BY JOBY FAWCETT, Times-Shamrock Writer

Both Elk Lake’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams took first place team honors at the 56th annual Jordan Relays at Scranton Memorial Stadium.

The Elk Lake boys’ team topped in Class AA with 45 total points, three points ahead of second place Blue Ridge at 43, while the girls’ team had 48 points, eight points ahead of second place Montrose.

Boys’ meet

Even through the darkness, Mike Bedell was easy to find.

Wearing bright, fluorescent orange shoes, and turning them over at a rapid pace, the senior led Elk Lake.

Elk Lake got off to an impressive start and never let up, winning four of the six events against Class AA competition.

Will Bennett, Brad Moore and Sean Carney gave Bedell a cushion in the distance medley that he pushed out even more, capturing the gold and winning the race overall in a time of 8 minutes, 19.04 seconds.

“Being a Class AA team and beating all the Class AAA teams in that race is really big for us,” Carney said.

Blue Ridge took the lead in the Class AA team chase as Jacob James, Sean Stanley, Zach Kruger and Dan Kempa teamed to win the 400 relay and the 1200 medley back-to-back.

“We did a great job, winning two events,” Kempa said. “I am really happy. We did really good.”

Then, the Warriors won the 3200 relay and the 1600 medley to tie Blue Ridge, and Moore, Bennett, Carney and Bedell took first in the 1600 relay over the Raiders to claim the team championship.

Girls’ action

In Class AA, Elk Lake’s depth overwhelmed the competition, winning four of the six races and finishing with 48 points to repeat as champions. Montrose was second with 40 points.

“I’m just really so proud of our entire team,” said Elk Lake’s Kirsten Hollister, who was on two winning relays. “All of our relays did really well. We were focused on trying to win it again.”

The Warriors won the last three events to overtake Montrose for the championship.

Maria Trowbridge anchored two relays – the distance medley and the 1600 Medley – to victories.

Cassie VanEtten grabbed three gold medals, while Hollister, Elizabeth Trowbridge, Kelsey Hermick and Emily Williams each were on two winning relays.

“We are very happy,” Maria Trowbridge said. “We have worked hard all season and we were hoping to come out and repeat as champions.”

Montrose’s team of Lanci Salsman, Alex Lewis, Allison Lewis and Myra Lattimore picked up a win in the 1200 medley and Holy Cross’ team of Nikolette McCloe, Kira Graziano, Kaitlyn McDonnell and Ashley Hensel won the 400 relay.

AA Boys Team Scores: 1-Elk Lake 45; 2-Blue Ridge 43; 3-Mid Valley 31; 4-Holy Cross 29; 5-Dunmore 27; 6-Dunmore 27; 7-Riverside 20; 8-Western Wayne 16; 9-Lackawanna Trail 9; 10-Montrose 7; 11-Carbondale 4; 12-Lakeland 4.

AA Girls Team Scores: 1-Elk Lake 48; 2-Montrose 40; 3-Lakeland 34; 4-Holy Cross 33; 5-Dunmore 24; 6-Blue Ridge 19; 7-Lackwanna Trail 12; 8-Mid valley 10; 9-Carbondale 6; 10-Riverside 5.

Class AA Boys

Distance medley: Elk Lake (Will Bennett, Brad Moore, Sean Carney, Mike Bedell) 8:19.94; Holy Cross 8:39.24; Dunmore 8:40.24; Mid Valley 8:57.14; Blue Ridge 9:03.94; Carbondale 9:06.14; Lackawanna Trail 9:09.04; Montrose 9:18.24.

400 relay: Blue Ridge (Jacob James, Sean Stanley, Zach Kruger, Dan Kempa) 44.77; Riverside 45.68; Western Wayne 46.05; Mid Valley 46.16; Dunmore 46.79; Holy Cross 47.03; Montrose 47.70; Lackawanna Trail 49.60.

1200 relay: Blue Ridge (Dan Kempa, Jacob James, Sean Stanley, Zach Kruger) 2:35.11; Mid Valley 2:36.93; Western Wayne 2:38.58; Elk Lake 2:39.49; Holy Cross 2:41.31; Riverside 2:43.12; Dunmore 2:47.32; Montrose 2:50.23.

3200 relay: Elk Lake (Luke Jones, Sean Carney, Will Bennett, Bryan Grosvenor) 8:18.53; Dunmore 8:37.71; Blue Ridge 8:49.81; Holy Cross 8:59.02; Mid Valley 9:06.59; Lakeland 9:51.91; Lackawanna Trail 9:58.18; Carbondale 10:06.64.

1600 medley: Elk Lake (Bryan Grosvenor, Joe Woolcock, Thurn Thanormthin, Mike Bedell) 3:44.24; Mid Valley 3:53.16; Dunmore 3:58.13; Blue Ridge 4:00.09; Riverside 4:00.90; Holy Cross 4:04.13; Lackawanna Trail 4:05.48; Lakeland 4:17.01.

1600 relay: Elk Lake (Brad Moore, Sean Carney, Will Bennett, Mike Bedell) 3:28.97; Blue Ridge 3:35.57; Holy Cross 3:37.39; Riverside 3:42.94; Western Wayne 3:43.50; Montrose 3:47.00; Lackawanna Trail 3:47.86; Mid Valley 3:48.94.

Class AA Girls

Distance medley: Elk Lake (Elizabeth Trowbridge, Cassie VanEtten, Kirsten Hollister, Maria Trowbridge) 10:10.74; Montrose 10:44.74; Lackawanna Trail 10:44.84; Lakeland 10:50.14; Dunmore 10:51.64; Holy Cross 10:52.44; Mid Valley 11:42.34; Riverside 12:59.14.

400 relay: Holy Cross (Nikolette McCloe, Kira Graziano, Kaitlyn McDonnell, Ashley Hensel) 51.94; Lakeland 52.84; Blue Ridge 53.24; Montrose 54.24; Carbondale 54.74; Dunmore 54.84; Lackawanna Trail 55.04; Riverside 56.44.

1200 relay: Montrose (Lanci Salsman, Alex Lewis, Allison Lewis, Myra Lattimore) 3:03.56; Elk Lake 3:05.19; Holy Cross 3:06.86; Blue Ridge 3:07.08; Lakeland 3:19.34; Mid Valley 3:21.16; Carbondale 3:23.14; Dunmore 3;26.67.

3200 relay: Elk Lake (Elizabeth Trowbridge, Emily Williams, Cassie VanEtten, Abby Zdancewicz) 10:15.44; Dunmore 11:02.26; Holy Cross 11:04.71; Lakeland 11:05.03; Montrose 11:43.78.; Riverside 13:54.39.

1600 medley: Elk Lake (Cindy Good, Kirsten Hollister, Kelsey Hermick, Maria Trowbridge) 4:24.55; Lakeland 4:37.48; Holy Cross 4:39.06; Montrose 4:51.41; Mid Valley 4:55.81; Blue Ridge 5:04.31; Dunmore 5:08.07; Lackawanna Trail 5:15.22.

1600 relay: Elk Lake (Cassie VanEtten, Emily Williams, Cassie Salsman, Kelsey Hermik) 4:15.65; Montrose 4:16.60; Dunmore 4:21.84; Blue Ridge 4:22.12; Lakeland 4:26.61; Lackawanna Trail 4:40.12; Holy Cross 4:40.32; Mid Valley 4:42.29.