SACRAMENTO, Calif. – St. Francis won the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relays Saturday at the Meet of Champions in section-leading times in both events. The Troubadour foursome of sophomore Ariane Arndt, sophomore Kiani Reyna, sophomore Lillian Enes and junior Sydney Hunter ran together to capture both races.

Arndt led off the 4×400 to close the meet Saturday night. She got the Troubadours off to a good start that the team built on with each leg.

“I usually have really slow starts but I got out good this time and nobody pulled on me,” said Arndt, who also finished second in the MOC Invitational 800 meters with a time of 2:15.27. “I was not nervous this time and just ready to run.”

Both relays posted Sac-Joaquin Section bests for the season.

“It was pretty amazing,” said Arndt.

Reyna ran the second leg of the 4×400 and took it out to give the Troubadours the lead.

“It was pretty nerve-wracking but my main focus was to run a good turn, get ahead and cut in well,” said Reyna. “My main struggle is staying strong in the back stretch but I think I did well with that today.”

Enes, who placed third in the invite 400 meters in 57.22, ran the third leg, keeping the lead and handing off to Hunter for the final leg. She extended the lead to cross the line in 3:53.12, a time three seconds ahead of second-place Carondelet and over five second better than Franklin.

“Today was my first time running against Elk Grove and Franklin and we really wanted to get first in the section because I know that is where we belong,” said Hunter. “We wanted to get a good time for the first time with our “A” team.”

The four girls opened the Invitational meet winning the 4×100-meter relay earlier in the night. They clocked a season-best 48.15 to edge Franklin (48.26).

“We had our best performance of the season in the relays today,” said Assistant Coach Randall Fairchild. “The girls stepped up today. We had to have safe sticks. We kept the sticks safe and kept to our plan. Every leg was beautiful. They were mental giants today. They did fantastic.”

St. Francis also had several individuals compete across the open and invitational portions of the meet.

Junior Samantha Ruggles won the morning shot put with a school-record throw of 39-4.75, improving her own mark for the third time this season.

“It feels good to be improving in the right part of the season and being consistent,” said Ruggles. “I definitely want to hit 40 and go from there.”

St. Francis had a school record number of invitations to the meet, showing the depth of the program.

“This is the largest number of athletes to qualify for the MOC,” said Fairchild. “We are showing a good nucleus and more girls are coming out for the sport on our campus.”

St. Francis begins defense of its Delta River League title next Saturday at the DRL Trials at Oak Ridge High School. The meets starts at 9:30 a.m. The Troubadours have won the last five DRL titles and are the defending section champs.

Meet of Champions (Invitational)

4×100-Meter Relay

1. St. Francis, 48.15

100-Meter Hurdles

9. Amanda Schnabel, 15.72

400 Meters

3. Lillian Enes, 57.22

Discus

3. Kayla O’Brine, 132.2

800 Meters

2. Ariane Arndt, 2:15.27

300-Meter Hurdles

8. Amanda Schnabel, 46.24

3200 Meters

9. Miranda Myers, 11:11.03; 12. Madison Rawson, 11:14.23.

4×400-Meter Relay

1. St. Francis, 3:53.12

Meet of Champions

Shot Put

1. Samantha Ruggles, 39-4.75

3200 Meters

17. Aerial Medina, 12:01.97; 20. Chase Worthen, 12:11.58.

Discus

6. Samantha Ruggles, 112-3.

800 Meters

11. Lauren LaRocco, 2:21.69.

Long Jump

Nicole Spring , Results Not Available