Colby Gilbert deals Edward Cheserek rare loss;

Oregon women run schcool record 42.88 in 4x100

By Adam Kopet for DyeStat

EUGENE -- With the final team score still very much in doubt, Edward Cheserek in the 5,000 meters usually results in maximum points with a superb final lap. However, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Hayward Field, it was University of Washington's Colby Gilbert who kicked away from Cheserek over the final lap for the win at the Pepsi Inviational.

The penultimate event in the men's competition proved to make the difference that allowed Penn State to make up a three-point deficit going into the 4x400 Relay and tie Oregon for the team title. Both schools scored 181.5 points. Washington was third at 164 and USC fourth at 134. Gilbert ran a last lap of 60 seconds to pull away from the stalking Cheserek, winning in 13.44.96 to Cheserek's 13:50.82.

While Gilbert's win my have deflated the Hayward Field crowd a little, there were plenty of performances to cheer for from all the teams. Starting out under overcast skies, Katie Knight started a string of early Washington wins, when she kicked away from Penn State's Tessa Barrett and Oregon's Molly Grabill, finishing in 16:04.28 to win the 5,000. Andrew Gardner and Charlotte Prouse followed up with wins in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, running 8:53.27 and 10:00.67, respectively. Prouse and her runner-up teammate, Isobel Batt-Doyle, made sure to soak up their Hayward Field moment with some fun antics on their victory lap.

The sun was just beginning to peak out from behind the clouds when the Oregon 4x100 relay teams took to the track. Then men, including a lead off leg from two-sport star Devon Allen, won in 40.06 seconds. In the women's race, USC pushed the Ducks through the first three legs before Ariana Washington pulled away for the win. The Oregon quartet of Jasmine Todd, Deajah Stevens, Hannah Cunliffe and Washington won in a school record time of 42.88 seconds, the fastest time ever run at a quadrangular meet.

Coming into the meet, the men's 1,500 Meters looked to be a highlight, featuring multiple sub-four minute milers. After the rabbit dropped out, Izaic Yorks of Washington found himself in the lead, but much like his 3:53 indoor mile this past winter, he pushed on to take the win in 3:41.56 over Robby Creese of Penn State and Sam Prakel of Oregon. The women's 1500 meters provided an equal amount of excitement as Anna Maxwell (4:19.84) and Maddie Meyers (4:20.06), both of Washington, passed Oregon's Annie Leblanc (4:20.08) on the home straight. Maxwell, the winner, was able to slip by Leblanc on the inside while runner-up Meyers made her move on the outside, just out-leaning the Duck.

Devon Allen's season debut at Hayward Field attracted a lot of attention. In addition to his 4x100 relay leg, he won the the 110-meter hurdles, tying his NCAA-leading time of 13.40 seconds. He followed that up with a 52.25 win in the 400-meter hurdles over teammate Ben Thiel (52.45). Finally, Allen ran the second leg on Oregon's 4x400 relay.

For the women, the anticipated team battle between Oregon and Southern California never materialized. Oregon saw standout performances from Alaysha Johnson and Sasha Wallace in the 100 hurdles (13.06 and 13.12 respectively) along with Ariana Washington's win in the 100 meters (11.34). Ashante Horsley won the 400 meters in 54.67, outlasting USC's Cameron Pettigrew (54.98). Raevyn Rogers took up the mantle winning the 800 meters with ease in 2:03.77 and anchoring the Oregon 4x400 relay to victory, outkicking USC in a meet record 3:32.07. Jaide Septer, the NCAA 400-meter leader, and Amalie Iuel did go 1-2 in the 400 hurdles in 55.91 and 57.20, respectively.

Oregon won the women's title with 173 pointss, edging out Penn State (166), Washington (164) and USC (134).

Other notable performances included Rachel Fatherly of Penn State winning both the women's hammer (182-1/55.51m) and shot put (54-1.75/16.50m), Greg Skipper of Oregon winning the men's hammer (224-10/68.53m), USC's Nicholas Ponzio winning the discus (171-7/52.29m) and shot put (62-1.25/18.93m). Other top field event marks included USC's Randall Cunningham Jr. winning the high Jump with a clearance of 7-1.50 (2.17m), before making three attempts at a soaring 2.27m, as well as USC's Eric Sloan in the long jump (25-7.25/7.80m) and Penn State's Brian Leap in the triple jump (52-0.50/15.86m).

On the track, Brannon Kidder, of Penn State, ran 1:47.40 in the 800 meters for a dominant win while his teammate, Xavier Smith won both the 100 meters (10.61) and 200 meters(20.96). For the women, Deanna Hill and Tynia Gaither continued USC's success in the 200 meters, going 1-2 with times of 22.71 and 22.80. Two of their teammates, Destinee Brown and Gabriella Cantrell finished third and fourth, but did not score.