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<p>WRIGHT TWP. &#8212; After struggling through years of almost unbearable illness, Riley Oremus is finally running pain free.</p><p>And partly because of that, the Dallas girls track and field team is in strong position to make a run at another league title.</p><p>Oremus won all four events she entered Tuesday, Abby Zolner swept the hurdles races and the defending District 2 Class 3A champion Mountaineers cruised past Crestwood, 122-27 to remain unbeaten and tied at the top of the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1.</p><p>&#8220;Coming off winning districts last year, it&#8217;s definitely a stress,&#8221; said Oremus, a junior who helped Dallas win its 12th consecutive league meet over the past two years. &#8220;But we don&#8217;t think about it every day. We&#8217;re not one of those teams that goes into it thinking we should crush everybody.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s go out, work your hardest.&#8221;</p><p>The Dallas boys didn&#8217;t work up much of a sweat, either, taking a commanding 119-31 victory over Crestwood behind three wins from John Zardecki and two more from Uzee Ukattah to improve to 3-2 and remain in remote contention for a Division 1 title.</p><p>The Mountaineers boys remained two games behind 4-0 Coughlin, which hosts Pittston Area Wednesday, with two meets remaining in the regular season.</p><p>The Dallas girls are in much better shape at 5-0, battling with 4-0 Pittston Area for the Division 1 lead with another meet to complete before the two Division 1 giants battle in a season-ending showdown.</p><p>&#8220;It certainly looks like us and Pittston Area are on a collision course, as usual,&#8221; Dallas co-coach Ed Radzinski said.</p><p>Oremus is just happy she&#8217;s back on the course.</p><p>Plagued for the past three years by an infected gall bladder that eventually caused her appendix to swell, the sport of track and field started to feel like torture for her.</p><p>But she&#8217;s back in stride now, after having both the bladder and appendix surgically removed in December.</p><p>&#8220;Before I got them out, I couldn&#8217;t run for three months,&#8221; Oremus said. &#8220;There was so much pain, so much disappointment. I had a horrible season last year, because I was sick.&#8221;</p><p>Not now.</p><p>Oremus went the distance Tuesday, winning the 800 and 1,600 meter runs and teaming on the winning 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams.</p><p>It was just the latest sign that Oremus is finally finding her stride without the internal illness that plagued the first part of her high school career.</p><p>&#8220;It took me awhile to get my faster time for mileage,&#8221; Oremus said, &#8220;and a couple times out to get my natural pace going. But that&#8217;s to be expected coming off a surgery. Now it feels different. I feel like I&#8217;m where I should be.&#8221;</p><p>She&#8217;s helping a Dallas girls team that lost just four league meets over the past 12 seasons make another run at a title.</p><p>The Mountaineers excelled against struggling Crestwood, winning 16 of the 18 events.</p><p>Zolner, a state medalist in swimming, stepped up and posted her first double-win in track and field by taking the 100 and 300 hurdles events.</p><p>&#8220;Obviously, it&#8217;s great, winning,&#8221; Zolner said. &#8220;In swimming, you can always push through the pain. Track is physical pain. But track keeps me in shape.&#8221;</p><p>The Mountaineers appear in pretty good shape to defend their league and district titles, but are hardly content.</p><p>&#8220;We have some things with this team we need to fix,&#8221; said Radzinski, citing some field events where the Dallas girls need work. &#8220;We&#8217;re not where we need to be. I know it looks good on paper right now, (but) I&#8217;ve got some things I&#8217;ve got to fix.&#8221;</p><p>Despite facing long odds, sitting in a second-place tie in Division 1 with time running out, the Dallas boys are fixing to remain in title contention as long as they can.</p><p>Zardecki won the 1,600 and 3,200 and anchored the winning 3,200 meter relay team to pace Dallas&#8217; second straight victory. Ukattah added wins in the 100 and 200 dashes and Jason Culp ran on two winning relay teams.</p><p>The Mountaineers will face Tunkhannock next week before squaring off with Pittston Area in a May 9 meet that promises to decide the girls regular-season title.</p><p>&#8220;I think the girls, within themselves, realize what their objective is,&#8221; Radzinski said. &#8220;They know what&#8217;s at stake.&#8221;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Girls</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dallas 122, Crestwood 27</strong></p><p><strong>3,200 relay &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal (Grose, Jarden, Oremus, Balara) 11:49.<strong> 100 hurdles &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Zolner 17.3; 2. Dal, Fleming; 3. Dal, Sebastianelli. <strong>100 &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Mazula 13.3; 2. Cre, Reyes; 3. Dal, Lanunziata.<strong> 1,600 &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Oremus 6:06; 2. Dal, Balara; 3. Dal, Sorokin. <strong>400 &#8212; </strong>1. Dal, Paranich 64.1; 2. Dal, Pollick; 3. Dal, Farrell.<strong> 400 relay &#8212;</strong> 1. 1. Dal (Holthaus, Cheshire, Chakon, Mazula) 52.9.<strong> 300 hurdles &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Zolner 52.7; 2. Dal, Fleming; 3. Cre, Snipas. <strong>800 &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Oremus 2:50; 2. Dal, Grose; 3. Dal, Jarden.<strong> 200 &#8212;</strong> 1. Cre, Reyes 28.0; 2. Dal, Zolner; 3. Dal, Chakon. <strong>3,200 &#8212; </strong>1. Dal, Balara 12:56; 2. Dal, Sorokin; 3. Dal, Rome.<strong> 1,600 relay &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal (Grose, Jarden, Oremus, Farrell) 4:46.</p><p><strong>High jump &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Kravitski 5-6; 2. Cre, Katulka; 3. Cre, Thomas. <strong>Pole vault &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Holthaus 9-0; 2. Cre, Shipton. <strong>Long jump &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Mazula 16-2.50; 2. Dal, Lanunziata; 3. Cre, Thomas. <strong>Triple jump &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Lanunziata 32-4; 2. Dal, Chakon; 3. Dal, Yencha. <strong>Shot put &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Kochanski 34-1.50; 2. Cre, Muse; 3. Dal, Langan.<strong> Discus &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Kochanski 101-9; 2. Dal, Langan; 3. Cre, Muse.<strong> Javelin &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Wren 109-10; 2. Dal, Pollick; 3. Cre, Margalis.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Boys</strong></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dallas 119, Crestwood 31</strong></p><p><strong>3,200 relay &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal (Borton, Culp, Wyandt, Zardecki) 11:12.<strong> 110 hurdles &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Schnable 18.5; 2. Dal, Osborn; 3. Dal, Biesecker. <strong>100 &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Ukattah 11.6; 2. Dal, Caruso; 3. Cre, Perrone.<strong> 1,600 &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Zardecki 4:56; 2. Dal, Wyandt; 3. Dal, Martin. <strong>400 &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Roberts 56.1; 2. Dal, Biesecker; 3. Cre, Glowacki.<strong> 400 relay &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal (Powell, Roberts, Caruso, Jkattata) 45.9.<strong> 300 hurdles &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Osborn 47.6; 2. Dal, Schnable; 3. Dal, Jones. <strong>800 &#8212;</strong> 1. Cre, Klusewitz 2:06; 2. Dal, Borton; 3. Dal, Mackiewicz.<strong> 200 &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Ukattah 24.1; 2. Dal, Roberts; 3. Dal, Adams. <strong>3,200 &#8212; </strong>1. Dal, Zardecki 10:43; 2. Dal, Wyandt; 3. Dal, Martin.<strong> 1,600 relay &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal (Biesecker, Culp, Schnable, Osborn) 4:04.</p><p><strong>High jump &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Zablotney 5-6; 2. Cre, Ryman; 3. Dal, Jones. <strong>Pole vault &#8212;</strong> 1. Cre, Metzger 10-0; 2. Dal, Maransky; 3. Cre, Sterling. <strong>Long jump &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Caruso 19-11; 2. Dal, Ukattah and Cre, Zasada. <strong>Triple jump &#8212;</strong> 1. Cre, Klusewitz 40-5; 2. Cre, Malia; 3. Dal, Almeky. <strong>Shot put &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Almeky 40-2; 2. Dal, Mackiewicz; 3. Cre, O&#8217;Boyle.<strong> Discus &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Almeky 120-0; 2. Cre, O&#8217;Boyle; 3. Dal, Mackiewicz.<strong> Javelin &#8212;</strong> 1. Dal, Maransky 122-1; 2. Dal, Almeky; 3. Cre, Menn.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">More known for her swimming feats, Abby Zolner of Dallas won both girls hurdles events as the Mountaineers remained unbeaten and tied at the top of the WVC Division 1 with a commanding victory over Crestwood on Monday at Crestwood High School. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_dal-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>More known for her swimming feats, Abby Zolner of Dallas won both girls hurdles events as the Mountaineers remained unbeaten and tied at the top of the WVC Division 1 with a commanding victory over Crestwood on Monday at Crestwood High School. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_dal-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Dallas and Crestwood runners get off to a fast start in a boys WVC Division 1 track and field meet at Crestwood High School. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_dal-2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Dallas and Crestwood runners get off to a fast start in a boys WVC Division 1 track and field meet at Crestwood High School. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_dal-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Zach Metzger produced one of Crestwood&#8217;s two victories by capturing the pole vault Tuesday in a WVC track and field meet against Dallas at Crestwood High School. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_dal-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Zach Metzger produced one of Crestwood&#8217;s two victories by capturing the pole vault Tuesday in a WVC track and field meet against Dallas at Crestwood High School. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_dal-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A pole vaulter goes high in the sky Tuesday during a WVC Division 1 track and field meet between Dallas and Crestwood at Crestwood High School. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_dal-4.jpg</photo3><caption3>A pole vaulter goes high in the sky Tuesday during a WVC Division 1 track and field meet between Dallas and Crestwood at Crestwood High School. </caption3><photoCredit3></photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Distance runner helps Mountaineers maintain league win streak</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Paul Sokoloski</p><p>psokoloski@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Riley Oremus is finally healthy and has Dallas girls track team looking strong