Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now.
What might be the nation’s best high school track and field competition, the Arcadia Invitational, will take place Friday and Saturday at Arcadia High School.
The event, run by meet director Rich Gonzalez, has a record 690 schools participating this year from 36 different states.
The most anticipated session of the weekend will begin Saturday at approximately 3 p.m., which is labeled the “Invitational” session. It will be highlighted by some of the country’s best high school athletes competing in various events, including the 100, 200, 400 and relay events.
Among the top athletes competing will be Granada Hills Charter’s Dijon Stanley, who holds California’s best times in the 200 and 400 meters, running those events in 20.86 seconds and 46.40, respectively. He’s also part of the school’s 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams. The 4×100 relay team holds the state’s top time (41.13) heading into the weekend.
Meagan Humphries of Golden Valley leaps in the girls long jump during the 102nd CIF State Track and Field Championships at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of Buchanan High School in Clovis on Saturday, May 28, 2022. ( Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
On the girls side, Castaic’s Meagan Humphries, a transfer from Golden Valley, is one to watch. The junior holds the state’s top time in the 200 (24.04) and the high jump (5 feet, 10.25 inches). Her long jump mark is third-best in California at 19-9.5. Notre Dame’s April Fontenette, a UCLA commit, holds the top marks in shot put (44-11.5) and discus (157-9).
All eyes will be on Gardena Serra’s Rodrick Pleasant, who had last season’s best time in the 100 (10.41). His personal best this season is 10.40, but it’s the second-best mark in the state behind Clovis North’s Nickolas Miller.
Oaks Christian junior Chase Farrell, who has the state’s fourth-best mark in the event (10.48), will get a chance to fly with some of the nation’s best sprinters.
Golden Valley’s Addae Ma’at has the state’s top mark in the high jump (6-8).
Newbury Park’s Leo Young has the best 1,500 time (3:40.86), but will not be competing at Arcadia this weekend.
Here are the top local athletes competing this week at Arcadia:
TOP BOYS TO WATCH
(Event, name, school, year, time/distance, state rank)
100 – Chase Farrell, Oaks Christian, Jr. (10.51, 6th)
200 – Dijon Stanley, Granada Hills, Sr. (20.86, 1st)
400 – Dijon Stanley, Granada Hills, Sr. (46.40, 1st)
800 – Aaron Sahlman, Newbury Park, Sr. (1:50.25, 2nd)
1,600 – Brayden Seymour, Newbury Park, Sr. (4:07.16, 1st)
110 hurdles – Jeremy Frank, Thousand Oaks, Sr. (14.57, 9th)
4×100 relay – Granada Hills: Jordan Coleman, Dijon Stanley, Kanye Martin, Darrell Stanley (41.13, 1st)
4×400 relay – Granada Hills: Matthew Young, Jordan Coleman, D’Javonte Richmond, Dijon Stanley (3:20.47, 3rd)
Pole vault – Cade Sommers, Westlake, Jr. (15-1, 9th)
Long jump – Dilan Webster, Burroughs, Sr. (23-1, 5th)
TOP GIRLS TO WATCH
(Event, name, school, year, time/distance, state rank)
100 – Niya Clayton, Oaks Christian, Jr. (11.81, 3rd)
100 – Gisele Thompson, Harvard-Westlake, Jr. (11.92, 9th)
200 – Meagan Humphries, Castaic, Jr. (24.04, 1st)
200 – Adonijah Currie, Quartz Hill, Sr. (24.37, 5th)
400 – Rayah Rodriguez, Oaks Christian, Fr. (55.92, 7th)
1600 – Payton Godsey, Oaks Christian, Jr. (4:42.57, 2nd)
4×100 relay – Calabasas: Lahela Ray, Paige Porter, Zoe Ray, Sarah Najibi (47.62, 4th)
Shot put – April Fontenette, Notre Dame, Sr. (44-11.5, 1st)
Discus – April Fontenette, Notre Dame, Sr. (157-9, 1st)
High jump – Meagan Humphries, Castaic, Jr. (5-10.25, 1st)
Pole vault – Jessica Thompson, Harvard-Westlake, Sr. (12-6, 5th)
Long jump – Meagan Humphries, Castaic, Jr. (19-9.5, 3rd)