Husky Men, Women Dunk Ducks In Track -- Men Last Beat Ducks In '74

Usually, the only way a Washington track coach gets wet against Oregon is by forgetting his umbrella.

Yesterday, it was different. The UW men threw Coach Ken Shannon into the steeplechase water pit in Husky Stadium after beating the Ducks 84-79.

UW women's Coach Orin Richburg didn't get dunked, but his smile matched Shannon's as the Husky women won 73-63 by finishing 1-2 in the triple jump, the final event of the afternoon.

The UW men's victory was the first since 1974 in a dual meet against Oregon. The Ducks hadn't lost any dual meet since 1985, when Washington State beat them. Last year, in Eugene, the Ducks mauled the Huskies 132-31.

The Husky women hadn't beaten Oregon since 1977, the year of the first dual meet between the schools.

``It's a big, big win for us,'' said Shannon, who quickly agreed with the assessment that the meet represents a breakthrough in UW track.

A key event for the Huskies was the 5,000 meters, which the Ducks traditionally have owned. The UW's Adam Leahy won the race in 14 minutes, 6.26 seconds and teammate Bruce McDowell finished second in 14:06.85. Oregon's Peter Fonseca faded to third in 14:08.81 as the small crowd estimated at 700 cheered on the Huskies.

A Husky 1-2-3 finish in the high jump, led by Rick Noji's winning leap of 6 feet 11, added nine points late in the meet. The Huskies then went 1-2 in the discus, with Pat Feider winning in 185-10.

Four Husky football players emerged from a morning grid practice to contribute points. Dana Hall won the 110-meter hurdles in 14.02, ran on the winning 4x100-meter relay team and finished third in the 100 in 10.76 behind two Idaho runners to earn another five points in the dual standings against Oregon.

(Idaho's Pat Williams won the 100 and 200 with teammate Eric Haynes second in each event. The Husky men beat Idaho 136-26 and the Husky women beat the Vandals 115-19.)

Orlando McKay ran on the winning 4x100-meter relay and was third behind the Idaho duo in the 200.

``I was tired as soon as I started the race,'' said McKay to a trainer after the 200.

McKay was expected to run the 4x400 relay but coaches pulled him and Beano Bryant out of it. Oregon won the relay. Bryant was third in the 400, won by UW basketball player Brent Merritt in 47.88.

Steve Jones ran on the winning 4x100 relay and was fifth in the 100.

In a battle of two of the nation's top javelin throwers, Oregon's Art Skipper, who had been sidelined with a groin injury, threw 236-3 to beat Husky Darryl Roberson, who tossed 233-2.

The workhorse in the women's meet was senior Angie Tasker, who competed in six events. The record-setter was senior hurdler Joyce Schweim, who set meet records in winning the 100-meter hurdles in 13.69 and the 400 hurdles in 60.56. Tasker and Schweim both ran legs on the victorious 4x100 relay team.

Tasker won the 400 in 56.19, was second in the triple jump (37-3 3/4), third in the long jump (19-0 1/2), third in the 200 (25.24) and also ran on the losing 4x400 relay.

``I knew we hadn't beaten them in a long time and that gave us a lot of incentive,'' said Tasker.

The dramatic triple jump was won by the Huskies' Celia Willis, who went 37-7 1/4.

A key victory early in the meet was by Husky discus thrower Sandy Whitlock, who transferred to the UW after leaving the Duck squad last season after a disagreement with coaches. When she transferred, Oregon coaches waived the rule requiring her to sit out a year, a decision that came back to bite them yesterday.

Bill Dellinger, Oregon men's coach, said he was disappointed with the loss but added, ``If you can look at it philosophically, it probably is good for track and field. A year ago, we were being viewed as the big bullies beating up on everybody.''