By Leonard COUTIN

The Arcadia Invitational was held last weekend bringing together some of the most exciting runners and field events participants prior to the CIF finals and state meet. Besides the invitational events, the seeded events – generally more competitive – were also held on Saturday night.

On Friday night the crowds witnessed distance sensation Ammar Moussa (Arcadia), Elias Gedyon (Loyola), and Jantzen Oshier (Trabuco Hills) anchoring their legs on the 4×1600 relay. Unfortunately for Moussa and Oshier, they received the baton too far behind the leaders on the anchoring.

Gedyon faced heat from Dana Hill’s senior Trevor Lynn but managed to hold him off to take the win. Loyola set a school record (17:24.38) and ran the fifth fastest in meet history. Dana Hills finished a close second (17:25.60).  Gedyon split was 4:18, while Oshier hit 4:10 and Moussa 4:14 on their anchor legs.

CV’s Cali King, Anneke Kakebeen, Diane Lombardi and Claudia Pham were able to place fifth (21:49.55) in the seeded distance medley.

On Saturday afternoon Falcon Andrew Roide faced an extremely keen competition in the high jump. Roide went out early and jumped 6-1 while Edmund Baker of

Desert Vista, Ariz. won with a 6-7.

In the invitational section of the girls, freshman star Sarah Baxter of Simi Valley anchored 4×1600. She passed Xavier College’s Sarah Fakler with 400 meters left to set a record (20:26.16). This was the fifth fastest time in the meet history. Xavier Prep from Arizona took second (20:30.90).

On Saturday night Arcadia sensation Moussa ran the 3200m attacking the field of runners with a fast first mile (4:19), continuing to break away. He ended with a winning time of 8:49.59, leading nine others runners to an under-nine minute time that night.

  arcadia invitational, cali king, CV Track and field