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:
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The clock and tape measures don’t usually lie
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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
- ON THE BLOG only looked back to the 1950 season. The championship meet was held for several years before that, however, with only the four schools participating the research capped at a look back at 70 seasons.
- The LTC championship meet was dedicated to James McCutcheon in 1967.
- Each LTC team was allowed ONE entrant per event from its inception 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 DISTANCE
880-yard
1951 Bob Giumento (Dunmore) 2:08.0 (meet record)
1952 Art Hubbard (Scranton Tech) 2:04.0 (meet record)
1953 John Godek (West Scranton) 2:06.5
1954 John Godek (West Scranton) 2:02.4 (meet record)
1955 Martin (Dunmore) 2:10.3
1956 John Chisdak (Central) 2:15.7
1957 Mike Ferraro (Central) 2:08.8
1958 Mike Ferraro (Central) 2:03.9
1959 Tom O’Hara (Central) 2:11.2
1960 Tom O’Hora (Central) NTA
1961 Joe Castrogiovanni (Dunmore) 2:10.9
1962 Neil Altieri (West Scranton) 2:11.6
1963 Ed Puchalski (Dunmore) 2:13.3
1964 Ed Puchalski (Dunmore) 2:08.8
1965 Brian Egan (Abington Heights) 2:13.1
1966 Jim Keisling (Abington Heights) 2:07.7
1967 Ben Matthews (Abington Heights) 2:07.4
1968 Kevin Creegan (Abington Heights) 2:07.6
1969 Bob Liptock (Central) 2:04.8
1970 Kim Baxter (Abington Heights) 2:09.7
1971 Rich Papperman (Abington Heights) 2:08.3
1972 Tom McDonald (Dunmore) 2:07.1
1973 Matt Egnatovich (Carbondale Area) 2:10.9
1974 Charlie Demarest (Scranton Tech) 2:02.8
1975 Pat Connors (Central) 2:01.9 (meet record – retired)
1976 Joe Burgio (Lakeland) 2:02.8
1977 Ray Miller (Central) 2:07.0
1978 Bob Merenich (Scranton Prep) 2:04.2
1979 Bob Fitch (Tunkhannock) 2:01.6
1980 Mark Merenich (Scranton Prep) 2:04.8
1981 Mark Merenich (Scranton Prep) 2:05.1
1982 John Pittman (Abington Heights) 2:05.0
800-meter
1983 John Pittman (Abington Heights) 2:01.2 (meet record)
1984 Ken Sevensky (North Pocono) 2:01.1 (meet record – retired)
1985 Bob Kropienicki (Lakeland) 2:01.2
1986 Todd Millett (Abington Heights) 2:04.1
1987 Kevin Donovan (West Scranton) 2:03.2
1988 Steve Raguckas (North Pocono) 2:04.6
1989 Bill Wright (North Pocono) 2:06.2
North Pocono’s Victor Costello.
2005 Ayden Fiorelli (Honesdale) 2:01.58 (meet record)
2006 Kyle Pepson (Lakeland) 1:59.57 (meet record)
2007 No event (Rain)
2008 Victor Costello (North Pocono) 2:00.71
2009 Victor Costello (North Pocono) 1:59.27 (meet record)
2010 Victor Cosetllo (North Pocono) 1:57.65 (meet record)
2011 Brandon Bednash (Valley View) 2:00.12
2012 Cory Capooci (Valley View) 2:03.38
2013 Rico Galassi (Holy Cross) 1:58.21
2014 Mark Arzie (Lakeland) 1:59.35
2015 Matt Kravitz (North Pocono) 1:58.15
2016 Andrew Lopez (Scranton) 1:58.22
2017 Tyler Wirth (Wallenpaupack) 1:57.15 (meet record)
2018 Tyler Wirth (Wallenpaupack) 1:59.23
2019 Jack Monte (Wallenpaupack) 2:00.08
Wallenpaupack’s Tyler Wirth.
Mile
1950 Bob Sweeney (Central) 4:47.2 (meet record)
1951 Joe Wilson (Dunmore) 4:49.0
1952 Art Jackson (Scranton Tech) 4:52.0
1953 Dave Brown (Dunmore) 4:58.4
1954 John Godek (West Scranton) 4:44.3 (meet record)
1955 Jenkins (West Scranton) 4:45.9
1956 Vince Augelli (West Scranton) 5:02.8
1957 Jerry Richards (Dunmore) 4:59.5
1958 Bob Chievers (West Scranton) 4:50.0
1959 Andy Roseweir (West Scranton) 5:05.0
1960 Warren Dittfield (Scranton Tech) 5:20.5
1961 Joe Castrogiovanni (Dunmore) 5:12.0
1962 Neil Altieri (West Scranton) 4:52.1
1963 Dennis Wolff (Dunmore) 4:57.3
1964 Ed Puchalski (Dunmore) 5:00.1
1965 Mike Creegan (Abington Heights) 4:57.9
1966 Frank Tilley (Abington Heights) 4:41.8
1967 Ed Juba (Dunmore) 4:50.7
1968 Jim Aulisio (Old Forge) 4:41.2
1969 Kim Baxter (Abington Heights) 4:47.0
1970 John Toth (Central) 4:45.8
1971 Tom McDonald (Dunmore) 4:40.7 (meet record)
1972 Tom McDonald (Dunmore) 4:51.7
1973 Harry Quinlan (Central) 4:41.4
1974 Charlie Demarest (Scranton Tech) 4:33.2 (meet record)
1975 Mike Smith (Scranton Tech) 4:46.5
1976 Mike Smith (Scranton Tech) 4:35.6
1977 Mike Quinlan (Central) 4:36.5
1978 Bob Merenich (Scranton Prep) 4:40.0
1979 Jeff McLaughlin (Abington Heights) 4:34.6
1980 Tom Richardson (Tunkhannock) 4:37.3
1981 Tom Virbitsky (Lakeland) 4:33.0 (meet record – retired)
1982 Joe Cresko (Tunkhannock) 4:35.6
1600-meter
1983 Jay McLaughlin (Abington Heights) 4:29.7 (meet record – retired)
1984 Ken Sevensky (North Pocono) 4:40.0
1985 Cooper Altmiller (Lakeland) 4:39.7
1986 Sandy Newhart (North Pocono) 4:44.5
1987 Frank John (Abington Heights) 4:41.52
1988 Denny Engles (North Pocono) 4:44.30
Lakeland’s Mark Bucklaw.
1989 Pat Monaghan (Honesdale) 4:36.10
2005 Kevin Sives (Wallenpaupack) 4:30.35 (meet record)
2006 Mark Bucklaw (Lakeland) 4:38.35
2007 Mark Bucklaw (Lakeland) 4:28.66 (meet record)
2008 Victor Costello (North Pocono) 4:33.43
2009 Peter Frein (Scranton Prep) 4:37.34
2010 Jordan Siddons (Valley View) 4:34.56
2011 Sean Burke (Abington Heights) 4:36.86
2012 Rico Galassi (Holy Cross) 4:19.19 (meet record)
2013 Rico Galassi (Holy Cross) 4:22.26
2014 Matt Kravitz (North Pocono) 4:32.01
2015 Matt Kravitz (North Pocono) 4:19.74
2016 Matt Kravitz (North Pocono) 4:24.02
2017 Tyler Wirth (Wallenpaupack) 4:20.58
2018 Tyler Wirth (Wallenpaupack) 4:14.13 (meet record)
2019 Tyler Wirth (Wallenpaupack) 4:31.36
Holy Cross’ Rico Galassi.
Two-mile
1965 Dave Hobbs (Abington Heights) NTA
1966 Dave Hobbs (Abington Heights) 10:43.5 (meet record)
1967 Harry Thomas (Abington Heights) 10:46.2
1968 Steve Johnson (Abington Heights) 10:30.5 (meet record)
1969 Fred Phaler (Dunmore) 11:07.3
1970 Jerry Coyne (West Scranton) 10:42.3
1971 Rick Gallagher (Abington Heights) 10:55.4
1972 Tony Nardella (Abington Heights) 10:33.7
1973 Tony Nardella (Abington Heights) 10:25.3 (meet record)
1974 Pat Connors (Scranton Tech) 10:08.4 (meet record)
1975 Mike Smith (Scranton Tech) 10:19.8
1976 Mike Smith (Scranton Tech) 9:55.8 (meet record)
1977 Mike May (Central) 10:18.6
1978 Jeff McLaughlin (Abington Heights) 10:28.1
1979 Tom Richardson (Tunkhannock) 9:57.3
1980 Tom Richardson (Tunkhannock) 9:49.5 (meet record – retired)
1981 Tim Holmes (Scranton Prep) 9:57.3
1982 Bill Burke (Scranton Prep) 10:02.6
3200-meter
1983 Jay McLaughlin (Abington Heights) 10:08.2 (meet record – retired)
1984 Ken Sevensky (North Pocono) 10:12.7
1985 Chris Heaton (Honesdale) 10:22.5
Elk Lake’s Luke Jones.
1986 Paul Fox (West Scranton) 10:19.9
1987 Frank John (Abington Heights) 10:12.5
1988 Denny Engles (North Pocono) 10:10.9
1989 Carmen Meo (Lakeland) 10:13.1
2005 Kevin Sives (Wallenpaupack) 9:43.70 (meet record)
2006 Mark Bucklaw (Lakeland) 9:58.49
2007 No event (Rain)
2008 Tyler Subasic (Abington Heights) 9:56.69
2009 Sam Kuchwara (Scranton Prep) 9:57.51
2010 Sean Burke (Abington Heights) 9:57.23
2011 Aaron Wilkinson (Valley View) 9:48.73
2012 Rico Galassi (Holy Cross) 9:39.28 (meet record)
2013 Luke Jones (Elk Lake) 9:33.28 (meet record)
2014 Matt Murray (Dunmore) 9:53.27
2015 Ben Evans (Scranton Prep) 9:48.51
2016 Matt Kravitz (North Pocono) 9:51.81
2017 David Haines (North Pocono) 9:45.57
2018 Kyle Burke (Abington Heights) 9:54.23
2019 Tyler Wirth (Wallenpaupack) 9:18.68 (meet record)
North Pocono’s Matt Kravitz.
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Joby Fawcett has covered high school sports — including football, girls and boys volleyball, girls and boys tennis, girls and boys swimming, boys basketball, girls and boys track and field, and girls and boys lacrosse — for 22 years. The High School Sports Blog offers deeper insights plus statistical and historical information for fans and features photos, videos and graphics along with Top 5 polls for tennis and volleyball. Contact: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5367; @sportsTT
