sports___
Clouds aside, Pepsi meet shines bright
By Steve Turcotte
Of the Emerald
After more than 17 and one-half hours of com
petition, 87 events and cloudbursts galore, the in
itial Oregon Pepsi Relays were history.
Some of the stars of track and field made ap
pearances, others did not. But the 1,000-plus
athletes who showed up at Hayward Field Friday
and Saturday got an opportunity to compete in a
relay meet that could soon rival such prestigious
stuff as the Drake Relays and the Penn Relays.
"I think for the first time around, we are off to
a great start," said Oregon Athletic Director Rick
Bay. "I'm real enthusiastic about (the meet). I real
ly like the concept."
Bay admitted there were things his ad
ministration could have done differently, but for
the most part the two-day affair ran smoothly and
on time.
"Now that we have held this thing once, that
helps," Bay said. "With Pepsi, it gives us money
and a chance to bring in some star quality athletes
and that's always a big thing."
Despite Pepsi's appeal, some athletes didn't
show, like Nebraska's female sprinters and ex
Oregon half-miler David Mack. Some did, though,
like Henry Marsh, the American record-holder in
the steeplechase, Meg Ritchie, America's top
female thrower, and distance runners Craig Virgin
and Frank Shorter.
The meet also gave Oregon athletes a chance
to qualify for the NCAA championships while
competing against top collegians.
Saturday, Kathy Hayes and Eryn Forbes each
took a shot at qualifying in the 5,000 meters — and
both were successful. Hayes won the race in
15:48.43 while Forbes clocked a 16:16.67 to finish
fifth. For Hayes, it was her first 5,000 of the season
and just her third race this year. *
"I really wanted to go under 16 minutes even
though it was my first 5,000 of the season," Hayes
said. "I was a little scared in the beginning
because it seemed too fast, but then after a while
it felt more comfortable."
Ranza Clark and Claudette Groenendaal, who
both ran an 800 relay leg in Friday's two-mile relay,
looked sharp in Saturday's 1,500. Clark won the
race with a late surge in 4:15.19 while Groenen
daal clocked a lifetime best of 4:18.14.
"Both Ranza and Claudette are way ahead of
where they were last season at this time," said
Oregon women's coach Tom Heinonen.
The NCAA qualifying didn't limit itself to just
the Duck women — Oregon's men also got into
the act Saturday.
Dub Myers, the fifth-place finisher in last
year's NCAA 1,500, used his powerful kick in the
last 200 meters to win the 1,500 in 3:41.28, just edg
ing out Bob Verbeeck of Converse West.
"I wanted to make sure I was in the middle of
the pack after three laps because I didn't want to
lead," said Myers. "On the last lap, I used the first
200 to get into position and then the last 200 to
kick.
Myers' 58-second last lap enabled him to
break his old PR of 3:41.92, set in last year's NCAA
meet.
"It was nice to get the qualifying mark
because now I won't have to worry about it,"
Myers said. "I had three chances to do it but I
wanted to get it out of the way today."
In the men's 5,000, Marsh laid back in the
pack before unleashing a furious kick in the last
200 meters to win in 13:45.2. A pair of Ducks
followed Marsh home and got NCAA-qualifying
marks in the process.
John Zishka, who ran a 13:51.8 to finish
seventh, and Mike Blackmore, who was timed in
13:53.9, were well under the standard of 13:57.
"The main goal out there was to get the
mark," Zishka said. "I wanted to get it out of the
way so I could concentrate on the rest of the
season instead of having to worry about
qualifying."
In field events, Ritchie, the world-class weight
thrower, won the shot put in 57-V/i and the discus
in a Hayward Field record 213-4.
Friday was full of NCAA-qualifying clockings
for Oregon as well.
Matt McGuirk took advantage of a fast pace to
finish fifth in the steeplechase in 8:36.63 and
qualify for nationals and the Olympic Trials.
McCuirk's time was a personal best, but he wasn't
awestruck by it.
"It didn't seem like the race was all that
hard," McGuirk said. "I think I can still go faster."
In the women's 3,000, Deanna Schiedler
clocked a personal best of 9:28.25 to finish second
and qualify for nationals. Schiedler, an 800-1,500
runner in high school, didn't expect the qualiying
to come in the 3,000.
"I had only run one 3,000 in high school and I
didn't do it very well," said Schielder, who also
ran the 1,500 Saturday in 4:32.99. "I'm really inex
perienced at the 3,000, but I think that is going to
be my race. I don't think I have enough speed to
qualify in the 1,500."
Meet officials even did some name-dropping
Friday. Mary Decker made her first appearance of
the season on the track, taking part in the
women's invitational two-mile relay. Decker, who
ran a 2:00.9 800 leg, led her Athletics West team to
a victory over Oregon. The Ducks battled with AW
for seven of eight laps before Decker left Grace
Bakari in her wake.
The Ducks did receive some excellent perfor
mances in that relay, though, as Brenda Bushnell
ran a 2:08.8, Clark a 2:06.6 and Groenendaal a
2:06.9. Things were fairly even when Bakari and
Decker took their batons, but mismatch time ar
rived quickly. Still, Heinonen defended his
strategy of anchoring with Bakari.
"The goal in any relay is to hang in there as
long as you can," said Heinonen. "I thought we
matched up as well as we could. Grace is just not
ready to go out and run a 59-second first lap in an
800 — but she had the courage to do it."
Photo by Steve Crowell
Oregon's Kathy Hayes continued to rebound from a stress frac
ture at the Pepsi Relays Saturday, qualifying for the NCAA 5,000
meters with a first-place 15:48.43.
McAdoo leads Lakers past Dallas; Suns, Knicks win
DALLAS (AP) — Bob Me Adoo came off
the bench with two steals and six points
in overtime Sunday to give the Los
Angeles Lakers a 122-115 victory over the
Dallas Mavericks and a three-to-one lead
in their National Basketball Association
playoff series.
Kareem Abdul-)abbar led the lakers
■
with 32 points, but it was McAdoo and
Mic hael Cooper who shined in overtime.
Cooper had four points in the extra
period, while Earvin "Magic" Johnson
added a basket, and Abdul-jabbar made
two free throws.
Mavericks' center Pat Cummings sent
the game into overtime at 108-108, hitting
a a left-handed hook with 31 seconds to
play.
Dallas' Mark Aguirre had the team-high
of 32 points. Guard Rolando Blackman
had 21.
James Worthy scored 19 and Cooper 17
for the Lakers.
Johnson had 14 points and an equal
number of assists.
Aguirre led the Maverick scoring in the
first half with eight of 12 from the field
and three free throws for 19 points.
in Phoenix, Ariz., Maurice Lucas sank
two free throws with four seconds left in
overtime as the Phoenix Suns beat the
Utah Jazz, 111-110,
SYS
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