ARCADIA, Calif. – The squad of senior Daphne Witherell, senior Sarah Charles, junior Ryann Strawn and junior Grace Dunham compiled a time of 12 minutes, 40.65 minutes in the 4,000-meter distance medley relay to wrap up St. Francis' action at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational Saturday night.

That DMR ranks ninth in school history, roughly a second behind the 2003 squad of Alexander, Toole, Kantola and Krtil that ran a 12:39.54 at the 2003 Stanford Invite.

Junior Kayla Towne was the first Troubadour in action on Saturday, placing 22nd in the Open section of the girls' 800 meters with a 2:20.75 time. Senior Maddie Pelfrey tied for 20th in the Invitational flight of the pole vault at 10-11, closing her second straight appearance at the national showcase meet. She cleared the 3.32-meter bar on her second attempt but was one of the four entrants eliminated at the next height of 3.53m (11-7).

The meet known as the "Home of National Records" featured thousands of high school athletes from 690 schools across 36 states this year.

Meanwhile on Saturday, senior Paige Quigley ran a 12:00.51 in the girls' 3,200-meter run at Elk Grove's Herd Roundup. The Seton Hall-bound senior missed the first few weeks of the season due to injury and needed to post a qualifying mark for the April 22 Sacramento Meet of Champions. The rolling three-year average standard for the MOC is 12:08.91, although beating that mark does not necessarily earn entrance into the meet.

St. Francis track & field returns to action in the second Delta League Center Meet on Wednesday at Jesuit High. The meet will also serve as a Senior Day send-off for the team's 14 2023 grads-to-be: Charles, Pelfrey, Quigley, Witherell, Khalen Chiddick, Ava Ellis, Grace Himmelmann, Olivia Huerta, Kayla Hussey, Abby Page, Lauren Riley, Micaela Romo, Donna Valizadeh and Remi Vrilakas. The meet begins at 10 a.m.

2023 ARCADIA INVITATIONAL, DAY 2
Arcadia High School
Events with SFHS entrants only • Winners plus SFHS finishers listed

GIRLS' 800 METERS OPEN - 1. Elyse Jessen, Alta, 2:08.99... 22. Kayla Towne, 2:20.75.

GIRLS' POLE VAULT INVITATIONAL - 1. Hana Moll, Capital, 15-0... 20 (tie). Maddie Pelfrey, 10-11.

GIRLS' DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY - 1. JSerra Catholic (O'Brien, Jeannerete, Snodgrass, Garcia), 11:52.45... 16. St. Francis (Witherell, Charles, Strawn, Dunham), 12:40.65.