California showcases distance depth

National-leading marks in individual events, relays produced across the state, in addition to Teare’s impressive 5-kilometer victory in Texas

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Whether it was in Dublin, Norwalk or San Diego, several California athletes took over the national outdoor leads heading into a significant month-long stretch of invitationals across the Golden State.

In addition to St. Joseph Notre Dame senior Cooper Teare winning the 5-kilometer race at the Texas Distance Festival, San Luis Obispo senior Callum Bolger also produced the top prep time in the country in the 3,200 meters by winning a battle Saturday with future Stanford teammate Michael Vernau of Davis Senior at the 10th annual Dublin Distance Fiesta at Dublin High.  RESULTS  INTERVIEWS

Bolger prevailed in 9:00.90, just ahead of Vernau in 9:01.88, with both athletes joining Bellarmine College Prep junior Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau (9:13.53) in securing berths to compete April 8 at the 50th annual Arcadia Invitational. WATCH ARCADIA INVITATIONAL LIVE WEBCAST HERE APRIL 6-8

Claremont’s Ryan Renken, Owen Bishop, Juan Diego Calvo and Max McGuire ran a national-leading 10:21.54 in the boys distance medley relay Friday at the 14th California Relays at Cerritos College.  RESULTS  INTERVIEWS

Bellarmine College Prep’s Ben Micallef, Tommy Rocha, Daniel Leclair and Alex Scales ran the No. 2 time Saturday at Dublin by clocking 10:25.12 to earn a trip to compete April 8 at Arcadia. Scales also equaled the national lead in the 800 by running 1:53.27 earlier in the meet.

In less than 24 hours, Claremont and La Costa Canyon took turns boasting the national lead in the girls distance medley relay.

Claremont’s Sydney Hwang, Jax Heckers, Kyla Morris and Annie Boos prevailed Friday in 12:09.72 at the California Relays, defeating Great Oak in 12:14.64.

La Costa Canyon’s McKenna Brown, Kendall Nicholas, Jessica Riedman and Kristin Fahy then lowered that mark Saturday to 12:08.77 at the Falcon Relays at Torrey Pines High.