The Ayala duo threat of Zach Arias (4:18/9:12) and Andrew Martinez' 4:19 effort two weeks ago will be up front also competing for the win. Rubidoux's Kevin Ramos is coming off a junior campaign that included a trip to NXN and obviously looks to destroy his previous best of 4:21 for the full mile.
All in all, you'll get a glimpse of Great Oak's strength in this race as most are coming back to double in the evening 3200. With 4:13.51 being the current national leader, we suspect that it could very well change after this race.
This invitational witnessed six boys eclipsing the 4:10 threshold (and for the full mile) back in 2016. Challenging as the feat seems, we have several looking to break 4:10. El Camino Real's Justin Hazell rolled to the Div. I state individual title and invite to NXN last Fall. Hazell is the defending Los Angeles City Section champion in the 1600 and 3200, while placing on the state meet podium in 2017 with a fifth-place finish in the 3200. He has an 8:54 to his credit and was the Division I state champion this past cross country season.
Redlands East Valley senior Elias Opsahl comes in with a 4:12 on his profile, after an eighth-place finish at the 2017 state championships. He is a two-time state meet qualifier for the 1600 and boasts a 1:55 personal best for the 800 meters. Speaking of the 800 meters, Highland (Bakersfield) senior Moises Medrano enters with a personal best of 1:51 and 4:13.99 for the full mile. Medrano brought home a third-place state meet finish in the 800 meters in 2017. Traveling down from the Bay area is Menlo's Robert Miranda. After a 4:14.85 finish in this same race a year ago, Miranda opened up his 2018 season with a 9:15 effort in the 3200 last weekend.
Meanwhile, one of the most improved in Southern California, Arroyo junior Noah Hibbard comes in off a 4:18.46 breakout last weekend. Representing that notorious Dana Hills program in South Orange County, sophomore Carrick Denker (4:17.71 two weeks ago) has forgone the F/S race to take on the elite talent. Also pushing the pace will be J Serra junior Peter Herold, who opened the season up with a 4:18.49 effort while St. John Bosco's Colby Corcoran has put behind an injury-riddled cross country season. Corcoran won his league title with a 4:15.11 last year while also advancing on the California state meet in the 3200 (9:07.77). The West Ranch tandem of Tim Sterkel rolled to a 4:18 in 2017 while his teammate Evans Bates cranked out a 4:20 two weeks ago.