Thursday, March 19, 1998
UCLA on track for 51 straight dual victories
MEET: Bruins heavily favored to win at home vs. Cal, Irvine, Air
Force
By Donald Morrison
Daily Bruin Contributor
The UCLA men’s track and field team will attempt to extend its
dual-meet winning streak to 51 straight Saturday afternoon. The
Bruins will host Pac-10 rival Cal, UC Irvine and the Air Force
Academy at Drake Stadium.
Head coach Bob Larsen, who owns a dual-meet record of 105-2-1
over 19 years, says UCLA has developed a healthy, competitive
rivalry with California.
"It’s a meaningful competition," Larsen said. "Cal has always
had a high-level track program. We’ve been successful in this
series lately, but there has been several close competitions."
UCLA is expected to dominate the quad meet, with most of its top
athletes competing.
The only Bruins that are listed as doubtful for Saturday’s meet
are Michael Granville and Mebrahtom Keflezighi.
Granville will sit out and rest a sore hamstring that is still
bothering him. Keflezighi could be available for the 5,000 meters,
but will likely rest his sore left leg after racing in two events
at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
A slew of sprinters look to earn recognition from Cal and make
names for themselves before the Pac-10 Championships.
Jim McElroy, who shredded the Golden Bear defense in football,
will run both the 100 and 200-meter dashes as well as the 4 by
100-meter relay.
Bryan Harrison and Brandon Thomas will also run both the 100 and
200-meters.
Damian Allen will compete in the 4 by 100-meter relay and the
200-meters, while Akil Davis will compete in the 100-meters and the
relay.
Ibrahim Hassan will run the 400 meters. Hassan, who sat out most
of last year due to injury, owns a lifetime best of 45.13
seconds.
Looking to do some damage out on the field will be Josh Johnson
in the javelin throw. Johnson set a lifetime best throw of 236
feet, 10 inches two weeks ago, and will try to break that mark on
Saturday.
Rich Pitchford and Lester DaRaad will compete in the high jump,
and Lawrence Owusu will long jump for UCLA.
Mel Moultry and Scot Slover, after competing at the NCAA Indoor
meet, will triple jump and pole vault, respectively.
Luke Sullivan and Wade Tift look to post up solid marks in the
hammer throw. Tift will also compete in the shot put with Travis
Haynes and Sullivan will compete with Haynes in the discus.
UCLA could see football players Ed Stansbury and Tony White for
the first time this season in the discus, shot put and javelin
throw.
Jess Strutzel will run the 800 meters and Mark Hauser will run
the 1,500 meters. Distance runners Devin Elizondo, Matt Olin and
Kevin Bowes will all race the 3,000 meter steeple chase and Will
Bernaldo and Dan Brecht will run the 5,000 meters.
Brian Fell and Gerimi Burleigh look to set personal bests in the
400 meter and 110 meter hurdles, respectively.
"I think overall we’re the stronger team," Larsen said. "But
circumstances being as they are with us resting some people and
moving people around a bit, it should be a competitive meet."
DERRICK KUDO
The Bruins hope to vault over their competition this
weekend.