Arcadia Preview

The national Arcadia Invitational, featuring athletes from over thirty states and most of the best from the Southern Section, gets going today at the SGV’s Arcadia High School.

The meet has grown over the years by offering an increasing number of spots on Friday and during the day on Saturday, but the best action remains in the Saturday night meet, where 6 SGV boys and relays will compete along with 3 girls.

Of special note on the boys side, Arroyo senior Noah Hibbard will look to follow up his State-leading mile win at the Distance Meet of Champions with a top finish in the loaded 3200, while Bonita’s Jocelyn Hipwell will bring her recent 5-08 high jump effort to the loaded event. Here are all the local competitors…

SGV Night Meet Boys

  • 1600 Seeded - Jacob Moran (Sr, Claremont)
  • 800 Invite - Kai Dettmann (Sr, South Pasadena)
  • 3200 Invite - Noah Hibbard (Sr, Arroyo)
  • DMR - Claremont
  • Triple Jump - Tianhao Wei (Jr, South Pasadena)
  • High Jump - Kailen Smith (Sr, Diamond Bar

SGV Night Meet Girls

  • 400 Seeded - Alisha Wilson (So, Bonita)
  • Mile Invite - Audrey Suarez (So, Mayfield)
  • High Jump - Jocelyn Hipwell (Sr, Bonita)

Two Big Seasonal Debuts & a Big Jump Lead the SGV Girls in Week 7

Two sophs got their seasons going this week, and between them took over the SGV leadership in four events, and a senior jumped really high – and they share Athlete of the Week honors for Week 7

Bonita’s Alisha Wilson – in her first year in the sport, had All-Time in SGV performances in the 200, 400 and LJ last year, advancing to the State Meet in the latter event and running a leg on Bearcats State Champ 4×400. At Saturday’s Covina Invite, Alisha opened with big marks in all three events, (25.23, 56.59, 18-04) taking over the SGV lead in each.

Covina soph Maya Rush (a transfer from Serra in her first meet for the Colts) ran the sprint triple at the Covina meet, winning the 100 after taking the SGV seasonal lead in a dual meet two days before in 12.39. She was third behind Alisha in both the 200 & 400 and all of her times narrowly missed breaking the Covina records.

Also at Covina – Bonita senior Jocelyn Hipwell leaped to a big 5-08 mark in the high jump, extending her seasonal SGV lead and now ranking equal 5th All-Time for our area. A Masters Meet Qualifier in 2018, she currently ranks 2nd in the Southern Section and third in the State.

All told, there were 12 new athletes or relays that met the 2019 All-SGV Standards this past week, and 8 improved their marks.

You can view the updated All-SGV lists here: 19 All SGV Girls 3-30

Covina’s Rodriguez Leads SGV Boys in Week 7

Covina junior Aaron Rodriguez got off to a quick and a high start in the pole vault this year, with his 14-00 jump in the early season Covina Five Way meet in February.

The jump was not a complete surprise – he was the Frosh/Soph winner at the SGV Champs last year with a  then PR jump of 13-02, and advanced to CIF after a third place finish in the Valle Vista League.

This past week on his home runway in the Northview dual meet -  he took it even higher with a 14-09 jump for the win. That jump ranks him equal 43rd All-Time San Gabriel Valley, and it makes him our male Athlete of the Week.

The week saw six more athletes earn All-San Gabriel Valley honors, and nine athletes who had already reached the All-SGV standard improved their marks.

There were new 2019 area leaders in four events:

  • 100m - Matthew Hoskins (Sr, Monrovia) – 10.91
  • 110H - Zach Reid (Sr, Bonita) – 14.62
  • 4 x 400 Relay - South Pasadena – 3:26.23
  • High Jump : Matthew Molina – 6-06 (co-leader)

You can view the updated All-SGV List here: 19 All SGV Boys 3-30