Dual meet pits Trojans against crosstown rival
The Westwood meet will be USC's first complete team competition since March.
Steven Kim
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Sports
The USC track and field team will get a chance to see how it matches up to another elite track and field program when it competes in its first scored meet of the year on Saturday.
Not to mention the opponent is crosstown rival UCLA - with Lexus Gauntlet points on the line at the USC-UCLA Dual Meet in Westwood.
"We're going to step up the game this year," senior Lionel Larry said. "This is pretty much the start of the season, really. This is where we all get united as one and look forward from here on out."
Thus far this season, the Trojans have competed in invitationals and relay competitions, which only rank individual performance. This will be the first time the entire team will be in one place since the Trojan Invitational on March 22.
USC director of track and field Ron Allice said there was a great sense of excitement at practice in preparation for the dual meet.
"The young people in this program want to do well," Allice said. "They want to be successful. There is no lack of desire in this group."
Last year, the men's dual meet came down to the last competition, the 1,600-meter relay, which the Trojans won, upsetting the Bruins 84-79.
"A lot of people still have the feeling from last year - how great it felt to win, and we want to go out there and win it again," said Larry, who clinched last year's victory by running the anchor leg of the relay.
On the women's side, the Bruins have won 15 dual meets in a row, including a decisive 98-65 win a year ago.
But the USC track and field team is ranked fifth to UCLA's 12th, according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, so the women could break the streak this year.
Key matchups in the dual meet will be in the hurdles.
USC sophomore Shalina Clarke will challenge Nicole Leach, last year's NCAA Champion in the 400-meter hurdles for the Bruins. And USC senior Kai Kelley and UCLA junior Kevin Craddock will go head to head in the 110-meter hurdles.
The two teams could be playing for more than just bragging rights Saturday.
"The Lexus Gauntlet is on the line so [this weekend] has a lot of significance," Allice said.
The Trojans have technically clinched the Gauntlet Trophy by gaining 57.5 points, but might need some insurance and 10 points are on the line at Drake Stadium on Saturday.
Regardless of the Gauntlet points, Larry said he will put it all on the line.
"I just want to finish it out right," Larry said. "It's senior year, so I want to go out with a win. It'll be something I remember for years."
The Trojans will be without a significant member this week.
Freshman sprinter Bryshon Nellum will not compete this weekend for the Trojans and will most likely redshirt the season, Allice said.
Not to mention the opponent is crosstown rival UCLA - with Lexus Gauntlet points on the line at the USC-UCLA Dual Meet in Westwood.
"We're going to step up the game this year," senior Lionel Larry said. "This is pretty much the start of the season, really. This is where we all get united as one and look forward from here on out."
Thus far this season, the Trojans have competed in invitationals and relay competitions, which only rank individual performance. This will be the first time the entire team will be in one place since the Trojan Invitational on March 22.
USC director of track and field Ron Allice said there was a great sense of excitement at practice in preparation for the dual meet.
"The young people in this program want to do well," Allice said. "They want to be successful. There is no lack of desire in this group."
Last year, the men's dual meet came down to the last competition, the 1,600-meter relay, which the Trojans won, upsetting the Bruins 84-79.
"A lot of people still have the feeling from last year - how great it felt to win, and we want to go out there and win it again," said Larry, who clinched last year's victory by running the anchor leg of the relay.
On the women's side, the Bruins have won 15 dual meets in a row, including a decisive 98-65 win a year ago.
But the USC track and field team is ranked fifth to UCLA's 12th, according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, so the women could break the streak this year.
Key matchups in the dual meet will be in the hurdles.
USC sophomore Shalina Clarke will challenge Nicole Leach, last year's NCAA Champion in the 400-meter hurdles for the Bruins. And USC senior Kai Kelley and UCLA junior Kevin Craddock will go head to head in the 110-meter hurdles.
The two teams could be playing for more than just bragging rights Saturday.
"The Lexus Gauntlet is on the line so [this weekend] has a lot of significance," Allice said.
The Trojans have technically clinched the Gauntlet Trophy by gaining 57.5 points, but might need some insurance and 10 points are on the line at Drake Stadium on Saturday.
Regardless of the Gauntlet points, Larry said he will put it all on the line.
"I just want to finish it out right," Larry said. "It's senior year, so I want to go out with a win. It'll be something I remember for years."
The Trojans will be without a significant member this week.
Freshman sprinter Bryshon Nellum will not compete this weekend for the Trojans and will most likely redshirt the season, Allice said.
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