ROBERT SPAGNA CHAMPIONSHIPS: Scranton's McCormack ready to carry momentum into postseason

May 9—Brian McCormack put in the work to achieve outstanding times.

His dedication resulted in a record-setting spring.

Scranton's junior distance running specialist is ready to kick it into high gear again as he races in the postseason. On Tuesday night, McCormack headlines a list of talented athletes who will compete in the endurance races as he aims to continue his record-breaking spring at the Robert Spagna Championships at Scranton Veterans Memorial Stadium.

North Pocono and Mid Valley are the boys defending champions, while Wallenpaupack and Riverside won last year's titles in the girls meet. The competition begins at 4 p.m.

"I am really pumped up," McCormack said. "The team had a really good season. I have had a good season. Now, I am looking forward to what is ahead."

McCormack started his junior year with an outstanding fall in cross country. He earned The Times-Tribune Boys Runner of the Year after winning the District 2 Class 3A gold medal in 16 minutes, 30.7 seconds.

However, he has used a 33rd-place finish at the PIAA Class 3A Cross Country Championships as his motivation for the spring.

McCormack etched his name in the Scranton track and field record books during the regular season. He earned a pair of gold medals at the Walter Godek Twilight Invitational, which included a time of 9:31.16 in the 3,200-meter run. He broke the Scranton school record of 9:35.65 in the 3,200, held by Matt Byrne since 1993.

In the final dual meet of the season, McCormack won the 1,600 with a time of 4:22.64 to lead the Knights to a 111-39 win over Honesdale in a Division I-II crossover. He broke the mark of 4:22.80 set in 1998 by Brian Rosetti.

Then, at the 67th Jordan Relays, in the distance medley, McCormack ran a powerful final 1,600-meter leg to earn the Knights a gold medal.

McCormack enters the Spagna meet, which serves as the Lackawanna Track Conference championship event, as the favorite in the 1,600 and the 3,200. He owns the top seed in the 1,600 and the second seed in the 3,200.

He will be challenged.

Last season, McCormack finished fourth in the 3,200 with a time of 10:16.50. Riverside's Daniel Danilovitz is a returning runner who placed one spot ahead of him in that race.

In the 1,600, McCormack finished fifth with a time of 4:41.21. Honesdale's Aidan LaTourette, who is headed to Lehigh, and Dunmore sophomore Tommy Clark, a PIAA medal winner last season, both finished ahead of him and return this year.

North Pocono's Aiden Horne is seeded second in the 1,600 at 4:26.93, Wallenpaupack freshman Aiden Janowicz is third at 4:27.51, and LaTourette is third at 4:28.24.

Danilovitz has the fastest time in the 3,200 at 9:36.46. Horne is seeded third at 9:51.74, and Valley View's Ethan Williams is the fourth seed at 9:54.35.

"My race at States for cross country was an eye-opener," McCormack said. "I have been very focused since that meet. I think about that all the time. This winter, I have been motivated in my training to build off that disappointment.

"I definitely feel a lot stronger than I did last year. Finishing fourth and fifth was not something I was very happy with last season. I am coming in ready to improve on those finishes."

There are several athletes who will defend their Spagna titles from 2022.

Susquehanna's Tatum Norris won the 100 and 200 in the girls meet, while North Pocono's Colin Kravitz returns as champion in the 200 and 400.

Riverside's Nathan Oliphant won last year's title in the 110 hurdles. He will receive a tight race from West Scranton's Colin Manley in a battle of two District 2 champions from last season. The two were locked in an intense race at the Godek Invitational before Manley hit the final barrier and Oliphant won in a time of 14.99 seconds.

Valley View's Connor Hilling won the 100 last season, LaTourette won the 800 and Honesdale's Tyler Winters won the javelin in the boys meet. Riverside's Lacey Danilovitz, who is ranked second in the state among Class 2A athletes, won the 3,200 in the girls meet.

ROBERT SPAGNA MEET HISTORY

MEET RECORDS

BOYS

110 H: CJ Anderson, DV, 2018 — 14.32

100: Pat Monahan, NP, 2015 — 10.73

1600: Tyler Wirth, WAL, 2018 — 4:14.13

400: Lionel Wilson, HON, 2011 — 49.71

300 H: CJ Anderson, DV, 2018 — 38.35

800: Tyler Wirth, WAL, 2017 — 1:57.15

200: Pat Monahan, NP, 2015 — 21.97

3200: Tyler Wirth, WAL — 9:16.68

Shot: Matt Slagus, NP, 2017 — 54-8 1/2

Discus: Matt Slagus, NP, 2017 — 186-1

Javelin: Gavin Darcy, DUN, 2017 — 212-10

Long: Cody DeBoer, MON, 2009 — 22-10

Triple: Ky'Ron Harbin, SCR, 2018 — 45-11

High: Devon Strubert, NP, 2012 — 6-6 1/4

Pole: Ryan Wilkes, VV, 2015 — 16-6

3200 Relay: Lakeland, 2007 — 8:05.8

(Ryan Arthur, Mark Bucklaw, Drew Babcanec, Kyle Pepson)

400 Relay: Scranton, 2018 — 43.24

(Jake Osborne, Seth Vernon, Evan Carey, Ethan Carey)

1600 Relay: Lakeland, 2016 — 3:25.4

(Collin Cooper, Garth Estadt, Matt Pidgeon, Cy Babcanec)

GIRLS

100 Hurdles: Cassidy Jenkins, LAK, 2015 — 14.47

100: Jordan Hoyt, AH, 2010 — 12.08

1600: Tessa Barrett, AH, 2013 — 4:55.63

400: Kaitlyn Lewis, NP, 2015 — 58.01

300 Hurdles: Cassidy Jenkins, LAK, 2015 — 44.38

800: Katie Dammer, AH, 2018 — 2:14.96

200: Jordan Hoyt, AH, 2010 — 24.84

3200: Katie Dammer, AH, 2017 — 10:40.45

Shot: April Doyle, LAK, 2009 — 43-0

Discus: Jenn Slagus, NP, 2012 — 137-1

Javelin: Emily Hughes, HC, 2011 — 137-1

Long: Anastasia Ioppolo, WAL, 2022 — 17-11 1/2

Triple: Brooke Estadt, LAK, 2015 — 37-11 1/2

High: Trina Carito, LAK, 2006 — 5-4

High: Sarah Kimsey, MON, 2010 — 5-4

High: Audrey Calkin, HON, 2011 — 5-4

High: Tori Doyle, LAK, 2011 — 5-4

High: Anna Scoblick, AH, 2022 — 5-4

High: Avery McNulty, SP, 2022 — 5-4

Pole: Victoria Atkinson, SP, 2019 — 12-6

3200 Relay: Wallenpaupack, 2012 — 9:41.25

(Hannah Stack, Stephanie Halas, Emily Martone, Chelsea Mann)

400 Relay: Abington Heights, 2008 — 49.40

(Tara Tulaney, Kristi Polizanno, Jordan Hoyt, Danielle Wasilewski)

1600 Relay: Honesdale, 2012 — 4:00.68

(Mary Martin, Katie Miller, Summer Hill, Janna Wilson)

TEAM: BOYS AAA — BOYS AA

2005: Wallenpaupack — Lakeland

2006: Abington Heights — Lakeland

2007: Wallenpaupack — Lakeland

2008: Abington Heights — Lakeland

2009: Scranton Prep — Valley View

2010: Honesdale — Valley View

2011: Valley View — Dunmore

2012: Scranton Prep — Holy Cross

2013: Valley View — Lakeland

2014: Delaware Valley — Lakeland

2015: Western Wayne — Lakeland

2016: North Pocono — Lakeland

2017: Scranton — Lakeland

2018: Scranton — Lakeland

2019: Wallenpaupack — Lakeland

2020: Cancelled (COVID)

2021: Cancelled (COVID)

2022: North Pocono — Mid Valley

TEAM: GIRLS AAA — GIRLS AA

2005: Delaware Valley — Lakeland

2006: Delaware Valley — Lakeland

2007: Abington Heights — Montrose

2008: Abington Heights — Western Wayne

2009: Abington Heights — Western Wayne & Montrose

2010: Abington Heights — Montrose

2011: Honesdale — Holy Cross

2012: Western Wayne — Lakeland & Holy Cross

2013: Abington Heights — Lakeland

2014: Abington Heights — Lakeland

2015: Abington Heights — Lakeland

2016: Abington Heights — Lakeland

2017: Abington Heights — Lakeland

2018: Abington Heights — Western Wayne

2019: Abington Heights — Western Wayne

2020: Cancelled (COVID)

2021: Cancelled (COVID)

2022: Wallenpaupack — Riverside

Contact the writer:

jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125;

@sportsTT on Twitter