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HS TRACK AND FIELD: Athletes shine at Unified North/Central Championship meet

joby fawcett, the times-tribune, scranton, pa.
·4 min read

Athletes shined almost as brightly as the sun on the Phil Tochelli Track at Lakeland High School.

Sprinters, runners, jumpers and throwers gave their efforts and supported each other throughout Wednesday morning at the North/Central Championships in Unified Track and Field and represented the Northeast Region of Special Olympics in Pennsylvania.

Special Olympics Unified Sports are defined as “a fully inclusive sports or fitness program that combines an approximately equal number of students with and without intellectual disabilities,” according to the website.

The event started with the opening ceremony and the arrival of the Unified Special Olympics torch.

Wallenpaupack coach Katie Schkolenko offered words of encouragement to the athletes and saluted the late Ann Marie Simons, Wallenpaupack’s former athletic director who died after a brief but courageous battle with cancer earlier this spring. Simons championed Unified Sports in Northeast Pennsylvania.

“I know that she is a big reason why Unified is in our school and possibly even in your school,” Schkolenko said. “Most people would stand up here and ask for a moment of silence. But I am not going to do that, because she wouldn’t want me to do that. What I am going to ask is that you cheer a little louder for your teammates today. Run a little harder for your teammates today. Jump a little farther and throw a little farther. That is exactly what she would encourage you to do.”

Schkolenko has coached Unified Sports for six years at Wallenpaupack and recently received the Special Olympics North America Outstanding Coach of the Year award. The honor recognizes a coach who best demonstrates the true ideas of the coaching profession in a local program or school. The person leads by example and expects athletes to set and strive to reach goals. Nominated coaches are judged by their contribution to sport in the Special Olympics, coaching effectiveness, personal development and leadership.

“Every track day is a great day,” said Schkolenko in between running around to congratulate athletes as they crossed the finish line. “Those are words that we live by as a team and the words I live by as a coach. It’s great to see all the kids from all of the schools here; we cheer for everybody. There is so much energy here that you can’t walk away and not be inspired.”

Athletes from Wallenpaupack, Abington Heights, Mid Valley, Carbondale Area and North Pocono attended the North/Central Championship meet.

There were spirited efforts from everyone, and they all received rousing ovations from the stadium filled with family, fans and elementary school students from Lakeland.

In the end, Wallenpaupack won the team title over Mid Valley with only one-half point separating the two. Abington Heights finished third, Carbondale Area was fourth and North Pocono finished fifth.

Wallenpaupack’s Deshawn Brown captivated the audience with a time of 56.54 seconds in the 400-meter run. He is a standout for the Buckhorns and will compete this weekend at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.

“It is my first year here because I moved from Florida,” Brown said. “I used to play football, but this is my first year running track. I decided to help my team out before I graduate. This has been great. Everyone is so generous and such nice people. I am going to give it my all at states.”

Wallenpaupack and Wyoming Valley West finished first and second at the Regional Championships held earlier this spring and received automatic spots at the state meet.

Seventeen Northeast Region schools in District 2 compete in Unified Track and Field. The South Division held its championship meet Monday at Wilkes-Barre Area High School.

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UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS TRACK AND FIELD

NORTHEAST REGION NORTH/CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP MEET

(Wednesday at Lakeland)

Team scoring: Wallenpaupack 194.48; Mid Valley 194; Abington Heights 177; Carbondale Area 110.37; North Pocono 100.45.

Triple-winners: James McCrea (MV) Division 11-100, Division 1-long jump; Division 2-400 relay; Delaney Caines (MV) Division 2-800; Division 15-mini javelin, Division 2-400 relay.

Individual double-winners: Donovan Freedman (WAL) Division 4-100, Division 4-mini javelin; Evan McDonnell (MV) Division 14-100, Division 3-long jump; Thomas Wiggins (CAR) Division 16-100, Division 11-mini jav; Ethan McDonald (CAR) Division 5-400, Division 5-shot put; Harrison Braida (WAL) Division 7-400, Division 16-mini javelin; Danil Dempsey (AH) Division 3-800; Division 7-long jump.