Blue Ridge’s Katherine Kempa, who returns to the Lady Raider squad, races in the 100 meter dash during a meet last season. PHOTO COURTESY OF ED KING
BY KEVIN WOODRUFF
Blue Ridge’s boys’ track and field team is returning to the track after a successful 2011 campaign in which the Raiders finished out 5-1 in Lackawanna League Division III.
Under coach Joe Kempa, the Raiders will look to contend despite losing senior standouts Jared Conklin, Dan Kempa and Eric Onyon.
The Raiders many returners as seniors Ethan Mansfield, David Miller, Gage Piechocki, Michael Robs, Levi Schmidt, Sean Stanley and Mitchell Wages, juniors Chris Carlsen, Jacob Hinkley, Jacob James and William Rupakus and sophomores Patrick Cramer, Zachary Edwards, Craig Monks and James Murnock all return to compete.
“The boys’ team should be able to be competitive this year with the amount of returning starters,” Kempa said.
Raider Jake Hinkley competes in the 3200 during a meet at Montrose Area last season. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN WOODRUFF
Kempa said that Stanley will play a large role for the Raiders in the long jump, triple jump and 100 meter dash.
On the girls’ side, Blue Ridge will try to improve upon a 1-5 record from last year.
Returning to the track for the Raiders are seniors Katie Cramer and Kailey Ragard, along with sophomore Logan Ellis.
Kempa said the Lady Raiders lost many good athletes to graduation last year, however, he feels that Ragard should be a force on the girls team in the 100 and 200 meter races.
“For the girls’ team, we will be relying on many of our younger athletes to step in and contribute,” Kempa said.
The Blue Ridge boys’ track and field team is comprised of seniors Mansfield, Miller, Piechocki, Robbs, Schmidt, Stanley and Wages, juniors, Carlsen, Hinkley, James, Rupakus, sophomores Cramer, Edwards, Monks, Murnock and William Miller, and freshmen Brett Hepler, Stephen Jesse, Addison Parsons, Craig Stanley and Alan Weed.
The Blue Ridge girls’ track and field team is comprised of seniors Cramer and Ragard, juniors Ariel Braungard, Abigayle Kerr, Dakota Radakovich and Sarah Smith, sophomores Ellis, Charlotte Hall and Sierra Hall and freshmen Katherine Kempa, Katie Opet, Erin Perry, Casey Purdun and Lauren Whitney.
The Blue Ridge Raiders begin their season at home on Tuesday, Mar. 27, against Montrose at4 p.m.
Full schedule:
Mar. 27, home against Montrose,4 p.m.
Apr. 3, at Lackawanna Trail,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 10, at Mid Valley,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 16, home againstCarbondale,4 p.m.
Apr. 19, at Susquehanna,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 25, atMt.View,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 27, at Wyalusing,3 p.m.
Apr. 30, home againstElkLake,4 p.m.
May 3, atJordanRelays,5:30 p.m.
May 8, at Spagna Championships,4 p.m.
Elk Lake’s Dylan Simmons practices throwing the javelin during a Friday practice in Dimock. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN WOODRUFF
Elk Lake
Elk Lake’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams are returning after both going 6-0 in Lackawanna League Division III last season.
Coach Will Squier returns plenty of talent to the field this season in distance runners Luke Jones and Maria Trowbridge, despite losing NCAA Division I recruit Mike Bedell to graduation.
ElkLakewill also have to do without standout sprinters Brad Moore and Sean Carney, and thrower Mark Bush.
The Warriors girls lost Shippensburg recruit Cassie VanEtten, along with Cindy Good, Samantha Milnes and Chelsea Karabin.
Warrior Jenny VanEtten runs during an Elk Lake track practice on Friday. STAFF PHOTO/KEVIN WOODRUFF
Elk Lake’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams get started on Tuesday, Mar. 27, at home against Lackawanna Trail at 4:15 p.m.
Full schedule:
Mar. 27, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 2, atCarbondale,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 10, home againstMt.View,4 p.m.
Apr. 19, home against Mid Valley,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 24, home against Susquehanna,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 30, atBlue Ridge,4 p.m.
Montrose
The Montrose boys’ and girls’ track and field teams are returning for a new season after the girls’ team went 4-2 and the boys’ team went 3-3 in the Lackawanna League.
The Meteors get underway with a scrimmage on Thursday. Mar. 22, at Valley View at4:15 p.m.
Full schedule:
Mar. 22, at Valley View,4:15 p.m.
Mar. 27, atBlue Ridge,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 3, home againstWestern Wayne,4 p.m.
Apr. 10, atScranton,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 16, home againstWest Scranton,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 19, at Holy Cross,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 24, atDunmore,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 30, home againstRiverside,4:15 p.m.
Mountain View
Mountain View’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams are returning for a new season after the girls’ team went 2-5 and the boys finished 1-6 in Lackawanna League Division III.
The team is under a new coach as Melody Haley takes the reins of the program.
Mountain Viewkicks off with a scrimmage at home on Thursday, Mar. 22, at3:30 p.m.against Holy Cross.
Full schedule:
Mar. 22, home against Holy Cross,3:30 p.m.
Mar. 27, at Mid Valley,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 3, home against Susquehanna,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 10, atElkLake,4 p.m.
Apr. 16, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 19, atCarbondale,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 25, home againstBlue Ridge,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 30, atDunmore,4:15 p.m.
Susquehanna
Susquehanna’s Saber boys’ and girls’ track and field teams will look to rebound after a tough season in 2011 in Lackawanna League Division III.
Both the boys and girls finished 0-6 on the year, but will look to put a few wins in the left column this season.
Susquehanna gets started on Tuesday, Mar. 27, at home againstCarbondaleat4:15 p.m.
Full schedule:
Mar. 27, home againstCarbondale,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 3, atMt.View,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 10, at Holy Cross,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 16, at Mid Valley,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 19, home againstBlue Ridge,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 21, atWindsorInvitational,10 a.m.
Apr. 24, atElkLake,4:15 p.m.
Apr. 27, home against Wyalusing,10 a.m.
Apr. 30, home against Lackawanna Trail,4:15 p.m.
May 3, atJordanRelays,5:30 p.m.
May 8, at Spagna Championships,3:30 p.m.
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