HS TRACK AND FIELD: Lackawanna Track Conference Boys Past Individual Champions — The Sprints

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

 

• 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

 

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THE SPRINTS AND DASHES

 

100-yard
1950 Bob Gaffney (Central) 10.8
1951 Dave Bronstein (Scranton Tech) 10.6
1952 Davey Bronstein (Scranton Tech) 10.2 (meet record)
1953 Frank Nealon (Central) 10.3
1954 Emil (Moe) DeCantis (West Scranton) 10.8
1955 Emil (Moe) DeCantis (West Scranton) 10.2 (tied meet record)
1956 Robert Klotz (Scranton Tech) 10.4
1957 Francis Rosato (West Scranton) 10.8
1958 John Scott (West Scranton) 10.4
1959 Doug Reeser (Central) 10.3
1960 Doug Reeser (Central) 10.3
1961 Joe Santomauro (Central) 10.4
1962 Walter Godek (West Scranton) 10.2 (tied meet record)
1963 Tommy Grippo (Dunmore) 10.7
1964 James Brozetti (Dunmore) 10.4
1965 Ed Dutkevitch (Dunmore) 10.3
1966 Ed Dutkevitch (Dunmore) 10.4
1967 Ed Soberoski (Abington Heights) 10.3
1968 Mark Stets (Central) 10.3
1969 Rich Zentz (Abington Heights) 10.5
1970 Bill McGrath (Dunmore) 10.7
1971 Bill McGrath (Dunmore) 10.7
1972 Bill Pencek (Scranton Tech) 10.4
1973 Bill Pencek (Scranton Tech) 10.6
1974 Steve Bieryla (Riverside) 10.6
1975 Mark Cherewka (Riverside) 10.6
1976 Mark Cherewka (Riverside) 10.4
1977 Rich DeCantis (Central) 10.8
1978 Dave Conway (Central) 10.6
Ed Price (West Scranton) 10.6
1979 Dave Conway (Central) 10.5
1980 Doug DeCantis (Central) 10.5
1981 Doug DeCantis (Central) 10.2 (tied meet record – retired)
1982 Pete Mendos (Dunmore) 10.6
100-meter
1983 Joe Strycharz (North Pocono) 11.6 (meet record)
1984 Joe Strycharz (North Pocono) 11.3 (meet record)
1985 Bill Ruddy (Dunmore) 11.6
1986 Jerry Preschutti (Valley View) 11.2 (meet record – retired)
1987 Joby Fawcett (Lakeland) 11.3
1988 Joby Fawcett (Lakeland) 11.3
1989 Andy Stangline (North Pocono) 11.6
2005 Mike LaTorre (Scranton) 11.20 (meet record)

2006 Jon Cadman (Abington Heights) 11.30
2007 Alex St. John (Delaware Valley) 11.25
2008 Matt Talerico (Riverside) 11.67
2009 Alex St. John (Delaware Valley) 11.12 (meet record)
2010 Kyle Rickard (Honesdale) 11.28
2011 Antonio Russo (Mid Valley) 11.23
2012 Dave Sweetman (Riverside) 11.27
2013 Pat Monahan (North Pocono) 11.13
2014 Kareem Payne (Delaware Valley) 11.00 (meet record)
2015 Pat Monahan (North Pocono) 10.73 (meet record)
2016 David Horvath (Scranton Prep) 11.59
2017 Seth Vernon (Valley View) 11.29
2018 Reggie Dickey (West Scranton) 11.17
2019 Thomas Pidgeon (Lakeland) 11.24

 

 

 

 

 

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440-yard
1950 Steve Kornutiak (Scranton Tech) 56.4
1951 Joe O’Malley (Scranton Tech) 55.5
1952 Matt Brown (Central) 53.8
1953 Donnie Thomas (West Scranton) 53.6
1954 Emil (Moe) DeCantis (West Scranton) 52.0 (meet record)
1955 Emil (Moe) DeCantis (West Scranton) 53.6
1956 Paul Farkaly (West Scranton) 56.9
1957 John Chisdak (Central) 54.5
1958 John Scott (West Scranton) 51.8 (meet record)
1959 Larry Sack (Central) 53.9
1960 Tom O’Hora (Central) 53.1
1961 Joe Santomauro (Dunmore) 54.3
1962 Joe Costanzo (Dunmore) 54.4
1963 Robert MacNeal (Dunmore) 53.9
1964 Robert MacNeal (Dunmore) 53.2
1965 Ed Dutkevich (Dunmore) 54.0
1966 George Waitulavich (Scranton Tech) 51.6 (meet record)
1967 Ed Soberoski (Abington Heights) 52.6
1968 Jeff Weisberger (Central) 52.3
1969 Joe Plishka (West Scranton) 53.5
1970 Glenn McLaughlin (Abington Heights) 52.1
1971 Dom DiCindio (Dunmore) 53.9
1972 Wes Dunn (Abington Heights) 53.4
1973 Greg Lewis (Abington Heights) 54.1
1974 Greg Lewis (Abington Heights) 52.5
1975 John Casey (Carbondale Area) 53.1
1976 John Casey (Carbondale Area) 52.6
1977 Charlie Devereaux (Scranton Prep) 52.3
1978 Tim Hemans (Abington Heights) 52.0
1979 Bob Fitch (Tunkhannock) 52.6
Rodney Manning (North Pocono) 52.6
1980 Bob Speicher (Lakeland) 50.4 (meet record – retired)
1981 Bob Speicher (Lakeland) 50.8
1982 Matt Haudenschield (Scranton Prep) 51.3
400-meter
1983 Corey Graff (Central) 53.3 (meet record)
1984 Greg Hine (Lakeland) 53.2 (meet record)
1985 Jerry Preschutti (Valley View) 51.5 (meet record)
1986 Jerry Preschutti (Valley View) 51.2 (meet record – retired)
1987 Frank Calautti (Lakeland) 52.6
1988 Tim Rossetti (Carbondale Area) 52.1
1989 Bill Wright (North Pocono) 53.3
2005 Justin Pickett (Wallenpaupack) 51.42 (meet record)
2006 Colin Dwyer (Lackawanna Trail) 50.98 (meet record)
2007 Cody Yedinak (Western Wayne) 51.96
2008 Tom McCurdy (Honesdale 50.75 (meet record)
2009 Victor Costello (North Pocono) 51.19
2010 Lionel Wilson (Honesdale) 50.03 (meet record)
2011 Lionel Wilson (Honesdale) 49.71 (meet record)
2012 Rian Fowler (Delaware Valley) 49.73
2013 Rian Fowler (Delaware Valley) 49.79
2014 Rian Fowler (Delaware Valley) 51.26
2015 Kyle Haines (Western Wayne) 50.48
2016 Will Davies (Riverside) 50.30
2017 Cy Babcanec (Lakeland) 50.18
2018 Cy Babcaned (Lakeland) 50.25
2019 Johnny Barcarola (Western Wayne) 50.90

 

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220-yard
1950 Bob Gaffney (Central) 23.3
1951 Davey Bronstein (Scranton Tech) 24.1
1952 Davey Bronstein (Scranton Tech) 23.5
1953 Donnie Thomas (West Scranton) 24.0
1954 Emil (Moe) DeCantis (West Scranton) 24.0
1955 Emil (Moe) DeCantis (West Scranton) 23.6
1956 Joe Wrabel (Scranton Tech) 23.8
1957 Francis Rosato (West Scranton) 23.9
1958 John Scott (West Scranton) 23.0 (meet record)
1959 Doug Reeser (Central) 23.3
1960 Doug Reeser (Central) 23.7
1961 Joe Santomauro (Dunmore) 23.6
1962 Walter Godek (West Scranton) 23.6
1963 Tommy Grippo (Dunmore) 24.2
1964 Ed Dutkevitch (Dunmore) 23.5
1965 Joe Cognetti (Central) 23.8
1966 Ed Dutkevitch (Dunmore) 23.9
1967 Ken Roberts (Dunmore) 23.4
1968 Rawlings Smith (Scranton Tech) 23.7
1969 Joe Plishka (West Scranton) 23.6
1970 Gerry Hoban (Abington Heights) 24.0
1971 Bernie White (Central) 23.8
1972 Bill Pencek (Scranton Tech) 23.4
1973 Bill Pencek (Scranton Tech) 23.5
1974 Greg Lewis (Abington Heights) 24.0
1975 Mark Cherewka (Riverside) 23.8
1976 John Casey (Carbondale Area) 23.8
1977 Ben Domenick (Dunmore) 23.5
Bob Hynoski (West Scranton) 23.5
1978 Ben Domenick (Dunmore) 23.0 (tied meet record)
1979 Dave Conway (Central) 23.1
1980 Doug DeCantis (Central) 22.9 (meet record)
1981 Doug DeCantis (Central) 22.7 (meet record – retired)
1982 Chris Veno (Scranton Prep) 23.8
200-meter
1983 Ken Sherman (Central) 23.3
1984 Paul Gallagher (Central) 23.0 (meet record)
1985 Bill Ruddy (Dunmore) 23.8
1986 Joby Fawcett (Lakeland) 23.3
1987 Rob Warhola (Carbondale Area) 23.2
1988 Joby Fawcett (Lakeland) 22.7 (meet record – retired)
1989 Mark Pierson (Valley View) 23.5
2005 Mike LaTorre (Scranton) 23.07 (meet record)
2006 Joe Stauder (Delaware Valley) 22.22 (meet record)
2007 No event (Rain)
2008 Matt Talerico (Riverside) 23.11
2009 Alex St. John (Delaware Valley) 22.76
2010 Lionel Wilson (Honesdale) 22.44
2011 Lionel Wilson (Honesdale) 22.18 (meet record)
2012 Maleik Torres (Honesdale) 22.66
2013 Jimmy Tucker (Riverside) 22.55
2014 Kareem Payne (Delaware Valley) 22.34
2015 Pat Monahan (North Pocono) 21.97 (meet record)
2016 Carlos Acevedo (Scranton) 23.24
2017 Seth Vernon (Valley View) 22.66
2018 Reggie Dickey (West Scranton) 22.48
2019 Darryn Ouk (Delaware Valley) 22.79

 

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