By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The 55th Arcadia Invitational is scheduled for Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8 at Arcadia High in California.

ARCADIA INVITATIONAL LIVE WEBCAST INFO

Here are 10 storylines involving female athletes to follow at one of the nation’s elite high school track and field competitions, which features athletes from 36 states and more than 600 schools:

Riggs ready for another remarkable run

Irene Riggs has enjoyed one of the most memorable senior years by a distance runner in U.S. prep history and the Stanford commit from Morgantown High in West Virginia could add another exceptional achievement to her resume Saturday in the invitational 3,200 meters.

Riggs has the potential to eclipse not only the meet record, but also the all-time national prep outdoor mark under the lights at Arcadia High.

Dalia Frias of Mira Costa High in California ran 9:55.50 at Arcadia last year to eclipse the 2014 meet record of 9:55.92 established by Alexa Efraimson from Camas High in Washington.

Riggs battled Frias at the Brooks PR Invitational in June in Washington, with the athletes producing the two fastest high school outdoor 2-mile times in history. Frias clocked 9:50.70 and Riggs achieved the national junior class outdoor record at 9:50.72.

Katelyn Tuohy, a graduate of North Rockland High in New York, set the national outdoor 3,200 record of 9:47.88 in at the Loucks Games in 2018.

Riggs, the Nike Cross Nationals and USATF U20 cross country winner, ran 9:45.97 for the No. 2 indoor 3,200 performance in U.S. prep history Feb. 5 at the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase meet in Ohio. Only Sydney Thorvaldson of Rawlins High in Wyoming, with her 9:44.74 split at the 2021 Virginia Showcase en route to a 9:47.95 2-mile performance, has run faster for 3,200 meters.

Riggs also won the Nike Indoor Nationals mile title March 12 in 4:38.23 in New York.

Brooke Wilson, the Nike Cross Nationals runner-up and Nike Indoor Nationals 2-mile champion from Valor Christian High, is also entered, along with fellow Colorado athlete and NXN third-place finisher Bethany Michalak of Air Academy.

Wilson and Michalak lead an impressive group of Colorado competitors in the field, including Emma Stutzman from Pomona, Isabel Allori of Liberty Common, Ella Hagen from Summit and Niwot teammates Olivia Alessandrini, Mia Prok and Addy Ritzenhein.

Illinois standouts Grace Schager of Glenbard North and Tatum David of Richland County, who secured fifth and eighth, respectively, at NXN, are also expected to race, along with 15th-place finisher Avalon Mecham from American Fork High in Utah and Annastasia Peters of Post Falls High in Idaho.

Abby Faith Cheeseman of The Webb School in Tennessee and Ciara O’Shea of Madison Central High in Kentucky are both top-five athletes from the Champs Sports Cross Country Championships in December in San Diego that are scheduled to compete.

Hanne Thomsen, a sophomore from Santa Rosa Montgomery, leads a strong group of California entries, including Oaks Christian’s Payton Godsey, Rocklin Whitney’s Katie Kopec, Crystal Springs Uplands’ Kaiya Brooks, La Costa Canyon’s Gioana Lopizzo, Los Altos’ Lauren Soobrian, Eastlake’s Jaelyn Williams, Newbury Park’s Tiffany Sax, Martinez Alhambra’s Renae Searls and Buchanan teammates Grace Hutchison and Sydney Sundgren.

Only once in meet history has there been a pair of sub-10 efforts in the same race, when Claudia Lane of Malibu High in California edged Brie Oakley from Grandview High in Colorado by a 9:57.52 to 9:57.59 margin in 2017.

Last year’s invitational 3,200 race produced 17 sub-10:30 performances, equaling the meet record from 2015.

Royalty on the runway

Although twin sisters Amanda Moll and Hana Moll, seniors at Capital High in Washington, are the top two pole vaulters in U.S. prep history and have combined to achieve the seven all-time highest clearances by high school competitors, there is still an opportunity for both of them to break the meet record at Arcadia.

Amanda Moll won the invitational pole vault last year at 14-4 (4.36m), with Hana Moll clearing 13-10 (4.21m) to finish second.

Both athletes are pursuing the 14-8 (4.47m) mark achieved in 2019 by Chloe Cunliffe of West Seattle High, a former teammate of the Moll sisters with Northwest Pole Vault Club under the guidance of coach Tim Reilly.

Amanda Moll surpassed the national outdoor record last year at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays with her 14-9.50 (4.51m) clearance and then became the first U.S. prep athlete to eclipse the 15-foot barrier with her 15-1.50 (4.61m) effort Jan. 13 at the UCS Spirit National Pole Vault Summit in Reno.

Hana Moll cleared 14-10.75 (4.54m) indoors Jan. 28 at the Dempsey facility in Seattle, the future home for both sisters at the University of Washington.

Amanda Moll prevailed March 31 at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays with a 14-7.25 (4.45m) clearance and Hana Moll cleared 14-1.25 (4.30m).

California standouts Iliana Downing of La Costa Canyon, Evangeline Thomson from Poway, Aspen Fears of Vista Murrieta, Madisyn Negro from Murrieta Valley and Jordan Leveque of Buchanan are all scheduled to compete, looking to equal or surpass last year’s mark of six athletes clearing 13-4 (4.06m) or higher in the invitational competition.

Engelhardt back for another meaningful mile

It might be a difficult task for Sadie Engelhardt and the rest of the athletes competing in the girls invitational mile Saturday to match the impressive depth of last year’s race, but the sophomore standout at Ventura High in California is certainly up for the challenge.

Engelhardt won last year in a meet-record 4:35.16, leading five athletes to sub-4:45 performances, the most in Arcadia history. Engelhardt also became the first freshman in meet history to win the invitational mile, in addition to producing the age 15 world record.

Engelhardt also captured the New Balance Nationals Indoor mile crown March 12 in 4:38.65 in Boston.

She is targeting the California state mile record of 4:35.06 set last year by Dalia Frias of Mira Costa, in addition to pursuing the national outdoor prep all-time mile mark of 4:33.87 achieved in 2018 at New Balance Nationals Outdoor by former North Rockland of New York star Katelyn Tuohy.

Addy Wiley of Huntington North High in Indiana ran 4:26.16 last year for the high school record in the 1,600 meters, joining Mary Cain of Bronxville High in New York as the only prep athletes to eclipse the 4:30 barrier.

Engelhardt is also looking to become the first back-to-back invitational mile winner since Amy-Eloise Markovc (formerly Amy Eloise-Neale) of Glacier Peak High in Washington triumphed in 2011-12.

Another Washington standout, Anna Callahan of Skyline High, is entered in the field, as well as Jane Hedengren from Timpview High in Utah and Landen LeBlond from Millennium High in Arizona.

California athletes Allura Markow and Annie Ivarsson from Dana Hills, Ashlyn Boothby of Scotts Valley, Chiara Dailey of La Jolla, Janelle Avilez from Etiwanda, Mia Torrecillas of Bakersfield Highland and Sierra Cornett from Buchanan are also expected to compete, along with Canadian athlete Maya Baechler of Kitsilano Secondary in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The magic of Mia on display

The Arcadia girls invitational sprint records are held by Angela Williams and Marion Jones, two of the greatest all-time prep performers in California, in addition to being among the elite competitors in American history.

The most exceptional high school female sprinter in Oregon has the potential to challenge both their meet records, as junior Mia Brahe-Pedersen of Lake Oswego High looks to improve upon her runner-up performances in both the invitational 100 and 200 meters from last season behind Autumn Wilson of St. Dominic Savio High in Texas, now a freshman at Georgia.

Brahe-Pedersen has run wind-legal efforts of 11.25 seconds in the 100 and 22.95 in the 200. She also set the national high school indoor 200 record Feb. 10 by clocking 22.89 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Brahe-Pederson also boasts a wind-aided 100-meter performance of 11.09 from the USATF U20 Championships in June at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Williams, a star at Chino High, set the meet record in the 100 by running 11.32 in 1998.

Jones, who attended both Thousand Oaks and Rio Mesa during her prep career, set the Arcadia record in the 200 with her 22.87 performance in 1991.

Brazil Neal from Serra High in California, Amare Harlan of Fremont High in Utah and Aniyah Brown from Cardinal Ritter College Prep in Missouri are also entered in both the invitational 100 and 200.

Reign Redmond of Carson High, the reigning California state champion, is scheduled to race in the invitational 100. Jordan Washington from Serra and Madison Whyte from Heritage High in Virginia, the New Balance Nationals Indoor runner-up, is also expected to compete in the invitational 200.

Brahe-Pedersen is also entered for Lake Oswego in the invitational 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

Clash of champions

Niwot High from Colorado is the reigning Nike Indoor and Nike Outdoor national champions in the distance medley relay.

JSerra won the invitational DMR last year at Arcadia, before taking third behind Niwot and Summit High from Oregon at Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Both programs have the potential to challenge the 2011 meet record of 11:40.89 established by a Harvard-Westlake lineup that went on to produce the all-time national outdoor prep mark of 11:22.23 later that year at New Balance Nationals Outdoor in North Carolina.

Madison Shults and Anna Prok, who contributed to Niwot winning the Nike Indoor DMR crown in 11:41.46 in New York, are scheduled to compete.

Shults was also part of the quartet that captured the Nike Outdoor DMR championship in 11:33.91.

JSerra is fielding two teams, giving head coach Chase Frazier several options for his lineups, but Georgia Jeanneret, Maya Woolforde and Anastasia Snodgrass, all members of a quartet that finished fifth at New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston in 11:55.28, are expected to race.

Oaks Christian High from California, featuring Payton Godsey, ran 11:47.11 to win the California Winter Outdoor Championships title Feb. 4 on the same track, is expected to be a top contender.

Palo Alto of California looks to build off its momentum from winning March 31 at the Stanford Invitational in a program-record 12:05.81.

Dana Hills, Del Norte, La Jolla, Monte Vista, Scotts Valley and Rocklin Whitney are also California programs capable of placing of running under 12:10 and challenging for a top-five finish.

Long time coming

There hasn’t been a 20-foot long jump achieved by a female athlete at Arcadia since former Agoura High star and California state champion Tara Davis achieved a leap of 20-4.50 (6.21m) in 2017.

Sydnie Vanek of Clovis High, the reigning California long jump champ, and last year’s state triple jump winner and long jump runner-up Alyssa Hope of Martin Luther King, are hoping to elevate their performances once again Saturday following their spectacular showdown last season at Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Vanek won the state title with a 20-8.50 (6.31m) performance and Hope achieved a 20-4 (6.20m) leap, both marks being wind-aided efforts.

The only time in meet history that a pair of female competitors both surpassed 20 feet in the long jump is 1995, when Jernae Wright of James Logan High in California set the invitational record at 20-9.75 (6.34m) and LaShonda Christopher of River Ridge in Washington jumped 20-0.50 (6.11m).

Meagan Humphries of Castaic High in California, Amare Harlan from Fremont High in Utah and Catherine Littlewood of Queen Creek High in Arizona have all been knocking on the door of a 20-foot jump, which could finally materialize in such a quality field.

California athletes Daj’Eauna Williams of Elsinore, Alyssa Alumbres from Vista Murrieta, Sade Falese of Pasadena Mayfield and freshman Ellie McCuskey-Hay from St. Ignatius are also expected to compete, in addition to Canadian performer Charlize Ostapowich from Edmonton, Alberta.

Seeking another sub-20 showcase

Buchanan High set the meet record last year in the girls invitational 4x1,600 relay by clocking 19:56.08, but the Bears have had their sights set on the California all-time mark of 19:48.81 achieved last season by Newbury Park at the Mt. SAC Relays.

Buchanan is also hoping the presence of Lone Peak High from Utah, Jesuit of Oregon and Los Altos from California, three programs who competed against the Bears in December at Nike Cross Nationals, will create a pair of sub-20 performances at Arcadia for the first time since 2015.

Lone Peak was second last year to Buchanan with a Utah state record 20:09.80, and the Knights feature a lineup Friday of all underclassmen led by junior Addie Meldrum and sophomore Boston Bybee, plus multiple freshmen from a lineup that finished fourth at NXN.

Jesuit has the potential to showcase a quartet that includes Emma Bennett, Maggie Bennett and Maura O’Scannlain, looking to improve on its 20:47.37 performance in the 4xMile relay that took third March 11 at Nike Indoor Nationals in New York.

Los Altos will rely on sisters Lauren Soobrian and Emily Soobrian in its pursuit of eclipsing the 2012 Central Coast Section record of 20:45.24 achieved by Aptos.

Buchanan has two teams entered in the invitational 4x1,600, with seniors Grace Hutchison and Sydney Sundgren, along with sophomores Sierra Cornett and Elle Lomeli all expected to compete.

Great Oak, the third California program along with Buchanan and Newbury Park to run under 20 minutes, is also entered, as well as Oaks Christian, Torrey Pines and Cathedral Catholic, in addition to Episcopal High from Texas.

Prince pursues a hurdling double feature

Saira Prince, a senior at Williams Field High in Arizona, has the potential to become the first female athlete to sweep the invitational 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles for the first time since 2014, when Tiana Bonds of Las Vegas Centennial ran 13.65 and 41.35 to secure both titles.

Prince has run 13.73 and 42.06 in her career, including a sweep of both races five times this season, highlighted by her victories March 25 at the Chandler Rotary Invitational in Arizona.

Maya Anderson, a Kentucky commit from Mary Institute and Country Day School in Missouri, has run 13.59 in the 100 hurdles and could pose the biggest challenge to Prince.

Gabriella Cunningham of Grandview High in Colorado and Yvette Harris from Stockton Lincoln High in California have also run under 14 seconds this season.

Cunningham and Harris are also scheduled to compete in the invitational 300 hurdles, with 2021 Arcadia champion Kapiolani Coleman of Cathedral Catholic in California scheduled to compete, as well as Kate Campos from Lincoln Pius X in Nebraska.

Prince was sixth in both invitational hurdling events last year, with Joy Moorer of North Canyon High in Arizona clocking 41.99 in the 300 hurdles to prevail and Jasmine Harmon from Westlake High in Georgia earning the 100 hurdles victory in 13.78.

Ince inspired for encore performance

Ali Ince made a significant impact in her Arcadia debut last year, with the multi-sport star from Normal Community High in Illinois not only winning the invitational 800, but also setting the meet record by clocking 2:05.42.

Ince went on to run 2:04.14 to win the Brooks PR Invitational in June in Washington, and added a title March 11 in 2:04.77 at New Balance Nationals Indoor in Boston, all while balancing competing in basketball as well.

Ince is looking to become the first athlete to repeat in the invitational 800 since Alyssa Brewer of California High in San Ramon secured back-to-back victories in 2017-18.

Ince leads a field that includes Colorado competitors Maelynn Higgins of Broomfield and Madison Shults from Niwot, in addition to Emma Bennett of Jesuit High in Oregon.

California athletes Cate Peters of Monte Vista, Georgia Jeanneret from JSerra, Hannah Riggins of Del Norte, Hillary Studdert from Palo Alto, Keaton Robar of Newport Harbor, Tessa Buswell from Poway, Mackenize Browne of JW North, Katelyn Arciaga from Westview and Samira Kennedy of Castilleja are also entered.

Throwers motivated to put on a show

A pair of Washington stars, two Nevada standouts and a dynamic duo from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High in California highlight an impressive lineup Saturday in the invitational shot put.

Haedyn Bambolo of Bothell High in Washington, an Arizona commit who placed second last year at 42-9.50 (13.04m), is the top returning competitor in a field that also includes sophomore multi-event athlete JaiCieonna Gero-Holt of Emerald Ridge.

Gero-Holt, the top prep heptathlete in the country, is also entered in the invitational high jump and seeded 100-meter hurdles.

Kamryn Cadle of Rancho High and four-sport athlete Ali’a Matavao of Liberty High, a Brigham Young commit and the two-time Gatorade Nevada Girls Basketball State Player of the Year, have both surpassed 43 feet this season.

April Fontenette, a UCLA-bound senior, and sophomore Aja Johnson from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame are one of the top throwing tandems in the country.

They will be joined by fellow California athletes Nicole Steiner of Los Gatos, Mackenzie Monson from South Torrance, Alexa Sheldon of Huntington Beach Edison, Nailea Fields from Caruthers and Galadriel Mellion of Weston Ranch.

Last year marked the first time since 2007 that an athlete didn’t produce a 45-foot performance in the invitational girls shot put.