There is a lot of excitement and interest in races for championships in the girls Lackawanna Track Conference as the regular season opens this week.

Three teams look to maintain their stranglehold on titles.

Abington Heights has dominated Division I for two decades, Lakeland has won 12 straight division championships and Montrose has ruled in Division IV.

Last season, Delaware Valley won its first title since 2019, when it earned the Division II championship.

Division I

This season, Abington Heights has its most inexperienced group, but it has a wealth of young talent coming up from the junior high program.

Anna Pucilowski is a returning All-Region and LTC Division I-II all-star in the distance events for the Lady Comets, who have won 109 straight dual meets.

Kiana Seid, an outstanding performer in the field events, also earned LTC all-star honors last season.

The Lady Comets have not lost a division meet since 2006.

Valley View is expected to challenge the Lady Comets for the Division I title. Sadie Loftus is a returning LTC all-star for the Cougars.

Scranton is under the guidance of first-year coach Michelle Reed. Anijah Turner, a sprinter who finished fifth in the 200-meter dash at the District 2 Class 3A Championships last season, leads the Lady Knights.

Division II

Wallenpaupack, which won the division crown from 2019 to 2024, is the favorite.

The Lady Buckhorns return LTC all-star June Brown, a standout in the distance races.

Western Wayne returns All-Region sprinter and District 2 Class 2A champion Olivia Haines and has some depth in the throwing events and the pole vault.

Sadie Booths is a returning LTC I-II all-star for the Lady ‘Cats in the throws. Juleighanna Eldred cleared 10-0 in the pole vault during the indoor season.

Delaware Valley graduated a large senior class from last year’s championship team.

Emma Simmons is one of the top all-around athletes in the LTC for the Lady Warriors. She is coming off a successful indoor season and finished fourth in the 100 hurdles last season at the district meet.

North Pocono has a top sprinter in Pia Zangardi. She finished fourth in the 100 at the District 2 Class 3A championships last season.

Division III

Mid Valley is heavily favored to dethrone Lakeland in the division this season.

The Spartanettes return All-Region hurdler and Army commit Natalie Talluto, and they welcome the arrival of freshman Olivia Thomas, who dominated the junior high division the last two seasons.

Lakeland returns last season’s Times-Tribune Female Track and Field Performer of the Year, Kaylyn Davis, who earned a bronze medal in the javelin at the PIAA Class 2A Championships. Naomi Rude also earned All-Region honors last season in the jumps after winning the District 2 title in the high jump. Bria Hill is a returning LTC III-IV all-star in the sprints.

Riverside and Holy Cross each have a lot of athletes on their rosters this season.

Division IV

Montrose and Elk Lake are expected to battle for division honors this season.

Montrose, under the guidance of first-year coach Cory Peranich, has won the last six Division IV titles. Sadie Jones is a returning All-Region performer in the jumps for the Lady Meteors. Anna Tillotson and Erin Tillotson are two of the top throwers in District 2 Class 2A.

Elk Lake has a talented group of distance runners. Kendyl Weisgold was an All-Region selection and District 2 Class 2A champion in the 1,600 last season as a freshman for the Lady Warriors.

Sprinter Rhys Evans, a returning LTC III-IV all-star, leads Mountain View.

Blue Ridge’s Emily Gorham was an all-star in the pole vault last season.