For the first time in 22 years, Oregon St. scored points in the men's Pac-10 Track and Field Championship meet Saturday when Obum Gwachum and Jordan Bishop, both receivers on the football team, placed in the high jump.
Gwacham placed fourth after clearing 7' 1 ½", and earning five points, and Bishop added another 1.5 points, with a tie for seventh at 6' 10 ¼".
Both Gwacham and Bishop's marks qualify them for the NCAA West Regional in Austin, Texas May 27-29.
Keynan Parker and Markus Wheaton also competed for Oregon St. in the conference meet at the University of California's Goldman Field in Berkely. Parker placed 23rd. in the 100 Meters, and Wheaton 16th. in the 200.Oregon swept the meet, with the men winning solidly by 12.5 points over USC, 168.5 to 156, and the Duck women nearly lapping the competition, scoring 215 points that left Arizona in the dust, in second with 109 points.
Oregon St. redshirt sophomore Laura Carlyle improved on her school record for the second time in a week in the women's 1,500 meters in her Saturday qualifying run, but neither her nor Casey Masterson placed well enough to score in the finals.
None of the OSU women scored at the conference meet.
Oregon's men's total was bolstered by their football team as well, with running back LaMichael James placing sixth overall in the qualifying heats, and fifth in the finals. James and Kenjon Barner were also two of four members of the Oregon 4x100 meter relay team, which finished fourth.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com