ORDER GAME PHOTOS

April has arrived, and big meets are upcoming.

At least one large invitational meet takes place in Idaho nearly every week through the end of the month. This weekend, athletes from six Idaho high schools will travel to California for one of the largest and most historic meets in the country.

Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Eagle, Rocky Mountain, Skyline and Vallivue High Schools will be represented Friday and Saturday at the annual Arcadia Invitational in Arcadia, Calif., home to 35 national records. Olympic and world medalists Noah Lyles, Michael Norman, Will Claye, Sydney McLaughlin and Vashi Cunningham have competed at Arcadia and have their names on the record lists. Entry lists were finalized and posted on March 29, with the six Idaho teams among the record 362 out-of-state schools registered. A record total of 793 schools registered for entry consideration for the meet.

Boise has 10 athletes registered: Allie Bruce (girls 800 open, girls 1-mile open, girls 4x400 open, girls 4x200 rated), Audrey Orme (girls 1-mile open, girls 4x200 rated, girls 4x400 open), Sophia Clark (girls 400 open, girls 4x200 rated, girls 4x400 open), Grace Lanfear (girls 100 hurdles open, girls 4x200 rated, girls 4x400 open), Autumn Shomaker (girls long jump invitational, girls 4x200 rated), Kaden Helder (boys 3,200 seeded, boys 4x400 open), Noe Kemper (boys 800 invitational, boys 4x400 open), Jack Sheesley (boys 3,200 open, boys 4x400 open), Adrienne Russell (girls 4x200 rated) and Cooper Smith (boys 4x400 open).

Eagle's Andrew Ringert is registered for the boys 3,200 open, Vallivue's David Gummersall is registered for the boys 400 seeded and Skyline's Nelah Roberts is registered for the girls 3,200 invitational.

Coeur d'Alene has three athletes registered: Max Cervi-Skinner (boys 3,200 seeded), Zackery Cervi-Skinner (boys 3,200 open, boys 1-mile open) and Jacob King (boys 3,200 open).

Rocky Mountain has four athletes registered: Landon Heemeyer (boys 3,200 seeded), Cody Lucas (boys 3,200 open), Brighton Heywood (girls 800 open, girls 1-mile run open) and Chloe Pollock (girls 3,200 open).

Bruce, Russell, Clark, Roberts, Kemper, Shomaker and Max Cervi-Skinner have all previously competed at Arcadia. Friday's competition begins at 3:45 p.m. Mountain Time and goes through 10:40 p.m., with Saturday's event schedule beginning at 9:30 a.m. Mountain and concluding with the final 4x400 relays at 10:29 p.m.

Next week's edition of The Bell Lap will include a follow-up on how these athletes fared at Arcadia. Further information about the meet can be found at arcadiainviational.org.

On the Horizon

Three large meets take place in District 3 within the next two weeks.

The Patriot Invite, hosted by Centennial, takes place Saturday and 23 teams are registered. Boise hosts the Boise Relays on April 13 at Mountain View, and 39 teams are registered as of March 29. Additionally, the Dave Mangum Invitational takes place April 12 in Melba with 22 teams registered as of March 29. 

Elsewhere on April 12, the Moscow Invitational takes place in Moscow and the Highland Golden Baton Relays take place in Pocatello. Each of those meets have 18 teams registered as of March 29.

On April 9, Deary hosts the Leah Swanson Memorial/Deary Invitational at Lapwai. As of March 29, 17 teams are registered.