The most time-tested rivalry of Oregon men’s track and field is about to make its first appearance of the new millennium.
The Oregon-Washington dual dates back to 1900, with the Ducks holding a dominant 85-32 edge in the series. History skipped a generation when the two schools didn’t schedule a dual last season, but the Huskies did beat Oregon, 133.5-101.5, at the Pepsi Invitational.
Obviously, the Ducks want to get back to their winning ways when they meet again on Saturday. The first running event is the 1:45 p.m. steeplechase. Action concludes with the 4×400-meter relay at 4:15 p.m.
“That would be a really special afternoon if we beat a team as strong and as solid as Washington’s team,” Oregon head coach Martin Smith said. “It will be a real formidable challenge for our guys and a good athletic test for us.”
But it’s going to take everything Oregon has to beat its prime Northwest rival.
The Ducks will be at a disadvantage because they are without an athlete to compete in the steeplechase. In the dual-meet setting, whichever team wins the most events and earns the most points wins. Due to Oregon’s lack of a steeplechase entrant, the Huskies virtually will have points on the board before the meet even begins.
Also, distance runner Steve Fein remains questionable. Fein hasn’t competed since finishing second in the 800 meters at the Oregon Preview in early March. He has yet to run his marquee event, the 5,000, in front of a Tracktown crowd this season.
Fein said several things “snowballed” to keep him out of competition. He said the biggest contributing factor was fatigue.
“As a distance runner, you’re always tired to a certain extent,” Fein said. “It’s hard to notice a difference between normal tiredness and fatigue tiredness. I really started noticing it in February after the [World Cross Country Championship Trials]. I went to the well in that race and came out really tired.”
With Oregon’s 2000 Olympic hopeful out of the picture, the favorite to win Saturday’s 5,000 is Dave Bazzi, Washington’s NCAA automatic qualifier.
The Huskies also have two more automatic qualifiers who are in good positions to win their events. Sprinter Ja’Warren Hooker is a favorite in the 100 and 200, and thrower Ben Lindsey will challenge Oregon in the discus and shot put.
But the Ducks have weapons too, and they intend to use them.
“Everybody’s hungry to do something now,” senior Howard Moore said. “As a team, we’ve been competing fair, but everyone has a lot in them left. There’s a lot of potential here.”
Moore is one Oregon athlete who competes in more than one event — the 400, 4×100, 4×400 and long jump. He has struggled with his long jump approach in college, but said he is ready to compete.
Expect Moore’s biggest contributions to happen on the track.
“This weekend I want to run better in the 400, and there’s some good competition coming in,” Moore said. “It should be a good race. Last week I got some rest, and this week I’ve been tuning up.”
Sophomore Jason Boness raised his season best in the high jump to 7 feet, 2 1/2 inches last weekend at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif. At the same meet, sophomore thrower John Bello threw the discus 180-2 on his first try, setting a new personal best.
The 4×400 relay team also ran a season best at Mt. SAC. Running on the team Saturday is Moore, long-jumper Nat Johnson, decathlete Santiago Lorenzo and midrange-distance runner Ross Krempley.
Strong performances by Oregon’s talented trio of freshmen — Foluso Akinradewo in the triple jump, Terry Ellis in the 110 hurdles and John Stiegeler in the javelin — could provide an extra boost for the Ducks.