HS TRACK & FIELD: Cougars cap perfect WVC season

Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa.
·6 min read

May 15—Two years after winning the 2019 Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 track and field championship, the Hazleton Area boys have successfully defended that title at long last.

Bringing a small lineup but one with plenty of pop, the Cougars returned this spring after the 2020 coronavirus pandemic shutdown to do just that.

On Thursday, they capped a perfect 6-0 conference season with an 89-61 victory at Wilkes-Barre Area, sewing up their second straight championship. Wyoming Valley West finished at 5-1.

Sophomore Matthew Cusatis leaped a career-best 45 feet, 2 1/4 inches to win the triple jump, one of his three individual firsts on the afternoon. He also won the long jump (20-3) and the 100-meter dash (11.5). Cusatis was eight inches off Joey Grula's school record in the triple jump.

There were plenty of stars in the Cougars' title-clinching win. Posting individual firsts were Deylis Rodriguez in the 400 (56.41), Beck Hutchison in the 800 (2:18), Zach Keiner in the 1600 (4:52), Jean Portes in the 110 hurdles (15.43), Russell Blew in the discus (120-0), Jonanthony Sencion in the shot put (42-5), and Connor Kundrat in the javelin (148-7).

The Cougars' 3200 relay team of Keiner, Nicholas Hebel, Hutchison and John Yunevage also placed first in 10:39.

The Cougars will take part in the District 2 Class 3A Track and Field Championships Tuesday starting at 3 p.m. at North Pocono High School.

100: 1. Matthew Cusatis (HAZ) 11.5; 2. Taylor (WBA); 3. Nelson (WA); 200: 1. Bourdeau (WBA) 23.47; 2. Deylis Rodriguez (HAZ); 3. Hunter Nye (HAZ); 400: 1. Rodriguez (HAZ) 56.41; 2. Beck Hutchison (HAZ); 3. Connor Silliman (HAZ); 800: 1. Hutchinson (HAZ) 2:18; 2. John Yunevage (HAZ); 3. Pollock (HAZ) 2:24; 1600: 1. Zach Keiner (HAZ) 4:52; 2. Syms (WBA); 3. Schagan (HAZ); 3200: 1. Syms (WBA) 11:10; 2. Nicholas Hebel (HAZ); 3. Schagan (HAZ) 12:15; 110 HH: 1. Jean Portes (HAZ) 15.43; 2. Glaude (WBA); 3. John Sidari (HA); 300 IH: 1. Dobson (WBA) 42.43; 2. Portes (HAZ); 3. Glaude (WBA); 400 Relay: 1. Wilkes-Barre Area (Nelson, Taylor, Dobson, Bourdeau) 55.6; 1600 Relay: 1. Wilkes-Barre Area (Bourdeau, Glaude, Nelson, Dobson); 3200 Relay: 1. Hazleton Area (Keiner, Hebel, Hutchison Yunevage) 10:39; Long jump: 1. Cusatis (HAZ) 20-3; 2. Cipriano (WBA); 3. Robinson (WBA); Triple jump: 1. Cusatis (HAZ) 45-2 1/4 ; 2. Hollman (WBA); 3. Logan Slusser (HAZ); High jump: 1. Berry (WBA) 6-2; 2. Robinson (WBA); 3. Cusatis (HAZ); Shot put: 1. Jonanthony Sencion (HAZ) 42-5; 2. Jhoan Robles (HA); 3. Nguyen (WBA); Discus: 1. Russell Blew (HAZ) 120-0; 2. Robles (HAZ); 3. Sencion (HAZ); Javelin: 1. Connor Kundrat (HAZ) 148-7; 2. Kenzakowski (WBA); 3. Matt Staffin (HAZ); Pole vault: 1. Zavada (WBA) 10-0; 2. Nye (HAZ); 3. Carter (WBA).

Girls Hazleton Area 115 Wilkes-Barre Area 34

Lauren Festa (triple jump, long jump), Karolyn Brito (100, 200), Isabella Colyer (100 hurdles, pole vault), and Jillian Wolk (1600, 3200) each won multiple events as the Lady Cougars closed out WVC Division 1 action with their biggest point output of the season.

Kristie Semanchik (800), Natalie Yeager (discus), Abbey Hengst (shot put), Emma Martoccio (javelin), Lucy Fajardo (400) also won events for the Lady Cougars (2-4 WVC), as did the 3200 relay team.

Esa Mendola was the lone individual winner for the Wolfpack, taking the 300 hurdles.

100: 1. Karolyn Brito (HAZ) 12.6; 2. Alexis Rossi (HAZ); 3. Ventura (WBA); 200: 1. Brito (HAZ) 27.40; 2. Rossi (HAZ); 3. Horenza (WBA); 400: 1. Lucy Fajardo (HAZ) 68.81; 2. Seyona McKittrick (HAZ); 3. Nicole Castillo (HAZ); 800: 1. Kristie Semanchik (HAZ) 2:43; 2. Hailey Kaschak (HAZ); 3. Macking (WBA).;1600: 1. Jillian Wolk (HAZ) 5:48; 2. Semanchik (HAZ); 3. H. Kaschak (HAZ); 3200: 1. Wolk (HAZ) 12:48; 2. Shuleski (WBA); 3. Emma Boehmer (HAZ); 100 Hurdles: 1. Isabella Colyer (HAZ) 16.3; 2. Adriana Pane (HAZ); 3. Shuleski (WBA); 300 IH: 1. E. Mendola (WBA) 48.93; 2. J. Mendola (WBA); 3. Pane (HAZ); 400 Relay: 1. Wilkes-Barre Area (Horenza, Mendola, Mendola, Luna) 52.21. 1600 Relay: 1. Wilkes-Barre Area (Mendola, Mendola, Sennett, Osmanski) 4:25. 3200 Relay: 1. Hazleton Area (Emma Sutherland, H. Kaschak, Semanchik, Sabriya Sheikh) 13:31. Long jump: 1. Lauren Festa (HAZ) 15-9 1/2 ; 2. K. Brito (HAZ); 3. Luna (WBA); Triple jump: 1. Festa (HAZ) 35-1 1/4 ; 2. Olivia Vayda (HAZ); 3. Matilda Masten (HAZ); High jump: Not provided; Shot put: 1. Abbey Hengst (HAZ) 28-8; 2. Holmes (WBA); 3. Niomery Rivera (HAZ); Discus: 1. Natalie Yeager (HAZ) 91-0; 2. Holmes (WBA); 3. Hengst (HAZ); Javelin: 1. Emma Martoccio (HAZ) 90-0; 2. Reese Kaschak (HAZ); 3. Sophia Blew (HAZ); Pole vault: 1. Colyer (HAZ) 10-0; 2. Kyra Makara (HAZ), no third.

Jr. High Track Boys Hazleton Area 75 Dallas 70

The Cougars pulled out the five-point victory thanks to 1-2-3 sweeps in the shot put and javelin events.

David Shrader won the shot put (37-2) and discus (82-10), and was third in the javelin to help power the Cougar attack. Franklin Ritz placed first in the 800 (2:18) and high jump (5-0), and also ran the opening leg of the winning 3200 relay with George Timko, Darren Deiwell and Levi Kurtz (12:06).

Kurtz won the javelin (113-7) and was third in the shot put; Seiwell took the long jump (15-3); Ryan Sones won the triple jump (31-7) and was second in the long and high jumps; and the 1600 relay team of Hunter Benjamin, Seiwell, Timko and Ethan Kintzel rounded out the wins in 4:15.

Dominic Marino was second in both hurdles events; Kintzel was second in the triple jump and 400, Benjamin was second in the javelin, and Joel Vazquez was second in the shot put. Andrew Cwiertniewicz grabbed thirds in both hurdles, Benjamin was third in the 100, and Christian Craig was third in the 800.

Girls Dallas 82 Hazleton Area 67

The two teams were nearly equal in first-place finishes (Dallas, 9-8), but the Mountaineers' superior depth got them the victory.

For Hazleton Area, Milana Daiute posted firsts in the 3200-meter run (12:59) and triple jump (27-5 1/2), while teammate Gabby Bredbenner sprinted to wins in the 100 (14.1) and 200 (28.6).

Other Lady Cougar firsts went to Jalitza Torre in the shot put (30-3), Sophia Shults in the long jump (14-6), Kassandra Gaizick in the high jump (4-6), Autumn Umbriac in the pole vault (6-6), and the 400 relay team of Shults, Brynn Newborn, Gabby Kundrat and Bredbenner (56.7).

Posting seconds for Hazleton Area were Gaizick (triple jump, long jump), Daiute (1600), Shults (high jump) and Ashlei Trimmingham. Picking up thirds were Shults (100 hurdles), Bredbenner (400), Trimmingham (200), Torre (long jump, high jump), Rebecca Hoats (300 hurdles) and Mikayla Fay (800).