HS TRACK AND FIELD: Lackawanna Track Conference Girls Individual Champion — The Relays

This spring, as active high school sports stopped, ON THE BLOG decided to do some research. History has always interested me when it comes to high school sports. I do, of course, hate being asked who is the greatest of all time, because there are just too many factors. Era, running surfaces, training, timing systems, coaching have all improved even in single year increments.

What I always tell people about track and field is:

• The clock and tape measures don’t usually lie

• You know greatness when you see it.

What makes the LTC championships so unique is that there is no separation for classifications in the races, which is not how the district or state champions are determined.

So, with this being a week where we normally would crown the latest Lackawanna Track Conference individual event and team champions, let’s take a look at the past champions.

DISCLAIMER: Track and field media coverage was hardly a priority way back when, so gathering first names became the most daunting challenge of this project. If there are any missing in the lists, and you know who said person is, please let us know.

REMINDERS

• The LTC sponsored a partial conference championship meet for girls in 1978.

• Each LTC team was allowed ONE entrant per event from 1978 to 1989.

• Races were converted to meters following the 1982 season and all records were retired.

• The LTC conference meet was put on hiatus following the 1989 season due to a PIAA rule and all meet records were RETIRED.

• The LTC conference meet returned in 2005 with Fully Automatic Timing and new meet records were established.

• The LTC conference meet was dedicated to Robert Spagna that same season

• Champions for Class 3A and Class 2A were crowned starting in 2005.

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE: 

MONDAY: The Hurdles

TUESDAY: The Sprints and Dashes

WEDNESDAY: The Distance

THURSDAY: The Throws

FRIDAY: The Jumps and Pole Vault

SATURDAY: The Relays

THE RELAYS

440-yard Relay
1978 Abington Heights 53.5 (meet record)
1979 Tunkhannock 54.1
1980 Valley View 53.9
1981 Scranton Prep 54.3
1982 Valley View 53.0 (meet record – retired)
400-meter Relay
1983 Valley View 53.5
1984 Carbondale Area 52.2 (meet record – retired)
1985 North Pocono 53.4
1986 North Pocono 54.6
1987 North Pocono 53.8
1988 Dunmore 54.5
1989 North Pocono 53.9
2005 Scranton 50.80 (meet record)
2006 Delaware Valley 50.80 (meet record)
2007 No event (Rain)
2008 Abington Heights 49.40 (meet record)
2009 Montrose 50.76
2010 Abington Heights 50.09
2011 Abington Heights 51.08
2012 Western Wayne 50.95
2013 Montrose 51.00
2014 Abington Heights 50.62
2015 Abington Heights 51.39
2016 Wallenpaupack 51.78
2017 Wallenpaupack 50.55
2018 Dunmore 51.25
2019 Scranton 50.51

Total champions Abington Heights (5); North Pocono (4); Dunmore (2); Montrose (2); Scranton (2); Wallenpaupack (2); Carbondale Area (1); Delaware Valley (1); Valley View (1); Western Wayne (1).

Two-mile relay
1978 Abington Heights 10:55.1
1979 Abington Heights 10:36.7
1980 Abington Heights 10:20.4 (meet record – retired)
1981 Carbondale Area 10:36.6
1982 Abington Heights 10:31.3
3200-meter Relay
1983 Abington Heights 10:43.2 (meet record)
1984 Carbondale Area 10:35.3 (meet record)
1985 North Pocono NTA
1986 Honesdale 10:26.4 (meet record)
1987 North Pocono 10:27.7
1988 Wallenpaupack 10:30.7
1989 North Pocono 10:20.5 (meet record – retired)
2005 Abington Heights 10:05.90 (meet record)
2006 Abington Heights 9:58.31 (meet record)
2007 Abington Heights 9:52.40 (meet record)
2008 Abington Heights 10:04.59
2009 Abington Heights 9:54.74
2010 Abington Heights 9:56.50
2011 Wallenpaupack 10:06.34
2012 Wallenpaupack 9:41.25 (meet record)
2013 Abington Heights 9:42.69
2014 Abington Heights 10:05.84
2015 North Pocono 9:53.89
2016 Wallenpaupack 9:49.62
2017 Abington Heights 9:58.18
2018 Wallenpaupack 9:49.39
2019 Abiington Heights 9:57.49

Total champions Abington Heights (11); Wallenpaupack (5); North Pocono (4); Honesdale (1); Carbondale Area (1).

Mile relay
1978 Abington Heights 4:23.20 (meet record)
1979 Abington Heights 4:27.00
1980 Valley View 4:20.9 (meet record – retired)
1981 Carbondale Area 4:24.8
1982 Carbondale Area 4:23.7
1600-meter Relay
1983 Carbondale Area 4:22.9 (meet record)
1984 Carbondale Area 4:23.0
1985 Carbondale Area 4:27.4
1986 North Pocono 4:20.3 (meet record – retired)
1987 North Pocono 4:24.7
1988 Riverside 4:20.8
1989 North Pocono 4:27.5
2005 Abington Heights 4:07.88 (meet record)
2006 Abington Heights 4:10.79
2007 No event (Rain)
2008 Abington Heights 4:03.15 (meet record)
2009 Blue Ridge 4:06.49
2010 Honesdale 4:09.99
2011 Honesdale 4:05.73
2012 Honesdale 4:03.15
2013 North Pocono 4:05.48
2014 North Pocono 4:03.75
2015 Lakeland 4:06.14
2016 Lakeland 4:08.64
2017 Wallenpaupack 4:06.85
2018 Wallenpaupack 4:05.30
2019 Western Wayne 4:08.86

Total champions North Pocono (5); Abington Heights (3); Carbondale Area (3); Honesdale (3); Lakeland (2); Wallenpaupack (2); Blue Ridge (1); Riverside (1); Valley View (1); Western Wayne (1).