Junior from Bergen Catholic in New Jersey is first athlete this season to surpass 200 feet with clutch sixth-round throw to prevail against Madsen at 197-5, before prevailing in shot put at 63-9.25; Nilsson runs 13.58 and 36.29 to capture 110 and 300 hurdles titles, Searle soars to another 17-foot clearance and Kendrick lowers Nevada 400 record to 46.46

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by Ken Martinez and Anthony Flores Ramos

ARCADIA, Calif. – There were sprint races decided by a lean, distance competitions determined by the final step and throwing matchups that delivered heroics in the last round.

But there were also hurdlers who separated themselves from the pack, vaulters who reached rarefied air on their own and jumpers who soared well beyond the rest of the field.

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Although the most memorable part of the boys invitational schedule Saturday at the 56th Arcadia Invitational was the boys 3,200-meter race that produced 37 competitors achieving sub-9 performances, contributing to 69 athletes overall during the two-day schedule eclipsing the barrier, there was also multiple victories achieved by both Benjamin Shue and Vance Nilsson, along with exceptional efforts from Brandon Arrington, Corbin Coombs, Karson Gordon, Patrick Hilby, Ronnie Kendrick and Taylor Searle.

Shue, a junior at Bergen Catholic High in New Jersey, achieved the first 200-foot performance in the discus throw this season, rallying in the sixth round with a 200-3 (61.03m) effort to surpass junior McKay Madsen from Clovis North High in California and his lifetime-best 197-5 (60.17m).

Derek Smith of Buchanan High in California, a senior, took third at 189 feet (57.60m).

Shue secured the double later in the evening with a third-round mark of 63-9.25 (19.43m) in the shot put, again edging Madsen and his 63-6 (19.35m) performance.

Preston Beery from Faith Lutheran High in Nevada was third at 60-3.50 (18.37m).

Nilsson, a senior at Gilbert High in Arizona, pulled closer to the all-time state mark in the 300-meter hurdles with a dominant effort of 36.29 seconds to complete his sweep of both invitational events.

Vincent Atilano from Cathedral Catholic High in California was runner-up in 37.42.

Nilsson, who is No. 2 in Arizona prep history behind only Brophy Prep’s Bobby Grant at 36.24, also triumphed in the invitational 110-meter hurdles with a wind-legal 13.54 performance.

Karamoko Sacko of Northfield High in Colorado was runner-up in 13.78 and Myles McFarland from Cosumnes Oaks in California clocked 13.88 to take third.

Nilsson became the first Arizona male competitor to sweep both hurdling gold medals since Brophy Prep’s Devon Allen in 2012. Jadyn Marshall of Stockton St. Mary’s in California (2021) and Chad Zallow of John F. Kennedy from Ohio (2015) have also swept in the past decade.

Gordon, a UCLA-bound two-sport star from Episcopal High in Texas, repeated as boys invitational triple jump champion with a second-round mark of 50-8 (15.44m). Gordon fouled his third and fourth attempts, before passing the last two rounds, improving on last year’s victorious mark of 49-3 (15.01m).

For the second year in a row, a pair of competitors both achieved sub-1:50 performances in the invitational 800, as Hilby – a senior at Aurora Central Catholic in Illinois – held off Noah Nielson from American Fork High in Utah by a 1:49.47 to 1:49.86 margin.

Ronnie Kendrick of Liberty High lowered his own Nevada all-time mark in the 400 meters, delivering a strong surge in the second half of the race to prevail in 46.46 seconds, improving on his 46.57 effort from March 23 at the 84th Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational in Arizona.

Rider Cooper from Portola High in California secured second in 47.50. Sidi Njie from Westlake High in Georgia, the early leader, finished sixth in 48.28.

Taylor Searle from American Leadership Academy (Queen Creek) in Arizona, elevated well above the field in the invitational pole vault competition, clearing 17 feet (5.18m) on his first attempt, with seven other athletes only managing 15-9 (4.80m).

It marked the third time during the outdoor season that Searle, a transfer from Hamilton High in Montana, achieved a 17-foot clearance.

Corbin Coombs of Organ Mountain High in New Mexico also followed his victories in the 1,600 and 3,200 at the 84th Nike Chandler Rotary Invitational by winning the invitational mile Saturday in 4:07.15, withstanding a late challenge by Zach Hillhouse from Pleasant Grove High in Utah (4:07.29).

Charlie Vause of Rio Rancho High in New Mexico took third in 4:08.23, Carson Hedlund from San Jose Pioneer in California placed fourth in 4:08.83 and William Steadman of Herriman High in Utah followed his 8:59.01 effort Friday in the 3,200 to take fifth in the mile in 4:08.93.

Benjamin Harris, a freshman at Long Beach Poly High in California, clocked a wind-aided 10.38 seconds in the 100-meter dash to hold off senior Dominick Corley from Mead High in Washington at 10.39.

Brandon Arrington, a sophomore at Mount Miguel in California who was fourth in 10.44, returned to prevail in the 200 in a wind-legal 20.76. Diego Aguirre-Stewart from Millennium High in Arizona was runner-up in 21.29.

Jonah Dawson, Rodney Sermons, Trey Wilson and Cameron Sermons helped Rancho Cucamonga High of California triumph against Parkland High from North Carolina in a thrilling invitational 4x100 relay by a 41.312 to 41.319 margin.

San Clemente High also delivered a dramatic conclusion in the boys distance medley, with Brett Ephraim rallying in the final 250 meters to support teammates Pierce Clark, Lucas Sidhu and Jackson Brownell, helping the Tritons triumph in 10:13.20, just ahead of California rival Mira Costa in 10:13.78.

Fellow California programs Great Oak (10:15.05), Redondo Union (10:16.79) and Crystal Springs Uplands (10:17.17) rounded out the top five DMR efforts.

Jaden Goetz, Ryan Lathiya, Jonah Ly and Taye Newman from Anaheim Canyon High in California won the open section DMR in 10:21.44.

Cathedral High in Los Angeles capped the schedule with an impressive performance in the invitational 4x400 relay, as Michael Ashford, Ambodai Ligons, Antonio Walton and Roosevelt Reuben clocked 3:16.28, with Cherokee Trail from Colorado securing second in 3:17.84.

Trevor Rogers from Lafayette Acalanes opened the boys long jump competition with a wind-legal leap of 24-4 (7.41m) and never looked back, as three athletes tied for second at 23-6 (7.16m).

DeShawn Banks from Birmingham High in California cleared 6-9 (2.05m) on his first attempt in the invitational high jump to emerge victorious.

Micah Walker from Parkland swept the 100 and 200 during the open session, running 10.62 and 21.59, respectively.

Devin Ibarra of El Diamante in California prevailed in the open mile in 4:13.65.

Rickey Green III from Inderkum High, the California state leader this season in the 110 hurdles, prevailed in the open session in a wind-aided 14.25. Green clocked a wind-legal 13.70 effort March 30 at the Stanford Invitational.