HAZLE TWP. – Defending state champion Drew Mruk kicked off his track and field postseason with two gold medals Thursday at the first Wyoming Valley Conference Track and Field Championships.
After coming up short of the 200-foot barrier in recent meets, Mruk watched as his final attempt sailed 207-10.
“You can tell once you let it go,” he said. “The sun was in my eyes so I couldn’t really see it.”
The oohs and aahs from the crowd helped confirm what Mruk couldn’t see.
“That’s a very good feeling,” said Mruk, who also won the shot put title.
Wyoming Area finished third in the team standings with 86.
Host Hazleton Area edged Northwest, 99-98, for the title.
The throwers had a lot to do with Wyoming Area’s team success.
Joe Marranca placed third to give the Warriors a second medalist in the shot put.
“Getting back in the 200s (in the javelin) after a couple meets was good,” Mruk said. “The shot put I can still improve on more.
“I just need to focus on that in practice.”
While the top eight in each event scored points, the top three earned medals.
Ben Gravine medaled with a third-place finish in the discus where Mruk added points by taking fifth.
Hurdlers Skyler Pierce and Lidge Kellum both medaled.
Kellum was third in the 300 hurdles and fourth in the 110 high hurdles. Pierce was third in the 110 and eighth in the 300.
The 400 relay team took a third-place medal while the 1600 relay was fifth and the 3200 team was sixth.
Josh Mruk joined his brother in scoring in the javelin when he took sixth. He was also eighth in the shot put.
Nicholas Scalzo was fourth and Kendall Heck sixth in the pole vault.
Gage Speece placed fourth in the 200 and seventh in the 100 along with getting a relay medal.
Pittston Area was eighth out of 14 teams with 41 points.
Jalen Moore earned a medal for second place in the 400 and was fifth in the 100.
Preston Klem finished second in the 800.
Kevin Lockett was fourth in both the javelin and triple jump while placing fifth in the long jump.
The Patriots took fourth in the 1600 and seventh in the 3200 relays.
DISTRICT SEEDS
Pittston Area’s Preston Klem, in the 800, and Wyoming Area’s Drew Mruk, in the javelin, are top seeds in Class 3A boys for the District 2 Championships Monday and Tuesday at Scranton Memorial Stadium.
LOOKING BACK
Mruk surpassed 195 feet while winning the Olympian Invitational at Jim Thorpe May 4.
