Jim Thorpe, with its array of talented boys and girls track athletes, raced to a Schuylkill League sweep of Tamaqua on Monday.

There was never a doubt for the Olympian boys on their way to an impressive 97-51 win over a youthful Tamaqua team that will only get better with time.

Meanwhile, a seasoned and well-groomed Jim Thorpe girls squad defeated the Raiders, 89-61, paced by dynamic sophomore Kalia O’Connor who zipped to the head of the class with three individual victories in the sprints.

Frank Miller, the guiding light of the Jim Thorpe track program for the past 18 seasons, was beaming and pushing both of his teams in the early-season meet.

“We look at dual meets as intense training sessions,” Miller said. “The end goals are leagues, districts and states.”

Speedy Olympians

Jim Thorpe’s speed flashed up and down the lineup in the boys meet as it won every running event.

The 100 belonged to Salvatore Capria; Ridge Snyder a double winner 200 and 400; Ryan Bailor took the 800 and 1600; and David Richards (110) and Justin Yescavage (300) swept the hurdle events. Richards also won the pole vault.

Adding to the victory totals were the Thorpe relay teams. Joshua James, Capria, David Fiorito and Andrew Warner were the sprinters in the 400 relay; Ivan Tuirczeniuk, Ridge, Zion Green and Bailor comprised the 1600 meter relay team; and Bailor, Jordan Bremmel, Ridge and Henry Snyder breezed to the finish line first in the 3200 relay.

“David Richards is Mr. Consistency every time out,” Miller said. “He has a goal to push that 200 barrier, and he needs sprint work on certain days to get there.”

Certainly not lost in the shuffle for Jim Thorpe was Aiden Clements, who was a dual winner in the pole vault and long jump.

Tamaqua’s Parker Coleman (shot put, discus) and Adam Linkhorst (triple jump) also recorded victories.

“Right now, it’s all about competing and we’re going to learn from this,” said first-year Tamaqua coach Jim McCabe. “We’re a young team. We’ve got kids who want to compete, who want to get better and they will. We haven’t had much of a chance to train this spring with the bad weather and our gym getting a facelift.

“Running in the hallways isn’t the best place to train. But you can’t ask for a more dedicated bunch of young boys and girls. They’re determined to get better, and they absolutely will.”

Great gals

While O’Connor may have been the headliner, there was plenty for senior Laura Clarke to seize as well. Her strong suit lay in the field events, and she was bulging with some big heaves in the javelin and discus events, where she was tops.

Clarke won the javelin with a heave of 105-1, ahead of Tamaqua’s Kaziah Streisel, who was second with a toss of 99-3. In the discus, her toss of 100-4 was well ahead of Tamaqua’s Shyann Weighknect, who was second at 90-3.

“Laura has really gotten stronger this year,” Miller said. “I really feel she is going to have a big year this being her senior season.”

As for O’Connor, she rang up wins in the 100 (12.9), 200 (26.5) and 400 (1:03.6).

“Kaila is so diverse in the events she can run. We can use her up and down the lineup,” Miller said.

Meanwhile, Katelyn Bos, a senior, rang up two wins in the distance events at the 1600 and 800. Jim Thorpe also won a pair of relay events, staking claim in the 1600 relay with the team of Ehlauna Penn, Aurora VanAuke, Oliva Rosenberger and Aubrey Bonner getting the win; and in the 3200 relay with Bonner, Rosenberger, Nicole Carroll and Megan Rosahac each running a leg.

Tamaqua did manage to win the 400 meter relay as Alexa Stianche, Sarah Hope McKenna Meckes and Sam Plasha raced to the finish line in a time of 58.8. Stianche was also a winner in the high jump at 4-10. The Raiders’ Leah Wasko (300 hurdles, triple jump); Streisel (shot put); and Ashley Jones (100 hurdles) also had first-place finishes.

Girls

Jim Thorpe 89, Tamaqua 61

100 - 1. Kaila O’Connor (JT) 12.9, 2. Sam Plasha (T), 3. Sarah Hope (T); 200 - 1. Kaila O’Connor (JT) 26.5, 2. Alexa Stianche (T), 3. Sam Plasha (T); 400 - 1. Kaila O’Connor (JT) 1:03.6, 2. Aubrey Bonner (JT), 3. Graycee Kovalchick (T); 800 - 1. Nicole Carroll (JT) 2:42.5, 2. Maura Walker (T), 3. Andrea Betz (T); 1600 - 1. Katelyn Bos (JT) 6:01.0, 2. Maura Walker (T), 3. Megan Rosahac (JT); 3200 - 1. Katelyn Bos (JT) 13:10.4, 2. Megan Rosahac (JT), 3. Isabella Jones (T); 100H - 1. Ashley Jones (T) 17.2, 2. Leah Wasko (JT), 3. Anna Zelinsky (T); 300H - 1. Leah Wasko (JT) 54.1, 2. Aurora VanAuken (JT), 3. Anna Zelisnky (T); 400 Relay - Tamaqua (Alexa Stianche, Sarah Hope, McKenna Meckes, Sam Plasha) 57.0; 1600 Relay - Jim Thorpe (Ehlauna Penn, Aurora VanAuken, Olivia Rosenberger, Aubrey Bonner) 4:45.0; 3200 Relay - Jim Thorpe (Aubrey Bonner, Megan Rosahac, Olivia Rosenberger, Nicole Carroll) 11:27.1; Shot put - 1. Kaziah Streisel (T) 30-8, 2. Ivy Stauffer (JT), 3. Shyann Weighknecht (T); Discus - 1. Laura Clarke (JT) 100-4, 2. Shyann Weighknecht (T), 3. Ivy Stauffer (JT); Javelin - 1. Laura Clarke (JT) 105-1, 2. Kaziah Streisel (T), 3. Brooke Riley (T); Long jump - 1. Katrin Cavanaugh (JT) 14-5, 2. Sam Plasha (T), 3. Leah Wasko (JT); Triple jump - 1. Leah Wasko (JT) 31-4 1/4, 2. Makayla Kester (T), 3. Katrin Cavanaugh (JT); High jump - 1. Alexa Stianche (T) 4-6, 2. Amelia McArdle (T), 3. Nicole Mushock (T); Pole vault

- 1. Olivia Rosenberger (JT) 6-6, 2. Lauren Hill (T), 3. Ashley Jones (T).

Boys

Jim Thorpe 97, Tamaqua 51

100 - 1. Salvatore Capria (JT) 12.4, 2. Aaron Rolko (T), 3. Joshua James (JT); 200 - 1. Ridge Snyder (JT) 24.7, 2. Cameron Lewis (T), 3. Stephen Kieffer (T); 400 - 1. Ridge Snyder (JT) 54.0, 2. Ivan Turczeniuk (JT), 3. Zeeshan Issifu (JT); 800 - 1. Ryan Bailor (JT) 2:09.8, 2. Adam Schock (T), 3. Jessie Gormley (T); 1600 - 1. Ryan Bailor (JT) 4:46.3, 2. Levi Kunkel (T), 3. Adam Schock (T); 3200 - 1. Jordan Remmel (JT) 11:04.6, 2. Levi Kunkel (T), 3. Anthony Marchetti (T); 110H - 1. David Richards (JT) 17.4, 2. Justin Yescavage (JT), 3. Alexander Nattress (T); 300H - 1. Justin Yescavage (JT) 50.1, 2. Alexander Nattress (T); 400 Relay - Jim Thorpe (Joshua James, Salvatore Capria, David Fiorito, Andrew Warner) 47.6; 1600 Relay - Jim Thorpe (Ivan Turczeniuk, Ridge Snyder, Zion Green, Ryan Bailor) 3:56.0; 3200 Relay - Jim Thorpe (Ryan Bailor, Jordan Remmel, Ridge Snyder, Henry Snyder) 9:19.5; Shot put - 1. Parker Coleman (T) 36-6, 2. Salvatore Capria (JT), 3. Jacob Wasserleben (T); Discus - 1. Parker Coleman (T) 109-2, 2. William Newton (JT), 3. Jacob Wasserleben (T); Javelin - 1. Rowan Melber (JT) 126-1, 2. Brady Sherry (T), 3. Jason Bowen (JT); Long jump - 1. Aiden Clements (JT) 18-5, 2. Adam Linkhorst (T), 3. David Fiorito (JT); Triple jump - 1. Adam Linkhorst (T) 35-6, 2. Andrew Warner (JT), 3. David Fiorito (JT); High jump - 1. David Richards (JT) 5-11, 2. Michael Steigerwalt (T) and Clarence Watts (JT); Pole vault

- 1. Aiden Clements (JT) 12-0, 2. Timothy Berg (T).