65th JORDAN RELAYS: North Pocono eager to get back on track

May 6—Caleb Kenyon and Colin Kravitz can't wait for the gun to go off tonight.

It's been a long time since the North Pocono standout track and field athletes have competed this spring. But when the 65th Jordan Relays start, they will return to racing after a two-week layoff.

"We are really eager to get out there and do our best," Kenyon said. "We have been working really hard in practice, because that is all that we have been able to do, and we are really excited. It has been frustrating that we haven't had a meet in two weeks, but we are ready to get back into it and we are going to race hard."

This year's Jordan Relays is being held at Charley Trippi Stadium on the campus of Pittston Area High School. Officials and track coach Joseph Struckus offered the facility when no school in the Lackawanna Track Conference wanted to host the event. Scranton School District has been the home of the event, but this season the administration chose not to because of COVID-19 concerns with a gathering of that size.

Last season, because of the pandemic, the Jordan Relays was canceled for only the second time since the inception in 1955.

Just The Facts

65th JORDAN RELAYS

WHEN: Tonight, 5:30 p.m.

WHERE: Charley Trippi Stadium, Pittston Area High School.

EVENTS: Distance Medley (800-400-400-1600); 400 Relay; 1200 Medley (400-200-200-400); 3,200 Relay; 1600 Medley (200-200-400-800); 1,600 Relay.

2019 CHAMPS: Girls — Abington Heights (3A); Western Wayne (2A). Boys — Wallenpaupack (3A); Montrose and Mid Valley (2A).

Races are run and teams are scored for championships in Class 3A and Class 2A. There are six events, and everything gets started with the distance medley at 5:30 p.m.

North Pocono is considered a favorite for the boys Class 3A team title despite not competing in a dual meet since April 20. That role is due in large parts to Kenyon, who is a strong distance runner, and Kravitz, who is one of the top sprinters in the LTC. They have already played big roles in the Trojans 3-0 start to the season in Division II.

Kenyon looked good in his last meet against Honesdale and posted a time of 4 minutes, 35.9 seconds in the 1,600-meter run and had a clocking of 10:24.6 in the 3,200. His time of 10:18.04 for the 3,200 is the best in Division II this spring.

"We have been doing a lot of running and putting in a lot of mileage in our training," Kenyon said. "We will be ready."

Jordan Relays: Meet records

BOYS

CLASS AAA

Distance Medley (800-400-400-1600): Abington Heights, 2018, (Dan Uhranowsky, Shervin Mokhtari, Antonio Maletta, Kyle Burke) 8:07.87

400 relay: Valley View, 2012 (Robert Castellani, Tyler Phillips, Nyeem Wartman, Garrett Rupe) 43.48.

1200 medley (400-200-200-400): Delaware Valley, 2014 (Shane Fowler, Kyle Dillon, Kareem Payne, Rian Fowler) 2:27.08.

3200 relay: Honesdale, 2006 (Sean Craig, Eric Florence, Kevin Chapla, Ayden Fiorelli), 8:03.38.

1600 medley (200-200-400-800): Delaware Valley, 2004 (Joe Stauder, Tom Poltersdorf, Ben McKean, Dan McNally), 3:37.41.

1600 relay: North Pocono, 2004 (Todd Plociniak, Kyle McCloe, Brett Fedor, Justin Blaum), 3:24.87.

CLASS AA

Distance medley: Lakeland, 2013 (Mark Arzie, Casey Albino, Brandon Newberry, Nathan Morgan), 8:13.86.

400 relay: Mid Valley, 2012 (Matt Tanner, Ronny Tomasetti, Antonio Russo, Kyle Laniewski). 43.51.

1200 Medley: Lakeland, 2003 (John Wormuth, T.J. Turpack, Tony Prudente, Dave Machiesky), 2:26.39.

3200 relay: Lakeland, 2006 (Kyle Pepson, Mark Bucklaw, Craig Merkel, Drew Babcanec), 8:04.93.

1600 medley: Lakeland, 2002 (Brian Hilling, Steve Wasch, Bobby Machiesky, Dave Machiesky), 3:37.05.

1600 relay: Lakeland, 2015 (Collin Cooper, Mark Arzie, Garth Estadt, Nathan Morgan), 3:24.18.

GIRLS

CLASS AAA

Distance medley: Pittston Area, 2013 (Catherine Lombardo, Samantha Mayers, Elizabeth Waleski, Madison Mimnaugh). 9:36.06.

400 relay: Abington Heights, 2014 (Ally Christman, Allyson Derry, Abigail, McMinn Isabelle Clauss) 49.76.

1200 Medley: Abington Heights, 2009 (Brittney Martin, Jordan Hoyt, Krista Matsko, Nicole Smith), 2:53.05.

3200 relay: Pittston Area, 2013 (Tara Johnson, Madison Mimnaugh, Catherine Lombardo, Samantha Mayers). 9:42.83.

1600 medley: Abington Heights, 2009 (Jordan Hoyt, Krista Matsko, Nicole Smith, Brittney Martin), 4:15.36.

1600 relay: Honesdale, 2012 (Katie Miller, Mary Martin, Summer Hill, Janna Wilson), 3:59.64.

CLASS AA

Distance medley: Elk Lake, 2010 (Kirsten Hollister, Caitie Good, Cassie VanEtten, Maria Trowbridge), 9:47.90.

400 relay: Lakeland, 2012 (Emily Williams, Cassidy Jenkins, Ashton Boyarsky, Sarah Larkin), 50.49.

200 medley: Montrose, 2014 (Allison Lewis, Meghan Gilhool, Rebecca Timm, Myra Lattimore) 2:53.47.

3200 relay: Elk Lake, 2008 (Lisa Ruppert, Ellen Squier, Kim Caines, Rachel Owens), 9:57.77.

1600 medley: Lakeland, 2014 (Cassidy Jenkins, Kayla Agentowicz, Madison Harding, Brooke Estadt) 4:19.23.

1600 relay: Lakeland, 2005 (Ashley Hughes, Trina Carito, Casey Lisowski, Sue Bochnovich), 4:05.36.

NOTE: .24 seconds added to records set before 2005 to account for fully automatic timing system used at Scranton Memorial Stadium.

Kravitz has dominated the sprint and mid-distance races for the Trojans.

Against Honesdale, Kravitz won the 200 in 23.04, the 400 in 51.24 and the long jump with a distance of 19-4 1/2 . He has the best times in Division II in all three events with a 22.94 in the 200, a 50.74 in the 400 and a 21-1 in the long jump.

"The last two weeks have been disappointing, because we haven't had a meet," Kravitz said. "It's understandable to be safe because of COVID. I don't think it has taken a toll on us at all. We have been getting ready and at the beginning of the year, I'm not sure that my body was in the best of shape. Hopefully with all of this practice, I will be ready to go."

North Pocono is seeking its first team title at the Jordan Relays since 2010.

"We are looking forward to seeing what we can do," Kenyon said. "There are a lot of great teams out there. Hopefully, we can give this our best shot and see where we stand."

Jordan Relays: Team champions

BOYS

1955: West Scranton

1956: West Scranton

1957: Scranton Central

1958: West Scranton

1959: Scranton Central

1960: Scranton Central

1961: Scranton Central

1962: West Scranton

1963: Lackawanna Trail

1964: Dunmore

1965: Meyers

1966: Abington Heights

1967: Meyers

1968: Wyoming Valley West

1969: Wyoming Valley West

1970: Wyoming Valley West

Class A Class B

1971: Meyers Dallas

1972: Wyo. Valley West Dallas

1973: Wyo. Valley West Dallas

1974: Abington Heights Dunmore/GAR

1975: Nanticoke Dallas

Class AAA Class AA

1976: Pittston Area GAR

1977: Wyoming Valley West GAR

1978: Wyoming Valley West GAR

1979: Tunkhannock GAR

1980: Tunkhannock Lakeland

1981: Pittston Area Scranton Prep

1982: Pittston Area Scranton Prep

1983: Pittston Area Scranton Prep

1984: Tunkhannock Scranton Prep

1985: Pittston Area Lakeland

1986: Central/North Pocono Lakeland

1987: West Scranton Lakeland

1988: North Pocono Bishop Hoban

1989: North Pocono Scranton Prep

1990: North Pocono Scranton Prep

1991: North Pocono Lakeland

1992: Canceled Rain

1993: North Pocono V. View/Lakeland

1994: North Pocono Lakeland

1995: Scranton Prep Lakeland

1996: North Pocono Lakeland

1997: Scranton Lakeland

1998: Scranton Scr. Prep/Lakeland

1999: Scranton Lakeland

2000: Scranton/No. Pocono Lakeland

2001: North Pocono/Lakeland

2002: Wallenpaupack/N. Pocono Lakeland

2003: Wallenpaupack Lakeland

2004: Wallenpaupack Lakeland

2005: Wallenpaupack Lakeland

2006: Pittston Area Lakeland

2007: Abington Heights Scranton Prep

2008: Abington Heights Scranton Prep

2009: AH/Scranton Valley View

2010: North Pocono Elk Lake

2011: Valley View Elk Lake

2012: Valley View Holy Cross

2013: Scranton Prep Lakeland

2014: Delaware Valley Lakeland

2015: Scranton Prep Lakeland

2016: Scranton Lakeland

2017: Abington Heights Montrose

2018: Scranton Lakeland

2019: Wallenpaupack Montrose/Mid Valley

2020: Canceled-COVID

GIRLS

Class AAA Class AA

1982: Wyo. Valley West Carbondale

1983: Wyo. Valley West Carbondale

1984: Wyo. Valley West Carbondale

1985: Nanticoke Carbondale

1986: Honesdale Carbondale

1987: N. Pocono Scranton Prep/Carbondale

1988: Pittston Area Dunmore

1989: North Pocono Scranton Prep

1990: Tunkhannock Bishop Hoban

1991: North Pocono Wallenpaupack

1992: Canceled Rain

1993: Pittston Area Lakeland

1994: North Pocono Lakeland

1995: North Pocono Riverside/Lakeland

1996: Scranton Prep Riverside

1997: Scranton Prep Riverside/Lakeland

1998: Scranton Prep Riverside

1999: Wallenpaupack Scranton Prep

2000: Wallenpaupack Scranton Prep

2001: Wallenpaupack Scranton Prep

2002: Wallenpaupack Scranton Prep

2003: Wallenpaupack Lakeland

2004: Abington Heights Lakeland

2005: Abington Heights Lakeland

2006: Delaware Valley Scranton Prep

2007: Abington Heights Scranton Prep

2008: Abington Heights Scranton Prep

2009: Abington Heights Blue Ridge

2010: Abington Heights Elk Lake

2011: Abington Heights Elk Lake

2012: Abington Heights Montrose

2013: Pittston Area Montrose

2014: Pittston Area Montrose

2015: Pittston Area Lakeland

2016: Wallenpaupack Holy Cross/Lakeland

2017: Abington Heights Western Wayne

2018: Abington Heights Western Wayne

2019: Abington Heights Western Wayne

2020: Canceled-COVID

Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @sportsTT on Twitter