BREAKING BARRIERS

Sarah Baxter of Simi Valley High continues to break records and drop jaws.

The sophomore won the 3,200 meters at last Saturday's Arcadia Invitational with a time of 10 minutes, 8.11 seconds. It's the fastest time in the nation this year and is the fourth fastest time in meet history.

Ventura County track guru Ken Reeves points out, however, that while Baxter is the second fastest 3,200 runner in county history, she does not have the second fastest time. Kim Mortensen of Thousand Oaks has several faster times than Baxter.

Mortensen's county record is 9:48.59, set in 1996.

Speaking of records, Pacifica's Jazzelena Black broke a Ventura County record at the Arcadia Invitational that had stood a quarter-century. Her triple jump of 39 feet, 5 inches broke the mark of 39-0 that Sharon Manship of Thousand Oaks had set in 1987.

SOARING HIGHER

Westlake sophomore pole vaulter Luigi Colella is fifth in the state and 34th in the nation after a mark of 15-6½ against Calabasas and Newbury Park last Thursday.

The mark is not only a school record, but is believed to be a junior national record for his native Italy.

ARCADIA ACHIEVEMENTS

Ventura won the boys sprint medley invitational in 3:29.59 at Arcadia, making the Cougars No. 1 in the state and No. 5 in the nation. ... Simi Valley's girls 4x1,600 invitational relay team of Erika Barr, Karla Vernola, Sarah Riggs and Baxter (who anchored at 4:52) was second in 20:26.74. ... Oaks Christian (41.48) and Rio Mesa (41.62) were second and third respectively in the boys 4x100 invitational relay behind Brophy Prep of Arizona (41.15). ... Sydney Lewis' winning time of 11.90 in the girls seeded 100 is believed to be an Oak Park school record. ... Christian McNair set a Rio Mesa school record in the boys discus in 168-8, breaking the previous mark set by Patrick Van Scoy in 1990. ... Karsen Sper of Thousand Oaks had a time of 14.48 seconds finishing fourth in the girls seeded 100 hurdles. ... Ventura's Katelynn Homb was second in the girls discus at 131-10.

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