Track and field: Arcadia Invitational is Saturday

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This week, the track and field season moves into high gear with Saturday’s Arcadia Invitational at Arcadia High, where the top athletes get to test themselves against the best in an atmosphere that is just as good as the state championships.

Saturday’s field events begin at 3:30 p.m. with the boys’ discus, and the first running event is at 5:25 p.m.

There will be so many outstanding boys’ and girls’ competing. Will Gardena Serra and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame offer a challenge in 400-meter relay to Long Beach Poly?

How high will Santa Ana Mater Dei pole vaulter Michael Woepse go? He cleared 17 feet, 6 inches in a dual meet last month against Orange Lutheran.

Here are the state leaders, and many should be participating on Saturday. There also are races on Friday and all day Saturday leading up the Invitational portion of the meet.

It’s the one track meet of the year that I don’t miss because the crowds are huge and the environment pushes teenagers to levels they haven’t reached before.

-- Eric Sondheimer