E.C. Glass and Brooke Point get team wins
Fork Union, VA -— The 16th Annual Fork Union Military Academy Indoor Track Invitational held at the Estes Athletic Center may have been smaller than last year's meet due to entry limitations, however the competition and performances were outstanding. There were 200 Milestat elite performances recorded for the day with the ladies getting 122 of them. The Fork Union staff headed by Coach Winston Brown runs a very efficient meet due to plenty of help and organization. The soft 160m track at the Estes Center provides for some very quick times and marks.Thomas Dale's Dennis Boone achieved the State's best time this year in the Boys 55m dash with a time of 6.43. Michael Chapa of J.R. Tucker came within one and a half seconds of breaking Seneca Lassiter's 11-year-old record of 4:19.96 in the 1600m as he came up a little short with a time of 4:21.50.
E.C. Glass High School out of Lynchburg won the boy's team title in convincing fashion as they scored 56 points while outdistancing Brooke Pointe with 37.5 points. Junior Carlton Phipps led E.C. Glass with a first place finish in the 500m dash in 1:07.94 and a second place finish in the 300m dash in 37.15. Michael Zajac, a fast improving junior, won the shot put with his personal best toss of 52-04.00. E.C. Glass is a very young team with deep talent, is well coached and is getting better with each meet.
Katie Doswell a junior from St. Catherine's may be one of the best and most versatile athletes in the State as she was the only female double winner. Doswell won the unusual double in the 3200m (11:09.74) and the Pole Vault (10-00.00) Both were personal records for Doswell, and I asked her what she would attribute her improvements. "Just doing what my coaches ask me to do."
The Lady Black Hawks of Brooke Point won the team title with 56 points as Chadnee Green who claimed two 2nd place medals and one first place medal led them. Green leaped to first in the triple jump with a mark of 36-07.00. Green had personal best in the 55m High Hurdles in 8:47 and the long jump with 16-09.50. Brooke Pointe's 4 x 400m team took first place in the featured relay event with a time of 4:16.54.
With the evening drawing to a close, everyone reflected on how smooth the day's events went. It looks like the Fork Union people got it right, and if you want to enter one of the best run track meets in the State, you better get your entries in early next year.