LJ track: Payton 6th in 400, 8th in 100 at Arcadia

La Jolla's Payton Smith (third from right) burns

a 12.0-second time in the 100 meters against

Sage Creek March 3 at home. Second was

Maddie Lyons (far left) in 12.65, third was

Ebony Crandle (far right) in 13:43.

(Photo by  Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Good things come for those who wait.

Payton Smith didn't have to wait long. Only a sophomore, Smith, a fast Viking sprinter, qualified to run in the Arcadia Invitational Sat., April 9. And run she did--sixth in the women's open 400 meters with a time of 57.13, eighth in the women's open 100 meters in 12.10.

A phenom--that's what you have to say about her at this point.

"We know that it isn't a fluke," said La Jolla High track coach Paul Byrne last week. "She has run other (similar) times."

Another young Viking track athlete, Kirra Fisk, who has been putting up good times last year in cross country and track, and earlier this year in cross country her sophomore year, also competed at Arcadia Saturday.

Just in running, Fisk entered more rarified air. She ran a respectable 11:49.40 in the 3200 meters, a two-mile equivalent, for 49th in the prestigious field.

The girls' four-by-400-meter relay team also qualified, but complications just made it too difficult to get them to Arcadia and run in the event, Byrne said.

With COVID restrictions loosened this year, runners from 547 high schools across the U.S., including as far away as Georgia, competed Friday and Saturday in the annual meet. The Arcadia Invitational had to deal with limitations the last two years during the pandemic, so the excitement was back at this year's event.

A freshman from Ventura (I grew up almost next door in Camarillo), Sadie Engelhardt, set a world record for 15-year-olds in the mile with a blazing time of 4:35.16 (wind speed exceeded the allowable amount).

Another exciting result was the duel of the Newbury Park boys (again, Camarillo is next door; I used to substitute-teach at Newbury Park HS), including the Sahlman and Young brothers. Senior Colin Sahlman won the Invitational 3200 meters with a time of 8:34.99. Junior Lex Young finished right behind him in 8:35.72.

Aaron Sahlman, a junior, crossed the finish line in eighth in 8:38.42. Teammate Daniel Appleford of Newbury Park was two places back, in 10th, in 8:52.19. Leo Young, Lex's twin brother, placed 26th in 9:02.28.

How do high school athletes spread the word about standouts like the Sahlmans and Youngs, and know about them? "Anybody in high school track and cross country knows about them," said a student I had in class substitute-teaching locally. "They do crazy (incredible) things." Colin Sahlman has committed to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, known for its cross country program.