By Erik Boal, DyeStatCAL Editor

Here is a list of 10 of the most anticipated events Friday and Saturday at the 49th Arcadia Invitational:

Boys 400 (7:08 p.m. PDT Saturday)

Vista Murrieta’s Michael Norman earned one of the biggest victories of his career when he defeated New York star Rai Benjamin in this event at last year’s meet. Now he gets an opportunity to race defending New Balance National Outdoor champion Josephus Lyles of T.C. Williams (Virginia) in a showdown of two of the top 15 all-time prep performers. Norman clocked 45.19 to win the state title last year and Lyles ran 45.46 to capture a silver medal at the World Youth Championships in Colombia. The only matchup that potentially would have gained more notoriety would have been Norman against Noah Lyles in a rematch of their memorable 200 showdown at U.S. Junior Nationals.

Girls Shot Put (5:40 p.m. PDT Saturday)

San Jose Valley Christian’s Elena Bruckner and Sophia Rivera of Brentwood (Missouri) competed in one of the greatest New Balance National Indoor finals in New York, with four girls surpassing 50 feet. In their first outdoor showdown of the year, they hope to equal or exceed the most exceptional showcase in meet history when Dos Pueblos’ Stamatia Scarvelis and Ashlie Blake of Liberty (Nevada) both eclipsed 51 feet in 2014. Scarvelis set the meet record of 52-1.25, which is well within reach for Bruckner and Rivera, who both have career-best marks beyond 53 feet. Bruckner swept the shot put and discus at Texas Relays and is looking to accomplish the feat for the second year in a row at Arcadia.

Boys 3200 (8:50 p.m. PDT Saturday)

Although the meet prides itself on how many athletes break the 9-minute barrier, it will be interesting to see if the winner will again dip under 8:50. When Jesse Reiser of McHenry (Illinois) prevailed last year in 8:52, it broke a streak of five consecutive years when the winner ran 8:49 or faster. Madera South’s Eduardo “Lalo” Herrera won the 3,000 at the Stanford Invitational in 8:15.01, which converts to 8:51.39 in the 3,200, making him a potential candidate after clocking 8:55.93 last season. Ben Veatch of Carmel (Indiana) is also a strong contender after running 8:53.42 in last year’s race. St. Joseph Notre Dame’s Cooper Teare is the national outdoor leader at 8:56.07 and Garek Bielaczyc of Salt Lake City East (Utah) won the New Balance National Indoor 2-mile title in 8:57.03. The meet record of 8:42.30 run by Patrick Henry’s Thom Hunt has stood since 1976.

Girls 4 x 1600 Relay (7:45 p.m. PDT Friday)

One of the most memorable moments at last year’s event was the anchor leg battle involving Great Oak’s Sydney Belus and Desert Vista’s Dani Jones, with both teams running under 20 minutes in the fastest race in meet history. All signs point toward a Great Oak vs. Davis Senior showdown and the possibility of Destiny Collins squaring off against Fiona O’Keeffe. Evelyn Mandel also returns from Great Oak’s victorious lineup last year and is expected to be joined by Nicole Rice and Desi Stinger. Davis Senior is also scheduled to have Sofia Castiglioni, Abigail Fisk and Olivia O’Keeffe on its lineup in the first track showdown for the programs following great cross country battles at the state meet and Nike Cross Nationals.

Boys High Jump (6:30 p.m. PDT Saturday)

With seven athletes having cleared 7 feet in their careers indoors or outdoors, this could be the most dynamic jumping competition in meet history. Two individuals cleared 7 feet in 2014, the first time since 1997 that multiple individuals reached that height in the same year, but expect that number to be exceeded this weekend. Darius Carbin of Mt. Pleasant and Jaron Brooks of Henry Clay (Kentucky) have had three impressive battles in the past year, with Carbin prevailing outdoors at the World Youth Trials and World Youth Championships, along with the New Balance National Indoor final. Although defending-champion Justice Summerset of Mountain View Marana (Arizona) only needed to clear 6-9 last year to win, he cleared 7 feet a month ago. Trabuco Hills sophomore Sean Lee could steal the spotlight from all of his challengers, having cleared 7-0.25 outdoors this year.

Girls Triple Jump (4:45 p.m. PDT Saturday)

Chinne Okoronkwo of Mountlake Terrace (Washington) edged Agoura’s Tara Davis at last year’s meet and again at the New Balance National Indoor final with a leap of 42-11.75, but Davis made a big statement with her national outdoor leader 43-2 at the Texas Relays. Only three athletes have surpassed 43 feet in meet history, with Brittany Daniels of Merrill West setting the record of 43-5 in 2005. Davis and Okoronkwo are also entered in the long jump along with Harvard-Westlake’s Courtney Corrin and Clovis North’s Rhesa Foster, but the triple jump could be the one of the most spectacular showdowns of all the field events, with 2004 the last time two athletes surpassed 42 feet in the same year.

Boys 4 x 400 Relay (9:41 p.m. PDT Saturday)

Last year’s meet concluded in dramatic fashion, with Roosevelt holding off Vista Murrieta by a 3:14.41 to 3:14.69 margin to become the first team from the Inland Empire to capture the invitational title since Rancho Verde in 2009. Vista Murrieta and Roosevelt will battle again, along with fellow Southern California powers Notre Dame, Chaminade, Dorsey, Damien and Trabuco Hills, all pursuing national outdoor leader Bowie (Texas) and its mark of 3:12.31 from the Texas Relays.

Girls 1 Mile (5:49 p.m. PDT Saturday)

The best in Arizona against the reigning California 1,600-meter champion will be showcased as Allie Schadler of Rio Rico takes on Tesoro’s Amanda Gehrich. Schadler won the mile at the NIKE Chandler Rotary Invitational in 4:55.79 and Gehrich finished second in 4:51.44 behind Sonoma Academy’s Rylee Bowen at the APU/Arroyo Meet of Champions Distance Classic. Schadler demonstrated her improved closing speed by defeating reigning California 800 state champion Erica Schroeder of San Marcos by a 2:10.11 to 2:10.63 margin at the Stanford Invitational and has gained valuable race experience since finishing sixth in last year’s race in 4:49.45, with Gehrich second in 4:47.66 as 14 runners broke 5 minutes. Schroeder and Gunn’s Gillian Meeks, both ranked in the top 15 nationally, are also entered.

Boys 4 x 100 Relay (5:29 p.m. PDT Saturday)

Vista Murrieta and Chaminade both clocked under 41 seconds last year, but that number of schools could increase to with several quality lineups, including a much-anticipated showdown involving T.C. Williams (Virginia) and Vista Murrieta. This marks the only race with both Josephus and Noah Lyles, along with Michael Norman, on the track at the same time. Vista Murrieta ran 40.68 – No. 3 in meet history – to secure the title last season on its way to the second-fastest time in the country at 40.53, with T.C. Williams producing a season-best 40.84. The meet record remains 40.28 by Muir in 1997.

Girls 400 (7 p.m. PDT Saturday)

A pair of Arcadia winners and California state champions will square off against the World Youth silver medalist in one of the meet’s most compelling matchups. Lynna Irby of Pike (Indiana) has a personal-best 51.79, ahead of Carson’s Kaelin Roberts (52.52) and Buchanan’s Hannah Waller (53.13). Roberts and Waller haven’t raced since the 2014 state final, with this showdown expected to be a preview of this year’s championship. Irby didn’t break 54 seconds until the postseason last season, with Roberts clocking 53.37 to win the Arcadia title in 2014 and Waller securing last year’s victory in 53.57.