This weekend will mark the 49th Annual East Coast Invitational. In the past it has been one of the major indoor invitationals in Virginia not only for the high school athletes but college athletes as well. It has been held in the Arena, the Coliseum, and now the Arthur Ashe Center. In recent years with the coming of the no - spike policy the meet has declined in importance. When we look back at the meet when it was in its prime we see the names of state and national high school champions, college All-Americans and future Olympians competing in the meet (not to mention quite a few of our current coaches).
At the 29th Annual East Coast Invitational in January of 1988 the East Coast Meet was in its prime. Not only did it draw some of the best in Virginia High Schools but quite a few of the major state colleges.
Penny Blackwell of Highland Springs would set the record in the long jump at 19'4 1/4". She would go on to become an All-American at UNC and come back to briefly coach at Highland Springs.
Monique Everett of Denbigh, three time indoor national champion, would win the 55 in 7.0.
Shawn Vass of Huguenot would pull off the double winning the 300 in 36.2 and the 500 in 1:06.8.
Keith Holley former Bayside HS state champion (indoor triple jump national record holder) would win the Open Long Jump in 25'5 3/4" but would lost the triple jump to current Tucker coach, Keith Witherspoon with impressive jumps of 50'5 1/2" and 49'9 1/4".
Future teammates on the World Junior record setting 4 x 100 relay would run in the 55 M dashes at the Ashe Center. Andre Cason would win the Open 55 in 6.1 and Terrance Warren of John F. Kennedy of Suffolk would run in the High School Virginia Invitational 55 Meter Dash.
The open long jump saw both former Hermitage stars, Anthony and Conelious Cousins jumping.
The Virginia Invitational Long Jump also saw future VCU athletic director Detrease Harrison jumping for Midlothian.
Future MileStat.com photographer David Fleenor would lead the distance charge of Fork Union.
He would win the 3200 in 9:35.8 over favored Andre Williams of Armstrong and then help Fork Union win the Virginia Invitational 4 x 8.
But the big surprise of the meet would be like a lot of the modern meets - a question of uniforms.
Manor High School girls would have a great meet - winning the Virginia Invitational 300 and 500 meter dashes and placing 2nd to Warwick in the Virginia Invitational 4 x 400 Relay.
But it was in the evening 55 Meter Hurdle Finals that the big surprise surfaced. With all three of the Manor hurdlers advancing through the trials and semis to make the finals It was there that they broke out their voodoo tights. Outdoor Junior National Champion, Lisa Wells, would set a meet record at 7.9, Teammates Nisha Manley (300 Champ) and Lisa Harding would place 3rd and 4th. Thank goodness the modern uniform rules had not been invented yet.
1988 East Coast Invitational Results
Va. Invitational High Jump:
Alexander Cole Armstrong 6’7”
Va. Invitational 300 Meter Dash
Shawn Vass Huguenot 36.2
Va. Invitational 500 Meter Dash
Shawn Vass Huguenot 1:06.8
Va. Invitational 3200 Meter Relay
Fork Union 8:30.7
Ben Arritt, Derek Roemer, Danny Spry, David Fleenor
Va. Invitational 55 Meter Hurdles
Arthur Jones Henrico 7.6
Va. Invitational 55 Meter Dash
Harry Hudson Dinwiddie 6.4
Va. Invitational 1600 Meter Run
John Massie Denbigh 4:32.9
Va. Invitational 3200 Meter Run
David Fleenor Fork Union 9:35.8
Va. Invitational 1000 Meter Run
Mike Gault Denbigh 2:45.1
Va. Invitational 1600 Meter Relay
Denbigh 3:35.3
Mike Jones, Lynn Chislom, Ramone Coleman, Tony Vinson
Va. Invitational Long Jump
Harry Hudson Dinwiddie 22’ ¼”
Va. Invitational Long Jump
Penny Blackwell Highland Springs *19’4 ¼”
Va. Invitational High Jump
Gina Perry Fairfax 5’2”
Va. Invitational 300 Meter Dash
Nisha Manley Manor 45.5
Va. Invitational 500 Meter Dash
Lisa Wells Manor 1:20.0
Va. Invitational 3200 Meter Relay
John Marshall 11:02.8
Sonia Easter, Rachel Chapman, Katherine Moon, Jimequa Harris
Va. Invitational 1000 Meter Run
Kara Malloy Lee-Davis 3:11.1
Va. Invitational 55 Meter Hurdles
Lisa Wells Manor * 7.9
Va. Invitational 55 Meter Dash
Monique Everett Denbigh 7.0
Va. Invitational 1600 Meter Run
Mary German Clover Hill 5:23.0
Va. Invitational 1600 Meter Relay
Warwick 4:18.2
Stephanie Coleman, Monica Greene, Alisa Payne, Kim McEachern
Va. Invitational 3200 Meter Run
Lynne Outland Douglas Freeman 11:56.4
College and Open Men
500 Meter Run
Harold Hicks Va. Union 1:09.1
Long Jump
Keith Holley Striders International 25’5 ¾”
1500 Meter Racewalk
Richard Quinn 6:18.
Feature 55 Meter Hurdles
Randal Walker Hampton Institute 7.4
55 Meter Hurdles
David Howland W & M 7.6
55 Meter Dash
James Ballard Hampton Institute 6.5
Feature 55 Meter Dash
Andre Cason Striders International 6.1
Pole Vault
Adolph Brown W & M 14’0”
Feature 500 Meter Dash
David Lizama Va Union 1:08.7
Triple Jump
Keith Witherspoon Va TC 50’5 ½”
Feature Mile
Todd Ashley Catinsville 4:24.5
High Jump
Cliff Dillard Boise State 7’ ¼”
Shot Put
Robert Lee Richmond T&F C 48’5 ½”
Feature 1000 Meter Run
Eric Lund Duke University 2:40.1
Feature 2 Mile Run
Mark Rowley Duke University 9:43.0
1600 Meter Relay
Va Union 3:33.7
College and Open Women
Long Jump
Sheila Trice Christopher Newport 18’11”
1000 Meter Run
Courtney Page Un 3:19.8
High Jump
Charlene Berry Hampton Institute 5’4”
Shot Put
Elizabeth Carroll Un 32’1”
55 Meter Hurdles
Santa Williams Hampton Institute 8.0
55 Meter Dash
Vivienne Spence Hampton Institute 6.7
Invitational Mile
Courtney Page un 5:41.2
Feature 500 Meter Dash
Vivienne Spence Hampton Institute 1:20.6
1600 Meter Relay
Christopher Newport 5:00.0