By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 56th Arcadia Invitational is scheduled for Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6 at Arcadia High in California.

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Here are 10 storylines involving male athletes to follow at one of the nation’s elite high school track and field competitions, which features athletes from 692 schools competing:

Dynamic distance relays packed with record potential

Before the marquee distance event of the meet, the boys 3,200 meters, takes place Saturday night, there could be a memorable conclusion to Friday night’s schedule with the boys 4x1,600-meter relay.

American Fork High from Utah set the national record by running 16:41.30 in 2017 at Arcadia, and with a lineup Friday that is expected to be anchored by Daniel Simmons, the Cavemen have the opportunity to chase history once again.

American Fork prevailed last year in the 4xMile relay in 17:13.24, just shy of the national record of 17:04.55 produced in 2016 by Ogden High of Utah. Ben Bradshaw and Ben Jaster are also expected to return from that lineup to race again Friday for the Cavemen.

American Fork had Kaden Evans, Noah Nielson, Jaster and Simmons win the 4xMile relay title March 8 in 16:43.21 at New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston, Mass.

Great Oak High of California is the only other program in U.S. prep history to produce a sub-17 performance in the 4x1,600 relay, running 16:52.95 at the Mt. SAC Relays in 2016 after clocking 16:55.85 a week earlier at the Arcadia Invitational.

Jesuit High of Oregon, which placed second last year behind American Fork in the 4xMile relay in 17:16.89, is also expected to compete, in addition to Dana Hills from California, Union Catholic of New Jersey and Riverton from Utah, all looking to challenge the 17-minute barrier and American Fork.

The boys 4x800 relay meet record could also be under threat Friday, with several programs looking to eclipse the 7:42.36 performance achieved in 2003 by Long Beach Poly from California.

Red Mountain High, the Arizona state record holder at 7:41.40, returns Tyler Mathews, Matthew Hamilton and Roman Smith from last year’s lineup that placed seventh at Arcadia in 7:58.08 and is again among the leading contenders.

Taj Clark, Jackson Brownell and Brett Ephraim return for San Clemente of California, which took third last year in 7:48.34.

Cherokee Trail from Colorado, along with California programs Cathedral, Davis Senior, Carmichael Jesuit, Great Oak, JSerra and Long Beach Wilson are all capable of running sub-7:50.

Although the boys distance medley relay has the unenviable task Saturday of following the 3,200, Loyola High of California is back to defend its title after clocking 10:12.91 to edge San Clemente (10:13.86). Connor Bennett is the only returning member from last year’s victorious quartet for the Cubs.

Belen Jesuit Prep of Florida and Niwot from Colorado are both threats to elite California programs San Clemente, Dana Hills, Great Oak, JSerra and Crystal Springs Uplands, all pursuing the 2001 meet record of 9:57.88 by Atlantic Community from Florida.

The search for sub-8:30

The boys invitational 3,200-meter showcase at Arcadia has a legacy that includes the most athletes running under the 9-minute barrier in one race in 2017, as well as the National Federation High School Record of 8:34.10 produced last year by Simeon Birnbaum of Rapid City Stevens High in South Dakota.

There could be another milestone celebrated Saturday with the first high school 3,200 race highlighting a sub-8:30 performance.

Daniel Simmons of American Fork, runner-up last year behind Birnbaum in 8:34.14, is scheduled to return, with fellow Utah standout and Nike Cross Nationals winner JoJo Jourdon from Olympus also entered, in addition to Foot Locker national cross country champion Drew Griffith of Butler Area in Pennsylvania.

Patrick Koon of Leon High in Florida, Ryan Pajak from Ringgold High in Pennsylvania, Nathan Neil of Bozeman High in Montana, Indiana entries Cameron Todd from Brebeuf Jesuit and Will Conway of Floyd Central, Keegan Smith from Knoxville Catholic in Tennessee, Joe Barrett of Christian Brothers in New Jersey, Ethan Edgeworth from Cold Springs High in Alabama, Marcelo Mantecon of Belen Jesuit Prep in Florida, Washington athletes Vincent Recupero from Bishop Blanchet and Owen Powell of Mercer Island, the Battle Mountain from Colorado pair of Will Brunner and Porter Middaugh, teammates Josiah Tostenson and Tayvon Kitchen of Crater High in Oregon, plus American Fork standouts Ben Jaster and Kaden Evans are also among the athletes scheduled to travel from out of state to race at Arcadia.

Dana Hills’ Evan Noonan, Long Beach Millikan’s Jason Parra, Cathedral’s Emmanuel Perez, Palo Alto’s Grant Morgenfeld, Templeton’s Josh Bell, Menlo School’s Landon Pretre and Ventura’s Anthony Fast Horse are California entries looking to shine under the lights in their home state.

Lukas Verzbicas from Carl Sandburg High in Illinois ran 8:29.46 in a 2-mile race in 2011 at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, a mark that converts to 8:26.50 for 3,200, although there was no official split in the race.

Birnbaum achieved a 3,200 split of 8:31.73 on his way to an 8:34.10 2-mile performance in June at the Brooks PR Invitational in Washington.

Colin Sahlman, a former standout at Newbury Park High in California, boasts the fastest all-time U.S. high school mark in a true 3,200 race by clocking 8:33.32 in 2022 at the Sundown Track Series event at Azusa Pacific University.

Gordon making play for Claye’s all-time mark

Following his National Federation High School record of 53 feet, 1.50 inches (16.19m) in the boys triple jump March 30 at the 96th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, Karson Gordon from Bellaire Episcopal High in Texas remains highly motivated to challenge another prestigious standard in his quest for back-to-back titles at Arcadia.

Gordon won last year at Arcadia with a mark of 49-3 (15.01m), despite having to leave the competition following two attempts in order to run the 4x100 relay. He secured the victory on his fifth attempt, but is anticipating the competition Saturday to be free from interruption.

Gordon, also a UCLA-bound quarterback, surpassed the previous NFHS record of 52-10.50 (16.12m) achieved at the Pacific League championship meet in 1980 at Arcadia High by Charles Mayfield of John Muir High in Pasadena.

Gordon, the 11th prep male athlete to produce a 53-foot effort, is now looking to achieve the Arcadia Invitational all-time mark, trying to surpass the 2008 performance of 51-7.50 (15.74m) established by former Mountain Pointe of Arizona star Will Claye.

Claye and Phouphet Singbandith from Anaheim Magnolia High in California in 1990 are the only two male competitors in meet history to surpass 51 feet.

There has never been multiple 50-feet performers in the same year at Arcadia, with Gordon expected to be challenged by Reece Grosserode of Lincoln Pius X in Nebraska, Grant Boykin from St. John’s College in Washington D.C., Kosi Nwafor of Vista Murrieta in California, and Arizona standouts Khalil Young from Shadow Ridge and Trace White from American Leadership Academy (Anthem).  

Terrific tandem takes aim at 200 feet

Two of the four high school male athletes this season who have achieved discus performances of better than 195 feet are expected to square off Saturday in a competition that could produce the first 200-foot effort nationally this year.

McKay Madsen of Clovis North High in California and Benjamin Shue from Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, both juniors, return from last year’s competition with plenty of motivation to become the first athletes to surpass the 200-foot mark at Arcadia since 2017, when four competitors achieved the feat.

Madsen had a mark of 196-2 (59.79m) on March 15 at the Gateway to Track and Field Invitational at Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Shue achieved a 195-3 (59.52m) on Monday at a Penn Relays qualifying event at Christian Brothers in New Jersey.

Gates Hinton of Fuquay-Varina High in North Carolina is the national prep leader this season at 199-7 (60.83m).

Shue took third last year at Arcadia with a mark of 187-2 (57.06m), with Madsen placing sixth at 173-9 (52.96m).

Preston Beery from Faith Lutheran in Nevada is also expected to compete, along with California competitors Derek Smith of Buchanan High, Kyler Headley from Silver Creek High, Eliot Traxler of Amador, Zach Lewis from Garden Grove Pacifica, Anthony Gash of Helix Charter High and Brayden Bitter, Madsen’s teammate at Clovis North.

Beery, Madsen, Shue, Lewis, Bitter and Emanuel Hernandez from North Canyon High in Arizona are all entries in the invitational shot put who have surpassed 60 feet this season.

Another memorable middle-distance showdown

Last year marked the first time since 1995, and only the second occasion in meet history, that three competitors all achieved sub-1:50 performances in the invitational 800 meters.

Tyler Mathews from Red Mountain High, who clocked 1:49.32 last season to secure second at Arcadia, boasts the Arizona all-time mark at 1:48.72.

Although there has been only one sub-1:50 effort nationally so far this outdoor season, that number should be adjusted Saturday with a field that includes New Balance Nationals Indoor champion Patrick Hilby from Aurora Central Catholic High in Illinois, who ran 1:48.47 in Boston.

California athletes Andreas Dybdahl from Santa Barbara and Xai Ricks of Long Beach Poly are also entered, along with Noah Nielson from American Fork High in Utah, Joseph Socarras of Belen Jesuit Prep in Florida and Parker Dewey from Eau Claire Memorial High in Wisconsin.

Michael Granville of Bell Gardens High in California, who has held the national high school record of 1:46.45 since 1996, led the sub-1:50 trio at Arcadia a year earlier with the fastest performance in meet history at 1:47.96.

Alden Morales of JSerra High in California, the national 800 outdoor leader this year at 1:49.91, is expected to compete in the mile and possibly the distance medley relay Saturday for the Lions.

Nilsson seeks hurdling history

Vance Nilsson, a senior at Gilbert High in Arizona, is looking to become the first male athlete since Jadyn Marshall of Stockton St. Mary’s in California in 2021 to sweep both the invitational 110-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles in the same year at Arcadia.

Marshall clocked 13.76 in the 110 hurdles and 36.77 in the 300 hurdles to secure both victories during a year when only California athletes were allowed to compete at Arcadia as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chad Zallow of John F. Kennedy High in Ohio also produced the hurdling double in 2015, but the last Arizona prep competitor to achieve the feat was Devon Allen of Brophy Prep in 2012 with his 13.52 and 36.39 performances.

Although California standouts Johnathan Cabral from Agoura and David Klech of San Ramon California High boast the meet records of 13.43 and 35.45, respectively, Allen is the fastest hurdler in both events from Arizona ever to compete at Arcadia.

Nilsson enters Saturday’s competition as the national leader this season in the 300 hurdles at 36.43, following his March 23 at the 84th Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational. He has also clocked a wind-aided 13.78 in the 110 hurdles.

Shon Martin from Helix Charter in California has run 13.72 this season, with Karamoko Sacko of Northfield High in Colorado also achieving a sub-14 effort already this year. Myles McFarland from Cosumnes Oaks in California prevailed March 30 at the Stanford Invitational.

Trevor Gough from Snow Canyon High in Utah has clocked 37.26 this season in the 300 hurdles and placed second last year in the 300 hurdles with a 37.60 performance.

California competitors Cayden Roberson of Eastvale Roosevelt, William Isaiah-Bright from Murrieta Mesa, Jonathan Tseko-Biffle of El Capitan and Vincent Atilano from Cathedral Catholic are all seeking sub-37 marks.

Vista Murrieta High in California triumphed last year in the invitational 4x110-meter shuttle hurdles relay in 1:00.46, with Julian Moore and Joab Vela expected to compete Friday for the Broncos, who are scheduled to race against fellow California programs Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Trabuco Hills, in addition to Brophy Prep from Arizona.

Vista Murrieta is looking to capture a third shuttle hurdle relay crown in six years, with Upland High from California winning back-to-back relay titles in 2021-22. 

Searle sets sights higher

Only once in meet history have multiple male athletes cleared 17 feet in the same season in the pole vault, with Sondre Guttormsen of Davis Senior High highlighting the 2018 competition with the California state record of 18-2.50 (5.55m), before elevating the mark to 18-10.25 (5.75m) representing Norway that summer at the European Championships.

Pablo Zaffaroni of Argentina was the other half of that prolific pair six years ago at Arcadia with a 17-1 (5.20m) clearance.

Taylor Searle from American Leadership Academy (Queen Creek) already has multiple clearances this season over 17 feet, but is hoping for some company Saturday, perhaps from fellow Arizona standout Sam Novak of Phoenix Country Day, or possibly Jaden McKee of Martin Luther King in California.

Searle cleared 17-3 (5.25m) on March 2 at the Aztec Invitational and 17-1 (5.23m) on March 23 at the 84th Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational.

Only nine athletes in meet history have produced 17-foot performances, including none since Guttormsen and Zaffaroni in 2018.

Searle has the potential to challenge the 2017 Arizona all-time prep performance of 17-7 (5.36m) established by Cole Riddle from Valley Vista.

One lap for a legacy

Dijon Stanley from Granada Hills Charter in California delivered one of the most remarkable 400-meter performances in meet history last year, clocking 45.92 seconds to become only the third competitor to eclipse the 46-second barrier at Arcadia, joining World Athletics Championships gold medalist Michael Norman, a graduate of Vista Murrieta High in California, and former T.C. Williams from Virginia star Josephus Lyles.

Ronnie Kendrick from Liberty High in Nevada and Sidi Njie of Westlake High in Georgia have the potential to join that trio Saturday.

Njie ran 45.46 last year to capture the Georgia Class 7A title and is returning to Arcadia after finishing fourth in 2022 in the invitational 400.

Kendrick clocked 46.57 on March 23 to set the Nevada state record at the 84th Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational, and is motivated to race an athlete with Njie’s credentials.

Peyton Sommers from Cherokee Trail in Colorado, in addition to California competitors Xai Ricks of Long Beach Poly, Cathedral’s Ambodai Ligons and Oaks Christian’s Chase Hansen are also expected to race.

Last year marked only the second time in meet history that multiple athletes ran sub-46:50 in the same race, with Jacob Andrews of Sehome High in Washington clocking 46.30 behind Stanley. The other occasion was when Norman prevailed against Lyles in 2016 by a 45.51 to 45.94 margin.

Stage set for magnificent mile

Four competitors achieved sub-4:10 performances in the mile in 2022, and Saturday’s field could showcase similar depth, with the New Mexico pair of Corbin Coombs from Organ Mountain and Charlie Vause of Rio Rancho, in addition to Jimmy Wischusen of Union Catholic in New Jersey, Utah entries William Steadman from Herriman High and Zach Hillhouse of Pleasant Grove High, Owen Whitney from Rock Canyon High in Colorado, Knox Young of Greenville High in South Carolina, Nate Stadtlander from Meridian High in Idaho, and several California athletes all seeking victory.

Alden Morales from JSerra, the national outdoor leader in the 800, has also run 4:10.25 in the 1,600 during his sophomore season, and is expected to be part of the mile field.

Beckman’s Ibzan Felix, Clovis East’s Carter Spradling, Maximo Zavaleta of Martin Luther King and Aydon Stefanopoulos from Los Gatos are also scheduled to represent California on home soil.

Simeon Birnbaum from Rapid City Stevens in South Dakota won the mile in 2022 in 4:07.88, before prevailing last year in the invitational 3,200 in 8:34.10.

The 2022 competition also marked just the third time in meet history that multiple athletes ran 4:08 or faster in the same race, joining 2001 and 2011 in achieving the feat.

Accelerating the learning curve

A pair of freshmen from California, Mission Hills Alemany standout Demare Dezeurn and rising Cathedral star Roosevelt Reuben, will face the most significant challenges of their young careers Saturday, especially in the invitational 200 meters.

In addition to Ronnie Kendrick of Liberty High in Nevada and Sidi Njie from Westlake High in Georgia following their competition in the 400 meters, the 200-meter field is also expected to include 100-meter standouts Dominick Corley from Mead High in Washington, Diego Aguirre-Stewart of Millennium High in Arizona, Antwan Hughes, Jr. from Parkland High in North Carolina, plus additional California entries Adonyss Currie of Quartz Hill and Brandon Arrington from Mount Miguel.

No ninth-grader in California prep history has run sub-21, with the record of 21.15 being held by Warren Rogers from Gardena Serra High since 1997. In addition, no freshman athlete has achieved the feat at Arcadia, with only nine competitors in meet history eclipsing the 21-second barrier.

Dezeurn is also scheduled to compete in the invitational 100, with the California freshman record held by Los Alamitos’ Devin Bragg and his 10.45 effort from 2022. Bragg also ran a wind-aided 10.35 during his freshman season.