This season, the runners on the UCLA men’s track and field
team have been hampered by injuries and suffered from a lack of
solid leadership. And USC senior Ryan Wilson has no problem letting
it know what it could have had.
“I really enjoy coming out here,” Wilson said in a
press conference Tuesday, “and showing UCLA what a big
mistake they made by not recruiting me at all.”
This weekend, Wilson will have another chance to emphasize his
point with the 70th annual UCLA/USC dual meet at USC’s
Katherine B. Loker Stadium and Cromwell Field.
Wilson, the nation’s second-fastest collegiate runner,
attempted to become the second Trojan to go for three straight
All-American honors in the 110m hurdles. Saturday, he will be
competing against UCLA senior Kyle Erickson and sophomore Jonathan
Williams, who placed fourth overall last weekend at the Mt. SAC
Relays.
With Wilson on the track and other top athletes on the field,
the No. 3 Trojans will pose a serious threat to the Bruins,
especially after suffering a loss last season at Drake Stadium.
“We see that they have the leading marks in most of the
events,” UCLA men’s track and field coach Art Venegas
said. “But when it comes to the dual meet, a lot of things
are possible. And that’s what makes the meet fun.”
The rivalry meet has become the highlight of the season with one
of the most celebrated histories for both schools. The Bruins have
won the meet 21 of the past 22 years, losing in 2001 when they last
traveled across town to compete at USC. Each team plans on
channeling all the spirit and energy it can muster.
“Never before have I experienced such a trying and
emotional day,” senior Trojan sprinter Darrell Rideaux said,
referring to past dual meets between the rivals. “You have to
do whatever it takes to win, no matter what. I know that come
Saturday, I’ll leave with nothing left because I’ll
have given it everything I can, physically and
emotionally.”
The most anticipated matchup will be in the field, where USC has
the best pair of jumpers in the country: sophomore Allen Simms and
senior Julien Kapek. Simms is the current outdoor leader in the
triple jump at 56 feet, 1.25 inches, while Kapek holds the USC
record in the triple jump. Challenging the duo will be Bruin junior
Juaune Armon and freshman Ryan Hollins.
Armon recently won the Long Jump at the Cal-Nevada State
Championships, and Hollins, fresh to the team after starting at
center for the basketball team, has become a significant force on
the jumps.
“I know I will have a lot of competition this weekend with
the tag team duo,” Armon said. “But I hope I can at
least pull out a win in the long jump.”
The difficulty on the field doesn’t worry Venegas, who
knows the rivalry will bring out the best in his athletes.
“That’s the great thing about the dual meet,”
Venegas said. “It will bring out some great things from
people, from both schools. You never can predict what will happen
between the schools.”
Though the No. 3 Trojans look to be far superior than the
Bruins, who are in a four-way tie at No. 21, USC head coach Ron
Allice feels that UCLA is deeper and thus should be favored.
Both USC and UCLA offer 12.5 scholarships each, but because the
Trojans don’t divide up their scholarships among their
athletes, as UCLA does, their team consists of mainly walk-on
athletes.
“I’ve got 5 or 6 guys who are among the
nation’s best,” Allice said. “But that
doesn’t make us the favorite in the dual meet.”
Venegas scoffs at this idea.
“They could win a dual meet against every team in the
country,” he said. “They are still very
competitive in every dual meet. When they start losing by 40-50
points every year, then that argument could stand.”
Even the coaches engage in the deep-seeded rivalry, but neither
would give up.
“You can say what you want about the hate and the
rivalry,” Venegas said. “But if we ever lose that, we
lose all that’s good about the sport.”