Quincy Wilson, Paige Sheppard, Jackson Spencer, Marcelo Mantecon, Natalie Dumas Top Incredible Fields Shaping Up At Arcadia 

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

DyeStat Photos

National records, meet records and of course thousands of personal records are all on the line this weekend at the 58th Arcadia Invitaional in Southern California. 

One of the most loaded editions of America's best high school invitational arrives Friday and Saturday at Arcadia High. 

More than 690 schools from 35 states are expected to attend.

Here are some of the top storylines:

WATCH THE LIVE FREE WEBCAST OF THE ARCADIA INVITATIONAL

Quincy Wilson In The House

High school track powerhouse Bullis School MD is making a return to the Arcadia Invitational for the first time since 2019 and that means Olympic gold medalist Quincy Wilson will compete at the meet for the first time. 

Wilson, who earned a gold as part of the U.S. 4x400 relay squad in 2024, is entered in the 400 meters and two relays. 

Last week, at the Pepsi Florida Relays, Wilson ran an ourdoor opener of 45.97 seconds in the 400. 

The meet record, held for the past 10 years by another Olympian, Michael Norman, is 45.51. 

Wilson is also in the entries as a member of Bullis' 4x200 and 4x400 squads. 

National Record Watch For Girls SMR

Union Catholic NJ missed the national record in the girls 1,600-meter sprint medley relay last year at Arcadia by about a second. 

This time around, UC aims to go break the record of 3:47.65 by Rush-Henrietta NY, which has stood since 2015.

Union Catholic, which ran an incredible time of 11:06.13 to smash the distance medley relay at New Balance Nationals Indoor, has been taking relay records left and right for a couple of years. 

The centerpiece of that effort is junior Paige Sheppard, who is set to anchor the SMR on Friday and also run in the invitational 800 meters on Saturday. 

UC's SMR lineup includes Sydney Chadwick, Abriyah Thompson and Abby Robisky. 

Jackson Spencer Leads Boys 3,200 Field

Herriman UT senior Jackson Spencer is taking aim at history in Arcadia's signature event, the boys 3,200 meters. 

The New Balance Nationals Indoor 5,000 meters champion ran an outdoor opener of 8:46.04 at the Pine View Invitational in Utah on March 21. 

Coming down to sea level, and racing under the lights against the best field in the country, Spencer is aiming to run under 8:30, according to coach Doug Soles. 

If he can do that, Spencer would be well under the meet record of 8:34.10 by Simeon Birnbaum in 2023.

He'll need favorable weather and a pack of runners who are agressively chasing fast times. That didn't happen last year, when the early pace dawdled, which is uncharacteristic for this race. 

It's Spencer's only race of the weekend. He is focused on it and ready to roll. 

In 2024, a record total of 69 boys ran under 9 minutes in the 3,200 meters at Arcadia across all sections. Last year, 56 did it. 

Boys 4x800 Relay: Union Catholic vs Belen Jesuit

Another relay with national record potential shaping up is the boys 4x800. 

Union Catholic NJ broke the indoor record three weeks ago at New Balance Nationals Indoor when it ran 7:35.05. Coach Mike McCabe believes his group can go under 7:30 in the right conditions, which would be in range of the fantastic 7:26.12 that Herriman UT ran at New Balance Nationals Outdoor last year. 

A team needs to average 1:52.5 per leg to run 7:30. 

Another team could be able to do that is Belen Jesuit FL, which features Marcelo Mantecon, who won three individual disance events plus anchored a national record victory in the DMR. 

Mantecon and his teammates could challenge Union Catholic NJ in the 4x800 relay on Friday before taking on Spencer in a fierce battle for the 3,200 title on Saturday. 

Servite, A Year Older, Taking On Bullis

Last year, Servite CA arrived at the meet with four freshman and broke the Arcadia meet record in the 4x100 relay with 40.00 seconds. 

Well those guys are back. With a lineup that included three sophomores last weekend at the Trabuco Hills Invitational, Jordan Wells, Benjamin Harris, Jace Wells and Kamil Pelovello ran a US#1 time of 39.82 seconds. That made Servite the first California school to go under the 40-second barrier and also the 11th fastest team in history. 

Servite is also US#2 in the 4x200. 

The 4x400 relay could be very special and have everyone in the crowd Friday night on their feet. Bullis MD ran US#1 3:09.88 last weekend at the Florida Relays. Servite owns US#2 with 3:10.33, also last weekend at Trabuco Hills. 

The meet record is 30 years old this year, 3:08.92 by Muir in 1996. 

Ready For Launch, Part 1

Mead WA senior Simon Rosselli is thinking about the national record in the boys discus and looking to take his next step at Arcadia. 

Rosselli threw 214-2 last weekend at the Oregon Relays and owns a personal best of 218-7 from last year's Arcadia Invitational. 

Rosselli said in Eugene that he thinks Ryan Crouser's 2011 national record of 237-6 is one of the most difficult records in high school track but he's not afraid to go after it. 

Rosselli is also one of the top entries in the shot put after throwing 65 feet last Friday. 

Ready For Launch, Part 2

Meanwhile, Jaslene Massey of Aliso Niguel CA is already doing historic things in the girls throws. 

Massey threw 188-7 in the discus on March 14 to move up to No. 4 on the all-time prep list. 

She also leads the nation in the shot put with the 52-6.50 she achieved on March 28. 

Rosselli and Massey have both signed with Oregon. 

Natalie Dumas Takes On The Hurdles

One of the most spectacular performers of the 2025 high school season, Natalie Dumas from Eastern Regional NJ won three individual titles at New Balance Nationals Outdoor last June in Philadelphia. 

At Arcadia, she is entered in the 300-meter hurdles. 

Dumas opened up in the hurdles last week when she ran 59.56 in the 400-meter hurdles at the Deptford Spartan Relays (she finished last season with a best of 55.99). 

The Arkansas recruit has also run 51.14 in the 400 and 2:00.11 in the 800. 

Niwot Runners Focused On Individual Events

Last Saturday at the Oregon Relays, the Niwot boys and girls squads both ran US#1 times in the distance medley relays. 

This weekend, the core group of the NXN championship boys team, Quinn Sullivan, Rocco Culpepper, Hunter Robbie, Ryder Keeton and Jude Ritzenhein are entered in individual events. Some may be in the boys 3,200 meters. Ritzenhein, a freshman, could very well be taking aim again at the freshman class national record in the mile. 

Addison Ritzenhein, Avalon Beltran, Elise Hagen and Scarlett Parks are also in individual events. 

Lone Peak Coming After Girls 4x1600

Last month, the girls from Lone Peak UT won the 4xMile relay at New Balance Nationals Indoor in a time of 19:55.17. 

Maya Bybee, Hailey Atwater, Zoey Nilsson and Brielle Nilsson are entered in the 4x1600 relay at Arcadia, where the met record is 19:54.15 by Clovis CA.