Newbury Park runs 19:48.81 to eclipse 2016 mark of 19:52.88 by Great Oak, with Desert Vista setting Arizona boys state record of 17:23.15; Schweizer clocks 15:02.77, with Gilman emerging in men’s 5,000 in 13:33.26

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

WALNUT, Calif. – Whether it was a quartet from Newbury Park setting a national high school all-time best in the 4x1,600-meter relay or four male athletes from Northern Arizona crossing the finish line as a group in the 5,000 meters, Friday’s distance showcase at the 62nd Mt. SAC Relays Presented by Nike was all about strength in numbers.

Karissa Schweizer, Emily Infeld and Laura Galvan all achieved the World Championships standard in the women’s invitational elite 5,000, with Sam Gilman, Biya Simbassa and Wesley Kiptoo showcasing a fantastic finish in the men’s invitational elite section.

Desert Vista set the Arizona state record to prevail in the boys 4x1,600 relay, with Royal leading three teams to sub-8 performances in the 4x800 relay at Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

RESULTS | RACE VIDEOS | INTERVIEWS

Ailish Hawkins, Tiffany Sax, Morgan Nygren and Samantha McDonnell clocked 19:48.81 in the 4x1,600 relay, with Newbury Park eclipsing the fastest performance in the event by Great Oak, which ran 19:52.88 at the Mt. SAC Relays in 2016 at Cerritos College.

Desert Vista’s Ethan Bukowski, Johnathan Estrada, Gabe Parham and Noah Jodon ran 17:23.15 to produce the Arizona prep all-time best in the 4x1,600 and elevate to the No. 2 time in the country this year.

Those relays set the stage for an exceptional series of 5,000 performances under the lights, beginning with Schweizer and Infeld pulling away from early leader Galvan of Mexico on the final lap on their way to achieving two of the top four times in the world this year.

Schweizer took over as the global leader at 15:02.77, highlighted by a 65.36-second final lap, with Infeld ascending to No. 4 at 15:05.80. Galvan elevated to No. 9 in the world at 15:09.80, just under the 15:10 standard for the World Championships.

Colorado’s Abby Nichols remained patient in the back of the pack for most of the race, before positioning herself in the chase pack with two laps to go. Nichols then closed in 65.84 seconds over the last 400, the second-fastest split behind only Schweizer, to run a collegiate-leading 15:15.95 and finish fifth.

Nichols ascended to the No. 8 all-time collegiate outdoor competitor in the 5,000, with Alabama’s Mercy Chelangat securing sixth in 15:17.28, an improvement on her previous best to help her elevate to No. 10 in history.

Arkansas’ Lauren Gregory just missed the program record of 15:25.10 achieved in 2016 by Dominique Scott, clocking 15:25.17 to earn eighth overall, just behind Maggie Montoya of Roots Running Project in 15:19.85.

Natosha Rogers of Hansons-Brooks ODP was ninth in 15:27.23 and Roisin Flanagan of Adams State lowered her own Northern Ireland record to 15:28.41 to take 10th overall.

Gilman, representing the Air Force Academy, entertained the crowd with an exceptional stretch run, holding off Simbassa by a 13:33.26 to 13:33.56 margin.

Kiptoo, the former Iowa State star, took third in his professional debut representing HOKA ONE ONE Northern Arizona Elite in 13:34.93.

After all four individuals ran in the invitational 1,500 less than three hours earlier at the Bryan Clay Invitational at nearby Azusa Pacific University, Northern Arizona’s George Kusche, Abdihamid Nur, Drew Bosley and Nico Young were all separated from 13:42.28 to 13:42.32 as they crossed the finish line as a group in the men’s collegiate section of the 5,000.

Arkansas’ Isabel Van Camp prevailed in the women’s collegiate section of the 5,000 in 15:54.70.

Royal triumphed in 7:47.88 in the 4x800 relay, an event that had originally included Newbury Park in its potential pursuit of a national high school record. The Panthers instead decided to switch to running the distance medley relay Saturday night.

San Marcos was second in 7:51.71 and Oxnard took third in 7:52.49 behind the Highlanders.

The girls 4x800 relay showcased a San Marcos victory in 9:23.35, with Chino Hills placing second in 9:30.61.

Mackenzie Rogers of Poway won the girls invitational 3,200 meters in 10:24.89, with Aishling Callanan of Peninsula placing second in 10:39.37.

Aliso Niguel’s Brennan Foody secured the victory in the boys invitational 3,200 in 9:02.67, ahead of Highland’s Matthew Donis in 9:05.58.

Servite’s Jared Steins rallied from fourth with a lap to go in the boys invitational mile, closing in 59.23 to prevail against Sage Creek’s Bryce Gilmore by a 4:11.41 to 4:11.71 margin.

Chino’s Mia Chavez prevailed in the girls invitational mile in 4:51.25, with Anaheim Canyon’s Isabella Frisone clocking 4:55.89 and Kate Brigham of Jackson High in Wyoming taking third in 4:58.92.

Valery Tobias of Texas swept the collegiate 800 and 1,500 in 2:04.79 and 4:17.09, with teammate Jonathan Jones winning the men’s collegiate 400 in 45.30.

Cal’s Garrett MacQuiddy emerged victorious in the men’s collegiate 1,500 in 3:44.36, with Notre Dame’s Tim Zepf earning the win in the men’s collegiate 800 in 1:47.46.

Texas also took the top two spots in the women’s collegiate 200, as Kynnedy Flannel (22.61) and Rhasidat Adeleke (22.81) produced wind-legal efforts, with Jadyn Mays of Oregon taking third in 22.95.

Micaiah Harris of Texas ran a wind-aided 20.31 to hold off Stanford’s Udodi Onwuzurike in 20.46 in the men’s collegiate 200.

Former USC standout Nicole Yeargin, representing Great Britain, triumphed in the collegiate and open sections of the women’s 400 in 51.63.

Jasmine Jones of USC, despite running into a strong headwind, was victorious in the women’s collegiate 100 hurdles in 13.14. Jones ran a wind-legal 12.98 in the prelims.

Arkansas’ Phillip Lemonious also ran into a headwind in the collegiate 110 hurdles, but prevailed in 13.56.

Houston’s Quivell Jordan matched his personal-best effort to win the men’s collegiate 400 hurdles in 49.66.

Oregon’s Shana Grebo held off Texas’ Milan Young by a 56.43 to 56.85 margin in the women’s collegiate 400 hurdles. 

Lexi Ellis of Oregon won the women’s collegiate triple jump with a mark of 44-6.25 (13.57m) on her final attempt.

Texas’ Tyra Gittens secured victory in the women’s collegiate long jump with a leap of 21-11.50 (6.69m) in the second round.

Jalen Seals of Texas Tech produced a wind-aided effort of 25-9.25 (7.85m) to triumph in the men’s collegiate long jump.

Henry Kiner of Pittsburg State was the winner in the men’s collegiate triple jump with a 53-8.25 (16.36m) performance.