Though he never lived to see it, the annual track and field meet that bears his name surely would have made Larry Eason proud.
Eason, who coached at Snohomish High School from 1966 until his death from a brain tumor in 1987, “always had a dream to have a big invitational, but we had such crummy facilities back then,” current Panthers head coach Tuck Gionet said. “But then they built this brand-new facility, one of the best facilities around.”
Unfortunately, Gionet said, Eason “never saw the new stadium finished.” But if he could see what the meet has become since its debut in 1989, “I think he’d be tickled pink. I think he’d be proud as could be that the community of Snohomish would be able to put on such a great meet for so many kids.”
On Saturday, Snohomish plays host to the 27th annual Larry Eason Invitational with 50 teams and about 1,200 athletes expected. Many of the schools from the Puget Sound area will participate, though some will also head east of the mountains for the Pasco Invitational, one of Washington’s other large midseason invitationals every year.
Among the athletes in Snohomish this weekend will be several who likely will bid for state championships later in the spring.
“Just looking at the (qualifying) marks, I think we’re going to have very competitive fields in every event,” Gionet said. “There are some great marks across board.”
A handful of athletes from Snohomish County schools have the top marks in their classifications heading into Saturday’s meet. Among the girls are Kristi Bartz of Archbishop Murphy in the 800 meters (2 minutes, 17.0 seconds), Stanwood’s Madison Yerigan in the high jump (5 feet, 9 inches), Glacier Peak’s Annika Dayton in the pole vault (11-6, tie), and Arlington’s Justean Landis in the discus (132-6).
For the boys, the top qualifiers include Meadowdale’s Christopherson Grant in the 100 (10.90), 110 hurdles (14.06) and 300 hurdles (38.49), Archbishop Murphy’s Isaac Westlund in the 400 (48.64), Edmonds-Woodway’s Grant Whitcutt in the high jump (6-5, tie), Monroe’s Shanden Mixayphone in the triple jump (44-1), and Kamiak’s Tim Beard in the hammer (176-10).
Though other schools in Washington have added invitational meets over the years, the Eason Invite remains one of the largest and most prestigious. “It’s certainly one off the top three in the state,” Gionet said.
“Pasco might go deeper (in the number of participants),” he said. “But as far as the top marks, the ones we get at our meet are just as great as the ones they get at Pasco. So it’s really going to be a great meet to watch.”
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