Friday, 5/2/97 Bruins look to run streak to 19 Match should be
close despite UCLA’s 18 straight wins vs. USC
By Emmanuelle Ejercito Daily Bruin Staff Many UCLA sports teams
can claim winning streaks against crosstown rival USC. Football has
won six in a row. Men’s basketball has also won six in a row
against "just ‘SC." But these streaks pale in comparison to what
the UCLA men’s track and field team has compiled. The last time the
Trojans took a dual meet against the Bruins, Jimmy Carter was
president and most Bruin freshman hadn’t been born. While most of
UCLA’s 18 straight victories were by large margins, this Saturday’s
triangular meet against USC and Brigham Young at Cromwell Field on
the USC campus should provide more suspense. With the Trojans
owning the edge over the Bruins in the sprints and with UCLA
dominating most of the throws and distances, the meet could hinge
on the outcomes of the 800 meters and the javelin. USC’s Isaac
Turner will get a chance to avenge a close loss to UCLA freshman
Michael Granville that happened three weeks ago at the Mt. SAC
Relays. In a tight race that produced season bests for both
runners, Granville beat Turner to the line by a little over
one-tenth of a second, crossing at 1:48.02. The javelin should also
be a close contest. Only two feet separate Bruin Josh Johnson and
USC’s Henrik Kjaereng, the top two Pac-10 javelin throwers. Johnson
has a season-best throw of 228 feet, 11 inches, while Kjaereng’s
season best stands at 226-8. "We’re going to have to see how the
close ones go," UCLA head coach Bob Larsen said. "If either team
wins all the close ones, that could determine the meet." Trojan
senior Jason Shelton is the advantage for USC in the sprints.
Shelton leads the conference in the 100 meters with a time of 10.26
seconds, which also places him sixth in the nation. Shelton also
plays a key role in the Trojan relay teams. USC leads the
conference in both relays. The Trojans are a full second ahead of
UCLA – who has lost key relay team members to graduation and injury
– in the 400 meters and have a six-second advantage in the 1,600.
The burden of making up the difference will fall on the heels of
junior Jim McElroy and freshman Damian Allen. McElroy has recorded
a slightly faster time in the 200 than Shelton. "We’re very pleased
with what they (McElroy and Allen) have done in the last few
weeks," Larsen said. "I know they don’t have the same experience as
last year’s relay team; it’ll be interesting to see how they handle
the intensity." UCLA’s advantages lie in the throws and in the
distances. The only real threat that will come from the Trojans in
the throwing events will be in the hammer. Bengt Johansson has
consistently thrown over 220 feet, while the nearest competitor for
the Bruins, David Dumble, has yet to break the 200-foot mark. "We
competed hard last weekend and we’ve had some real good marks and
major improvements," Larsen said. "It’s too much to expect that
everyone will continue at the high level, but if we have solid
performances we should do real well this weekend." Scott Slover,
who recently vaulted a career best 18-7 1/4 last weekend, will be
the first to compete for the Bruins at Cromwell when his event
starts at 11 a.m. The first men’s running event begins 45 minutes
later with the 3,000 meter steeplechase.