PREVIEW Prep Track & Field Fireworks on the Menu at Mt. SAC

The distance events take the stage on Friday evening with the 4x800 and 4x1600 invitational sections along with the Mile and the 3200 meters. The invitational portion of the 800 meters, along with the Distance Medley Relay take place on Saturday.

Kicking off the action for the high school section of the meet, the girls 3200 will feature recent USC-commit and Shadow Hills senior Marjourie Lopez. Committing to USC several days ago, she is coming off a 10:30.04 performance that moved her up to sixth in the Southern Section. Etiwanda senior Janelle Avilez brings her 10:32.85 to the race while keep in mind, she came into the season with a best of 11:16.38. With a lifetime best of 10:45.18, Claremont junior will push the pace while Barstow senior Angelina Vasquez will also vie for a top three finish.

The girls' Mile will feature none other than California state record holder for 1600 meters, Ventura sophomore Sadie Engelhardt. 'Hungry' was how it was described when she asked to enter into the meet on Monday and ready to go after that state record for the Mile, currently held by Dalia Frias at 4:35.06. She has eclipsed 4:40 on three separate occasions this season. Del Norte junior Hannah Riggins is coming off a breakout weekend at Arcadia, where she set a new San Diego section record for the 800 meters at 2:06.69. She comes in with a 4:49.50 and looks to become only the third girl in section history to break 4:45.

Fresh off her 9:58.05 San Diego Section record for the 3200 meters, La Costa Canyon junior Gioana Lopizzo will look to use Engelhardt's pace with the goal of breaking 4:50 for the first time as is also the case for Santiago sophomore Rylee Blade.  

For the boys, the top talents are focusing on the Mile. Cathedral (SS) junior Emmanuel Perez steps onto the line with a 4:09.27, currently fourth in California. But he will have company with several boys coming off monster efforts at Arcadia for the 3200 meters will join him like Millikan (SS) junior Jason Parra (8:46.50), Clovis East (CS) junior Carter Spradling (8:50.79), Highland (SS) senior Matthew Donis (8:53.66), Crescenta Valley (SS) senior Parker Simmons (8:53.77) and Templeton (CS) junior Joshua Bell (8:55.52). Point Loma senior Manuel Correia brings his 4:12.91 best to the party while Buchanan (CS) senior Zach Weaver comes in with a 4:13.42.

For the Friday night relays, the girls of Buchanan (CS) come into the 4x800 with the intent of becoming only the fifth squad in California to break 9-minutes and to also take over the national lead, currently in the hands of Del Norte (SD) from last weekend at 9:00.77. Chino Hills (SS), Trabuco Hills (SS), and Great Oak (SS) will battle the out-of-state powers of Herriman (Utah) and St. John's College out of Washington D.C.

The boys 4x800 invitational section will be the fastest race for the event in the nation! Long Beach Poly brings in junior Xai Ricks (1:49.19) and senior Lamarr Kirk (1:51.37) into the building and working to break Buchanan's 7:43.84 to take over the national lead. Former Great Oak coach, Doug Soles, brings his Herriman squad in from Utah and will also battle to break 7:50 while also competing against his former school. Redondo Union, Loyola, ML King, Royal and Torrey Pines are all slated to break 7:55.

The girls 4x1600 will highlight Campolindo who captured the Division III State title this past Cross Country season. Clovis North, Great Oak and Saugus are also slated to break the 21-minute threshold.

Meanwhile, Great Oak will put our their 'A' squad along with San Clemente, Loyola, Torrey Pines and Menlo. But, watch for Utah's Herriman who will employ three sub-4:19 boys, including junior William Steadman who ran to a 4:13.44 for the mile last weekend at Arcadia.

On Saturday, the invitational section for the 800-meters will feature two of the state's best in Del Norte's Riggins and Monte Vista (NC)  senior Cate Peters, who captured this event in 2022 with her lifetime best of 2:06.89. Riggins is coming off a 2:06.69 performance at Arcadia that elevated her up to fourth in the nation. Her San Diego section counterparts will also push for a sub-2:10 effort in Westview sophomore Kaitlyn Arciaga (2:10.89), Poway (SD) junior Tessa Buswell (2:11.01) and Carlsbad sophomore Makenna Herbst (2:11.37).

In the boys 800, Great Oak junior Gabriel Rodriguez (1:51.79) and Buchanan senior Noah Ray (1:51.97) are the favorites. That top group includes three others that have run under 1:54 this season, including 2022 State Meet medalist Marcel Francis-Mitchell who aspires of going after that 1:50 watermark of excellence for the event. He won the event here in 2022 with a 1:52.71.

On Saturday night, the girls Distance Medley Relay will feature Del Norte who seeks to become the seventh squad in the nation to eclipse the 12-minute mark as they are currently seventh in the nation. Campolindo, La Costa Canyon and Cathedral Catholic will push the pace all throughout as well but do not overlook Herriman.

The boys of Herriman are eyeing the sub-10 territory and taking over the nationally leading time of 10:05.45.  Great Oak employs a crew that can go under 10:10 while also watch for Loyola, who captured the Arcadia Invite last week with a 10:12.91 effort. But almost under the radar, keep your eyes on the boys of Cathedral. Equipped with the aforementioned Perez, a junior, on anchor (4:09.27) and junior Ambodai Ligons (1:51.15) in the mix, the Phantoms will also compete for the win.

The boys' sprints are loaded! In the boys 100, Serra senior Rodrick Pleasant, the California state record holder at 10.14, will lace it up. But in what should be a preview of next month's California state meet, Granada Hills junior Jordan Coleman (10.36), Buchanan senior Augustus Remlinger (10.38), Clovis North senior Nickolas Miller (10.42), Oaks Christian junior Chase Farrell (10.42), and Cajon senior Jeyquan Smith (10.49) will surround him as they get into the blocks. Those marks are all wind-legal and at major invites from the past month.  

It only gets better in the 200 meters, as Pleasant will battle with Granada Hills senior Dijon Stanley (20.86) and his teammate Coleman (21.01), who is coming off the win at Arcadia last weekend. Miller (21.14) of Clovis North while Smith (21.38) of Cajon is also set to go. Central (CS) senior Imari Conley (21.42) while also watch out for Oregon state champ, South Medford senior Andrew Walker, who owns a lifetime best of 21.27.

For the 400 meters, Stanley of Granada Hills (LA) is coming off his head-turning 45.92 from Arcadia last weekend for the 12^th fastest time ever in California prep history. Helix (SD) senior Adren Parker (47.03) checks in, ranked second in the state, while Liberty (CS) senior Ethan Mahanke is coming off a 47.85 effort from last weekend. Oaks Christian (SS) sophomore Chase Hansen (47.89) and Moreau Catholic (NC) senior Bryce Thomas (47.93) also shined last weekend at Arcadia.

For the girls, the favorite in the 100 meters is the defending champion from 2022, Carson (LA) senior Reign Redmond. With a lifetime best of 11.45 and currently ranked fifth in the nation for wind-legal marks, her greatest challenges will come from Madison (SD) junior Amirah Shaheed (11.73), Serra senior Brazil Neal (11.78), defending Washington state champion, Bear Creek junior Braelyn Baker (11.79) and fellow Carson teammate in senior Ta'Ahjah Fann (11.80). All marks are wind-legal and from the last two weekends.

Quartz Hill senior Adonijah Currie brought home the win in 2022 (23.65w) but will have her work cut out for her against a talented field. Defending Washington state champion, Bear Creek junior Braelyn Baker broke through with a 24.17 wind-legal effort last weekend at Arcadia. The California defending State champion, Serra (SS) senior Brazil Neal (24.18w in 2023) but placed behind Castaic junior Meagan Humphries (24.04w) two weekends ago. Along with La Jolla (SD) junior Payton Smith (24.08w) and Ayala (SS) junior Kayla McBride (24.29w), this looks like a state meet preview. Madison's Shaheed is also coming in hot with her 24.30 wind-legal effort at Arcadia.

The girls 400 meters will put last year's champion, Currie, who was competing for Golden Valley in 2022, rolled to the 53.69 lifetime best. Mission Hills' Smith brings her 54.12 best from last weekend to the track along with Oaks Christian freshman Rayah Rodriguez, who broke through with a 54.91 last weekend to move up to fourth in California. Ayala's McBride (55.16) and St. Mary's Academy junior Jayla Cigar-Dingle (55.50) will also push for the win.

Lincoln (SJ) senior Y'Vette Harris headlines as the California state meet runner-up is coming off a 13.83 wind-legal lifetime best at Arcadia and is now the state leader in the 100 Hurdles. St. Bernard (SS) junior London Davis checks in as second in the state with a 14.03. San Diego (SD) sophomore Anisa Bowen-Fontenot lines up with a 14.29 and Cathedral Catholic (SD) senior Kapiolani Coleman with a 14.33. Those two fourth and fifth in California, respectively. Defending Washington state champion and one of the nation's top heptathletes, senior JaiCieonna Gero-Holt looks to leapfrog California's best.

For the girls 300 hurdles, the top seven ranked girls in California will get into the blocks and between the two sections, 12 of the top 14. Coleman, the defending state champion, brings her lifetime best of 42.19 to the middle of the track while three other state meet medalists from 2022 will push her. Lincoln's Harris (42.68) and Torrey Pines (SD) senior Karina Janik (42.72) are second and third in the state, while Long Beach Wilson sophomore Kaylan Edwards (43.24), and Carlsbad (SD) sophomore Morgan Herbst (43.58) right behind them.

The boys 110 Hurdles features current state leader and 2022 state meet runner-up, Upland (SS) senior Davis Davis-Lyric. He rolled out a lifetime best of 13.85 to move up to fourth on the national list for wind-legal marks. Helix (SD) junior Shon Martin continues to improved as evidenced by his 14.27 effort last weekend while Pleasant Grove (SJ) senior Stephen Dahdouh (14.38), Thousand Oaks senior Jeremy Frank (14.39), and Murrieta Mesa (SS) senior Elijah Green (14.41) are also all ranked in the top ten in the state.

The boys 300 Hurdles, eight of the top 11 in the state will compete, including Long Beach Wilson senior Isaac Lewis, who checks with a lifetime best of 37.41. Roosevelt (SS) junior Cayden Roberson (38.24), Cathedral Catholic junior Vincent Atilano (38.38), Monrovia (SS) senior Devin Paton (38.41) and Upland's Davis-Lyric (38.45) seek the upset. Also watch for International School in Bangkok junior Cameron Rohde and his 38.26 from Arcadia last weekend, as he makes the trip from Thailand.

The girls 4x100 relay will feature six of the top eight squads in California, headlined by Carson who is coming off the win at Arcadia with a seasonal best of 45.51. In a rematch from that race, Serra (46.32), Long Beach Poly (46.95) and ML King (47.02) round out the top four teams in the state. Chino Hills (47.21) and Calabasas (47.40) also come in just off seasonal best performances.

The boys will counter with their own state meet preview with featuring three of the top four teams in California. Granada Hills uncorked a 40.28 barn burner last weekend at Arcadia, which was the third-fastest time ever in state history. Meanwhile, moving up to the charts to second in the state, Oaks Christian rolled to a 41.09. Defending state champion, Central owns a 41.82 while Liberty (CS) is fourth in the state with a 41.76.

The boys discus features five of the top seven in California, with Clovis North sophomore McKay Madsen comes in second in the state with his 181-5 effort from last month. But Redondo Union senior Kai Deines placed third at the 2022 state meet with his lifetime best of 198-11.

Rancho Buena Vista (SD) senior Tyler Knowles (179-6), Warren (SS) senior Jaylon Wells (178-11) look to measure out beyond 185-feet for the first time, while Westlake (SS) senior Adam Laycock looks to improve upon his 183-4 lifetime best.

In the boys shot put, Redondo's Deines is the favorite and is currently second in the state with a 60-3 best. Third in the state is RBV's Knowles at 59-8 while Clovis North (CS) junior Brayden Bitter checks in with his 58-8, which places him fourth in the state. Warren's Wells moved up to fifth in California with his 58-7 lifetime best at Arcadia last weekend.

The girls shot put features the dynamic duo from Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks (SS). Current state leader and UCLA-senior commit, April Fontenette brings a 44-11.5 best to the ring. Teammate, sophomore Aja Johnson has measured a 43-3 this season and is second in the state. South Torrance (SS) junior Mackenzie Monson is sixth in the state with her 41-5 best.

Notre Dame's girls expect to garner huge points at the state meet in the throws as Fontenette is atop the statewide charts at 158-6. Teammate Johnson is currently third at 148-3. Meanwhile, Clovis North senior Loie Madsen moved up to fifth in the state with her 147-8 lifetime best effort at Arcadia last weekend.

Buchanan senior Hilton Green continues to improve with his 16-9 performance last weekend to capture the Arcadia Invite. The state leader now ranks fourth in the nation. Meanwhile, also in the top ten on the national charts, Redondo Union senior Dylan Curtis elevated up over 16-3 last weekend while Sage Creek junior owns a lifetime best of 16-0.25.  

The girls pole vault is loaded. With a 13-9.25 clearance from two weeks ago and traveling down from Washington, Bainbridge junior Ella McRitchie is fourth in the county. Meanwhile current state leader, La Costa Canyon junior Iliana Downing cleared the 13-7 bar last month and is currently sixth in the nation. A state meet medalist in 2022, Buchanan senior Jordan Leveque checks in with a seasonal best of 13-6. Emmett senior Tatum Richards is the defending Idaho state champion gets on the runaway with a lifetime best of 13-2.

In regard to wind-legal marks, six of the top nine in the state take to the runaway for the girls long jump. State meet runner-up from 2022, ML King senior Alyssa Hope measured to a 19-11.25 effort last weekend while Castaic junior Meagan Humphries leaping out to a 19-2.25 effort. Mayfield senior Sade Falese (18-9.25), Etiwanda junior Alaya Robinson (18-9), Central senior Riley Costales (18-7.5) and Turlock junior Shaylan Roy-Williams (18-7) look to go out over 19-feet as well.

The girls triple jump features defending state champion, USC-commit Alyssa Hope of ML King brings her 40-3.25 lifetime best to the group. Elsinore senior Daj'eauna Williams is coming off a 38-7.5 effort last weekend but also moving up the rankings in recent weeks is South Pasadena junior Mia Holden with a 38-9 wind-legal best. Upland senior Simone Smith bounded her way to 38-6.5 last weekend while Etiwanda's Robinson placed fourth at the state meet last year with a 39-5.5 wind-legal best.

The boys long jump, six of the top 10 in California headline, with Cajon sophomore Keith Cotlage leading the way with his 23-2 effort from two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Monrovia senior Devin Paton and Vista (SD) junior Marcus Harris both come in with seasonal bests of 23-0. Harvard Westlake senior Benson Fleischer (22-11), Carson sophomore Jerald Evangelista (22-7.5) and Liberty (CS) senior Christian Edwards (22-7.25) also make for a great competition.

The favorite in the girls high jump is Emerald Ridge sophomore JaiCieonna Gero-Holt, who is the defending Washington state title. As a freshman in 2022, she cleared 6-0.75. With the second best jump in California for 2023, Scripps Ranch senior Lizzie Tarczy cleared the 5-8 bar while Long Beach Poly sophomore Jillene Wetteland also owns a lifetime best of 5-8. Also watch for Chino Hills junior Makena Bailey who has elevated over the 5-7 bar.