By Jack Pfeifer and Dave Hunter
Photos by Kim Spir  

EUGENE, Ore. – The brilliant Oregon freshman Edward Cheserek finally lost an NCAA championship race. It took one of the great races in NCAA history to accomplish it.

In the championship 5,000 meters here at the University of Oregon on Friday evening, Cheserek dueled head to head with the defending champion, his fellow Kenyan Lawi Lalang of Arizona. Off a fast early pace – 4:16 for the first 1600 – Lalang eventually took on the pacesetting role himself as one challenger after another fell to the wayside. Finally, with two laps to go, it was the two combatants left – Lalang and Cheserek – with the youngster sitting on his taller rival as Lalang pushed hard, 64, 63, a lap to go.

 With everyone recalling the spectacular closing rush Cheserek had put up two nights earlier to win the 10k, the contest seemed decided, and the hometown Oregon fans rose in celebration when Cheserek burst into the lead with 200 to go. But it wasn’t over. Lalang responded, all out. Around the turn they were side by side. A lapped runner was in the way at the top of the straight. Lalang began to move slightly ahead as Cheserek struggled to maintain his form, his arms windmilling, and the Arizona senior celebrated a few yards from the finish.

Both broke the 35-year-old meet record set by Sydney Maree of Villanova, Lalang prevailing 13:18.36-13:18.71.  “He pressed a little and made a move and I tried to keep up with him, but I couldn’t,” said Cheserek, who had been 4-for-4 in his previous NCAA championship races.

Oregon runners also finished 3^rd and 4^th, giving the host Ducks 19 points in the event for a total of 53 heading into Saturday’s final day and almost certainly locking up that team title, the first outdoor team title for the Oregon’s men’s team in 30 years. The women’s division was headed to a dramatic final-day showdown. After Day 3, Oregon had 43 points, Texas A&M 41, Florida and Texas 29.

Texas was especially hurt by the no-height by Kaitlin Petrillose, the favorite, in the pole vault, but the Longhorns came back by going 1-3-4 in the 400, as Courtney Okolo defeated the Oregon senior Phyllis Francis, 50.23-50.59. For Francis, the New York native, it was an outdoor lifetime best.

“I felt very good about today, way better than I did about the semis,” Francis said.

Another New York City runner, Alexis Panisse, was in the 800 final. Panisse, a sophomore at Tennessee, fought her way into the final by .03 in a dramatic semi, but she wound up last in Friday’s final, running 2:06.63, in a race won by the hometown favorite, Oregon’s Laura Roesler. “My game plan was to go out relaxed, go with the girls, try not to get boxed in,” Panisse said.  “But unfortunately, I did get boxed in.  Going into the second lap, everybody started pulling through and I didn’t respond like the way I wanted to.  But at least it was an opportunity to be with the great girls in the country.  It was OK.” 

Other Friday results:

Women’s steeplechase – Cornell senior Rachel Sorna (Arlington HS, Lagrangeville NY) finished 4^th for the second year in a row.   “I was in it, I tried, but I just didn’t quite have the pep in my legs,” Sorna said.  “But I put myself in it and I gave myself as good a shot as I could.  I can’t ask for more than that.” The race was won by Leah O’Connor of Michigan State in a lifetime-best 9:36.43. Sorna ran 9:46.96 while Maya Rehberg, Iona freshman, was 9^th in a PR 9:55.73.

“It was a great experience which will help me in the future,” Rehberg said.  “One more place would have been nice.  But I ran a PR so I am totally happy.”  Rehberg is returning to her native Germany for the summer. “I am going back to Germany and do the German national championships.” she said.

Men’s 400 – Brycen Spratling, the Pitt senior from upstate New York, finished 4^th in 45.49, just ahead of Najee Glass (Jersey City), Florida sophomore, 5^th in 45.63. “I felt like I was running a time trial,” said Glass, who was in Lane 8, “because I was basically all by myself.  But I just had to run my own race and that’s what I did.  Being out there all by yourself is definitely a different world.”  The race was won by Deon Lendore of Texas A&M, who held off Oregon’s Mike Berry, 45.02-45.07. In a dramatic stretch run, Berry briefly moved into the lead with 15 yards to go, then fell back at the tape.

100 meters – Remona Burchell of Alabama won in 11.25, running into a headwind. Oregon’s Jenna Prandini came from way back to get 3^rd, just ahead of Shayla Sanders of Florida and Olivia Ekpone and Jennifer Madu of Texas A&M. In the men’s race, Trayvon Bromell of Baylor won in 9.97, setting a World Junior record.

Men’s discus – Hayden Reed, Alabama freshman, won it on his final throw, throwing 205-10 to upset the defending champion, Julian Wruck of UCLA. Sam Mattis, Penn sophomore from New Jersey, finished 5^th, Eric Masington of U Conn 7^th.