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Once again, the Oregon St. men's track and field team comprised of football players will take to the track this year, with their first action coming tomorrow.
5 Beaver football players will accompany the OSU women's team, and compete in the sprints and jumps at the University of Washington Preview indoor track and field meet Saturday in the Dempsey indoor facility next to Husky Stadium.
Those participating include WRs Victor Bolden, Stevie Coury, and Walter Jones and CB Malcolm Marable in the 60-meter dash, and WR turned DE Obum Gwacham in the high jump. Jones will also compete in the long jump, the event he tied for the 3rd best mark in the country in high school in Redlands, CA, when he leaped 24 ' 11.75".
Results:
Jones and Gwacham took second place finishes in the long and high jump events.
Jones jumped 7.27 meters (23' 10.25") twice in the 3rd flight of the long jump, which held up for 2nd place, behind unattached jump specialist Norris Frederick, who reached 7.88 meters, 25' 10.25" on his first jump, and only took one other run.
Gwacham cleared 2.14 meters, 7' .25" on his first attempt at that height, which tied for second with Evergreen St.'s Anthony Johnson for 2nd place, behind Mike Mason of Valley Royal Track Club, who won with a jump of 2.19 meters, 7' 2.25".
Oregon St. didn't claim any spots in the finals of the 60 meter sprint, though Coury won heat 14, with a time of 7.01, which tied him for 13th with USC's Davonte Stewart. Jones cranked out a 7.00 in heat 1, which was only good for 3rd place, but wound up 12th in the field of 71.
Marable placed 3rd in heat 13, with a time of 7.10, which placed 27th.
Bolden was a scratch.
The top 8 times advanced to the finals, which USC's Aaron Brown won with a time of 6.59, edging fellow Trojan Beejay Lee, who turned in a 6.63. They were also the 2 fastest in the preliminary heats, as USC placed 4 in the top 13, and missed having a 3rd finalist by 2/100 of a second.
Considering most of the competition are year-around track specialists, it wasn't a bad job at all for the Beaver "second sport" guys.
Andy_Wooldridge@yahoo.com