Good morning.

Everybody remains on lock down, and Gov. Tom Wolf extended the closure of schools two more weeks, but, again as a wise 16-year-old told me this year,

 

“While the chances are slim, they are never zero.”

 

So, we keep pushing forward. We are Robin Blake getting the elementary school kids back on the bus for protection from the blast of an Atom Bomb in The Dark Knights Rises. We are Jyn Urso delivering the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance in Rogue One. (Can you tell ON THE BLOG has been cooped up too long?)

We maintain hope.

So, a day after the wildly popular LTC girls preview post, which drew some Likes, but even more tears, we shall preview the boys season in a similar format.

 

PAST CHAMPIONS (Since move to four divisions in 2013)

YEAR

DIVISION I

DIVISION II

DIVISION III

DIVISION IV

2013

Valley View

North Pocono

Lakeland

Montrose

2014

Abington Heights

North Pocono

Lakeland

Montrose

2015

Valley View

Scranton

Western Wayne

Lakeland

Montrose

2016

Scranton

Wallenpaupack

Lakeland

Montrose

2017

Scranton

Wallenpaupack

Delaware Valley

North Pocono

Lakeland

Montrose

2018

Scranton

Wallenpaupack

Lakeland

Montrose

2019

Abington Heights

Wallenpaupack

Lakeland

Montrose

 

 

LTC HISTORY

 

DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS

Lakeland (30): 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Abington Heights (16): 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1990, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2019.

Dunmore (15): 1954, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2011.

North Pocono (15): 1984, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017.

Wallenpaupack (11): 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Valley View (10): 1982, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015.

Scranton Central (8): 1951, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1987.

Montrose (7): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Mid Valley (5): 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012.

Scranton (5): 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

Scranton Prep (5): 1979, 1980, 1985, 1995, 1999.

Tunkhannock (4): 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982.

Elk Lake (3): 2009, 2010, 2011.

Lackawanna Trail (3): 2005, 2006, 2007.

West Scranton (3): 1953, 1955, 1986.

Western Wayne (3): 2003, 2004, 2015.

Scranton Tech (1): 1952.

Honesdale (1): 1999.

Delaware Valley (1): 2017

 

LTC ALL-TIME EVENT MARKS

 

Events

Athlete

School

Performance

Year

100

Pat Monahan

North Pocono

10.73

2015

200

Kareem Payne

Delaware Valley

21.9

2014

400

Lionel Wilson

Honesdale

48.34

2011

800

Victor Costello

North Pocono

01:53.61

2010

1600

Tyler Wirth

Wallenpaupack

04:09.42

2019

3200

Matt Kravitz

North Pocono

09:09.34

State Champion

2016

110 Hurdles

Joby Fawcett

Lakeland

14.24

1988

300 Hurdles

C.J. Anderson

Delaware Valley

37.77

2018

400 Relay

Scranton

43.08

2018

1600 Relay

Lakeland

03:19.83

2003

3200 Relay

Wallenpaupack

07:52.33

1996

Shot Put

Matt Slagus

North Pocono

59–8.5

2017

Discus

Matt Slagus

North Pocono

187-4

2016

Javelin

Nick Solfanelli

Scranton Prep

215-8

2014

Long Jump

Lionel Wilson

Honesdale

23–7.5

2011

Triple Jump

Jacob Merrill

Montrose

47–7

2000

High Jump

Dave Warnetsky

Valley View

6–8

1995

Ky’Ron Harbin

Scranton

6–8

2017

Pole Vault

Ryan Wilkes

Valley View

16-6

State Champion

2015

 

STREAKS

 

  • Lakeland Chiefs: Have won 40 straight dual meets

 

  • Montrose Meteors: Have won 35 straight LTC Division IV dual meets

 

2019 FINAL POLL

Team

2019 Record

1

Wallenpaupack BUCKHORNS

5—0

2

Abington Heights COMETS

5—0

3

Scranton KNIGHTS

4—1

4

Montrose METEORS

5—0

5

Lakeland CHIEFS

5—0

 

2019 PRESEASON POLL

Team

1

Lakeland CHIEFS

2

Mid Valley SPARTANS

3

Wallenpaupack BUCKHORNS

4

Scranton KNIGHTS

5

Montrose METEORS

 

 


 

 

DIVISION I

 

PRESEASON FAVORITE

SCRANTON KNIGHTS

Returning:

  • Josh Christianson 12- Distance
  • Anthony Roberto 11- Distance
  • Sam Jones 11- Hurdles/Sprints
  • Morteza Hamidi 12- Distance
  • Jacob Cawley 11- Distance
  • Jetli Tang- 12- Throws
  • Devang Patel 12- Distance
  • Nino Carachillo 12- PV
  • Calvin Khamvongsa -11 Sprints
  • Korey Kruk-11-throws
  • Liam Moran-11-sprints

TOP RETURNING ATHLETE

JOSH CHRISTIANSON – SCRANTON KNIGHTS

Scranton’s Josh Christianson, left, celebrates after beating Abington Heights’ Stephen Haggerty in the 1,600-meter run.
Photo by Christopher Dolan

 

 

DIVISION II

 

PRESEASON FAVORITE

WALLENPAUPACK BUCKHORNS

 

 

 

 

 

TOP RETURNING ATHLETE

JOEY SCARFALLOTO – HONESDALE HORNETS

Honesdale’s Joey Scarfalloto.

 

 

2019 LTC COACHES ALL-STARS

DIVISIONS I-II
Track Performer of the Year
Tyler Wirth, Wallenpaupack

Field Performer of the Year
Joey Scarfalloto, Honesdale

Sprints
Patrick Redman Valley View
Darryn Ouk Delaware Valley

Hurdles
Antonio Maletta Abington Heights
Gabe Springer Wallenpaupack

Scranton Prep’s Matt Tomaine.
Photo by Christopher Dolan

Mid-distance
Matt Tomaine Scranton Prep
Johnny Barcarola Western Wayne
Jack Monte Wallenpaupack

Distance
Tyler Wirth Wallenpaupack
Josh Christianson Scranton

Throws
Bailey Loureiro West Scranton
Ryan Flynn Abington Heights
Joey Scarfalloto Honesdale

Jumps
Zakeem Quincey Vassell West Scranton
James Lynch Delaware Valley
George Ellis Scranton

Pole vault
Connor Barnes Wallenpaupack

Relays
400 Wallenpaupack
1600 Wallenpaupack
3200 Wallenpaupack

 

RETURNING ATHLETES IN BOLD

 

 

Team all-star portrait

Members of the Lackawanna League Coaches’ All-Star Division I-II boys team include, front, from left, Valley View’s Patrick Redman, Delaware Valley’s Darryn Ouk, Wallenpaupack’s Connor Barnes, Tyler Wirth and Jack Monte, Abington Heights’ Antonio Maletta, Scranton Prep’s Matt Tomaine, and West Scranton’s Bailey Loureiro. Back, from left, West Scranton’s Zakeem Quincey Vassell, Delaware Valley’s James Lynch, Honesdale’s Joey Scarfalloto, Wallenpaupack’s Gabe Springer, Scranton’s George Ellis and Josh Christianson, and Western Wayne’s Johnny Barcarola.
Photo by Jake Danna Stevens

 

 


 

 

DIVISION III

 

PRESEASON FAVORITE

LAKELAND CHIEFS

Returning: 

  • John Anzelmi 12
  • Joe Bootz 12
  • Noah Chup 12
  • Matthew Davis 12
  • Matthew Diehl 12
  • Billy Good 12
  • Joseph Jordan 12
  • Nathan Leo 12
  • Matthew McGowan 12
  • Chris Mellon 12
  • Chris Noldy 12
  • Tim Prawdzik 12
  • Zach Reeves 12
  • Robert Thomas 12
  • Nathan Vigil 12
  • Brandon Wentovich 12
  • CJ Dippre 11
  • Chase Nolan 11
  • Gino Ofcharsky 11
  • Michael Pidgeon 11
  • Robert Romanowski 11
  • Giovanni Spataro 11
  • Casey Williams 11

 

TOP RETURNING ATHLETE

CJ DIPPRE – LAKELAND CHIEFS

CLASS 2A STATE BRONZE MEDAL – DISCUS

Athlete throwing a discus

Lakeland’s CJ Dippre throws the discus at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
Photo by Sean McKeag

 

 

DIVISION IV

 

PRESEASON FAVORITE

MONTROSE METEORS

Returning:

  • Nick Coy 12
  • Dan Summerville 12
  • George Thompson 12
  • Jonathan Lyden 11
  • Henry Rogers 11
  • Gabe Wilber 11
  • Seamus Fish 10
  • DeClan Giannone 10
  • Nick Harder 10
  • Cody Leonard 10
  • Aiden Martin 10
  • Colby Starzec 10

 

TOP RETURNING ATHLETE

HENRY ROGERS – MONTROSE METEORS

Montrose’s Henry Rogers.

 

 

LTC COACHES ALL-STARS

DIVISIONS III-IV
Track Performer of the Year
Collin Chidester, Montrose

Field Performer of the Year
CJ Dippre, Lakeland

Sprints
Thomas Pidgeon Lakeland
Christian Chakiris Mid Valley
Henry Rogers Montrose

Mid Valley’s Sebastian Brudnicki

Hurdles
Collin Chidester Montrose
Gideon Dalzell Mid Valley

Mid-distance
Sebastian Brudnicki Mid Valley
Greg McDade Dunmore

Distance
Andrew Healey Holy Cross
Peyton Jones Elk Lake
Liam Mead Montrose

Throws
CJ Dippre Lakeland
Zach Rebar Mid Valley

Lakeland’s Nathan Vigil.
Photo by Jake Danna Stevens..

Jumps
Cory Bricourt Susquehanna
Bryce Collins Riverside
Ryan Mills Blue Ridge

Pole vault
Nathan Vigil Lakeland

Relays
400 Lakeland
1600 Mid Valley
3200 Mid Valley

 

RETURNING ATHLETES IN BOLD

 

Members of the Lackawanna League Coaches’ All-Star Division III-IV boys team include, front, from left, Lakeland’s Nathan Vigil, Mid Valley’s Sebastian Brudnicki, Dunmore’s Greg McDade, Mid Valley’s Christian Chakiris, Holy Cross’ Andrew Healey and Blue Ridge’s Ryan Mills. Back, from left, Montrose’s Henry Rogers, Lakeland’s Thomas Pidgeon, Mid Valley’s Zach Rebar, Lakeland’s CJ Dippre, Montrose’s Collin Chidester, Riverside’s Bryce Collins, Mid Valley’s Gideon Dalzell and Montrose’s Liam Mead.
Photo by Jake Danna Stevens

 

 


 

2019 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

 

64th JORDAN RELAYS

 

HS TRACK: 64th JORDAN RELAYS – Highlights

Posted by Joby Fawcett, The Times-Tribune on Thursday, May 2, 2019

 

15th ROBERT SPAGNA CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

HS TRACK AND FIELD: 15th Robert Spagna Championships- lengthy Highlights but worth it

Posted by Joby Fawcett, The Times-Tribune on Tuesday, May 7, 2019

 

2019 DISTRICT 2 CLASS 3A CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

HS TRACK AND FIELD: District 2 Class 3A Championships – Highlights

Posted by Joby Fawcett, The Times-Tribune on Thursday, May 16, 2019

 

2019 DISTRICT 2 CLASS 2A CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

HS TRACK AND FIELD: District 2 Class 2A Championships – Highlights

Posted by Joby Fawcett, The Times-Tribune on Wednesday, May 15, 2019

 

 


 

 

 

Riverside’s Bryce Collins.
Photo by Christopher Dolan

 

 

RETURNING ALL-REGION ATHLETES

 

 

 

Holy Cross’ Andrew Healey.
Photo by Jason Farmer