Graspine overcomes a serious injury in return to the Track Wilkes Bar Citizens' Voice

West Pittston – Ben Gravine shouldn't be here. Or at least he all told him.

The Wyoming Area junior was suffered a serious injury shortly before the start of the football season in August. A broken Achilles. The projected rehabilitation period is estimated for one year.

It shouldn't be so for grackine. One day before the injury, he was the only junior with a group of seniors who was selected as captain.

The next day the injury happened in a scrimmage against Abnington Heights.

“I was excited because I was chosen as a captain. It meant a lot, and the next day it happened. I was with a broken heart,” said Gravine. “I had to pass it and change my way of thinking. I had to do anything to go forward so that I could return to everything.”

Eight months later, the junior warrior is not only back, but it is better than ever.

Gravine has completed a athletics championship of District 2-Class 3a in District 2-Class 3a in the Veterans Memorial Stadium of Scranton on a mission.

His goal is simple: make sure that he spends the memorial day weekend at the Schippensburg University at Piaa State Meet.

He will compete in just an event, the discus. Graspine is the upper seed with a throw of 155 feet, 1 inch-Was already meets the state qualification standard of 153-0.

Gravine's story is littered with the mere will.

Rather, a never-Say-increased attitude. He knew that the football season was not a question when you consider that he opened the Achilles a week before the Warriors started against Crestwood at the start of the season.

He heard what everyone said.

“At least one year,” said Gravine.

Everything changed there for him. He heard her, but did not agree to the assessment.

“I didn't want to believe them in my thoughts,” he said. “I knew that I would obviously not be able to make football, but I believed in my head that I would be able to be successful on track. I was decided to make sure I would be there. I believed in myself.”

Grackine worked with elite spine and sports physiotherapy in Wilkes-Barre and also trained with Matt Flanagan at Fame Strength to rebuild himself.

First of all, the junior admitted that the restoration process was slow.

“In the beginning it was difficult and I had to struggle with it,” he said. “I couldn't have done this without my friends, family and support system. My trainers call me and talked to me every day. I still went to the practices to be with my teammates and friends. My parents had a big role and motivated me.

For this reason, the Wyoming Valley Conference was more than a gold medal around his neck in the Wilkes-Barre area in the Wolfpack Stadium last week when its throw of 155-1 Hazleton Area in Joel Vasquez from Hazleton spent a five-inch.

For him, it was justification and proof of sweat and tears to push through a devastating injury.

It was humble and gratifying at the same time-his younger brother Jack, who won the spear with a throw of 185-3.

“Throwing with him is great. My brother and I, we do everything. We raise together. We throw together. We always urge ourselves to make each other,” said Gravine. “I am the older brother, so I want to be better. But I can't take his skills away because he works as hard as me and deserves all the fame he has achieved. He will do so much more. I love that he does it so well.”

This leads to the ultimate goal that both Gravine brothers go to Schippensburg, since Jack is also number 1 in the spear.

The ultimate goal – and the history of salvation for the Junior Warrior.

“I'm sown at first, but I'm not thinking too much about it,” he said. “I only focus on beating myself, achieving a new school record and creating it in states. That is my goal. I have to do it in states.”

Originally published: May 11, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. Edt