Reginald Hill

The Virginia Beach Flames Invitational this past weekend had some of the best high school performances in the summer track season so far this year with numerous noteworthy marks and times in the intermediate boys and girls as well as young men and women divisions.   Booker T. Washington junior DeShana Briggs (pictured left by John Herzog), who has struggled in the past with her consistency in the high jump as well as performing well in state competition, seems to be correcting that now after being a non factor at the AAA State Indoor Meet despite clearing 5'8" two occassions before the season.  Briggs cleared 5'8" in two early season outdoor meets and returned back to her season best height at the AAA State Championships to place third in the event.   Much of the higher expectations which were placed on Briggs this year were due in large part to a clearance of 5'10" last summer at the AAU State Meet. Well she is back in top form again after this weekend with her second clearance ever at 5'10". With the likes of multiple state champion Ashley Gatling and Nike Outdoor Nationals champion April Sinkler graduating, the expectations will once again placed on Briggs to win a state championship after another 5'10" clearance to tie Gatling as a state leader for the year.

Gus Lacy Track Classic Highlights: Light rain and cool temperatures throughout the day did not keep the Gus Lacy Track Classic from being another classic held at Fork Union. The meet featured a US #6 4x800 performance by the Forest Park boys at 7:55.37, thrilling finishes in all three boys distance races, and the Manchester boys showing their strength outside of an injured Anthony Chesson. Complete results are posted with performances entered. Pictured left by David Fleenor: Manchester senior Reggie Hill picked up the slack in Chesson's absence with wins in the 100 and 200 meter dash and a dramatic come from behind anchor leg on the 4x100 to give the Lancers the win.   Gus Lacy Track Classic - Video Clips - All running events except for 4x400's. Gus Lacy Track Classic - Miles Photo Gallery - 1228 photos total by Brandon Miles. Gus Lacy Track Classic - Fleenor Photo Gallery - 151 photos total by David Fleenor.

The East Coast Invitational continues to be one of the longest standing high school indoor invitationals in the state of Virginia as well as the country and continues to bring in some of the state\'s best talent. The first East Coast Invitational was held in 1960 and this year\'s meet will be the 48th annual. The meet use to be hosted inside the Richmond Coliseum on a wooden banked track before moving over to the Arthur Ashe Center in 1983. The 2007 edition of the East Coast Invitational will feature Shanneka Claiborne, Aramis Massenburg, Rachel Butler, and Anthony Chesson as some of the state\'s top athletes in the meet with the Manchester boys and Midlothian girls as the top teams attending.

The meet was off to a flying start on Friday in the first day of events at the Christopher Newport University High School Showcase in Newport News. There were three US top five performances recorded during the event and several state leading performances also posted.