A strong night for Brookville

By Ted Allen

Published: May 2, 2008

Many of the area’s brightest track and field stars came out and shined brightly Friday night at Brookville for the second Lynchburg Elite Invitational. It was run on the newly dedicated John O. Vasvary Track & Field Facility, named for Brookville’s retiring athletic director.

“That caught me off guard,” said Vasvary, who coached track and field at Brookville from 1971-77 and served as its AD from 1994 to the present. “I told them I was glad it wasn’t named the (Vasvary) memorial track.”

The invitational, which draws athletes from area public and private schools of all classifications, will also bear his name starting next spring.

Many of the Bees made lasting memories on a beautiful day, with several individuals and relay teams recording Group AA state meet times, including both the boys and girls 400 relay teams.

“It was really competitive to the last events,” Bees coach Ramsey Moore said. “Everybody wanted to run fast times to qualify for state so it was fun.”

Brookville’s Chad Mason held off a strong wind and Liberty’s Ryne Bollinger to win the 400 in 50.42, minutes after running a leg of the runner-up 400 relay.

“It was a headwind and it came on really hard on the last curve,” Mason said. “That really slowed us down. I just had to keep pumping my arms and keep my body moving because I was about to give up on the last 100.”

Janel Reeves ran the first leg of Brookville’s winning 3,200 girls relay and anchored the 1,600 relay after winning the 800.

Heritage sprinter Shawn Sutton had a big day, beating Staunton River’s Geary Cunningham in the 100 in 11.06 before pulling away to take the 200 in 23.77.

“I had to come out hard out of the blocks and I tried to pull it out in the last 100 meters,” said Sutton, who also anchored the Pioneers’ 400 relay, sprinting past the Bees. “They had us by about 10 meters and I caught up and won by about 10 meters.”

E.C. Glass senior Daniel Inge, who has been nursing a hamstring injury since the Amherst Invitational two weeks ago, set a new PR and school record by clearing 16 feet, 4¾ inches in the pole vault on his first attempt.

“I’ve been waiting for a meet like this,” Inge said. “I always jump well here. You can get on the bigger poles and go for PRs.

“My consistency’s been a big thing. I’ve jumped 15-6 or higher in every meet this season so far.”

Staunton River’s James Bell came in second with a PR of 14-6.

LCA’s Josh Morris swept the 1,600 and 3,200, breaking his school record in the 1,600.

“The last lap was my fastest,” said Morris, who ran a 1:04 over the final 400 to finish in 4:32.42 and won the 3,200 in 9:58.75.

Appomattox’s Michael Chambers, who will join former teammate Raschad Kelso on Radford’s track and field team, nipped teammate Will Morgan (43-4½) in the triple jump by leaping 43-8¼.

Jefferson Forest’s Kelsey Shelton won the high jump by clearing 5-4, edging Brookville’s Talisha Watts who also qualified for the state meet at 5-2.

Brookville’s Ethan Nixon won the 110 high hurdles in a season-best time of 14.46, but may have aggravated a hamstring injury and pulled out of the 300 hurdles.

Staunton River’s Sarah Witt won both the 100 high hurdles, in a PR of 15.25 seconds, and the 300 intermediate hurdles by more than three seconds in 46.27. She also PR’d and qualified for state by clearing 8-9 in the pole vault.

Amherst’s Shawna Kyle finished first in the long jump (16-8) and teammatea Candace Davis won the triple jump (35-3). “I didn’t stutter when I got to the board,” Davis said. “I just ras as fast as I could down the runway and ran through the board.”

Brookville’s Candace Lewis won the 200 in 26.56 before Heritage’s Amanda Wimbush took the 400 in 1:00.95.

Heritage thrower Kim Jones broke her season PR by more than a foot in winning the shot put with a heave of 39-8, the closest she’s gotten to 40 feet since her sophomore year.

“It was a good day for discus and shot,” Jones said.

Mary Grace Lemon benefited from a gusty wind blowing out to set three PRs in winning the discus with a Group AAA state qualifying final heave of 114-5.

“I got really excited for the competition today,” she said. “I just want to keep getting better. My coach said when the wind was blowing really hard to throw it.”