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More Medalists!
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Junior Trina Barcarola is the 2019 State Champ in the Pole Vault (clearing 12’6), and the 100 Hurdles. She finished 8th place in the 400 Hurdles and was part of the girls 4 x 400 Relay Team,
Senior’s Vaeda Potosky and Robert Carey were honored on May 29, 2019 at the annual LIAA Scholar Athlete Breakfast, held at Genetti’s in Dickson City,
Vaeda Pontosky, is the daughter of Richard and Marnie Pontosky and resides in Lake Ariel. She has played soccer and softball for 4 years and has been a basketball cheerleader for 1 year. In soccer, she was a captain. She received the Hustle Award and was named an LIAA First Team All-Star in Soccer. Vaeda is a member of the National Honor Society, Girls Lead, the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Sciences, Technology Student Association, and Student Council. She serves om the Wayne County Children and Youth Advisory Committee. She volunteers for the Steamtown Marathon, Santa’s Workshop, and assists elementary students in conducting science experiments. Vaeda has earned a Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Research Fellowship and has participated in the Pennsylvania State Police Camp Cadet. She will attend DeSales University in the fall where she will begin Medical Studies.
Robert Carey, son of Eugene and Christine Carey and resides in Moscow. He has earned 10 varsity letters; 4 in baseball, 3 in golf, and 3 in basketball. He has served as one of his baseball team’s captains. Robert is a member of the National Honor Society, TSA, and Student Council. He will attend West Virginia University in the fall where he will major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Natural Gas.
This year’s Male and Female Athletes of the Year are Kobe Sauter and Trina Barcarola. Senior Kobe Sauter, a 3-sport athlete, was a stand-out running back on the football team, rushing for over 1200 yards this year. He was a starter and key player on the Basketball team. The basketball team made the District 2 LIAA play-offs for the first time in school history. Finally, as a member of the Track & Field team he ran the 100, 4 x 100 relay team, and the long jump. Kobe will continue his studies at Lycoming College. Trina Barcarola, a Junior, is a 2019 Track & Field State Champion in the Pole Vault and 100 Hurdles and she metaled in the 300 Hurdles. As a member of the Indoor Track & Field team, where she excelled there as well. Trina, also a 3-sport athlete, is a member of the Girls Volleyball team too. From the Varsity Club the athletes each receive a plaque and a $250 gift card to the College they plan on attending. If they are not a senior, it is given to them later on when they are a senior.
Both Matt Leslie, Western Wayne sophomore, and his brother, Jacob Leslie, 7th grade, placed well at the recent Mid Atlantic Wrestling Association’s Eastern Nationals.
Jacob placed eighth and Matt won first place in their respective divisions. Before placing eighth at Nationals, Jacob placed in the top four at Districts and was second place at Regionals in his division. Before winning the National competition, Matt placed third in Districts and first in Regionals.
Both boys are a part of the Gracie NEPA Grappling Club in Olyphant which their father owns. They participated in this recent competition with the Grappling Club.
Jacob has been wrestling since he was in fourth grade and enjoys his training for the sport.
“It’s all on you,” Jacob explained. “It’s a lot of hard work that you have to do individually.”
An inspiration for Jacob when it comes to wrestling is his older brother, Western Wayne sophomore Matt Leslie, who wrestles for both the Western Wayne team and the Grappling Club.
“My brother helps me,” Jacob said. “He teaches me a lot and motivates me to wrestle better. I want to be like him and have success.”
Matt is honored to be an inspiration for his younger brother.
“It’s really cool to see someone grow and develop so much and know you served as a mentor for that person,” Matt explained. “My goal is help my brother succeed and even to see him do things that I can’t. My brother really pushes me to be the best I can be.”