Following 4x1,600 victories last year, both teams prevail again in 4xMile relays, with Bears setting California all-time mark and Cavemen ascending to No. 2 in Utah prep history; Oaks Christian runs national leader in 800 sprint medley, with Del Norte girls and Buchanan boys winning 4x800 showdowns

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Ken Martinez

ARCADIA, Calif. – The personnel changes from one year to the next, and the distances of the relay might also be adjusted with each new season, but the success of the Buchanan girls and American Fork boys has remained consistent at the Arcadia Invitational, and the opening night of the meet’s 55th edition provided more impressive examples for two of the nation’s elite programs, as both achieved top 15 all-time marks.

Buchanan, the California Division 1 state cross country champions, returned Grace Hutchison, Elle Lomeli and Sydney Sundgren from last year’s 4x1,600-meter victory at Arcadia, and the trio joined freshman Tayler Torosian to achieve the state record Friday in the 4xMile relay by clocking 20:01.12 at Arcadia High. 

Although Newbury Park, Great Oak and Buchanan have all produced sub-20 performances in the 4x1,600 relay, the Bears achieved the fastest all-time effort in a full 4xMile race by a California quartet, elevating to No. 12 in U.S. prep history. Buchanan also became the first program to triumph in consecutive years since Great Oak in 2017-18.

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American Fork returned only Ben Jaster from last year’s 4x1,600 victory, but the additions of Seth Smith, Ben Bradshaw and Daniel Simmons from the Utah 6A championship cross country team helped the Cavemen prevail in the 4xMile relay in 17:13.24.

American Fork, which ascended to No. 15 in U.S. prep history, became the first boys program to repeat in the marquee Friday relay at Arcadia since Loyola High of California secured back-to-back victories in 2011-12.

American Fork boasts the national outdoor 4x1,600 record with its 16:41.30 effort from 2017 at Arcadia, but its performance Friday was the second-fastest in Utah prep history for the full 4xMile relay, trailing only a 17:04.55 mark produced by Ogden High in 2016.

For the second year in a row, the girls from Lone Peak High in Utah, along with the boys from Jesuit High in Oregon, finished second in their respective races.

Josh Augustine, Gus Clevenger, Jacob Nenow and Caden Swanson clocked 17:16.89 for Jesuit, which became the second-fastest 4xMile quartet in Oregon prep history, trailing only the South Eugene lineup that ran 17:06.60 in 1976 and held the national record for 40 years.

Addie Meldrum, Brielle Nilsson, Zoey Nilsson and Boston Bybee produced a Utah state 4xMile record of 20:13.82. Bybee and Meldrum contributed to an all-time state mark of 20:09.80 last year in the 4x1,600.

The addition of the 4x800 relay to the California state meet schedule saw four of the state’s top programs showcase exciting showdowns Friday in a preview of what the championship races could look like May 27 at Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The Bears demonstrated they are capable of being among the leading contenders to secure the inaugural state title, as Noah Ray, Luke Sanders, Ryan Kunkel and Zach Weaver ran 7:43.84 to elevate to No. 2 in the country this year.

Buchanan, which elevated to No. 3 in meet history and 18th all-time in the state, held off Menlo School (7:47.23) and San Clemente (7:48.34), as Weaver anchored in 1:52.66.

Del Norte not only ran the second-fastest girls 4x800 in meet history by clocking 9:00.77, but Emily Russo, Ella Echsner, Hannah Riggins and Paige Echsner triumphed against state record holder JSerra, which finished second in 9:03.27.

JSerra, which ran 8:52.68 last year at Nike Outdoor Nationals with a lineup that included Georgia Jeanneret, Brooke O'Brien and Anastasia Snodgrass who also ran Friday with Ellie Johnson, held a two-second advantage at the midway point of the race, but Riggins split 2:08.63 to provide Del Norte with a lead of nearly eight seconds entering the anchor leg.

Del Norte elevated to No. 3 in the country this season and ascended No. 6 all-time in California.

Oaks Christian won both the boys and girls invitational 800 sprint medley relay races.

Deshonne Redeaux, Davon Benjamin, Lexington Leffall and Chase Hansen ran 1:31.19 for the second-fastest time in the country this season, ascending to No. 6 in meet history, as well as No. 7 all-time in California.

Imani Clayton, Niya Clayton, Eleanor Borchard and Rayah Rodriguez clocked 1:44.41, the fastest time in the nation and No. 11 in meet history, also leading Parkland High from North Carolina (1:44.61) and Gardena Serra High from California (1:44.79) to strong sub-1:45 efforts.

Heritage High from Virginia, relying on a strong anchor from Madison Whyte to support the performances of Sanaa Wooden, Sabria Wooden and Myzhane Solomon, prevailed in the girls invitational 4x200 relay in 1:38.19 to hold off St. Mary’s Academy of California in 1:38.41.

La’Rico Tezeno, Mykel King, Tramayne Shivers and Keynan Higgins helped Pittsburg High from California secure victory in the boys invitational 4x200 in 1:26.62.

Breija Stredic, Tatiana Brandon, Dominique Abbott and Mackenize Browne led JW North from California to a win in the girls invitational 1,600-meter sprint medley relay in 4:01.46.

Daniel Sung, Cameron Gherardi, Brennan Shaul and Alex Naehu joined forces to help Palos Verdes prevail in the boys invitational 1,600 sprint medley relay in 3:32.12.

Sofia Boyd, Sofia Martinez, Pharyn Kelly and Emerson Chasko emerged victorious for Sherman Oaks Notre Dame of California in 1:02.47 in the girls invitational 4x100-meter shuttle hurdles relay.

Julian Moore, Arthur Celestine, Levi Vela and Joab Vela clocked 1:00.46 to help Vista Murrieta of California triumph in the boys invitational 4x110 shuttle hurdles relay.

Rylee Blade of Corona Santiago High in California won the girls seeded 3,200 meters in a lifetime-best 10:21.08, with fellow sophomores Holly Barker of Laguna Hills High in California placing second in 10:25.91 and Eleanor Raker of Galena High in Nevada taking third in 10:26.80.

Raker, one of seven athletes in the seeded section to run under 10:30, improved on her No. 3 all-time mark in Nevada.

Amaya Aramini of Bishop Manogue High won the girls rated section of the 3,200 in a personal-best 10:35.46, ascending to No. 4 in Nevada prep history, and Cadence Kasprick of Grand County High in Utah also achieved a lifetime-best to secure second in 10:37.86.

Jack Henzke, a junior at Seattle Prep in Washington, won the boys open 3,200 in 9:03.83, edging Roland Ruckmann-Barnes of Livermore Granada in California at 9:03.90.

Henzke produced the fastest time from all three open sections combined, leading 12 athletes under 9:10 overall.