LaBarbera, Gaffey Win District II Titles

By Joby Faucett
Scranton Times Tribune

MOSCOW, PA, May 19, 2004 - Montrose never let a sub-par regular season deter its athletes at the District 2 Class AA Track and Field Championships on Tuesday at North Pocono High School.
Led by district meet record-setters Joe LaBarbera and Larry Lundy, the Meteors finished third in the team standings with 41 points.

Not bad for a team that won just one meet in Lackawanna Track Conference dual meet action. "Our coaches don't kill us to win meets," said LaBarbera after he set a district meet record by clearing 14-feet in the pole vault. "They know we're getting the competition we need in our meets."

LaBarbera easily won the event, and cleared his record height with ease.

Susquehanna freshman Amber Gaffey set a meet pole vault record of 10-0 to defeat defending champion and record-holder Desiree Finley of Hanover Area. "It feels pretty good," Gaffey said. "I had a good practice (Monday), and felt confident coming in."

The record was the second time she cleared 10-0 this year, hitting that mark in the Wilkes-Barre Invitational.

"Some people are scared to fall from that high," Gaffey said. "I like it."