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The Dallas girls posted the only 16-0 record in Wyoming Valley Conference cross country in 2022.
Crestwood gave the conference its only District 2 team title topping Dallas and others on the way to a Class 2A girls championship.
Both teams return essentially their entire lineups, setting up an interesting conference title race.
That’s exactly what the boys had in 2022 when Crestwood and Holy Redeemer shared the team title at 15-1, just ahead of Lake-Lehman at 14-2.
“The girls team has finished second at district the last two years,” Dallas coach Amy Rome said. “With everyone back, we hope to improve on that this year.”
Rome knows it won’t be easy.
“It will be competitive since district champion Crestwood is returning all of its scorers,” she said.
The season-opening Cliff Robbins Sr. Memorial Invitational, which does not included team scoring, gave an indication of what could be ahead.
Dallas has the top-end talent while Crestwood has an incredibly deep team.
The Mountaineers placed runners first, third, 11th, 26th and 35th out of 146. The Comets were fifth, ninth, 12th, 14th, 18th, 23rd and 28th.
Had it been a dual scored from that day’s results, Crestwood’s depth would have made it one point better despite Dallas having the top two finishers.
Half of the conference teams got started a week ago when extreme heat led to the other half of the opening schedule being pushed back. The remainder of the teams are now set to begin WVC action Wednesday.
Dallas, Crestwood and Northwest got through the first day each going 2-0 in boys and girls.
The league has undergone coaching changes at some of its top programs.
Adam Karwaski takes over at Holy Redeemer where the boys won the title and the girls were part of a three-way tie for third last season.
“The seniors have had quite a bit of head coach turnover and have had three separate head coaches in the last four years,” Karwaski said. “I’m hoping to give them some stability, but it is a group that is as consistent as ever, always looking to improve and is ready to work day in and day out.”
After slipping to eighth in both district races, the Royals are determined to use their depth to become a postseason boys threat.
Wyoming Area, which had one of the girls teams that tied for third in the WVC, turns to Mike Branley as its new head coach.
The former St. Joseph’s University middle distance runner is familiar with the teams after following them while his sons Michael and Patrick led the way for the boys in recent seasons.
Branley said running was just something he did for other sports until joining the Pittston Area track program in the 1980s and going through six years of junior high and varsity without the team ever losing a meet.
“That really helped cultivate a love of the sport of running, not just running in other sports, but actually track and field,” Branley said.
Branley’s debut has been rescheduled for Wednesday when he leads his new team against his alma mater when Wyoming Area is one of four teams participating in a meet at Pittston Area.
A team-by-team look at Wyoming Valley Conference cross country is below. Note that all teams compete in the same classification as a year ago as this is the second year of a two-year PIAA enrollment cycle.
GIRLS TEAMS
BERWICK
Coach: Karen May.
2022 Recap: 6-10 for 10th in WVC.
Key returnees: SO Sophia Tripp,
Top newcomers: FR Kenzie Wright, FR Alivia Stoneroad.
Notable: The Bulldogs compete in Class 2A.
CRESTWOOD
Coach: Rob Moulton.
2022 Recap: 15-1 to share WVC championship; second of 14 teams in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: JR Ella Novelli, SR Maggie Kozich, SR Ellie Kozich, JR Kaelyn Barker; SO Katie Kozich, SO Maddie Danko, SR Maggie Riccio along with JR Emily Leicht, SR Scarlett Evans, SR Julianna Ambosie.
Other returnees: JR Katie Modrovsky, JR Katie Charsky, SR Megan Laskoski, JR Marissa Sanders, SR Jenna Medvetz.
Top newcomers: FR Adrienne Shebelock, FR Alyssa Leicht; FR Willow Guydish; SO Mollie Kozich; SR Cadee Cameron.
Early season: Katie Kozich was fifth, Ellie Kozich was ninth and Shebelock was 14th at the Robbins Invitational. Katie Kozich was the first sophomore to finish and Shebelock was the second freshman. … Katie Kozich, Ellie Kozich and Barker finished 1-2-3 to lead Crestwood to a sweep of Hazleton Area and MMI Prep in the WVC tri-meet opener last week.
Notable/quotable: The Comets have unmatched depth. … Moulton: “A lot of the spots will go back and forth with the amount of depth we have, which is a good thing.”
COLUMBIA-MONTOUR VO-TECH
Coach: Nicole Groblewski.
2022 Recap: 3-13, tied for 13th in WVC.
Key returnees: SR Isabel Kowalsky, SR Violet Eckrote, JR Kaeleigh Swank.
Top newcomers: SR Emily Price, JR Kylie Voss.
Notable: The Rams are a District 4 member that competes in the WVC in cross country only.
DALLAS
Coach: Amy Rome.
2022 Recap: 16-0 for first in WVC; second of 12 teams in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: SR Julianna Sobocinski, SR Olivia Thomas, JR Erika Doran, JR Madison Hedglin, JR Sarah Williams.
Other returnees: SR Sarah Gauntlett, SR Mikayla Miller.
Top newcomer: Mayah Kolinovsky.
Early season: Hedglin posted a 44-second victory in the Robbins Invitational. Williams was third, Sobocinski 11th and Thomas 22nd. … They swept the top four spots in the same order when Dallas opened the WVC season with comfortable victories over Lake-Lehman and Tunkhannock in a WVC tri-meet.
Notable: Hedglin finished sixth in the state in Class 2A last season when she was also the top underclassman in a strong field at the district meet, finishing third.
HANOVER AREA
Coach: Carl Daubert.
2022 Recap: 0-15, 17th in WVC.
Top newcomers: FR Kaylee Barancho, JR Kaleigh Castrignano, JR Kendra Fisher, JR Vanessa Meyers, JR Krysta Shreve, SR Brenna Slusser.
Early season: Barancho led Hanover Area in the Robbins Invitational, finishing 83rd of 146, and the Lackawanna County Commissioners Invitational, taking 47th of 86.
Notable/quotable: The Hawkeyes are a Class 2A team. … Daubert: “We are a very young team in terms of experience, but they are learning and working hard at every practice. I am excited to see how we develop and hope to have a good season as they get better.”
HAZLETON AREA
Coach: Joe Smolinsky.
2022 Recap: 9-7, tied for eighth in WVC; fourth of six teams in District 2 Class 3A.
Key returnees: Krista Cepil, Milana Daiute, Mickenzie Magusckak, Kya Mencer.
Top newcomers: FR Kaylee Casagrande, FR Ava Hinkle.
Early season: Daiute was 10th at the Robbins Invitational. Hinkle was the team’s second finisher, placing 38th overall. … The Cougars lost to both Crestwood and MMI Prep in the WVC opening tri-meet.
Notable: Daiute was fourth in District 2 Class 3A last season, making her the WVC’s top returnee from that race.
HOLY REDEEMER
Coach: Adam Karwaski.
2022 Recap: 13-3, tied for third in WVC; eighth of 12 in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: SR Vanessa Flaherty, JR Abby McGowan, JR Sakinah Bhatti, SR Alexis Romanowski.
Other returnees: Emma Kane, Ruth Young.
Early season: McGowan was 51st in the Robbins Invitational to lead the Royals. Kane was the team’s third finisher in her varsity debut.
Notable/quotable: Karwaski takes over as head coach. … The Royals are hurting for depth, but have “some dedicated runners hoping to represent on the district and state level, led by captains Vanessa Flaherty and Alexis Romanowski,” according to Karwaski.
LAKE-LEHMAN
Coach: John Sobocinski.
2022 Recap: 13-3, tied for third in WVC; fourth of 12 in Class 2A.
Key returnees: JR Alana Palmaioli, SO Olivia Corcoran, SO Kate Stogoski, SO Kayla Barnard, SR Hailey Marx.
Other returnees: SO Kaitlyn Marx, SO Brianna Wright.
Top newcomers: SO Kariss Kegaspi, JR Autumn Hassett, FR Betsy DiGiovanni.
Early season: Palmaioli was 15th and DiGiovanni 20th in the Robbins Invitational. … They also led the team, finishing fifth and sixth when Lake-Lehman split in the opening WVC tri-meet, losing to Dallas, but beating Lake-Lehman.
Quotable: Sobocinski: “We have a young group of girls that has been working since early June. There are a few key veterans with experience at big meets to help with the leadership on the team. The goal is to improve throughout the season, attain a winning record in the league and advance some athletes to the state meet.”
MMI PREP
Coach: Jon Weaver.
2022 Recap: 3-13, tied for 13th in WVC.
Key returnees: JR Mary Kate Kupsky, JR Diane Kim.
Top newcomers: FR Amanda Stoffa, FR Katelyn Gera, FR Delilah Yatsko, JR Isabelle Wells.
Early season: Kupsky was 21st at the Robbins Invitational. … MMI defeated Hazleton Area by a point and lost to Crestwood in the opening WVC tri-meet.
Notable/quotable: The Preppers did not have enough runners for a team score last year, but Kupsky was the top WVC finisher at the District 2 Class A meet, taking seventh. … Weaver: “We have a young girls team this year. There are four new runners showing real potential and they should mature as the season goes on. Mary Kate Kupsky is our most seasoned runner. She has qualified for states the last two years and I expect her to repeat again this year.”
NANTICOKE
Coach: Wendy Lukowski.
2022 Recap: 5-11, tied for 11th in WVC; 12th of 12 in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: SO Nevaeh Baran, SO Kate Reed, SR Shelby Shepanski, SR Allison Brown.
Top newcomers: FR Matilda Serrano, SO Natalie Atkins, SO Marli Donahue, FR Emersyn Brown, JR Makenzie Pliska, JR Ailey Clishman, SR Lilli Nice.
Early season: Serrano led the Trojanettes at the Robbins Invitational, finishing 32nd.
NORTHWEST
Coach: Gareth Henderson.
2022 Recap: 2-14, 16th in WVC.
Top newcomers: SO Savannah Cronauer, SO Kayana Krall, FR Emily Voyton, FR Ashlyn Hermanofski.
Early season: Cronauer was 44th at the Robbins Invitational.
Notable: Northwest competes in District 4.
PITTSTON AREA
Coach: Joe Struckus.
2022 Recap: 10-6, tie for sixth in WVC; fifth of six in District 2 Class 3A.
Key returnees: SR Molly Fetchko, SO Olivia Scalese.
Other returnees: SO Ellie Schardien, SO Nina Albertelli.
Top newcomers: FR Bella Dessoye, FR Addison Ramirez, FR Olivia Pantucci.
Early season: Dessoye was sixth and the only freshman in the top 13 at the Robbins Invitational. … Scalese was eighth to lead the team to fourth place at the Lackawanna County Commissioners Invitational.
Notable/quotable: Scalese qualified for the state meet by finishing 10th in District 2 Class 3A last season. … Fetchko is in her third season as captain. … Freshmen Dessoye, Ramirez and Pantucci are doing more than just adding depth to a team that often went with five or six runners last season. “They’re ready to crack into my top five immediately,” Struckus said. “After that, there are a couple other freshmen who are working hard, along with my returners from last year, which is causing battles. When your’re competing against each other, that’s how you get better.”
TUNKHANNOCK
Coach: Randy White.
2022 Recap: 5-11, tied for 11th in WVC.
Key returnees: SR Samantha Roerig, SR Vanessa Mock, SO Eliza Talcott, SO Evan Molina.
Other returnee: Aliyah Tuttle.
Early season: Tunkhannock lost to Dallas and Lake-Lehman in the WVC opener, both by the maximum 15-50 score despite having six finishers.
Notable: The Tigers compete in Class 3A. … White is in his 25th season as coach.
WILKES-BARRE AREA
Coach: Paul McGrane.
2022 Recap: 0-16, 17th in WVC.
Key returnees: SO Ensly Fernandez, JR Mariely Sosa.
Notable: The Wolfpack are in Class 3A. … Fernandez and Sosa are the first two girls to compete in the sport for Wilkes-Barre Area.
WYOMING AREA
Coach: Mike Branley.
2022 Recap: 13-3, tied for third in WVC; ninth of 12 in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: JR Hannah Stoss, SO Kierstyn Orlandini, JR Veronika Chinikaylo, JR Arinna Gaylord.
Top newcomer: FR Addison Gaylord.
Early season: Stoss was 17th at the Robbins Invitational.
Notable: District 2 Class 2A champion and state medalist Madelyn Keating is now at Mississippi State where she was the NCAA Division I team’s fourth finisher in the season opener.
WYOMING SEMINARY
Coach: Jill Snowdon.
2022 Recap: 10-6, tied for sixth in WVC; fifth of nine in District 2 Class A.
Key returnees: SR Rebecca Polgar, SR Faith Stoshak.
Other returnees: SO Maya Gross, SO Grace Rushmer.
Top newcomers: FR Gemma Ciravolo, FR Violet Coates, FR Dylan Harrison, FR Katie Weaver.
Early season: Polgar was 26th at the Robbins Invitational.
Quotable: Snowdon: “I’ve seen a ton of progress from our summer workouts. I’m very happy with the roster numbers this year and excited to see that the junior high program also has a deep roster with a lot of talent.”
WYOMING VALLEY WEST
Coach: Mallory Urbanski.
2022 Recap: 9-7, tied for eighth in WVC; sixth of six in District 2 Class 3A.
Key returnees: JR Sarah Park, JR Kali Piczon.
Early season: Piczon was 72nd at the Robbins Invitational.
BOYS TEAMS
BERWICK
Coach: Karen May.
2022 Recap: 13-3, fourth in WVC; seventh of 14 teams in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: SR Greyson Kupsky, SR Maddox Shultz, SR Gavin Davis, JR Dante Tripp, SO Nate Hook, JR Gavin Pursel.
Top newcomers: FR Gabe Johnson, FR Jason Holmes.
Early season: Tripp, Kupsky finished 48th and 49th out of 205 to lead the Bulldogs at the Cliff Robbins Invitational. Hook was 69th.
Quotable: May: “I am looking forward to watching our runners improve every meet and to have a winning season.”
CRESTWOOD
Coach: Rob Moulton.
2022 Recap: 15-1 to share title in WVC: second of 14 teams in District 2 Class 2A title.
Key returnees: SO Mason Staude, SR Ryan Kozich, JR Nate Higgins, JR Kevin Luther, JR Jacob Lettieri.
Other returnees: SR Grayson Koons, SR Austin Campbell.
Top newcomers: SO Sam Partington, SO Gavin Rindock, SO Brooks Martinelli, SO Nate Havard, SO Joey Van Dusen, SO Noah Konschnik.
Early season: Staude was seventh while Higgins and Kozich were 16th and 17th at the Robbins Invitational.
Notable: Staude was ninth in District 2 Class 2A last season as a freshman. He is the top WVC returnee from that race.
COLUMBIA-MONTOUR VO-TECH
Coach: Nicole Groblewski.
2022 Recap: 2-14, 15th in WVC.
Key returnees: SR Patrick English.
Newcomers: JR Kaden Derr, SO Charlie Sego.
Notable: The Rams are a District 4 team. They compete in the WVC in cross country only.
DALLAS
Coach: Amy Rome.
2022 Recap: 11-5, sixth in WVC; ninth of 14 teams in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: SR Bryce Phillips, JR Aidan Jennings, JR Noah Kolinovsky, JR Isaiah Samuel.
Other returnees: JR Luke Karcutskie, JR Vinny Fazzino.
Top newcomer: FR Aidan Hilburt.
Early season: Phillips was third to lead all WVC boys at the Cliff Robbins Invitational. Phillips and Jennings were 1-2 when Dallas opened the WVC season with a 26-29 victory over Lake-Lehman and 19-40 win over Tunkhannock.
Quotable: Rome: “We will have a lot of new faces in the top five. The team is coming off a very successful track season with great improvements in their times, which we hope will continue this cross country season.”
HANOVER AREA
Coach: Carl Daubert.
2022 Recap: 3-13, tied for 13th in WVC.
Top newcomers: FR Preston Zadzura, JR Noah Dewey, JR Anthony Anderson, SR Malachi Downey.
Early season: Zadzura was 131st to lead three Hawkeyes entries in Robbins Invitational and 68th at the Lackawanna County Commissioners Invitational.
Notable: The team competes in Class 2A. … Every runner on the roster is new to the sport.
HAZLETON AREA
Coach: Joe Smolinsky.
2022 Recap: 10-6, seventh in WVC; fourth of nine teams in District 2 Class 3A.
Key returnees: SR Ryan Casagrande, Ethan Kintzel, SR Joseph Mazaika, JR Owen Pollock, JR Franklin Ritz, JR Darren Seiwell.
Top newcomers: FR Hudson Bottley, FR Carter Fellin, FR Damian Vargus, SR Aiasan Tunnessen.
Early season: Ritz finished eighth and four teammates came in between 27th and 56th at the Robbins Invitational.
Quotable: Smolinsky: “The team put in a great summer workout. The team is experienced and working hard toward our goal of district championships.”
HOLY REDEEMER
Coach: Adam Karwaski.
2022 Recap: 15-1 to share WVC championship; eighth of 14 teams in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: SR Donato Strish, SR Jake Considine, SR Aiden McDonald, SR Billy Brady, SO Cole Makarewicz, SO Sean Williams, SO Taran Lawrence, SO Patrick Smith.
Other returnee: SO F Lukas Runde.
Top newcomers: Joshua Cackowski, Xander Pascoe.
Early season: McDonald was 20th, Lawrence 23rd and three teammates between 30th and 52nd at the Robbins Invitational.
Quotable: Karwaski: “After a bitter end to the previous season, in which we had a disappointing district finish, we are hoping to finish strong with our goals set high for a boys district championship.”
LAKE-LEHMAN
Coach: John Sobocinski.
2022 Recap: 14-2 for third in the WVC; fourth of 14 in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: JR Tyler Lukavitch, SO Stephen Martin, JR Spencer Smith, SR L.J. Morgan, SO Parker Smith.
Other returnees: JR Jonathon McGurk, JR Fionn Ellis, JR Gary Stec.
Top newcomers: FR Connor Higgins, FR Grafton Yanuzzi, FR Greg Mikulski, FR Merrit Nash, FR River Morgan, FR Julian Recinos.
Early season: Lukavitch, Martin and Smith finished between 51st and 55th at the Robbins Invitational. Smith and Martin were fourth and fifth in the WVC opening tri-meet where Lake-Lehman lost by three to Dallas and beat Tunkhannock, 20-39.
Quotable: Sobocinski: “With good depth and hard work, we should be competitive in the WVC. The goal is to have a winning season and build a team that will compete for the district title next season.”
MMI PREP
Coach: Jon Weaver.
2022 Recap: 1-15 for 16th in WVC.
Notable: As of the start of the season, the Preppers, a Class A team, do not have any boys running.
NANTICOKE
Coach: Wendy Lukowski.
2022 Recap: 2-13 for 14th in WVC.
Key returnees: SR Xavier Skillens, JR Ryan Simcox, SO Louden Mullery,
Top newcomers: JR Derek Shemanski, JR Alex O’Looney, FR Jonah Guzman.
Early season: Nanticoke had three runners at the Robbins Invitational with Shemanski leading the way.
Notable: The Trojans compete in Class 2A. … After competing with just four runners last season, Nanticoke could have a full scoring lineup for meets this time around.
NORTHWEST
Coach: Gareth Henderson.
2022 Recap: 9-7 for eighth in WVC.
Key returnees: JR Oliver Heintzelman, SO Michael Fritz, JR Tyler Fox, SO Caleb Clink.
Top newcomers: FR Bodie Logsdon, FR Luka Gleco.
Early season: Fritz was fifth, making him the top underclassman, and Heintzelman was 12th at the Robbins Invitational.
Notable/quotable: The former WVC member for all sports still remains in the conference for cross country. The Rangers, however, are a District 4 member when it comes time for PIAA competition. … Henderson: “We’re a young team coming off of two years of success, hoping to take four athletes to states for the third consecutive year. It’s still a small team compared to the rest of the conference, so we are planning on two years of growth for the team.”
PITTSTON AREA
Coach: Katie O’Boyle.
2022 Recap: 12-4 for fifth in WVC; sixth of nine in District 2 Class 3A.
Key returnees: SR Preston Klem, SO Jakob Mead, SO Caden Boettger; JR Franklin Garcia.
Other returnees: SR Matt Volpitta, SO J.D. Gladish.
Top newcomer: FR Jake Scagliotti.
Early season: Boettger, Mead and Klem were 18th, 28th and 29th in the season-opening Robbins Invitational. … Klem, Mead and Boettger were sixth, seventh and 10th out of 117 runners at Saturday’s Lackawanna County Commissioners Invitational, making the fourth-place Patriots the only team with three runners in the top 10.
Notable/quotable: Mead and Boettger were 10th and 22nd in District 2 Class 3A last season as freshmen. … O’Boyle: “We have three kids that are going to be really competitive up front and what we have more of than we did last year is depth. It’s a much deeper team this year.”
TUNKHANNOCK
Coach: Randy White.
2022 Recap: 8-8 for ninth in WVC; fifth of nine in District 2 Class 3A.
Key returnees: SR Brendan Yatsko, JR Bryce Miller, SR Logan Miller, JR Josh Gardet, SR Chris Kovalichick.
Other returnees: Elijah Faux, Alex Piretti and Tanguy Vellier, along with Ryan Zhu and Preston Airgood.
Early season: Yatsko was third in the WVC opener when the Tigers lost to Dallas and Lake-Lehman.
Quotable: White: “Our main goal is to improve with each race and be running at peak performance for the district and state meets.”
WILKES-BARRE AREA
Coach: Paul McGrane.
2022 Recap: 4-12 for 13th in WVC; ninth of nine in District 2 Class 3A.
Key returnees: JR Kiake Gonzalez Perez; JR Sabastian Ruiz; SO Jack Coffay.
Top newcomers: FR Julian Dates, FR Camerson Grohowski, FR Ben Delgado, FR Chase Erbacher, FR Sincere Munoz.
Early season: Delgado was 63rd overall and first among WVC freshmen at the Robbins Invitational.
Quotable: McGrane: “It is a very young team that is inexperienced, but they are working hard.”
WYOMING AREA
Coach: Mike Branley.
2022 Recap: 6-10 for 11th in WVC; 14th of 14 in District 2 Class 2A.
Key returnees: SR Roger Orlandini, SR Liam Hyzinski, JR Colby Walsh, JR Owen Klaproth, JR Shane Emsley, SO
Other returnee: JR Brady Kearns.
Top newcomers: SO Chris Viadock, SO Caleb Kutteroff.
Early season: Walsh was 76th and Orlandini 81st in the Robbins Invitational. … Walsh was 21st at the Lackawanna County Commissioners Invitational.
Notable/quotable: Branley is in his first year as head coach. … Orlandini and Hyzinski started in the program as seventh-graders. “This will be their sixth year as Wyoming Area cross country runners, so they really know the ropes,” Branley said.
WYOMING SEMINARY
Coach: Jill Snowdon.
2022 Recap: 5-11 for 12th in WVC; sixth of eight in District 2 Class A.
Key returnees: SR Jack Novelli, SR Jack Tuzinski.
Other returnees: SR Paul Stevenson, SR Tommy Majkowski, SR Alex Smulowitz.
Top newcomers: SO Joe Galante, FR Bryce Gibson, FR Michael DeMuro.
Early season: Novelli was 10th in the Robbins Invitational. Tuzinski was 34th.
Notable: Novelli is a returning state medalist. He placed 15th in Class A at the PIAA meet in Hershey after leading WVC runners in District 2 Class A last season, finishing sixth.
WYOMING VALLEY WEST
Coach: Mallory Urbanski.
2022 Recap: 7-9 for 10th in WVC; seventh of nine in District 2 Class 3A.
Key returnees: JR Casimir Glaude, SR Devin Sahonick, JR Max Weichbrect.
Other returnees: JR William Bartolomei, SR Jaytm Keller, SR Antonio Torres.
Early season: Sahonick was 75th at the Robbins Invitational.