Track Roundup : Freshman Sets U.S. Record in High Jump

Dennis Lewis, a 26-year-old freshman at Long Beach City College, broke Dwight Stones’ American record in the high jump Saturday, clearing 7 feet 8 inches at USC’s Cromwell Field.

Lewis, from Ypsilanti, Mich., bettered Stones’ 1984 mark of 7-8 on his second attempt, highlighting Long Beach’s 117-27 dual-meet win over Pasadena. Tyke Peacock previously held the national community college record at 7-5 3/4.

In other competition, USC defeated New Mexico (107-88), UC Irvine (126-53) and Texas Christian (126-38) to improve its record this season to 5-0. Senior Darwin Cook won the 100 meters in 10.49 seconds and the 200 in 21.10 seconds to lead the Trojans.

At Berkeley, John Frazier won the hammer throw and shotput, helping the undefeated UCLA track team outscore California, 88-75, in a dual meet.

Cal incurred its first dual-meet loss of the season after winning seven times. The Bears had a double winner in Jay Marden, who took the 1,500-meter run in 3:47.88 and later won the 5,000 in a career-best time of 14:14.49.

Frazier tossed the shot 63 feet 1 1/2 inch to edge Cal’s Dave Maggard (62-7 1/2), and he won the hammer with a throw of 193-0. The Bruins made their record 4-0 in dual-meet competition.

Other UCLA winners included Steve Kerho in the high hurdles with a time of 14.14 seconds. Cal was hurt by the absence of star hurdler Leonard Robinson, who missed the meet because of a pulled thigh muscle.

At Stanford, triple Olympic gold medalist Valerie Brisco-Hooks led the World Class Track Club to a stadium record of 43.65 seconds in the women’s 400-meter relay during the Stanford Invitational meet.

Brisco-Hooks ran the first leg, and other team members were Florence Griffith, Jeanette Bolden and Alice Brown as anchor.

UCLA had set the old record of 44.48 in 1982. The Bruin women finished second Saturday in 45.41.

In the mile relay, the same team of Griffith, Brisco-Hooks, Bolden and Brown ran a 3:38.0, failing to break the 1982 record of 3:37.5 set by the Stanford Track Club.