Jeffries Sparks CSUN Track Effort

Some of the winning marks were unimpressive and not all of the teams were at full strength, but the significance of Saturday’s quadrangular track and field meet involving host Cal State Northridge, USC, Stanford and UC Irvine was not lost on Matador senior Tyrone Jeffries.

Jeffries, a seven-time NCAA Division II All-American during his first three years at Northridge, redshirted last season. And although he admits that his mental approach is rusty after the layoff, he won the 110-meter high hurdles and the 400 intermediates to lead Northridge to a second-place finish in the men’s meet.

Stanford won with 79 points, followed by Northridge (67 1/2), USC (27) and Irvine (21 1/2).

In dual-meet scoring, Northridge defeated USC (92-60) and Irvine (95-58) and lost to Stanford (77-76). The Cardinal was the 12th-ranked dual-meet team in the country last season.

Double winners Chryste Gaines (100, 200) and Debra Malueg (shotput, discus) also led Stanford to victory in the women’s meet with 67 points. USC was second with 49 points, followed by Irvine (40) and Northridge (29).

Northridge also suffered losses to Stanford (80-54), USC (78-63) and Irvine (77-64) in dual-meet scoring. The Matadors were without the services of standout distance runner Darcy Arreola, who was ill.

“You can’t get too hung up on times this early in the season,” said Jeffries, who ran 14.1 seconds in the high hurdles and 54.11 in the intermediates. “Coming out to perform is what counts. Putting it all out on the table and seeing how fast you are capable of running is what counts.”

Jeffries also ran the third leg on CSUN’s 400-meter relay team, which finished second in 40.3, and the first leg on the mile-relay team, which placed third in 3 minutes 20.04 seconds. “I’m there physically,” he said, “but I’m still trying to get all the way back mentally. I’m still a couple of weeks away.”

Northridge won five other events. Junior Ryan Vierra posted a personal best of 189 feet 10 inches in the hammer throw and sophomore Garrett Noel won the javelin at 216-3.

Vierra, a transfer from Modesto College, moved to sixth on the all-time Northridge list.

In addition, Dave Swanson, a forward on the Matador basketball team, and Sherdrick Bonner, an outside hitter on the volleyball squad and quarterback on the football team, tied for first in the high jump by clearing 6-10 3/4.

Wes Dunston won the 100 in 10.82 and Jeffrey Dunn won the shotput at 50-9 1/4.

Kim Young finished second in both the 100 (14.20) and 400 (1:04.47) low hurdles for the Northridge women.