By Leonard COUTIN

Falcons’ track and field athletes prepared for two local track and field competitions this past weekend. South Pasadena for the fifth year hosted the Tiger Invitational on Friday while at the same time the annual 48th Arcadia Invitational held its two-day competition with many highly ranked athletes attending who have set state and national records.

Although the Arcadia Invitational has become one of the largest running formats during the spring break, it has one of the toughest scheduled entrance qualifying time requirements for athletes. Limited by its number of lanes and running events, not all athletes are able to get in. Many schools have welcomed running half their crew at another local invitational, the successful Tiger Invitational.

From Crescenta Valley, Claire Schlueter built on a solid foundation of a strong first year running and jumping. Her jump of 16-01.50 at Tiger placed her second in the girls’ varsity long jump competition. Elizabeth Filipian won the varsity section one heat of the 100m hurdles with a time of 16.63. Grace Keller placed third in the same race (17.51).

In the Rising Star Hurdle race Jennifer Saengsri took second running 18.94 while Amy Giboney placed fourth (19:30). Courtney Iannello captured third in the varsity 400m with a time of 1:01.97. Allison Kwan won the Rising Stars 300H in heat one with a time of 50.18 while Jennifer Saengsri placed third in heat two (51.35). Manav Vats nabbed fourth in the varsity 3200 running 9:44.31.

“At the Tiger Invite, we had some great performances. Everyone did very well,” said CVHS Head Coach Mark Evans. “[I was] excited that Grace Keller was able to clear 5-1 in the high jump. Hurdlers ran very well against some tough competition. Claire Schlueter had a good day in the long jump.”

Only a few of the Falcon athletes attended the Arcadia Invitational this year. Emmie Walker jumped in the afternoon open high jump and cleared 5-3 placing eighth. Megan Melnyk ran against the nation’s best alongside Clovis North’s Mikaela Smith, two time state champion, who won with a time of 2:08.44. Melnyk ran 11th (2:15.10) far off her personal best (2:13.44). Sammie Phinney won the open section of the 100H (15.21).

  Leonard Coutin