WSU's CJ Allen and UW's Kristina Owsinski take early season collegiate lead at USC Trojan Invite...
LOS ANGELES—Washington State’s CJ Allen (left/photo by Paul Merca) opened the 2017 outdoor campaign at Saturday’s USC Trojan Invitational at Loker Stadium on the campus of USC, running the 400 hurdles in a time of 50.43.
One day after Miles Parish of Arizona took the early season collegiate lead in that event by running 51.56 at the Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, Allen let the country know that he will be a force to contend with in June at the NCAA championships with his 50.43 clocking, just short of his lifetime best of 50.16.
Washington’s Kristina Owsinski, the 2015 Pac-12 pole vault champion and NCAA scorer, who missed all of the 2016 outdoor season with an Achilles tendon injury, won her event with a clearance of 13-11.25 (4.25m) just ahead of teammate and reigning Pac-12 champ Liz Quick, who cleared 13-3.5 (4.05m). Owsinski’s mark leads the NCAA for the time being, pending the outcome of several other meets around the country this weekend not posted on the TFRRS.org site.
At USC, the Cougars got victories from Cole Smith in the mens’ javelin (216-7/66.01m), and freshman Atina Kamasi in the women’s javelin with a toss of 155-6 (47.39m).
Washington got wins in the women’s 800, as Hannah Derby missed her personal best, going 2:07.96, and redshirt freshman Connor Morello won the men’s 800 in 1:51.39.
Other Husky winners included Chase Smith in the men’s pole vault (17-0.75/5.20m); Darhian Mills in the women’s 400 hurdles (59.82), and Casey Burns in the men’s triple jump (51-5/15.67m wind aided).
In Sacramento, Seattle Pacific’s Scout Cai finished fifth in the heptathlon at the Hornet Invitational that concluded Saturday.
Cai scored a two-day total of 4781 points, as Karolin Anders from Alaska Anchorage won with a score of 5180 points.
Teammates Brooke Benner and Geneva Lehnert finished in eighth, and ninth places, respectively with scores of 4421 and 4407.
The Falcons’ 4x100 relay team of Becca Houk, Cheryl Hong, Kyra Brannan and Lani Taylor finished fifth in a time of 47.64, as Cal won in 46.05.
Brannan finished seventh in the long jump wt a mark of 18-4.25 (5.59m) as Brooke Whitburn of Chico State won with a best of 19-2 (5.84m).
On the men’s side, the Falcons’ Peyton Harris was third in his heat of the 110 hurdles, running 15.33, and Justin Ramsey was seventh in his heat of the 400, running 51.11.
In Portland, Western Washington’s prowess in the field events powered their mens’ team to victory in the Lewis & Clark College Spring Break Open meet in Portland Saturday.
Adam Thomas in the pole vault (15-1.5/4.61m), Kevin Yates in the long jump (23-4/7.11m), Brandon Pless in the shot put (52-1.75/15.89m), and Alex Barry in the javelin (192-5/58.66m) contributes to the Vikings’ final team score of 137 points to take the men’s team title.
On the women’s side, the Vikings finished second behind Oregon State, with the Beavers scoring 177 to WWU’s 82.5, just a half-point ahead of SeattleU.
Brittany Grant won the women’s 3000 steeple for the Vikings in 11:04.36. The Vikings won the 4 x 100 relay in 48.71, and Jasmine McMullin won the triple jump at 38-10.5 (11.85m).
Saint Martin’s Deanna Avalos led a sweep of the podium in the women’s javelin with a toss of 133-7 (40.73m), with teammates Kathryn Walker (130-4) and Jona Spiller (128-8/39.22m) taking second and third.
NOTE: The sports information offices of Washington State, Washington, USC, and Sacramento State contributed to this report.
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