Mt. SAC Relays—USC Flexes Its Speed Muscles

Norman and Benjamin combined to give USC a powerful pair of sub-45 performances in the 400. (KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT)

Torrance, California, April 19-21—The Saturday portion of the Mt. SAC Relays showcased many list-leading efforts and also provided learning lessons to those whose hibernation from the indoor to outdoor season came to an end.

A significant number of the biggest performances at Murdock Stadium came from resurging collegiate power USC.

The men kicked off the Invitational side of the meet on Saturday with a Team USA 4×1 quartet of Blake Smith, Bryce Robinson, Jeff Demps, Kyree King crossing the line in 39.36, but it would be the women’s race which followed that set the tone.

USC and Oregon provided the highlight, with the Trojan foursome of Angie Annelus, Deanna Hill, Ky Westbrook and Twanisha Terry prevailing in a school record 42.57 that made them the No. 6 school ever.

The Ducks’ Shae Anderson, Lauren Rain Williams, Hannah Waller and Venessa D’Arpino ran 42.93 and a U.S. all-star team that included Allyson Felix on the second leg finished 3rd in 42.94.

But that was just the beginning for Terry (see sidebar). After a windy 10.97 at the Power 5 Trailblazer Challenge at USC on March 24, the Trojan frosh would back that up, storming to a wind-legal (1.7) 10.99 victory 90 minutes later over San Diego State’s Ashley Henderson (11.06).

For the 19-year-old Terry, the time was not only a yearly world-leader, but also missed the American Junior Record by just 0.01.

The jubilant victor said, “Everyone was telling me, ‘If you ran 10.97, that’s 10.97, wind-aided or not,’ so I started to accept that and my goal was to decrease each meet. I came in confident, but not expecting to go 10.99. I knew I was going to run fast and hopefully PR, but I didn’t expect 10.99.”

USC fared just as well in the men’s 400. Trojans Michael Norman and Rai Benjamin trailed Olympian Gil Roberts at the 300 mark, but they poured in on down the stretch for a 1-2 finish.

Indoor WR holder Norman missed his undercover best by just 0.01 as he PRed at 44.53. Benjamin’s 44.74 PR edged Paul Dedewo’s 44.78 and Kahmari Montgomery’s 44.91 PR. Roberts faded to 6th behind Blake Leeper, who ran 45.05 with prosthetics.

USC also did well in the women’s 400, frosh Kaelin Roberts taking 0.29 off her PR in winning her section in 51.98.

The fastest section—one which may have given an important peek at the upcoming NCAA team battle between USC and Georgia—was won by Bulldog frosh sensation Lynna Irby in an outdoor PR 50.95. USC’s indoor champ, Kendall Ellis, ended up 3rd at 51.43.

That wasn’t all from Georgia, as Tara Davis won the long jump at 21-9 (6.63) against a 2.1 wind, with fellow Bulldog and reigning NCAA indoor and outdoor champion Kate Hall taking 3rd at 21-1¼ (6.43).

Georgia wasn’t finished, as American Record holder Keturah Orji triple jumped an outdoor CL 47-¼ (14.33), the No. 3 collegiate performance ever.

The Trojans were much in evidence in the women’s 100H, where Brianna Rollins-McNeal bettered her world-leading 12.62 with a stellar 12.43 over Bridgette Owens (12.79) and USC’s duo of Dior Hall (12.85 AmCL) and Anna Cockrell (12.89 =PR).

Additionally, prize Trojan frosh Chanel Brissett won a secondary section in a PR 12.94 that took the yearly World Junior lead and moved her to No. 6 American Junior ever.

In the women’s 400H, Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad shook off the rust, winning by more than a second with a solid 55.25 AL. Feeling the second half of her race needed some fine tuning, she explained, saying, “I feel like a need more racing. I will definitely be focusing on the back end next time going around. I felt my front end was good and I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to on the back end.”


MT. SAC RELAYS MEN’S RESULTS

Torrance, California, April 19-21—

(4/19—10K, HT; 4/20—1500, St, 5K)

100: I(1.0)–1. Bryce Robinson (unat) 10.07 (AL);

2. *Devin Quinn (Il) 10.12; 3. Abdullah Mohammed’ (Sau) 10.12; 4. *Cravon Gillespie (Or) 10.18; 5. **Cravont Charleston (NCSt) 10.22; 6. Chris Royster (Altis) 10.27; 7. *Mario Burke’ (Hous) 10.28.

II(0.5)–1. Ronnie Baker (Nik) 9.97 (AL);

2. Jeff Demps (adi) 10.08; 3. CJ Ujah’ (GB) 10.08; 4. *Kendal Williams (Ga) 10.15; 5. Ameer Webb (Nik) 10.19; 6. Damarcus Simpson (Or) 10.23; 7. Cameron Burrell (Hous) 10.30.

200: I(1.3)–1. Baker 20.62; 2. Robinson 20.70; 3. Quinn 20.82. II(0.4)–1. Fred Kerley (Nik) 20.48; 2. Williams 20.66.

400: 1. **Michael Norman (USC) 44.53 out PR (out AL, CL);

2. *Rai Benjamin’ (USC-Ant) 44.74 NR; 3. Paul Dedewo (Altis) 44.78; 4. *Kahmari Montgomery (Hous) 44.91 PR; 5. Blake Leeper (unat) 45.05 (with prosthetics); 6. Gil Roberts (unat) 45.47; 7. Ricardo Dos Santos’ (Por) 46.24; 8. Marcus Chambers (US) 46.38.

800: I–1. Quamel Prince (NashvTC) 1:47.32; 2. James Gilreath (TGR) 1:47.74; 3. Clay Lambourne (UtSt) 1:47.83; 4. Josh Hoey (PaHS) 1:48.72 (out AJL, HSL). II–1. Jesus Lopez’ (Mex) 1:47.07; 2. Clayton Murphy (Nik) 1:47.22; 3. Erik Sowinski (Nik) 1:47.71; 4. Sam Ellison (BAA) 1:47.90; 5. Abraham Alvarado (BYU) 1:48.05; 6. Harun Abda (OTC) 1:48.18.

1500: 1. Chad Noelle (Asics) 3:44.07.

St: I–1. **Kale Adams’ (Adams) 8:45.23; 2. Quetzalcoatl Delgado’ (Mex) 8:48.99; 3. Mauricio Ceballos’ (Col) 8:52.57; 4. Jonathan Dahlke (MtO) 8:53.36; 5. Jordan Carpenter (unat) 8:53.51; 6. Andrew Milliron (AF) 8:53.69; 7. *Craig Huff (SJSt) 8:54.39.

II–1. *Simon Grannetia’ (Port) 8:43.94; 2. Emmanuel Rotich’ (Tul) 8:45.49; 3. *Noah Schutte’ (Port) 8:47.53; 4. Jeroen D’Hoedt’ (Bel) 8:50.96; 5. Mario Bazan’ (Per) 8:51.07; 6. Sean Tobin’ (Ms) 8:53.09; 7. Austin O’Neil (unat) 8:54.08; 8. *Bailey Roth (Az) 8:55.64.

Open St: 1. Spencer Fehlberg (UtSt) 8:48.80; 2. ***Harry Ewing (Wy) 8:52.70; 3. Michael Leet (Lewis) 8:54.13.

5000: 1. Altobelli da Silva’ (Bra) 13:37.02; 2. **Amon Kemboi’ (Campb) 13:37.48; 3. *Rory Linkletter’ (BYU) 13:37.98; 4. Brian Barraza (Hous) 13:38.71; 5. *Connor McMillan (BYU) 13:38.88; 6. Diego Leon (MtSt) 13:39.89; 7. *Daniel Carney (BYU) 13:39.95; 8. *Robert Brandt (UCLA) 13:41.23; 9. Luis Vargas’ (Mex) 13:41.43; 10. Wade Meddles (RootsRP) 13:41.82; 11. Jose Esparza’ (Mex) 13:41.93; 12. Zach Zarda (KCSm) 13:43.73; 13. Bryan Kamau (Ga) 13:44.48; 14. Mario Pacay’ (Gua) 13:44.93; 15. Frankline Tonui’ (Ken) 13:45.52; 16. *Lawrence Kipkoech’ (Campb) 13:46.00; 17. Grant Fischer (CoSt) 13:47.52; 18. James Ngandu’ (Tif) 13:47.92; 19. Willie Milam (RootsRP) 13:48.70.

10,000: 1. Sid Vaughn (HudE) 28:32.06; 2. Parker Stinson (Sauc) 28:32.11; 3. Marius Vedvik’ (Nor) 28:42.15; 4. Derlys Ayala’ (Par) 28:56.39; 5. Juan Romero’ (Mex) 28:58.05; 6. Nahom Solomon (GaT) 29:07.98; 7. Per Svela’ (Nor) 29:09.03; 8. Mike Tate’ (SnUt) 29:09.36; 9. *Karim Achengli’ (NWMo) 29:09.68.

110H(1.4): 1. David Kendziera (Il) 13.47; 2. Aries Merritt (Nik) 13.49; 3. Freddie Crittenden (unat) 13.60; 4. Aaron Mallett (unat) 13.66.

400H: I–1. Jehue Gordon’ (Tri) 50.60. II–1. Shawn Rowe’ (Jam) 49.13; 2. Kendziera 49.39; 3. Khallifah Rosser (CSLA) 50.07; 4. Jordin Andrade’ (CPV) 50.10; 5. Seb Rodger’ (GB) 50.44; 6. CJ Allen (unat) 50.57; 7. Jeshua Anderson (unat) 50.96.

4 x 100: I–1. NC State 39.61; 2. Illinois 39.88; 3. Iowa 40.00. II–1. Team USA 39.36 (Smith, Robinson, Demps, King); 2. Altis 39.45 (Ujah’, Royster, Webb, Armstrong); 3. Indonesia’ 39.53; 4. Oregon 39.54; 5. Houston 39.55.

4 x 400: 1. Team USA 3:05.92; 2. Oregon 3:06.90; 3. Iowa 3:07.45.

Field Events

HJ: 1. *Keenon Laine (Ga) 7-4¼ (2.24); 2. **Darius Carbin (Ga) 7-2¼ (2.19); 3. Arturo Burgueño’ (Spa) 7-2¼; 4. *Ben Milligan (Or) 7-2¼.

PV: 1. German Chiaraviglio’ (Arg) 17-10½ (5.45); 2. tie, Logan Cunningham (unat) & Garrett Starkey (unat) 17-6½ (5.35); 4. Adam Bragg (unat) 17-6½.

LJ: 1. Jarvis Gotch (unat) 27-1¾ (8.27) (out AL); 2. Damarcus Simpson (Or) 26-0 (7.92); 3. Bryan McBride (Nik) 25-8 (7.82); 4. Ju Eun-Jae’ (SK) 25-6¼ (7.78); 5. Shotaro Shiroyama (Jpn) 25-3½w (7.71).

TJ: 1. Donald Scott (adi) 55-9w (16.99) (54-9¼/16.69); 2. Josh Honeycutt (unat) 54-½w (16.47) (52-6¾/16.02); 3. Tony Carodine (unat) 53-11w (16.43) (52-5½/15.99); 4. Chris Benard (Nik) 53-10¼ (16.41).

SP: 1. *Denzel Comenentia’ (Ga) 65-8¾ (20.03); 2. Nicholas Ponzio (USC) 62-1¾ (18.94).

DT: 1. Luke Vaughn (Mem) 204-0 (62.18); 2. Austin Droogsma (FlSt) 187-3 (57.07).

HT: 1. Alex Young (Vel) 249-10 (76.14) PR (AL) (232-1, 236-11, 244-9, 247-4, 249-10, 245-8) (70.75, 72.22, 74.61, 75.39, 76.14, 74.88);

2. Comenentia’ 249-3 (75.97); 3. Diego Del Real’ (Mex) 243-0 (74.07); 4. Sean Donnelly (Iron) 236-2 (71.98); 5. Colin Dunbar (Iron) 234-1 (71.35); 6. Conor McCullough (NYAC) 233-7 (71.21); 7. Gary Randolph (unat) 224-10 (68.54).

MT. SAC RELAYS WOMEN’S RESULTS

(4/19—10K, HT; 4/20—1500, St, 5K)

100: I(0.1)–1. Brittany Brown (Ia) 11.28; 2. **Brianne Bethel’ (Hous) 11.32; 3. *Latessa Johnson (SMU) 11.43; 4. ***Lauren Rain Williams (Or) 11.46.

II(1.7)–1. ***Twanisha Terry (USC) 10.99 (WL, AL, CL, WJL, AJL) (=10, x C; =8, x AmC; =4, =4 WJ; 2, 2 AJ);

2. *Ashley Henderson (SDi) 11.06; 3. Jenna Prandini (Pum) 11.09; 4. Aaliyah Brown (Jet) 11.15; 5. *Ariana Washington (Or) 11.17; 6. Destinee Brown (US) 11.27; 7. Ashton Purvis (US) 11.47.

200: I(2.5)–1. **Angie Annelus (USC) 23.07w; 2. Williams 23.14w; 3. Bethel’ 23.32w; 4. Jodie Williams’ (GB) 23.39w; 5. Jessica Beard (adi) 23.40w.

II(1.6)–1. Henderson 22.66; 2. Johnson 22.92; 3. Brown 23.00; 4. Deanna Hill (USC) 23.05; 5. Washington 23.31.

400: I–1. ***Kaelin Roberts (USC) 51.99 PR; 2. **Hannah Waller (Or) 52.49; 3. ***Shae Anderson (Or) 52.71; 4. *Tatum Waggoner (Az) 53.02.

II–1. ***Lynna Irby (Ga) 50.95 out PR; 2. Jaide Stepter (unat) 51.24; 3. Kendall Ellis (USC) 51.43; 4. **Makenzie Dunmore (Or) 52.05; 5. Quanera Hayes (Nik) 53.23.

800: I–1. Luisa Real’ (Mex) 2:03.08; 2. *Susan Ejore’ (Or) 2:04.53; 3. Sonia Gaskin’ (Bar) 2:05.70.

II–1. Kaela Edwards (adi) 2:01.06 (out AL); 2. Sabrina Southerland (Or) 2:01.44 (AmCL);

3. Stephanie Brown (unat) 2:01.71; 4. Deborah Rodriguez’ (Uru) 2:04.08; 5. Alethia Marrero (AzSt) 2:04.55.

1500: 1. Yui Fukuda’ (Jpn) 4:16.64; 2. Charlene Lipsey (adi) 4:16.76; 3. Dana Mecke (TxEl) 4:17.41; 4. Emily Lipari (BAA) 4:18.31; 5. Grace Barnett (Clem) 4:18.47.

St: 1. Aimee Pratt’ (GB) 9:54.16; 2. Emily Oren (Ois) 9:55.56; 3. Madeline Strandemo (Mn) 9:56.28; 4. Sarah Pease (unat) 9:57.01; 5. *Shelby Brown (Ms) 9:58.98; 6. *Cierra Simmons (UtSt) 9:59.85; 7. ***Aneta Konieczek’ (WnCo) 10:01.69; 8. **Leah Hanle’ (MtO) 10:04.82; 9. Alex Burkhart (Chico) 10:09.79.

5000: 1. **Jessica Drop (Ga) 15:38.57; 2. Ashley Maton (unat) 15:42.76; 3. Erika Kemp (NCSt) 15:43.28; 4. Muriel Paredes’ (Col) 15:43.53; 5. Chelsea Blaase (Hans) 15:44.97; 6. Claire Green (Az) 15:45.52; 7. Danielle Shanahan (unat) 15:48.73; 8. Olivia Pratt (Hans) 15:48.75; 9. Shannon Porter (unat) 15:49.66; 10. Anne-Marie Blaney (Hans) 15:51.00.

10,000: I–1. Camilla Richardsson’ (Fin) 32:39.01; 2. Gladys Tejeda’ (Per) 32:44.49; 3. Elaina Tabb (BAA) 32:47.83; 4. Vianey Rojas’ (Mex) 33:03.73; 5. Grayson Murphy (Ut) 33:17.85; 6. *Lauren LaRocco (Port) 33:18.62; 7. **Samantha Drop (Ga) 33:28.89; 8. *Angie Nickerson (SnUt) 33:34.47; 9. Grace Graham-Zamudio (CalC) 33:46.98; 10. Alexis Zeis (Mary) 33:47.44; 11. *Rachel Walny (BG) 33:48.22; 12. Rabea Schoneborn’ (AMCC) 33:49.46; 13. Karis Jochen (TxAM) 34:07.95; 14. Valerie Sanchez (CalC) 34:12.47; 15. Angelica Espinoza’ (Mex) 34:13.05; 16. **Aubrey Roberts (NWn) 34:17.48; 17. Michaela Hackett (ACU) 34:18.90; 18. Alexandria Hackett (ACU) 34:24.48; 19. Kelsey Bruce (361GTx) 34:25.16; 20. Madeline Britton (XavO) 34:28.34.

II–1. *Kelsi Lasota (MtSt) 33:51.85; 2. Hannah Dorman (Chico) 33:55.96; 3. Kari Hamilton (EnWa) 34:09.85; 4. **Madison Fruchey (SnUt) 34:19.27.

100H: I(1.9)–1. ***Chanel Brissett (USC) 12.94 (WJL, AJL) (6, 10 AJ);

2. Erica Bougard (Nik) 13.00; 3. ***Tara Davis (Ga) 13.17; 4. Ayako Kimura’ (Jpn) 13.32.

II(1.5)–1. Brianna Rollins-McNeal (Nik) 12.43 (WL, AL);

2. Bridgette Owens (unat) 12.79; 3. *Dior Hall (USC) 12.85 (AmCL); 4. **Anna Cockrell (USC) 12.89; 5. Sasha Wallace (HSI) 13.37.

400H: I–1. *Hanna Tarleton (Wa) 58.24; 2. ***Shante Robinson (USC) 58.61; 3. **Birexus Hawkins (Hous) 58.71.

II–1. Dalilah Muhammad (Nik) 55.25 (AL);

2. Gianna Woodruff’ (Pan) 56.37; 3. Cockrell 56.66; 4. Zudikey Rodriguez’ (Mex) 57.36; 5. ***De’Andreah Young (CSN) 58.08; 6. Aisha Wey (unat) 58.92.

4 x 100: 1. USC 42.57 (#6 school) (Annelus, Hill, Westbrook, Terry);

2. Oregon 42.93 (Anderson, Williams, Waller, D’Arpino); 3. All Stars 42.94 (Brown, Felix, Brown, Baisden); 4. USA Red 43.55; 5. Georgia 43.90 (Davis, Irby, Ransby, Hall); 6. USA Blue 44.91.

4 x 400: 1. Oregon 3:31.93 (D’Arpino, Waller, Anderson, Dunmore); 2. Arizona 3:37.95.

Field Events

HJ: 1. Vashti Cunningham (Nik) 6-3¼ (1.91) (out AL) (5-10, 6-0, 6-2, 6-3¼ [2], 6-5 [xxx]) (1.78, 1.83, 1.88, 1.91 [2], 1.96 [xxx]);

2. Liz Patterson (unat) 6-2 (1.88); 3. Tatiana Gusin’ (Ga) 6-2 (out CL); 4. Amina Smith (adi) 6-0 (1.83); 5. **Lily Lowe’ (Hi) 6-0; 6. Amber Melville (unat) 6-0.

PV: 1. Kristen Hixson (unat) 15-1 (4.60) (14-9 [3], 15-1, 15-5 [xxx]) (4.50 [3], 4.60, 4.70 [xxx]); 2. Kristen Brown (CVE) 14-7¼ (4.45); 3. Kortney Ross (CVE) 14-3¼ (4.35); 4. Brysun Stately (unat) 13-9¼ (4.20); 5. ***Rachel Baxter (VaT) 13-9¼; 6. *Kathryn Tomczak (AF) 13-9¼.

LJ: 1. Davis 21-9 (6.63) (=WJL, AJL);

2. Jessamyn Sauceda’ (Mex) 21-3¼ (6.48); 3. **Kate Hall (Ga) 21-1¼ (6.43); 4. Maria Londa’ (Ino) 20-11¾w (6.39); 5. Jessie Gaines (GSTC) 20-6¼ (6.25); 6. **Samiyah Samuels (Hous) 20-4¼ (6.20); 7. Kylie Price (CVE) 20-4¼w (6.20); 8. Je’Nia Sears (unat) 20-3½ (6.18).

TJ: 1. Keturah Orji (Ga) 47-¼ (14.33) (out CL) (x, 3 C) (47-¼, 46-10, f, 44-11, f, 46-0) (14.33, 14.27, f, 13.69, f, 14.02);

2. Tori Franklin (US) 46-¾w (14.04) (45-8½/13.93); 3. *Chaquinn Cook (Or) 45-7 (13.89); 4. Amber Hughes (unat) 43-10½w (13.37) (43-6½/13.27); 5. Danylle Kurywchak (unat) 42-8¾ (13.02); 6. *Aliyah Johnson’ (Ga) 42-4w (12.90); 7. Tonyecia Burks (Hous) 42-1½ (12.84).

SP: 1. Chase Ealey (unat) 56-9½ (17.31); 2. Breana Jemison (USC) 54-11¼ (16.74); 3. ***Tochi Nlemchi (SMU) 53-10¼ (16.41); 4. Gleneve Grange’ (FlSt) 52-9¼ (16.08).

DT: 1. Tarasue Barnett’ (GCan) 191-2 (58.27); 2. **Shanice Love’ (FlSt) 189-6 (57.77); 3. Ieva Zarankaite’ (FlSt) 187-6 (57.15); 4. Kayla Hopkins (Fres) 182-8 (55.69); 5. *Nora Monie (Hous) 171-6 (52.27); 6. **Kiana Phelps (Or) 171-5 (52.26).

HT: 1. Brooke Andersen (NnAz) 236-8 (72.15) (10, x A; 5, x C; 4, x AmC) (222-5, 236-8, 231-8, 228-9, f, 220-8) (67.79, 72.15, 70.63, 69.73, f, 67.27);

2. *Temi Ogunrinde (Mn) 221-3 (67.45); 3. **Emma Thor’ (VaT) 212-9 (64.85); 4. Lauren Stuart (unat) 212-7 (64.80); 5. Agnes Esser’ (Mn) 207-11 (63.38); 6. *Pavla Kuklova’ (VaT) 202-3 (61.64); 7. *Michaela Preachuk (SAl) 202-0 (61.58).

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