HS TRACK AND FIELD: Lackawanna Track Conference Girls Past Individual Champions — The Throws

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

 

 

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THE THROWS

Shot put
1979 Sue Kakareka (North Pocono) 33-1 (meet record)
1980 Diane Rothka (North Pocono) 32-8.5
1981 Lori Edwards (Lakeland) 32-2.5
1982 Brenda Traver (Tunkhannock) 32-8.75
1983 Amy Goodrich (Lakeland) 33-11.5 (meet record)
1984 Tammy Shelly (North Pocono) 35-8 (meet record)
1985 Amy Goodrich (Lakeland) 33-4.25
1986 Dana Plunkett (Scranton Tech) 36-11 (meet record)
1987 Dawn Crissy (North Pocono) 37-6.5 (meet record)
1988 Dana Plunkett (Scranton Tech) 38-8 (meet record – retired)
1989 Dawn Crissy (North Pocono) 33-11.5
2005 Cassie Schweighofer (Honesdale) 35-2 (meet record)
2006 Cassie Schweighofer (Honesdale) 37-3.25 (meet record)
2007 No event (Rain)
2008 April Doyle (Lakeland) 40-3.5 (meet record)
2009 April Doyle (Lakeland) 43-0 (meet record)
2010 Kaylea Zick (Lackawanna Trail) 35-3.5
2011 Cayla Boland (Dunmore) 34-1.5
2012 Jillian Korgeski (Dunmore) 34-3.5
2013 Meagan Bush (Elk Lake) 36-8
2014 Jillian Korgeski (Dunmore) 34-5.5
2015 Jillian Korgeski (Dunmore) 37-1
2016 Mikayla Marino (Lakeland) 33-2.5
2017 Mikayla Marino (Lakeland) 34-7.5
2018 Mikayla Marino (Lakeland) 39-0
2019 Mikayla Marino (Lakeland) 38-3.25

Total champions Lakeland (9); North Pocono (5); Dunmore (4); Honesdale (2); Scranton Tech (2); Elk Lake (1); Lackawanna Trail (1); Tunkhannock (1).

 

 

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Discus
1978 Diane Hodun (Lakeland) 85-6 (meet record)
1979 Alice Beecroft (Lakeland) 86-0 (meet record)
1980 Peggy Cunningham (Lakeland) 103-10 (meet record)
1981 Peggy Cunningham (Lakeland) 107-4 (meet record)
1982 Brenda Traver (Tunkhannock) 98-0
1983 Melanie Nichols (Carbondale Area) 87-11
1984 Kate Meagher (Honesdale) 91-6
1985 April Angeli (Scranton Prep) 91-4
1986 April Angeli (Scranton Prep) 109-3
1987 April Angeli (Scranton Prep) 127-1 (meet record – retired)
1988 April Angeli (Scranton Prep) 123-5
1989 Dawn Crissy (North Pocono) 113-7

2005 Sophia Carovinci (Valley View) 110-2 (meet record)
2006 Cassie Schweighofer (Honesdale) 127-0 (meet record)
2007 Cassie Schweighofer (Honesdale) 132-0 (meet record)
2008 Carmen VanNess (Montrose) 109-0
2009 April Doyle (Lakeland) 124-7
2010 Jenn Slagus (North Pocono) 124-0
2011 Jenn Slagus (North Pocono) 129-4
2012 Jenn Slagus (North Pocono) 137-1 (meet record)
2013 Jenn Slagus (North Pocono) 128-8
2014 Taylor Flynn (Lakeland) 97-6
2015 Jess Slagus (North Pocono) 119-6
2016 Jess Slagus (North Pocono) 130-0
2017 Jess Slagus (North Pocono) 126-4
2018 Mikayla Marino (Lakeland) 126-4
2019 Mikayla Marino (Lakeland) 133-5

Total champions Lakeland (8); North Pocono (8); Scranton Prep (4); Honesdale (3); Carbondale Area (1); Montrose (1); Valley View (1); Tunkhannock (1).

 

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Javelin
1978 Candy Pettinato (Carbondale Area) 96-4 (meet record)
1979 Vicki Laskiewicz (North Pocono) 103-9 (meet record)
1980 Patty Sullivan (Lakeland) 118-5 (meet record – retired)
1981 Patty Sullivan (Lakeland) 103-6
1982 Felicia Brown (Scranton Tech) 105-7
1983 Sue Halpin (Central) 93-7.5
1984 Michele Romanyshyn (Carbondale Area) 100-9
1985 Michele Romanyshyn (Carbondale Area) 110-10
1986 Jennifer Bryson (Scranton Tech) 108-3
1987 Laurie Purta (North Pocono) 104-0
1988 Debbie Stanton (Carbondale Area) 92-5
1989 Holly Bamford (Dunmore) 107-2
New javelin
2005 Jessica Sekely (Elk Lake) 111-10 (meet record)

2006 Renae Fisher (Scranton) 104-3
2007 Kaleen Holden (Bishop Hannan/Bishop O’Hara) 120-4 (meet record)
2008 Kaitchen Dearborn (Blue Ridge) 110-2
2009 Kaitchen Dearborn (Blue Ridge) 132-3 (meet record)
2010 Kaitchen Dearborn (Blue Ridge) 127-8
2011 Emily Hughes (Holy Cross) 137-1 (meet record)
2012 Emily Hughes (Holy Cross) 123-10
2013 Taylor Watkins (Elk Lake) 110-2
2014 Taylor Watkins (Elk Lake) 131-0
2015 Jessie Show (Abington Heights) 112-8
2016 JoAnna Kutchma (Delaware Valley) 111-11
2017 Gabby D’Amrore (Honesdale) 134-1
2018 Shannon Czekaj (Dunmore) 104-9
2019 Ashleigh Gutowski (North Pocono) 111-7

Total champions Carbondale Area (4); Blue Ridge (3); Elk Lake (3); North Pocono (3); Dunmore (2); Holy Cross (2); Lakeland (2); Scranton Tech (2); Abington Heights (1); Bishop O’Hara/Bishop Hannan (1); Central (1); Delaware Valley (1); Honesdale (1); Scranton (1).