SCRANTON – Throughout the spring, Michael Schimelfenig and Michael Connor have enjoyed record-breaking success in their individual events and as teammates on a relay team.
As the postseason got off to a fast start at the 70th Jordan Relays on Thursday night, the dynamic senior duo helped Riverside’s boys track and field program make history at Scranton Veterans Memorial Stadium.
With the two seniors leading the way, Riverside won two gold medals and scored 41 points to win its first Class 2A team championship. Montrose finished second with 34 points, and Mid Valley and Dunmore finished tied for third with 28 points.
“This is amazing,” Schimelfenig said. “Especially for me, being a senior to do this and make school history is unbelievable.”
Riverside staved off Montrose, but the Montrose girls celebrated a team title.
The Lady Meteors won three races in the Class 2A meet and scored 49 points, which was 10 points clear of second-place Mid Valley.
It is the fourth team championship in five seasons and the seventh title overall.
“It is honestly a big team effort,” Montrose junior Sadie Jones said. “It is really cool to be a part of a team that is willing to work so hard to win a Jordan Relays championship.”
In the boys’ meet, Schimefenig ran the 1,600-meter leg in the opening race of the meet. He teamed with Connor, who ran the 800, and Yenial Perez Hernandez and Carmelo Barnett, who each ran a 400 leg, to a gold medal time of 8 minutes, 23 seconds.
“That gave me confidence for the meet,” said Schimelfenig, who broke his own school record on Monday in the 1,600 in 4:29.44 in the dual-meet finale win over Mid Valley. “Getting that first win right off the bat was really nice.”
Three events later, Schimelfenig and Connor, who set a school record in the 800 in 1:59.67 a week ago at the Lasagna Invitational, teamed with Andrew Connor and Jack Davies to win the 3,200 relay (4-by-800), their specialty all season, in 8:30.71.
“This really reflects everything and how hard we have worked,” Michael Connor said. “All the way through the winter to now, staying extra at practices and perfecting the little things. We have made so much progress this season, and this is really special.”
Montrose had wins in the 400 relay in 44.07 seconds and the 1,600 medley in 3:41.05. Carl Nolt, Gabe Blasi, Nico Christian, and Max Kuwaye, a school-record-holding foursome, won the sprint relay. Blasi, Kuwaye, and Christian teamed with Jamison Myers for the win in the 1,600 medley.
Dunmore’s team of Jacob Costanzo, Josh Dudick, Carter Sload, and Weston Yannone won two relays. The teammates earned gold in the 1,200 medley, finishing ahead of Montrose in 2:29.85. They closed out the meet with a Class 2A gold rush in the 1,600 relay in 3:30.30.
In the girls’ meet, the three top team contenders each won a Class 2A race to start the competition.
Montrose’s team of Ava Rebello, Sadie Jones, Gracie Jones, and Avery Kerry won the Distance Medley in 10:09.19.
Mid Valley’s foursome of Madison George, Keri Michaels, Tess Yanoski, and Olivia Thomas bolted to a win in the 400 relay in 51.56 seconds. The Spartanettes held off Montrose (51.82) and Lakeland (52.32).
Lakeland’s team of Kaylyn Davis, Naomi Rude, Rileigh Johnson, and Bria Hill won the Class 2A race in the 1,200 medley out of the first heat of three in 3:00.88. Mid Valley, which ran in the fastest heat, finished second in 3:01.48.
Montrose put the team competition away with gold medals in the 3,200 relay and the 1,600 medley.
Carly Frey, Rebello, Addison Stephens, and Kerr won the 3,200 relay in 10:06.84, well ahead of Lakeland (11:04.94). Vivian Welmon, Molly Weller, Sadie Jones, and Addison Stephens won the 1,600 medley in 4:33.75.
“This means a lot to me,” said Kerr, who set a school record in the 1,600 earlier in the week against Mountain View. “I have been working so hard for all of this. At Mountain View on Monday, I gave everything I had to get that record. This meet is really special because we all worked hard at it.
“As the night went on, and we realized that we had a chance to win, we all really got excited.”
Mid Valley closed out the meet with George, Michaels, Karsyn Caines, and Thomas winning gold in the 1,600 relay in 4:17.60. Lakeland was second (4:21.85) and Montrose third (4:22.46).