Three More Titles In Hand, And Big Things To Come

Saturday, May 13

Eugene, Ore.

11:35 AM

University of Oregon

Pac-12 Championships

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

05/13/17 | Track and Field

Saturday's Results

The Oregon track and field program collected three individual titles Saturday in the Pac-12 Championships, and qualified a bevy of participants to Sunday's finals.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — The Oregon track and field program collected three individual titles Saturday in the Pac-12 Championship meet at Hayward Field, and put itself in position for more trophies Sunday, when the Ducks will try for their ninth consecutive sweep of the team titles.

Edward Cheserek won his seventh overall conference title and second straight in the 10,000 meters, finishing in 29 minutes, 11.76 seconds and two places ahead of teammate Tanner Anderson. Damarcus Simpson gave the Ducks a win in the long jump, leaping 26 feet, 1 inch, and Mitch Modin finished eighth, six days after winning the decathlon title in the multi-events portion of the meet. They helped the Men of Oregon head into Sunday atop the team standings with 69 points.

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On the women's side, freshman Rhesa Foster made it a sweep of the long jump for Oregon, leaping 20-6 1/2. Teammate Chaquinn Cook was fourth, and the Ducks also picked up points from Freda Berge in the steeplechase, Annie Whitfield in the javelin and Maggie Schmaedick in the 10,000 to finish the day with 24, tied for fifth at the close of action Saturday but a number set to explode Sunday thanks to all the runners who qualified for event finals.

"Overall as a group we put ourselves in good position for Sunday," UO coach Robert Johnson said. "Lots of bullets still to be fired."

Oregon Women: Johnson said the Ducks met Friday night to make final meet preparations, and spoke of ignoring conditions forecast to be cold, windy and rainy. That proved to be prescient, as athletes fought through occasional downpours throughout the course of Saturday's session.

Foster didn't seem to mind, busting form charts with her win in the long jump. "I don't think I've ever jumped well in the rain," she said. "It must be that Hayward magic."

Schmaedick also got drenched during her 10,000, but the hometown kid from Eugene's Sheldon High put two points on the board for the Ducks with her seventh-place finish in 33:56.31. Whitfield also took seventh, in the javelin, throwing 147 feet, and Berge took fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10:18.46.

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Sunday promises even bigger things for the UO women, based on Saturday's preliminaries. Deajah Stevens, Ariana Washington and Hannah Cunliffe each won her heat in both the 100 and 200, and they'll be joined by teammates Elexis Guster and Makenzie Dunmore in the 200 final. Guster was the top qualifier and one of four Ducks to make the 400 final, along with Dunmore, Hannah Waller and Ashante Horsley, and in the 800 both Brooke Feldmeier and Raevyn Rogers won heats.

Cunliffe had only participated in relays this outdoor season, and has been battling a flu, she said. She showed no ill effects Saturday, running 11.18 in the 100 and 22.80 in the 200. "I was really nervous and shaky, but I think shook off the rust and I think I'm ready for tomorrow," said Cunliffe, who did not run with the UO 4x100 relay that advanced to the final. "I felt good this week, so it was just about going out and trusting my training.

In the 1,500, Katie Rainsberger was the top qualifier in 4:21.10, and will be joined by teammates Emma Abrahamson and Jessica Hull. Khadejah Jackson won her heat in the 400 hurdles and Alaysha Johnson was the top qualifier in the 100 hurdles, which Sasha Wallace did not start for what Robert Johnson described as cautionary reasons.

Oregon Men: Like Schmaedick, Cheserek ran his 10,000 in intermittent downpours, but pushed through to win easily. "This is Eugene, so you can't worry about the rain," he said. "I enjoyed running in it."

Simpson said he's been dealing with a knee problem, and so only wanted to take a single attempt in the long jump. He ended up scratching on his first and so took one more, which held up as the winning mark.

Simpson also guaranteed himself points in the 100 by qualifying for that final, in which teammate Kyree King was the top qualifier. "I felt amazing," Simpson said. "Came out and got the 'W' in the long jump, and the 100 was a surprise. I feel great."

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King ran the 100 in a personal-best 10.18 seconds, and was also the top qualifier in the 200 in 20.70. Marcus Chambers also advanced to the 200 final, and was the top qualifier in the 400 in 46.55. Mick Stanovsek reached the final of the 800, and the Men of Oregon will have four men racing in the 1,500 final — Sam Prakel, Blake Haney, Austin Tamagno and Tim Gorman. Braxton Canady also advanced Saturday, in the 110 hurdles, as did the Ducks' 4x100 relay team.

Oregon also piled up points in Saturday's field events. Cody Danielson was second and John Nizich took seventh in the javelin, Cole Walsh fought through calf injuries to take second in the pole vault, Ryan Hunter-Simms finished sixth in the shot put and Max Lydum was eighth in the hammer throw.

Women's Team Race: The Oregon women's sprinters will have a showdown Sunday with USC. The Trojans advanced four runners in the 100, three in the 200 and three more in the 400, plus four in the 100 hurdles and three in the 400 hurdles. The Women of Troy also have 24 team points entering Sunday, thanks to three scorers in the long jump and two in the shot put.

Eugene native Erin Clark won the 10,000 meters for Colorado, and her teammate Madison Boreman gave the Buffaloes 10 more points by winning the steeplechase. Magge Ewen of Arizona State won the shot put, and Mackenzie Little of Stanford was first in the javelin.

Men's Team Race: The Trojans are also positioned to challenge Oregon on the men's side with big numbers in the sprints. UCLA is second in the team race with 56 points entering Sunday, and USC is fourth with 34.5, but the Trojans qualified four finalists in the 100, two in the 200 and two more in the 400.

In Saturday's other finals, Bailey Roth of Arizona won the steeplechase, Isaiah Holmes of UCLA won the high jump, Matthew Eckles of Arizona State won the pole vault, Peter Simon of California won the shot put, Brock Eager of Washington State won the hammer throw and Carson Fuller of Washington won the javelin.

Up Next: The meet concludes Sunday, with the men's discus throw kicking off the schedule at 12:45 p.m. and events on the track beginning at 3 p.m., to be televised by Pac-12 Network.