Newport throwers take their show to Arcadia

Newport Harbor High is taking five shot put throwers to the 44th annual Arcadia Invitational on Saturday that have each recorded throws over 55 feet this season.

Throwing coach Tony Ciarelli posted on Facebook that the five are the first from a high school to do so in the same season in the state’s storied boys’ track and field history.

Senior Ryan Andrews, junior Steve Michaelsen, senior JB Salem, senior Trevor Lawrence and junior Ethan Cochran are each participating in the Arcadia Invitational at Arcadia High.

Andrews and Michaelsen are in the invite-only shot put competition at 5:20 p.m., while Cochran and Michaelsen are in the invite-only discus throw competition at 3:40 p.m.

Cochran, Salem and Lawrence are in the open shot competition at 1:30 p.m. The overall winner advances to the invite-only event.

Andrews ranks fourth in the state with a personal-best 59-feet, five-inch effort recorded last month. Michaelsen is eighth (57-7) in the state, Salem ninth (56-4¼), Lawrence 13th (55-5) and Cochran 14th (55-0).

Cochran has the third-best discus heave this season in the state at 184-7. He recorded the mark at a Sunset League meet on March 31. Michaelsen is ranked eighth in the state with a throw of 173-10.

The five Sailors have also thrown the discus over 150 feet this season.

Another Newport Harbor boy expected to compete is Mark Sakioka, a pole vaulter. The senior has the fourth-best mark in the state at 15-6, which he recorded at an invitational last month.

Newport Harbor girls’ coach Eric Tweit said pole vaulter Allison Krugman would be competing in Arcadia. The senior is ranked 11th in the state with a mark of 11-6.

Corona del Mar’s boys’ distance medley relay, which consists of senior Alex Turney and juniors Kyle Iverson, Ryan Rodrigues and Blake Myers, will be in Arcadia for the invite event at 8:57 p.m.

— From staff reports