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Ducks’ Tie Fits Following Exciting Dual with UCLA

Published by
ross   Apr 18th 2011, 12:10am
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April 17, 2011
For Immediate Release
Ducks’ Tie Fits Following Exciting Dual with UCLA
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Mike Berry ran a scintillating anchor leg on the 4x400 meter relay as No. 11 Oregon came from behind to tie No. 23 UCLA 81.5-81.5 Sunday in an exciting dual meet at Drake Stadium.
The Ducks cobbled together enough points from the likes of All-Americans Matthew Centrowitz, David Klech, Alex Wolff, Elijah Greer and Steve Finley, as well as gutsy performances from Randall Horn, Parker Stinson, Tyler Pinkney, Bryan Harper, A.J. Acosta, Josh Smith and Austin Ouderkirk to come from behind and force a draw in their first dual meet in Westwood since 1976.
“I was impressed with the interest and excitement from both teams,” said Oregon Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna. “This is good for track and field.”
The meet came down to the final five events, the 200 meters, triple jump, discus, 5,000 meters and 4x400 meter relay.
With the Bruins ahead by a point going into the 200 meters, Berry edged out UCLA’s Karlton Rolle at the tape for second, breaking up a potential 8-point event for the Bruins. UCLA’s Maxwell Dyce won in 20.94, with Berry next in a personal-best 21.08, just ahead of Rolle’s 21.10.
Then, with the UCLA lead at four points, 67.5-63.5, Brian Schaudt and Pinkney rose up to split up the points in the triple jump. UCLA's Jonathan Clark won at 52-2/15.90m, but Schaudt came through with an outdoor personal-best 50-3.25/15.32m to finish second and Pinkney picked up and important third-place point at 48-1.75/14.85m. The result of the triple jump bumped UCLA’s lead to five points, 72.5-67.5 with three events remaining.
That left it up to Horn to try and break-up a forecast UCLA sweep in the discus, with the Bruins looking to do the same to the Ducks in the 5,000 meters.
Horn, a junior from Los Gatos, Calif., delivered with a 12-foot personal best in the discus, throwing 168-4/51.30m on his final attempt, to finish third and pick up a point for Oregon. Bo Taylor of UCLA won the event at 184-3, with teammate Tom Nagengast second at 176-0 to boost UCLA’s edge to 80.5-68.5.
“I’ve been throwing well in practice,” said Horn, who was unaware of the significance of his finish during the event. “I’ve just been working real hard and it came together today.”
Oregon answered that by going 1-2 in the 5,000 meters. Stinson, a freshman from Austin, Texas, won in a personal-best 14:08.22, with teammate Danny Mercado, from nearby West Covina, Calif., second in 14:12.72. But the Ducks were denied a sweep in the event by UCLA’s Alex Crabill, who ran third in 14:16.79. That meant UCLA clinched a tie with 81.5 points to Oregon’s 76.5 with the last five points up for grabs in the 4x400 meter relay.
The Ducks trailed by 10 meters following the first three legs of the 4x400 meter relay, which were run by Eric Hersey (48.8) Harper (47.70) and Greer (47.7). Then Berry took the baton, hit the afterburners with 150 meters to go and roared past UCLA’s David Klarer to win in a season-best 3:09.70. Berry, a freshman from Seattle, Wash., ran a 45.5 anchor leg to pull the Ducks into a draw in the final team standings.
I knew we needed the five points for the tie, so I just wanted to do whatever I had to for my team to win the race," said Berry. 
Early in the dual, Centrowitz won the 1,500 meters and came back to finish second in the 800. In the 1,500, UCLA's Cory Primm broke with 600 meters to go but Centrowitz covered the move and stayed tight on his shoulder. The senior from Arnold, Md., then turned in the jets with 100 meters remaining to pass Primm and win in 3:45.86. Primm was second in 3:46.76, with Oregon's Boru Guyota third in 3:49.09.
The Ducks saw an important 1-2 finish in the 800 meters, as Elijah Greer broke from the pack with 250 meters left to win in 1:50.46. He pulled Centrowitz around in 1:50.91, with Primm third in 1:51.69.
“Primm made (the 1,500 meters) honest,” said Centrowitz. “He did all the work and I just came around him.
“I know it’s not a win, but for us to come out here at their home track and compete like that, it was pretty good for us.”
The Ducks used an unlikely trio for 1-2-3 sweep in the 400 meters. Harper, a junior from Junction City, Ore., won in a collegiate-best 47.99, with junior Matt Butcher second in 48.72 and Smith, a sophomore from Portland, Ore., third in 49.55.
Klech, fresh off an impressive performance in the Mt. SAC Relays decathlon three days ago, won the 110 meter hurdles in 14.16 with teammate Eric Hersey third in 14.34. The senior from San Ramon, Calif., who transferred from UCLA to Oregon four years ago, was also second in the long jump at 24-3/7.39m.
“It was good to get back on this track,” said Klech. “It was good to get out there and put some good marks up and help the team.”
Wolff, the sixth-year senior, won the javelin with a best of 221-8 coming on his second throw. UCLA's Matthew Kosecki was second at 207-3 and Oregon's Michael Thompson took third at 201-8. 
Finley earned the first win of the day for the Ducks, taking the steeplechase in 8:57.59. Acosta, senior from Oceanside, Calif., survived a fall on the water jump to finish second in 9:08.54, as the Ducks claimed an important eight early points.
The Ducks also saw a good result in the high jump, one of the more tightly contested events coming into the meet. Junior Danny Marconi won for the Ducks by clearing 6-11.5/2.12m and Justin Frick tied UCLA's Taylor Hobson for second at 6-9.5/2.07m.
Oregon also claimed four points in the hammer with senior Jordan Stray second at 205-3/62.79m and junior Cam Norris third at 170-3/62.56m. Kevin Godfrey got an additional point for the Ducks with his third-place finish in the 400 meters hurdles (56.80).
The last half a point for Oregon came from Ourderkirk. The sophomore from Newport, Ore., forged a third place tie with UCLA’s Scott DiCasare by clearing 16-1.25. Greg Woepse won for the Bruins at 17-6.5, with brother Michael Woepse second at 16-7.25.
UCLA saw sweeps in the 100 meters and shot put and also took the 4x100 meter relay in 40.20.
-www.goducks.com-



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