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Every year at this time I try to share some glimpses of the state indoor meets of the past. This time we celebrate an important anniversary - In 1982 the VHSL finally hosted the first girls indoor state championship meet. Here is a look back at the state meets on the 2's:
February 18, 1952
The VHSL sponsored the state indoor championships at Memorial Gymnasium at the University of Virginia
The meet was open to both public and private schools.
Buddy Arnold won and set meet records in three events to lead Thomas Jefferson of Richmond to its second indoor state title. Woodberry Forest placed third in the meet and was the highest placing private school.
February 10, 1962
Virginia Military Institute hosted the VHSL State Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Future Menchville coach, Jimmy Johnson, ran a 2:01.8 880 and a 4:37.0 mile setting meet records but his Norview team fell just short of Newport News who would win its 4th indoor title.
February 26, 1972
The fans at VMI would be witness to great performances by sprint stars Barney Cobb of John Marshall in the 60 and Ronald Ray of Ferguson in the 500. But it would be the double win by Jackie Smith of Menchville in the Long Jump and 60 Yard Low Hurdles that would lead Menchville to its first of six indoor state titles.
It was the first state title for Menchville and its new head coach, Steve Lewis.
February 13, 1982
377 athletes from 52 schools came to VMI for the first Virginia girls state indoor championship.
Fawn Young of Manor would register a sprint double with wins in the 55 and 300, while Andrea Volpe of Lake Braddock would pull off the distance double with wins in the 1600 and 1000.
But it would be Armstrong Kennedy of Richmond who would win the first girls state indoor title.
On the boys side future Kecoughtan coach, William Washington, would be part of the only meet record set on the boys side with Bethel’s 4 x 2 relay running 1:31.6. Ronald Coleman would win the 300 – 500 double for Denbigh. But both or their teams would come up a little short as the Ragunas twins and Ed “Dinky” Thornton would lead Menchville to its 5th indoor state team title.
February 28 & 29, 1992
The AAA State Indoor Championships are now hosted by George Mason University.
Kim Townes of Highland Springs would dominate the field events with wins in both the long and triple jumps.
Kimberly Goode of Clover Hill would pull off the distance double with wins in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs.
But Bethel would win the 1st of its six indoor state titles by dominating the sprint relays.
On the boys side it was a meet of stars and firsts.
Future NFL greats Tiki and Rhonde Barber would win the Long Jump and 55 Meter Hurdles for Cave Spring.
Two state meet firsts were also recorded at the ’92 state meet:
Jamel Green of First Colonial would become the first to go 7’0” in the high jump and Lawrence “Lojo” Johnson would be the first to go 16’0” in the pole vault.
But like the Bethel girls T.C. Williams would win the state indoor title on the strength of its wins in both the sprint relays.
March 1 & 2, 2002 George Mason University
Amy Seward of Salem would win the Long and Triple Jumps
Bethel would dominate the sprint relays winning both the 4 x 2 and 4 x 4 for the seventh time.
But despite no individual or relay champions the Lake Braddock girls would win its 7th state indoor title.
On the boys side the Hyman brothers would help lead Deep Creek to its second state indoor title and the first of four in a row.
February 18, 1952
The VHSL sponsored the state indoor championships at Memorial Gymnasium at the University of Virginia
The meet was open to both public and private schools.
Buddy Arnold won and set meet records in three events to lead Thomas Jefferson of Richmond to its second indoor state title. Woodberry Forest placed third in the meet and was the highest placing private school.
February 10, 1962
Virginia Military Institute hosted the VHSL State Indoor Track and Field Championships.
Future Menchville coach, Jimmy Johnson, ran a 2:01.8 880 and a 4:37.0 mile setting meet records but his Norview team fell just short of Newport News who would win its 4th indoor title.
February 26, 1972
The fans at VMI would be witness to great performances by sprint stars Barney Cobb of John Marshall in the 60 and Ronald Ray of Ferguson in the 500. But it would be the double win by Jackie Smith of Menchville in the Long Jump and 60 Yard Low Hurdles that would lead Menchville to its first of six indoor state titles.
It was the first state title for Menchville and its new head coach, Steve Lewis.
February 13, 1982
377 athletes from 52 schools came to VMI for the first Virginia girls state indoor championship.
Fawn Young of Manor would register a sprint double with wins in the 55 and 300, while Andrea Volpe of Lake Braddock would pull off the distance double with wins in the 1600 and 1000.
But it would be Armstrong Kennedy of Richmond who would win the first girls state indoor title.
On the boys side future Kecoughtan coach, William Washington, would be part of the only meet record set on the boys side with Bethel’s 4 x 2 relay running 1:31.6. Ronald Coleman would win the 300 – 500 double for Denbigh. But both or their teams would come up a little short as the Ragunas twins and Ed “Dinky” Thornton would lead Menchville to its 5th indoor state team title.
February 28 & 29, 1992
The AAA State Indoor Championships are now hosted by George Mason University.
Kim Townes of Highland Springs would dominate the field events with wins in both the long and triple jumps.
Kimberly Goode of Clover Hill would pull off the distance double with wins in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs.
But Bethel would win the 1st of its six indoor state titles by dominating the sprint relays.
On the boys side it was a meet of stars and firsts.
Future NFL greats Tiki and Rhonde Barber would win the Long Jump and 55 Meter Hurdles for Cave Spring.
Two state meet firsts were also recorded at the ’92 state meet:
Jamel Green of First Colonial would become the first to go 7’0” in the high jump and Lawrence “Lojo” Johnson would be the first to go 16’0” in the pole vault.
But like the Bethel girls T.C. Williams would win the state indoor title on the strength of its wins in both the sprint relays.
March 1 & 2, 2002 George Mason University
Amy Seward of Salem would win the Long and Triple Jumps
Bethel would dominate the sprint relays winning both the 4 x 2 and 4 x 4 for the seventh time.
But despite no individual or relay champions the Lake Braddock girls would win its 7th state indoor title.
On the boys side the Hyman brothers would help lead Deep Creek to its second state indoor title and the first of four in a row.
