Defending District 2 triple jump champion Aria Messner heads up a strong sophomore class that joins senior sprinters to lead Pittston Area into the track and field season with a chance to again rank among the top girls teams.
The Lady Patriots went 5-1 to finish second out of seven teams in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 last season and followed it up by placing second out of 19 teams in the District 2 Class 3A Championships.
Seniors Jakiya Kroon and Lauren LoPresto were part of a district championship 400 relay team with Messner and also earned individual district medals.
“With Jakiya and Lauren back for their third varsity season, we have experienced sprinters that have qualified for states in the 4 by 100,” Lady Patriots coach Joe Struckus said.
Pittston Area is strong and deep in both the sprints and the jumps.
Messner added a second-place finish in the district long jump and sixth-place finish in the high jump to her triple jump title. LoPresto finished sixth in the long jump. Senior Rhiannon Okuniewski has qualified to compete in the jumps in both of the previous seasons that the sport was conducted.
Struckus expects Leah Zambetti, another senior, to lead the throwing group.
Kroon leads the sprinters. She anchored the district championship relay team along with placing fourth in the 100-meter dash and sixth in the 200.
Emily Dietrick, Gianna Slodysko and Sophia Vanesko are other seniors on the team. Dietrick competed in districts as a member of the 3200 relay team.
Well more than half of the large roster is made up of sophomores.
In addition to Messner, jumper Sadie Gregory, sprinter Jenna Grieco, hurdler Jaiden Jadus, middle distance runner Rowan Lazevnick and middle distance/distance runner Samantha Ruszin met the qualifying standards to gain district experience last season as freshmen.
BOYS
Kevin Lockett is the only returning district medalist from a .500 Pittston Area boys team in 2021.
The Patriots went 3-3 in WVC Division 1 and finished 12th of 16 teams in District 2 Class 3A.
Lockett, a junior, finished sixth in the javelin and is the only returnee from a fourth-place 400-meter relay team.
“We are very inexperienced and need people to accelerate their progress quickly to be able to compete in a very challenging division,” Patriots coach Jason Mills said.
The top returnees include seniors David Girman, a hurdler, and Zander Kraklio, a thrower/runner. The veteran group also includes junior hurdler Robbie Barbieri, junior javelin thrower/sprinter Harry Pugliese and sophomore distance/middle distance runner Preston Klem.
Brandon Farrell, Jake Gregory, Aiden Jenkins, Donovan Slayton and Kevin Talipan are the other seniors on a roster that includes at least nine athletes from each of the three younger classes.
