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Preview - 10 Field Event Storylines To Follow at Arcadia Invitational 2017

Published by
DyeStat.com   Apr 5th 2017, 4:53am
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By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Here are 10 field event storylines to follow Saturday at the 50th Arcadia Invitational:

You can watch the live Webcast of the meet Friday and Saturday here

Trying to finally take down long jump record

Agoura CA senior Tara Davis has the national indoor long jump record at 21-11 (6.68m). She has won a World Youth gold medal and boasts the top outdoor high school mark in the country this year at 21-1 (6.42m).

But for all the career achievements of the Georgia signee, Davis has yet to jump 20 feet at Arcadia.

The meet record of 20-9.75 (6.34m) set by Jernae Wright of James Logan CA has stood since 1995 and only eight female athletes have ever produced jumps beyond 20 feet, a pair of marks Davis looks to surpass in her final appearance at Arcadia.

Turner ready to turn heads

Only three male athletes in meet history have thrown the discus beyond 220 feet (67.05m). Turner Washington, a senior at Corona del Sol AZ, could be the fourth following a impressive start to his final season.

Washington set the Arizona state record March 25 with a throw of 215-8 (65.73m) at the 77th NIKE Chandler Rotary Invitational to remain the national leader.

Although a showdown with Fort Bend Hightower TX senior Gabriel Oladipo, who is second in the country at 215-2 (65.58m) won’t materialize, the Arizona-bound Washington should become the first individual to surpass 200 feet in the discus at the meet since 2012.

Baxter eyes another big vault

Anaheim Canyon CA senior Rachel Baxter became the first female pole vaulter in meet history to clear 14 feet last year when she set the meet record at 14-2 (4.31m), on her way to a personal-best 14-3 (4.34m) two weeks later at the Orange County Championships.

Baxter has already cleared 14 feet twice this season and the national outdoor leader will be on center stage on the runway Saturday with an opportunity to elevate higher.

The Virginia Tech signee will be joined by Reed NV senior Makayla Linebarger, who cleared a personal-best 13-6 on March 25 at the Fallon Elks Invitational.

Baxter and Linebarger are two of the nine athletes in the country to vault better than 13 feet this season.

Taking the triple jump to another level

Six female athletes have produced 42-foot triple jumps in meet history, but none since 2009. One of the deepest fields in the country, with seven individuals who have already surpassed 40 feet this season, will look to join that group.

Agoura CA senior Tara Davis is the defending champion with her 41-8 (12.70m) effort last year, but she doesn’t enter the meet with the best mark this season. Silver Creek CA junior Arianna Fisher won the 42nd Stanford Invitational on April 1 with a personal-best 41-7.25 (12.68m), with Davis leaping 41-4 (12.59m) to prevail against a strong field March 25 at the 77th NIKE Chandler Rotary Invitational.

Arizona standouts Tiana Poirier-Shelton of Chandler and Nura Muhammad of Mountain Pointe are also scheduled to compete, along with California standouts Kali Hatcher of St. Mary’s Berkeley, Allanah Lee of Castro Valley and Crystal Washington of Carson.

A new king of the ring

After no male athlete achieved a 66-foot shot put at the meet from 2011-14, the winner the past two seasons has reached that level and beyond.

With Esperanza CA senior Bronson Osborn still rehabilitating following left shoulder surgery in February, the opportunity has emerged for several other talented throwers to win the invitational competition.

Buchanan CA senior Jacob Wilson, a future teammate of Osborn at UCLA, enters the meet with the best mark at 66-1 (20.14m), with five others – Desert Vista AZ senior Elijah Mason, Clovis CA senior Jonah Wilson, Newport Harbor CA senior Cole Smith, Marina CA senior Kyle Tsu and Notre Dame CA senior Kylan Wilborn – launching efforts beyond 60 feet.

Discus seeking a dynamic dozen

Los Osos CA senior Ashley Anumba has held the national lead in the girls discus throw since March 11 with her 170-10 (52.07m) at the Rosemead Invitational.

Anumba is looking to become the 12th female athlete in meet history to surpass 170 feet, but even though Abraham Lincoln CA senior Pamela Amaechi – second in the country at 169-10 (51.76m) – isn’t scheduled to compete, there will be plenty of challengers for the invitational championship.

Fowler CA sophomore Jocelynn Budwig, Lee’s Summit West MO junior Makayla Kelby and Mountain Pointe AZ senior Kayleigh Conlon have all thrown beyond 150 feet this season.

The last time an athlete surpassed 170 feet at the meet was 2014.

Ready to raise the bar

Defending California state champion Cassidy Palka, a senior at Oaks Christian, is scheduled to compete, but she isn’t even the top entry.

Bakersfield Stockdale CA senior Iesha Hamm has cleared 5-9 (1.75m), with San Lorenzo Valley CA senior Cassie Ackemann and Pendleton SC freshman Kamiya Dendy both clearing 5-8 (1.72m).

Six individuals who competed in the California state final last year are entered, along with Faith Lutheran NV senior standout Bryanna Neagle and Lee’s Summit West MO sophomore talent Jessica Haney.

Looking for a 50/50 partner

A 50-foot triple jump in the event’s 50th edition would be a memorable storyline and Centennial NV senior James Johnson is the leading candidate to become the 12th individual to achieve the feat in meet history after a 49-3.5 (15.02m) effort March 11 at the Heitkotter Invitational, which ranks No. 4 in the country this season.

Three other athletes in the field – Chandler AZ senior Imani Lee, Great Oak CA junior CJ Stevenson and Oak Park CA senior Reece Smith – have also surpassed 47 feet this season.

The emergence of a new shot put star

Although no individual in the field is expected to join the nine athletes in meet history who have surpassed 50 feet, the invitational competition is one of the most balanced in recent years.

Los Osos CA senior Ashley Anumba, ranked No. 8 in the country this year at 45-9 (13.94m), leads the group, but there are five other entries – Louisville CA senior Alladia Patterson, Damonte Ranch NV senior Cassidy Osborne-Butler, Los Alamitos CA junior Faimalie Sale, Mountain Pointe AZ senior Kayleigh Conlon and James Logan CA junior Hannah Hall – with marks beyond 44 feet.

Hoping for more high jump history

Basic NV senior Frank Harris witnessed last year when Justice Summerset of Mountain View Marana AZ became the 11th male athlete in meet history to clear 7 feet (2.13m) in the high jump.

Harris has now reached that prestigious level as well with his personal-best clearance March 18 at the Laguna Beach Trophy Invitational, making him one of six individuals in the country to clear 7 feet outdoors this season.

Trabuco Hills CA junior Sean Lee cleared 7-0.25 (2.14m) last year, but has yet to reach 7 feet this season, but will be a legitimate challenger to Harris, along with Alemany CA senior Earnest Sears, who also cleared 7 feet last year. 

 



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