Janesa Sancho’s hurdling and sprinting led the way, but Wyoming Area also got its usual assortment of contributions Tuesday while wrapping up a fifth straight unbeaten, championship season in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 girls track and field with a 105-41 romp over visiting Hanover Area.
Sancho, a sophomore, won both hurdles races and contributed to a pair of relay wins as the Lady Warriors won their 30th straight division meet to finish 6-0.
Wyoming Area’s depth led to wins in all three relays and sweeps of the top three places in the long jump, discus and javelin as well as in support of Sancho’s hurdles victories.
Sancho won the 100-meter hurdles in 17.7 seconds and the 300 hurdles in 49.7 seconds, sweeping those events for the fifth straight time in dual competition. She also ran legs of the wins in the 400 and 1600 relays.
“We knew that she was someone that was special,” Wyoming Area coach Joe Pizano said in a phone interview. “She put in time during the winter (indoor) season and put a lot of time in during the spring season.
“She’s a leader by example and she busts her butt training with coach (Lou) DeMark daily.”
Lucia Campenni was second in both hurdles, one-tenth of a second back in the 100.
“Lou does a great job coaching our hurdles,” Pizano said. “He’s a motivator and these kids all buy in.”
Isabella Costa won the 800 in 2:28 and was part of wins in the 3200 and 1600 relays, the first and last events on the track.
Julianne Potter won the 200 in 28.4 and was part of the 400 relay win.
Taylor Gashi and Sarah Mizenko led the sweeps of all nine available points in the discus and javelin.
Gashi, Mizenko, Lucia Campenni, Sophia Farrell, Kierstyn Orlandini and Sofia Farrell have all been in the program throughout their four-year careers and the most recent 24 wins in the streak.
They helped the team outscore divisional opponents by an average of 93.7-52.
Pizano noted that the boys and girls teams each had 3-4 absences from the lineup for each meet, putting their depth to the test at a time when their roster is smaller than some earlier seasons when the combined teams had as many as 90 participants in the program.
The Lady Warriors overcame everything from missing Ella Campenni during her time with the U.S. Junior National field hockey team in Europe; to conflicts with the schedules for the many multi-sport, same-season athletes that make the Wyoming Area athletic program unique; and nagging injuries.
Gashi, for example, is one of District 2’s top all-around track and field athletes, but was once again limited to just throwing the discus in the clinching victory.
“When you have injuries, it’s really taking a toll on you,” Pizano said. “ … It’s tough coming up with points for a team that keeps getting watered down.”
Wyoming Area boys 106, Hanover Area 34
Jesiah Augero, Hudson Sharpe and Luke Kopetchny each won two individual events to help Wyoming Area finish 5-1, good for second place in WVC Division 1.
Augero won the high jump by clearing 5-4 and the pole vault at 10 feet.
Sharpe swept the hurdles.
Kopetchny won the long jump with 20-5 and triple jump with 42-9 ½.
Nicholas Kondrosky and Jack Gravine won the 100 and 200 and were both part of the win in the 400 relay.
