After annual series was paused last year due to pandemic, USC women resume dominance with seventh straight victory and 12th in past 13 years, including three collegiate-leading efforts, with Jewett helping Trojans improve all-time men’s record to 45-42 against Bruins with most lopsided win since 1968

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor/Photos by Chuck Utash

Following the first interruption in event history last year as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, the crosstown rivalry track and field dual meet involving USC and UCLA resumed Sunday at Drake Stadium in Westwood, Calif.

And just like they did before the competition’s one-year absence, the USC women continued their dominance against the Bruins, winning for the seventh consecutive meeting and 12th time in the past 13 showdowns, rallying from a 32-point deficit after six events by relying on elite sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and relays to prevail by a 93-70 margin.

The Trojans rebounded from a 42-point loss to the UCLA men two years ago to produce their most lopsided victory since 1968, completing the sweep with a 114-42 triumph.

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It marked the first time since 2018 that both the USC men and women won at UCLA. The Trojans also swept on their home track in 2015. The last time the Bruins prevailed in both matchups was 2013.

USC leads the men’s all-time series, which began in 1934, by a 45-42 margin. UCLA still boasts a 22-15 advantage in the women’s competition, which began in 1984.

The USC women achieved three collegiate-leading performances, with Isaiah Jewett also contributing one for the Trojan men, running a lifetime-best 1:45.80 to eclipse the 1978 meet record of 1:46.47 established by former USC standout Rayfield Beaton.

Jewett became the first collegiate competitor to run under 1:46 during the outdoor season and only the third in USC history, including the first since Duane Solomon in 2008.

Nicole Yeargin, Angie Annelus, Lanae-Tava Thomas and Twanisha “Tee Tee” Terry ran the fastest time in meet and Drake Stadium history by clocking 42.63 in the 4x100-meter relay, extending the USC winning streak in the event to 16 consecutive meets. The former facility record belonged to the Bobby Kersee All-Stars, with a group anchored by Allyson Felix clocking 42.65 in 2012.

Anna Cockrell lowered her own collegiate lead in the women’s 400 hurdles for USC by prevailing in 55.59, in addition to leading a sweep in the 100 hurdles by running a wind-legal 12.79.

But the most anticipated matchup of the day involved two-time NCAA Division 1 indoor 400 champion Kaelin Roberts of USC against UCLA All-American Shae Anderson, and it didn’t disappoint.

Roberts ran 51.14, the fastest outdoor time in her career, to edge Anderson in 51.16, a significant improvement from her 51.84 effort March 27 at the same venue.

Roberts is the collegiate leader in the 400 and Cockrell boasts the top mark in the 400 hurdles for USC, with Anderson ranking second in both events, including her 56.45 effort in the 400 hurdles April 8 at Drake Stadium.

Terry also eclipsed the meet record in the 100-meter dash with a wind-legal 11.09, taking down the 1998 performance of 11.11 by UCLA’s Shakedia Jones.

Roberts and Yeargin joined Kyra Constantine and Jan’Taijah Ford to set the meet record in the 4x400 relay, clocking 3:29.72 to smash the 1998 standard of 3:31.66, also belonging to USC.

The biggest bright spot for UCLA was junior Alyssa Wilson winning three events, including a meet-record 229-5 (69.94m) in the hammer throw, surpassing the 2009 mark of 226-10 (69.14m) held by USC’s Eva Orban.

Wilson also won the shot put with a 58-2.50 (17.74m) effort in the second round, in addition to throwing the discus 177-9 (54.17m) to become the only athlete representing either program to secure three victories.

Along with Cockrell, Roberts, Terry and Yeargin, USC also received a pair of wins from Temitope Ojora, who triumphed in the triple jump with a mark of 43-3 (13.18m) and edged teammate Morgan Smalls in the high jump on fewer attempts after both athletes cleared 5-10.75 (1.80m).

Smalls won the long jump with a leap of 21-0.75 (6.42m) and also took second in the triple jump with an effort of 42-8 (13.00m).

Thomas added her second victory in the 200, running a wind-aided 23.54, with USC also taking the top two spots in the 800, as Jemima Russell clocked 2:05.75 and Alyssa Brewer ran 2:06.63.

UCLA swept the women’s 1,500, 3,000 and 3,000 steeplechase events, along with Ilaria Casarotto winning the javelin by throwing 163-7 (49.86m) and Mia Cervantes clearing 13-1.75 (4.01m) to edge teammate Camryn Thomson on fewer attempts in the pole vault for the Bruins.

Paige Carter clocked 4:27.48 in the 1,500, Emma Tavella captured the 3,000 in 9:56.94 and Kira Loren was the steeplechase winner in 11:11.50 for UCLA.

Jordan Scott won the men’s long jump and triple jump for USC, in addition to placing second in the high jump. Scott had wind-legal performances of 24-2.50 (7.38m) and 52-1 (15.87m), along with clearing 5-10.75 (1.80m) to score in the high jump.

Davonte Burnett, Kenan Christon, Brendon Stewart and Nick Ramey won the 4x100 for USC in 39.92, with the Trojans also taking the 4x400 in 3:06.19, as Ramey was joined by Brian Herron, Cameron Samuel and Jewett.

Burnett won the 100 in a wind-legal 10.22, Christon captured the 200 in a wind-legal 21.17, Herron triumphed in the 400 in 46.38 and Samuel was the 400 hurdles winner in 51.00 for USC, which also had Omotade Ojora triumph in the 110 hurdles in a wind-legal 13.85.

Christian Johnson won the javelin for the Trojans with a throw of 164 feet (49.99m) and older brother McKay Johnson prevailed in the discus with a mark of 173-2 (52.79m).

Matt Katnik emerged victorious in the shot put with a sixth-round effort of 68-1.50 (20.76m) and Nathan Bultman started off the day for USC by winning the hammer throw with a performance of 231-1 (70.44m).  

George Gleason, a UCLA transfer, won the 1,500 for USC in 3:46.61. But Anthony Stone prevented Gleason from earning a distance double, edging him in the 3,000 by an 8:32.66 to 8:32.94 margin.

The only other victories earned by the UCLA men came from Marcus Mota running uncontested in the steeplechase in 9:26.61, Zaylon Thomas earning a 6-6.75 (2.00m) clearance in the high jump and Kyle Brown clearing 16-9.25 (5.11m) on his third attempt in the pole vault.