Oregon daily emerald., April 30, 2001, Image 9

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Fife leads charge in unseasonable conditions
■With three touchdowns in the
Spring Game, sophomore Jason
Fife is settling into the backup
quarterback role
By Adam Jude
Oregon Daily Emerald
HILLSBORO—While Mike Bellotti’s
concerns remain focused toward parts
of the defense and the kicking unit, he
can rest easy this summer knowing that
he has more than one solid quarterback
in his arsenal for the 2001 season.
Jason Fife, a sophomore from Lake
Elsinore, Calif., took all but five snaps
for the superior Green team Saturday at
Oregon’s rain-soaked Spring Game in
Hillsboro Stadium.
Fife completed 16 of 27 attempts for
273 yards, three touchdowns and just one
interception to lead the Green starters to a
45-6 rout over the White reserves.
“I did some good things and I did
some bad things,” Fife said. “It felt good
to just let loose on a couple plays and
show off my arm. ”
After starting quarterback Joey Har
rington worked the first two series, fin
ishing 3-for-5 for 51 yards, Fife took over
and connected on his first pass, but did
n’t make much happen until the second
quarter.
After a White punt pushed Green back
to its own 23-yard line, Fife led his squad
on an impressive 11-play drive in which
he completed 6 of 8 passes, including a
23-yard scoring strike to tight end George
Wrighster to give Green a 14-0 lead.
Two possessions later, with Green al
Turn to Fife, page 11
Tom Patterson Emerald
Jason Fife (12) further solidified himself as the No. 2 quarterback behind Joey Harrington Saturday with a solid outing.
■As expected, the Ducks’ Green
team dominates the White in
Oregon’s final spring appearance
By Jeff Smith
Oregon Daily Emerald
HILLSBORO — So much for the
“Spring” Game.
As if on cue, the cloudless blue skies
transformed into hail-spewing gray
clouds just in time for the Oregon foot
ball’s annual glorified scrimmage
known as the Spring Game.
Despite the fall-like conditions,
7,110 green and white clad fans packed
into Hillsboro Stadium near Portland
Satmrday afternoon to cheer on the
Ducks in their 45-6 victory over, well,
the other Ducks.
Led by the aerial assault of No. 2
quarterback Jason Fife and a defense
that held its opponent to negative-25
yards rushing, the Green team — made
up of first- and second-teamers — easi
ly disposed of its White counterparts.
“The outcome turned out the way I
would have hoped: Our Green team
dominated,” Oregon head coach Mike
Bellotti said. “There was enough ex
citement to keep the fans happy. This
is a very tough day in which to play; it’s
more of a defensive-oriented day.”
Certainly the defense — one of the
question marks of this team — had a
strong showing, with junior linebacker
David Moretti making a game-high nine
tackles and defensive tackle Zack Freit
er recording three of the nine sacks in
the game.
But the slick AstroTurf and the 20
Turn to Spring game, page 11
Adam Amato Emerald
Freshman Rachel Kriz leapt five feet, six inches for fourth-place in the elite division of the high jump.
Adam Amato Emerald
Junior Santiago Lorenzo (right) won the 110-hurdles Saturday to go along with a win in the pole vault.
UO track teams perform admirably at Invitational
■The Duck women display an all
around performance and score a
variety of qualifying marks
By Jesse Thomas
for the Emerald
Hayward Field was host to a day of rain
and shine, where athletes from all over came
to compete in one of the biggest days of the
Eugene track and field season: the Oregon In
vitational.
For the Oregon women, the day consisted
of Pacific-10 Conference qualifying marks,
NCAA qualifying marks and even a new
school record. The Ducks were able to have
high showings across the board.
“I thought people competed hard and they
went after it,” Oregon women's head coach
Tom Heinonen said. “We looked a little
shaky early and then we came on really
strong at the end.”
Highlighting the Ducks’ day was freshman
javelin thrower Sarah Malone, who broke the
school record by more than a foot with a per
sonal best heave of 169-03. The Newberg na
tive is ranked sixth nationally.
“I just felt really good and I love throwing
here,” Malone said. “I hope I can do it again
and hopefully maybe throw a little bit further
next time.”
As for the events on the track, Oregon won
both the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays, edg
ing out Montana State in each race with sea
son bests. Sophomore Eri Macdonald, who
already qualified for the Pac-10 meet in the
Turn to Women’s track, page 10
■A total of 885 athletes greeted
Hayward Field for a windy Oregon
Invitational Saturday
By Robbie McCallum
Oregon Daily Emerald
With gusts of wind and cold temperatures,
Saturday’s Oregon Invitational wasn’t the
most ideal setting for good performances. But
that didn’t stop the Oregon men’s track and
field team from earning 11 personal bests, six
Pacific-10 Conference qualifying marks and
an NCAA provisional qualifying mark.
The Ducks began their stretch run to the
Pac-10 and NCAA Championships in good
form, producing several good marks across
the board against some of the best competi
tion on the West Coast.
Senior Michael Kasahun produced the
day’s top mark in the final race of the day.
The Adwa, Ethiopia, native earned an
NCAA provisional mark in the 5,000-meters
in a time of 13 minutes, 56 seconds, eclipsing
the mark by 11 seconds.
“I’m very pleased with that time,” Kasahun
said. “I was focused for the meet and main
tained my rhythm throughout the race. ”
From the gun, Kasahun tucked in behind a
trio of elite Japanese runners, led by 2000
Olympian Toshinari Takaoka, and followed
them to a personal best.
“They really helped me,” Kasahun said.
“They went out fast and I got up in the front.
The pace was comfortable for me until three
laps to go, then it was tough but I just kept
Turn to Men’s track, page 10