JIM THORPE – Standing 8 feet tall, the newest statue of Jim Thorpe shows the sports legend with his right arm extended and his fingers stretched across a discus.

The second Jim Thorpe bronze statue was unveiled during ceremonies on Saturday, May 21, 2011. Photo by Jacob Schwartz.

The bronze tribute was unveiled Saturday – the day set aside in Pennsylvania as “James Francis Thorpe Day” and the first day of the 15th annual Jim Thorpe Birthday Celebration Weekend.

“Jim Thorpe is not your local high school athlete who did good. Jim Thorpe is not your national figure who did good. Jim Thorpe is an international icon who did great,” said Jack Kmetz, president of the Jim Thorpe Sports Hall of Fame, the group that spearheaded efforts to have the statue placed in the borough bearing his name.

The dedication brought elected officials, former Olympians, area residents and local athletes to Thorpe’s final resting place along Joe Boyle Circle. Members of the Lenni-Lenape tribe offered a tribute to Thorpe, who was of Native American descent, and state Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-122, read a resolution declaring Saturday as “James Francis Thorpe Day.”

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Class AA

3,200 1. Bryan Megee (NDGP) 9:44.77 SQ, 2. Zach Fleming (NL) 9:45.63 SQ, 3. Brendan Shearn (NS) 9:54.88, 4. Dennis Peterson (Sal) 10:20.17, 5. Nate Berger (BC) 10:36.02, 6. Richard Hall (Min) 10:40.29.

300 IH – 1. James Douglas (Palis) 42.39 SQ, 2. Jon Nettles (SH) 42.49 SQ, 3. William Merring (NDGP) 42.78, 4. Josh Bell (PG) 42.96, 5. Caleb Johnson (NL) 43.28, 6. Bill Moyer (ShV) 43.76.

3,200 Relay – 1. Bethlehem Catholic 8:07.09 SQ (new district record), 2. Notre Dame (GP) 8:29.63 SQ, 3. Northern Lehigh 8:32.58, 4. Jim Thorpe 8:33.92, 5. Palisades 8:36.39, 6. Panther Valley 9:07.12.

High jump – 1. Josh Case (Cat) 6-2 SQ, 2. Scott Caliguire (NDGP) 6-2 SQ, 3. Larry Zimmerman (PG) 5-10, 4. Collin Baydon (Palis) 5-10, 5. Caleb Johnson (NL) 5-10, 6. Brady Burke (PG) 5-10.

Pole vault – 1. Lanny Buck (Palm) 15-0 SQ, 2. Tyler Miller (Cat) 13-6 SQ, 3. Aaron Brouse (NS) 12-6, 4. Todd Covert (Ca) 12-0, 5. tie Joseph Koons (NS), Austin Witmer (PA) 11-6.

Triple jump – 1. 1. Alex Garcia (JT) 44-6 SQ, 2. Javonie Rosa (Min) 43-10 SQ, 3. Larry Zimmerman (PG) 41-1, 4. Jon Nettles (SH) 40-8 , 5. Nathaniel Ocshe (Sal) 40-8, 6. Brady Burke (PG) 40-4.

Discus – 1. Jeff Gallagher (Cat) 145-10 SQ, 2. Andrew Tucker (PaV) 127-1 SQ, 3. Joe Thieme (Cat) 122-0, 4. Aaron Kelsh (BC) 120-4, 5. DJ Devries 115-8, 6. Bill Birosik (Nat) 112-0.

Girls:

3,200 – 1. Amber Carroll (Tam) 11:18.83 SQ, 2. Allison Constant (NDGP) 11:23.67 SQ, 3. Alyssa (miller (SH) 11:40.96, 4. Lainie Smith (SaV) 11:46.13, 5. Megan Stack (SaV) 12:07.95, 6. Erin Techentine (Mah) 12:12.52.

300 IH – 1. Kaitlyn McSurdy (NS) 45.78 SQ, 2. Margaret O’Keefe (NS) 46.26 SQ, 3. Erica Meichtry (Sal) 47.91, 4. Amelia Herman (JT) 48.70, 5. Wynnie Green (Palm) 49.02, 6. Rachel Christman (SH) 46.69.

3,200 Relay – 1. Saucon Valley 9:26.53 SQ (new district record), 2. Bethlehem Catholic 9:34.31 SQ, 3. Tamaqua (Kelsey Patrick, Dana Ansbach, Cecily Cohlmier, Amber Carroll) 9:46.42 SQ, 4. Notre Dame (GP) 10:17.69, 5. Minersville 10:23.80, 6. Jim Thorpe 10:35.38.

Pole vault – 1. Allison Vanek (Wil) 12-5 SQ (new district record), 2. Hailey Kester (Sal) 10-3 SQ, 3. Monica Pechanec (NDGP) 10-3 SQ, 4. Cassie Neville (Palis) 10-3 SQ, 5. Sarah Peppe (BC) 9-3, 6. Sam Doherty (Palm) 8-9.

Long jump – 1. Vanessa Rimbey (Leh) 17-11 SQ, 2. Kayla Hope (Tam) 17-3 SQ, 3. Abby Frey (Leh) 17-2 SQ, 4. JaAshia Paige (JT) 17-0 1/2 SQ, 5. Alyssa Cardillo (BC) 16-11 SQ, 6. Sarah Vough (PA) 16-3 .

Shot put – 1. Kalene Anderson (PG) 40-6 1/2 SQ (new district record), 2. Kelly Brown (BC) 36-9 SQ, 3. Kelsey Hay (Palm) 35-11 , 4. Allison Updike (Tam) 35-10, 5. Sheena White (Leh) 33-8 , 6. Rachel Baldassare (BC) 33-6 .

Discus – 1. Catherine Amber (SaV) 111-3 SQ, 2. Ahna Huss (ShV) 108-3, 3. Allison Updike (Tam) 100-5, 4. Aimee Oertner (NL) 100-1, 5. Gillian Ferko (Mar) 98-4, 6. Stacey Wallace (Tam) 95-5.

The Third Annual Hunter Meckes Memorial Soccer Tournament will be held April 18 at the Lehighton Area High School soccer fields. The event starts at 9 a.m. U-9 to U-18 teams will be playing. D.J. Larry will be spinning tunes and there will be a basket raffle and bake sale by Jim Thorpe cheerleaders. Refreshments will be available.

The event will fund scholarships in the name of Hunter Meckes, which will be presented to seniors in Lehighton and Jim Thorpe schools at end of school year award assemblies.

The event is coordinated by Sherry Meckes, who vowed that her son’s name will never be forgotten. Hunter died in an accident on Jan. 27, 2003. She organized the past two events to raise funds for scholarships in her young son’s name because the boy loved to play soccer.

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And these are the dugouts at Jim Thorpe Area High School. Rumor has it an Eagle Scout volunteered to build the dugouts but the school board decided to pay someone to do it. Well? Money well spent?

Smith went 4-0 in the round-robin event to win the 145-pound title. In addition, he was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler. In the process, he became Jim Thorpe’s all-time leading wins leader with 117. He passed Michael Wernett, who had 114.

A state qualifier last season, Smith was coming off a second-place finish at the Penn Cambria Tournament.

At Jim Thorpe, Lehighton won the team title with 135 points, followed by Allentown Central Catholic (72) and Pottsville (69).

The Crimson Tide had three champions in Bailey Roos (103), Jimmy Harris (112) and Shawn Cicero (160). Cicero finished 5-0 in his bracket.

For Williams Valley, Tim Murray (135) and Brandon Wagner (215) earned gold.

Lehighton won six championships; ACC had two champs.

Click here for photos on jimthorpesports.com.

Olympian Red Swarm tackle one of the Panthers.

It was a tough battle Friday night between the Jim Thorpe Olympians and the Pocono Mountain West Panthers. The Panthers came out on top, 8-6.

Please visit olympianfootball.com for more photos from the game. All photo purchases benefit The Jim Thorpe Touchdown Club.

Corey Cinicola runs for a touchdown against Minersville, Oct. 10, 2009.

Jim Thorpe is coming off a big win against Minersville to face the tough AAAA Pocono Mountain West.

Please come to the game and cheer on the Olympians. The game is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at Jim Thorpe Area High School.

Visit olympianfootball.com for more photos from every game. Also check out Varsity570.com for stats and standings.