Mountaineers take convincing victory at Crestwood

The Dallas Mountaineers traveled to Mountain Top on a cloudy Friday night to take on the Crestwood Comets. The Comets and Mountaineers both won their first game last week. The Mountaineers took their game rather convincingly against Tunkhannock. The Comets had to hold off a strong surge against Coughlin. Who would come out on top in this 4A matchup? Let's find out!
 The Mountaineers would start with the ball and have it at their own 34 yard line. Quarterback Michael Starbuck would run for 16 yards to get to midfield. Dallas would end up with a fourth and 2 and Nikolus Gashi would go for 18 to the Crestwood 24 yard line. On third and 11, Starbuck would find Leonard Kelley for 16 for a first and goal at the 9. On third and goal at the 2, Starbuck would rollout to his left and would run in for the two yard score and the PAT would make it 7-0 with 6:32 remaining in the first quarter. The Comets would go three and out to start the game. The Mountaineers would start at the Comets 31. Kelley would go for five on second and 3. They would face a fourth and 10 at the Comets 19 and Starbuck would find Matt Maransky for a 19 yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 2:54 remaining in the first. Crestwood would three and out once again and a bad snap on the punt would go into the end zone for a safety and a 16-0 Dallas lead. Dallas would get the ball at the Crestwood 37. The drive would go as far as the Crestwood 18 but Crestwood would stop them on fourth down and get the ball back. Rother would for 11 on the first play but after a false start and three incomplete passes, the Comets would be forced to punt. The Mountaineers would get one first down, but would be forced to punt. The Mountaineers would force another Comet three and out. Dallas would get to the Crestwood 6 but Starbuck's pass would be intercepted by Ryan Harding. They couldn't capitalize as they would go three and out once again. The Mountaineers would get the ball back with 1:05 left at the Crestwood 16. On the second play, Starbuck would find Luke DelGaudio for a 16 yard touchdown and would lead 22-0 at halftime.
 Crestwood would start with the ball and would drive to the Mountaineers 17 but would end up turning the ball over on downs. Crestwood would start off strong on defense and they would force a three and out. The Comets would take over at their own 44. Passman would connect with Nieminski four times on the drive, including a 20 yard touchdown to break the Mountaineer shutout and cut their lead to 22-6 with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter. Crestwood was starting to get momentum as the Comets would recover a fumble but wouldn't be able to capitalize and would be forced to punt. On second and 1 at their own 32, Kelley looked like he would be gone but he would be stopped at the Crestwood 10 yard line for a 58 yard gain as we head to the fourth quarter. The Mountaineers would settle for a field goal by Ryan Fisher to make 25-6 with 9:48 remaining. After another three and out by Crestwood, Dallas would take over and would go three plays and end with a 10 yard touchdown run by Kelley to make it 32-6. Crestwood would score on their next drive when Passman would throw up a jump ball to Ryan Petrosky for a 38 yard touchdown to make it 32-12. The Mountaineers would run out the clock as Dallas would take the road victory.



Thoughts on the game: Dallas looked really good during the first half. It was enough to weather the storm during Crestwood's surge in the third quarter. RB Leonard Kelley had a really good game for Dallas, going for over 100 yards rushing. Crestwood QB Chase Passman had a good game, throwing two touchdowns. One to Brandon Nieminski and another to Ryan Petrosky. Dallas could be a very interesting team to watch as the season progresses.

Yet Another Opening Week

One opening day down, two more to go. HS Football opened up last Friday with college football starting up this week. NFL is following suit next week. The matchups could make for some interesting games and early tests for teams wanting to go deep into the playoffs. For College Football, we've waited months for the start of the season and it has finally arrived. What teams will emerge as the top four teams to make the college football playoff and compete for the National Championship. With all that being said, here are the previews for District 2 HS Football and the Top 25 and Local College Football teams.

HS Football Week 2 Previews and Predictions
Holy Redeemer at GAR
Thurs 7 PM
Holy Redeemer is coming off a loss against Holy Cross. GAR is coming off a loss on the road to Susquehanna. A short week for both as they played on Saturday and play on Thursday night. Royals QB Colin Conway ran for two touchdowns in Week 1. Grenadiers RB Justice Lomas had three rushing touchdowns against Susquehanna.
Prediction: GAR

Dallas at Crestwood
Fri 7 PM
Dallas is coming off a victory over Tunkhannock. Crestwood is coming off a road win over Coughlin. Mountaineers wideout Luke DelGaudio had three catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Comets RB Pat Rother ran for 162 yards and a touchdown against Coughlin.
Prediction: Dallas

Honesdale at Wallenpaupack
Fri 7 PM
Honesdale is coming off a tough loss to Lakeland. Wallenpaupack is coming off a loss to Valley View. Hornets RB Andy Carroll ran for 66 yards last week. Buckhorns RB Joe Ingulli rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Prediction: Wallenpaupack

Lake-Lehman at Hanover Area
Fri 7 PM
Lake-Lehman is coming off a loss to Western Wayne. Hanover Area lost to Athens last week. Black Knights QB Ethan Adams threw for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Hawkeyes RB Joseph Curcio rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Prediction: Lake-Lehman

Mid Valley at Dunmore
Fri 7 PM
Mid Valley is coming off a blowout loss to Wyoming Area. Dunmore is coming off a loss to Scranton Prep. Mid Valley couldn't get much going in their Week one matchup. The Spartans' Josh Angelo recorded an interception. The same could be said for Dunmore as they had a tough time against Scranton Prep. The Bucks' Rayshaun Dawkins ran for 30 yards against Scranton Prep. One of these teams will get back on track after a tough week one.
Prediction: Dunmore

Nanticoke at Tunkhannock
Fri 7 PM
Nanticoke is coming off a tough loss to Pittston Area. Tunkhannock is coming off a loss to Dallas. Trojans RB Joe Ammons ran for 177 yards and a touchdowns. Tigers QB Jack Chilson threw for 122 yards and a touchdown.
Prediction: Nanticoke

North Pocono at Western Wayne
Fri 7 PM
North Pocono is coming off a loss to West Scranton. Western Wayne is coming off a victory over Lake-Lehman. Trojans wideout Daniel Walsh had three catches for 54 yards. Wildcats RB Kobe Sauter rushed for 157 yards and a touchdown. He also had an interception on defense.
Prediction: North Pocono

Northwest at Meyers
Fri 7 PM
Northwest is coming off a loss to Lackawanna Trail. Meyers is coming off an overtime loss to Riverside. Rangers QB David Piestrak threw for 92 yards and a touchdown and also ran in for another score. The Mohawks' Kevin Dessoye had two interceptions on defense.
Prediction: Meyers

Old Forge at Lakeland
Fri 7 PM
Old Forge is coming off a shutout win over Carbondale. Lakeland is coming off a close win over Honesdale. Blue Devil wideout Anthony Rios had four catches for 39 yards and a touchdown. Chiefs QB CJ Dippre had 88 yards in the air and 49 yards on the ground in his debut at QB.
Prediction: Old Forge

Pittston Area at Berwick
Fri 7 PM
Pittston Area is coming off a close road victory over Nanticoke. Berwick is coming off a blowout victory against Abington Heights. Patriots wideout Bryan Giambra had seven catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns. Bulldogs freshman Aiden Mason had a kickoff returned for a touchdown and added a rushing down in his first game.
Prediction: Berwick

Riverside at Carbondale
Fri 7 PM
Riverside is coming off an overtime victory over Meyers. Carbondale is coming off a shutout loss to Old Forge. The Vikings' Kristian Pon had 92 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He also had four catches and 47 yards. Chargers RB Adam Rossetti had 20 yards in their loss to Old Forge.
Prediction: Riverside

Scranton Prep at Scranton
Fri 7 PM
Scranton Prep is coming off a shutout victory over Dunmore. Scranton is coming off a loss to Valley West. Cavaliers QB Leo O'Boyle threw for 91 yards and two touchdowns. He also added a rushing touchdown. This past week, O'Boyle committed to Lafayette for basketball. Knights RB Jerrod Brown rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown.
Prediction: Scranton Prep

West Scranton at Delaware Valley
Fri 7 PM
West Scranton is coming off a shutout victory over North Pocono. Delaware Valley is coming off a loss on the road at Pennridge. Invaders RB Kevin Williams ran for 106 yards in their victory against North Pocono. Warriors wideout Jawon Foushe had four catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
Prediction: Delaware Valley

Coughlin at Wyoming Area
Fri 7 PM
Coughlin is coming off a loss to Crestwood. Wyoming Area is coming off a big victory over Mid Valley. The Crusaders' Rafael McCoy rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 55 yards. Warriors RB Corey Mruk had two rushing touchdowns last week.
Prediction: Wyoming Area

Valley West at Hazleton Area
Fri 7 PM
Valley West is coming off a victory over Scranton. Hazleton Area is coming off a victory over Pottsville. The Spartans' Nate Baranski had 121 yards and a touchdown passing and had three catches for 20 yards. Cougars RB Damon Horton rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns. He also had four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Prediction: Hazleton Area

Lackawanna Trail at Susquehanna
Sat 1 PM
Lackawanna Trail is coming off a victory over Northwest. Susquehanna is coming off a win over GAR. The Lions' Cody Moyle ran for 71 yards and a touchdown. Sabers QB CJ Stone threw for 60 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 53 yards.
Prediction: Lackawanna Trail

Montrose at Holy Cross
Sat 1 PM
Montrose is coming off a loss to Wyalusing. Holy Cross snapped a 25 game losing streak as they beat Holy Redeemer. Meteors wideout Chucky Rohan had two catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. Crusaders RB Jeremy Fick ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.
Prediction: Montrose

Valley View at Abington Heights
Sat 1 PM
Valley View is coming off a victory over Wallenpaupack. Abington Heights is coming off a blowout loss to Berwick. Cougars QB Jordan Conserette threw for 90 yards and a touchdown. He also added 63 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The Comets' Mike Malone had five catches for 63 yards.
Prediction: Valley View

College Football Top 25 and Local Week 1 Previews and Predictions
(21) UCF at UConn
Thurs 7 PM
UCF is coming off an undefeated season last year and the unofficial National Champions. UConn went 3-9 last season. Huskies QB David Pindell threw for 937 yards and four touchdowns. He also added three rushing touchdowns. UCF QB McKenzie Milton threw for 4,037 yards and 37 touchdowns last season.
Prediction: UCF

Utah State at (11) Michigan State
Fri 7 PM
Utah State finished 6-7 last season. Michigan State went 10-3 in 2017. Spartans senior RB LJ Scott rushed for 898 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Utah State redshirt sophomore Jordan Love threw for 1,631 yards and eight touchdowns last season.
Prediction: Michigan State

Western Kentucky at (4) Wisconsin
Fri 9 PM
Western Kentucky finished 6-7 last season. Wisconsin comes in ranked at number 4. Hilltoppers redshirt senior TE Mik'Quan Deane had 11 catches for 143 yards and one  M Badgers sophomore RB Jonathan Taylor rushed for 1,977 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
Prediction: Wisconsin

San Diego State at (13) Stanford
Fri 9 PM
San Diego State finished 2017 with a . Stanford finished the season 9-5. Aztecs senior QB Christian Chapman threw 13 touchdowns last season. Cardinal senior RB Bryce Love ran for 2,118 yards and 19 touchdowns last season.
Prediction: Stanford

Oregon State at (5) Ohio State
Sat 12 PM
Oregon State finished the season losing their final five games last season. Ohio State finished the season by winning the Big Ten and won their Bowl Game. Buckeyes sophomore RB JK Dobbins rushed for 1,403 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Beavers senior QB Jake Luton played in four games last season and threw for 853 yards and four touchdowns.
Prediction: Ohio State

(23) Texas vs Maryland
FedEx Field
Sat 12 PM
Texas finished the season by winning their bowl game against Missouri. Maryland lost their last four games of 2017. Longhorns sophomore QB Sam Ehlinger threw for 1,915 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2017. Terrapins senior RB Ty Johnson rushed for 875 yards and five touchdowns last season.
Prediction: Texas

FAU at (7) Oklahoma
Sat 12 PM
FAU finished the season 11-3 and ended the season on a 10 game winning streak. Oklahoma ended their season in the National Semifinal falling to Georgia. FAU junior RB Devin Singletary ran for 1,920 yards and 32 touchdowns last season. Sooners junior RB Rodney Anderson rushed for 1,161 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2017.
Prediction: Oklahoma

Southern at (16) TCU
Sat 12 PM
Southern finished their season at 7-4. TCU won their bowl game against Stanford last season. Horned Frogs senior defensive end Ben Banogu had 8.5 sacks last season. Southern sophomore John Lampley will be making his first college start on Saturday.
Prediction: TCU

Furman at (2) Clemson
Sat 12:20 PM
Furman went 8-5 last season. Clemson ended their season losing in the National Semifinal to eventual national champion Alabama. Paladins redshirt senior RB Kealand Dirks rushed for 720 yards and nine touchdowns. Tigers sophomore RB Travis Etienne rushed for 766 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Prediction: Clemson

(6) Washington vs (9) Auburn
Sat 3:30 PM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Washington ended their season by falling in their bowl game to Penn State. Auburn lost their bowl game to UCF. Huskies senior RB Myles Gaskin rushed for 1,380 yards and 21 touchdowns. Tigers senior linebacker Deshaun Davis had 82 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season.
Prediction: Auburn

Austin Peay at (3) Georgia
Sat 3:30 PM
Austin Peay finished last season at 8-4. Georgia ended their season by falling in overtime of the National Championship game. Governors sophomore QB Jeremiah Oatsvall threw for 453 yards and six touchdowns last season. Bulldogs sophomore QB Jake Fromm is looking for a repeat of last season where he threw for 2,615 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Prediction: Georgia

Tennessee vs (17) West Virginia
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Sat 3:30 PM
Tennessee ended their season by losing three straight games. West Virginia lost their bowl game to Utah to end the season. Volunteers junior receiver Marquez Callaway caught 24 passes for 406 yards and five touchdowns. Mountaineers senior QB Will Grier threw for 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Prediction: West Virginia

Appalachian St at (10) Penn State
Sat 3:30 PM
Appalachian State went 9-4 last season and won their bowl game. Penn State went 11-2 last season and beat Washington in their bowl game. Mountaineers senior RB Jalin Moore ran for 1,037 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Penn State senior QB Trace McSorley threw for 3,570 yards and 28 touchdowns last year.
Prediction: Penn State

UNLV at (15) USC
Sat 4 PM
UNLV ended their season by losing to Nevada. USC lost their bowl game to Ohio State to end the season. Rebels sophomore QB Armani Rogers threw for 1,471 yards and six touchdowns. He also ran for 780 yards and eight touchdowns. JT Daniels is starting his first college game at QB for USC.
Prediction: USC

(22) Boise State at Troy
Sat 6 PM
Boise State won their bowl game against Oregon. Troy won their bowl game against North Texas. Broncos senior QB Brett Rypien threw for 2,877 yards and 16 touchdowns. Trojans senior cornerback Blace Brown recorded five interceptions last season.
Prediction: Boise State

SF Austin at (18) Mississippi State
Sat 7:30 PM
SF Austin finished the season by losing two straight games. Mississippi State won their bowl game against Louisville. Lumberjacks junior QB Jake Blumrick threw for 1,654 yards and eight touchdowns last season. Bulldogs senior RB Aeris Williams ran for 1,107 yards and six touchdowns.
Prediction: Mississippi State

(14) Michigan at (12) Notre Dame
Sat 7:30 PM
Michigan fell to South Carolina in their bowl game. Notre Dame beat LSU in their bowl game last season. Wolverines redshirt senior defensive linemen Chase Winovich recorded eight sacks and recovered two fumbles. Fighting Irish junior cornerback Julian Love recorded three interceptions in 2017.
Prediction: Notre Dame

Louisville vs (1) Alabama
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Sat 8 PM
Louisville lost their bowl game to Mississippi State. Alabama comes in as the defending National Champions. Cardinals sophomore linebacker Dorian Etheridge recorded 83 tackles last season. Crimson Tide QB Jalen Hurts is 26-2 in his career as the starter.
Prediction: Alabama

Bowling Green at (24) Oregon
Sat 8 PM
Bowling Green finished the season by losing three straight games. Oregon lost their bowl game to Boise State. Falcons RB Andrew Chair ran for 725 yards and four touchdowns. Ducks junior QB Justin Herbert threw for 1,983 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Prediction: Oregon

(8) Miami (FL) vs (25) LSU
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Sun 7:30 PM
Miami fell to Wisconsin in their bowl game. LSU lost to Notre Dame in their bowl game. Hurricanes redshirt senior QB Malik Rosier threw for 3,120 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. Tigers senior safety John Battle had four passes defensed and an interception last season.
Prediction: Miami (FL)

(20) Virginia Tech at (19) Florida State
Mon 8 PM
Virginia Tech lost to Oklahoma State in their bowl game. Florida State won their bowl game against Southern Mississippi. Hokies redshirt sophomore QB Josh Jackson threw for 2,991 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also ran for 324 yards and six touchdowns. Seminoles redshirt junior QB Deondre Francois missed all but one game due to a season-ending injury. In 2016, he threw for 3,350 yards and 20 touchdowns
Prediction: Florida State

King's at Moravian
Sat 1 PM
King's had a 5-5 season last year. Moravian finished 2-8 last season. King's RB Jordan Downes rushed for 678 yards and five touchdowns last season. Moravian safety Nick Zambelli recorded 3 interceptions last year.
Prediction: King's

Hartwick College at Wilkes
Sat 1:30 PM
Hartwick finished last season 3-7. Wilkes finished last season with an 0-10 and now have a new head coach in Jonathan Drach. Hartwick College junior RB Ronald Ballard rushed for 442 yards and two touchdowns last season. Last season, Colonels wideout Jeff Steeber had 36 catches for 344 yards and two touchdowns.
Prediction: Hartwick College

Merchant Marine at Misericordia
Sat 1 PM
Merchant Marine went 6-4 last season. Misericordia finished the season 1-9. MM senior defensive back Brooks Cannell recorded two interceptions and recovered two fumbles last season. Cougars senior RB Clayton Vleck ran for 328 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Prediction: Merchant Marine

Merrimack at Bloomsburg
Sat 2 PM
Merrimack finished last season with a 4-6 record. Bloomsburg went 7-4 last season. Merrimack Redshirt senior wideout Cody Demers had 57 catches for 624 yards and three touchdowns last season. Huskies redshirt sophomore Qmac Quiteh rushed for 979 yards and eight touchdowns last year.
Prediction: Bloomsburg

On to the next one

Week one of thee High School Football Season is now in the books and there were some interesting scores to say the least. There were some upsets, some statements were made and a couple great games this week. As most say, the biggest adjustment is always from Week 1 to Week 2. Most teams will put the first game behind them and will just move on to their next opponent. With all that being said, here is what went down in District 2 this past weekend.

Berwick 42 Abington Heights 0
Owen Shoemaker ran for 133 yards and one touchdown and Teagan Wilk had an interception and had a touchdown run as the Bulldogs took down Abington Heights at home. George Tinsley threw for 159 yards for Abington Heights.

Old Forge 38 Carbondale 0
Dante Lucarelli threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns and three Blue Devils had a rushing touchdown each as Old Forge shutout Carbondale. Carbondale's Adam Rossetti ran for 20 yards in the loss.

Scranton Prep 31 Dunmore 0
Ryan Cosgrove ran for 150 yards and a touchdown and QB Leo O'Boyle threw for 91 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another as the Cavaliers made a statement by shutting out Dunmore. Rayshawn Dawkins ran for 30 yards for the Bucks.

Lakeland 6 Honesdale 0
Giovanni Spataro ran for 98 yards and the game's only touchdown as Lakeland shutout Honesdale. QB CJ Dippre threw for 88 yards and ran for 49 yards. Honesdale's Andy Carroll ran for 66 yards on the night.

Wyoming Area 48 Mid Valley 7
Warriors QB Dominic DeLuca ran for 70 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 21 yards and Corey Mruk also added two touchdowns as Wyoming Area got a blowout victory on the road. Joe Chylak had the lone touchdown for Mid Valley.

Wyalusing 52 Montrose 6
Shane Fuhrey rushed for 120 yards and three touchdowns and Trent Nickeson added 126 yards on the ground as Wyalusing blew out Montrose. Brandon Dake ran for two touchdowns for Wyalusing. Brendan Kanna ran for 47 yards and Ethan Cina threw a touchdown pass to Chucky Rohan for the Meteors.

Riverside 27 Meyers 21
Johnny Gilchrist would throw a 10 yard touchdown pass to Razen Reyes as Riverside would take down Meyers in overtime. Gilchrist would throw for 201 yards and two touchdowns, both to Reyes. Kristian Pon would also add 92 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Kevin Dessoye would rush for 89 yards and a touchdown for Meyers.

Lackawanna Trail 34 Northwest 14
Nathan Rolka ran for two touchdowns and threw another to Noah Coleman as the Lions would take down Northwest in a big District 2 Single-A matchup. Coleman would rush for 95 yards. Northwest QB David Piestrak would throw for 95 yards and a touchdown and also added 26 yards on the ground and a touchdown.

Valley West 24 Scranton 13
Carson Caravan had 133 yards on the ground and five catches for 113 yards a touchdown as the Spartans would score 14 points in the fourth quarter to take down Scranton. Nate Baranski would throw for 121 yards and a touchdown. Jerrod Brown would rush for 33 yards and a touchdown.

West Scranton 27 North Pocono 0
Nick Gioia would throw for 77 yards and two touchdowns and Kevin Williams would rush for 106 yards as the Invaders would take a convincing victory over North Pocono. Trojans QB Donny Blaine would throw for 88 yards in the loss.

Western Wayne 30 Lake-Lehman 20
Zane Janiszewski ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns and Kobe Sauter added 157 yards on the ground and a touchdown, as well as adding an interception on defense as the Wildcats would take the road victory over Lake-Lehman. Ethan Adams threw for 96 yards and two touchdowns for the Black Knights.

Crestwood 21 Coughlin 14
Pat Rother ran for 162 yards and a touchdown and also added an interception on defense and Garrett Swank added 54 yards and a touchdown as the Comets took down Coughlin. Rafael McCoy ran for 81 yards and two touchdown for the Crusaders.

Dallas 53 Tunkhannock 21
QB Michael Starbuck threw for 184 yards and five touchdowns and wideout Luke DeGaudio caught three passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns as the Mountaineers took down Tunkhannock. Tigers QB Jack Chilson threw for 122 yards and a touchdown.

Valley View 27 Wallenpaupack 14
Cougars QB Jordan Conserette threw for 90 yards and a touchdown and also added 63 yards and two touchdowns as Valley View took down Wallenpaupack. Joe Ingulli rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown for Wallenpaupack.

Hazleton Area 35 Pottsville 7
Damon Horton ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns and QB Sparky Wolk threw for 180 yards and a touchdown as top-ranked Hazleton Area took down Pottsville. Pottsville QB Yost threw for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Athens 38 Hanover Area 6
Joseph Curcio ran for 71 yards and the lone touchdown for Hanover Area. However, that was not enough as Athens would take the victory.

Pennridge 54 Delaware Valley 21
Delaware Valley would travel to Pennridge and would fall 54-21. Zak Kantor threw for 311 yards and five touchdowns for Pennridge. Warriors QB Zach Scillia threw for three touchdowns.

Susquehanna 33 GAR 24
Sam Cosmello ran for 52 yards and two touchdowns as the Sabers would take the victory over GAR. GAR RB Lomas Justice ran for 59 yards and three touchdowns and QB Kam Taylor threw for 176 yards.

Holy Cross 14 Holy Redeemer 12
Jeremy Fick would rush for 91 yards and two touchdowns as Holy Cross would snap a 25 game winning streak as they knocked off Holy Redeemer. Colin Conway ran for 37 yards and two touchdowns.

Nocito's big night propels Pittston Area over Nanticoke

The Pittston Area Patriots traveled to Nanticoke to take on the Trojans in the first week of the High School Football season. The Patriots are coming in having to replace key contributors on offense. The Trojans return several key players on offense. Both teams are looking to start off right with a victory, but who would come out on top? Let's find out!
The Patriots would start with the ball and would face a third and 6 and quarterback Mike Nocito would scramble for 11 but on the next set of downs, a sack and a few penalties would result in a Pittston Area punt. The Trojans would then take over at their own 47. Nanticoke would face a third and 4 and Joe Ammons would run for five yards and a first down. Colin Kashatus would go for 11 on second and 4 to the Patriot 37 yard line. After a loss of three on first down, Colby Butczynski would find a wide open Darren Boseman for a 30 yard touchdown. The PAT would make it 7-0 with 5:13 remaining in the first quarter. First play of the next Pittston Area drive, Dylan Lukachko would gain 12 but would be unable to move the chains on their next set and would be forced to punt. The Trojans would fumble the ball away on their next possession and the Patriots Seth Johnson would recover at the Trojans 25 yard line. Nocito would go to Bryan Giambra for 16 yards on the first play of the drive to the Trojans 9 yard line. The first quarter would end with Nanticoke leading 7-0. At the start of the second quarter, the Patriots would face a third and goal at the 19 after a sack and Nocito would find Giambra for the touchdown. The extra point would be blocked and the Trojans would still lead 7-6. First play of the Trojans possession, the offensive line would open up a gap for Joe Ammons and would go 85 yards for the touchdown. The PAT would make it 14-6 with 11:30 remaining in the second quarter. The Patriots would try to respond as Lukachko would go for 17 on the first play of the drive. On second and 4, Nocito would find Giambra for 43 yards to the Nanticoke 19 yard line. The Patriots would face a fourth and 3 and Lukachko would go for no gain as Austin Cheslaw would make the stop as the Trojans would take over. However, the Troajns would go three and out on their next possession. The Patriots on their next possession would take over at the Nanticoke 38 yard line. On second and 7, Nocito would find Giambra for eight yards. On a third and 2, Lukachko would get five yards for a first down. Lukachko would get 12 on the next play for a first and goal at the two yard line. The Patriots would face a fourth and goal at the one and Nocito would go in for the score and would go for two and Nocito would find Fran George for 2 to tie the game at 14 with 2:14 to go in the second quarter. The Trojans would go three and out on their next possession. Patriots would take over at their own 39 with 1:18 to go. Nocito would go for 12 on third and 1 to the Trojans 39 yard line then Nocito would find Andrew Krawczyk for 32 to the Nanticoke 7. As the clock hit zero, Nocito would find Giambra in the end zone for the second time of the night and give the Patriots a 20-14 lead at halftime as the PAT was blocked.
 The Trojans would get the ball to start the second half and Joe Ammons would go for 18 on the first play. They would drive to the Patriot 30 yard line but a sack would change the drive and would face a fourth and 17 and wouldn't be able to get it as the Patriots would take over at their own 32. The Patriots would go three and out, however. The Trojans would start at their own 30. They would face a third and 5 and the Patriots would go offsides to give Nanticoke a first down at midfield. On third and 1, Butczynski would go for three yards on the run, then on a third and 2, Butczynski would find Dylan Szychowski for a 30 yard touchdown and the PAT would make it 21-20 in favor of Nanticoke with 2:51 to go in the third quarter. Pittston Area would go three and out on their next possession as the third quarter came to an end as Nanticoke would lead 21-20. The Trojans would be forced to punt after a three and out and it would be blocked and recovered by the Patriots at the Nanticoke 30. On second and 8, Nocito would find Krawczyk for 16 to the Trojans 12. On third and 5, Nocito would Giambra in the end zone for the third time of the night for a six yard touchdown. They would go for two and get it as they would lead 28-21 with 8:22 to go. The Trojans would take over at their own 38 yard line. Joe Ammons would get five on second and 3, then Kashatus would get 12 on the next play as they got to the Patriot 38 yard line. Ammons would get three on second and 3 to get to the 28 yard line. The Trojans would face a third and 3 at the Patriot 21 yard line and Butczynski would get eight yards to the 13 yard line. They would face a third and 4 at the seven yard line and it looked like the Trojans would have enough for a first down but the ball would be fumbled and recovered in the end zone by Pittston Area for a touchback. The Patriots would go three and out and give the ball back to the Trojans with 2:02 to go with the ball at their own 31 yard line. On third and 4, Butzcynski would find Joe Ammons for 13 yards to midfield. On third and 5 at the Patriot 45 yard line, the Trojans tried some trickery as Keanu Ammons would try to go to Darren Boseman but would fall incomplete but Pittston Area would get called for pass interference, moving the ball to the 30 yard line. Next play, Butzcynski would go for 14 yards and go out of bounds with 22.6 to go. After a loss of 2 on a run, which a timeout was called after and a false start. The ball was snapped prematurely and went past the QB and the Patriots would recover and seal the game as Pittston Area would take a 28-21 road victory over Nanticoke.


Thoughts on the game: Overall, it was a pretty good high school football game. Nanticoke had their chances to win late but made a few mistakes that cost them. Joe Ammons was impressive for Nanticoke. For Pittston Area, I was impressed by Mike Nocito who made his first varsity start. Nocito scored all four touchdowns for the Patriots and all three passing touchdowns were to Bryan Giambra. Barring injury, I think both these teams could be very good moving forward.

Opening Night

The first week of the High School Football begins this Friday. For most, some are hoping for a championship, others are hoping to make the playoffs. However, in the end, only 6 teams can win a District Title come November. So with all that being said, here are the previews for the first week of the High School Football season.

Week One Previews and Predictions
Abington Heights at Berwick
Fri 7 PM
Abington Heights is looking to redeem themselves after a disappointing 1-9 season. The Comets are led by QB George Tinsley, who is committed to Binghamton University for basketball. Berwick's Owen Shoemaker had a breakout season last year. He rushed for 922 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Prediction: Berwick

Carbondale at Old Forge
Fri 7 PM
The Chargers are coming off an appearance in the District Final last season. Carbondale returns their leading rusher in Nick Vadella. He rushed for over 1,000 yards last season. Old Forge finished the season with a District 2 Single-A title. Sophomore Dante Lucarelli returns for his second season as the starting QB. He threw for 1,497 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Prediction: Old Forge

Crestwood at Coughlin
Fri 7 PM
Both teams made the playoffs last season. Crestwood returns QB Chase Passman who missed most of the season due to a season-ending injury. For Coughlin, they lost several players due to graduation. They return QB Garrett Wardle who threw for 174 yards and a touchdown.
Prediction: Crestwood

Delaware Valley at Pennridge
Fri 7 PM
Delaware Valley lost quite a bit on offense but the defending District 2 6A Champions return several players on defense from last season. Pennridge is a school located in southeastern Pennsylvania and are a 6A program.
Prediction: Pennridge

Hanover Area at Athens
Fri 7 PM
Hanover Area is hoping to snap their 16 game losing streak. Hawkeyes QB Aaron Hummer returns for his senior season. A player to watch for Athens would be 6'4 WR/FS Aric Westbrook.
Prediction: Athens

Lakeland at Honesdale
Fri 7 PM
Lakeland is coming off a year where they made the District Playoffs but fell to Carbondale. The Chiefs return key players to their offense including RB Giovanni Spataro who rushed for 1,221 yards and 12 touchdowns. They also return wideout Thomas Pidgeon who had 60 catches for 864 yards and 10 touchdowns. Honesdale returns QB Ethan Dunn who threw for 725 yards and four touchdowns last year.
Prediction: Lakeland

North Pocono at West Scranton
Fri 7 PM
After winning a District Title in 2016, the Trojans fell short by getting knocked out by Berwick. The Trojans return QB Donny Blaine who threw for 1,472 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has started at QB since he was a freshman. West Scranton's Nick Gioia was lost for the season in Week 1 due to an injury but will return as the QB. He threw for 1,325 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2016.
Prediction: North Pocono

Northwest at Lackawanna Trail
Fri 7 PM
Northwest is coming off an Eastern Conference Championship last season. Rangers QB David Piestrak threw for 1,029 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 484 yards and four touchdowns. Lackawanna Trail returns some good talent this season after making the District title game last season. The Lions are led by four year starting QB Nathan Rolka who threw for 655 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Prediction: Lackawanna Trail

Pittston Area at Nanticoke
Fri 7 PM
Pittston Area made the postseason last year but will need to replace several players from last season. Patriots wideout Bryan Giambra had 11 catches for 225 yards. Nanticoke is coming off an Eastern Conference championship. The Trojans have moved up in classification to 4A. Trojans QB Colby Butczynski threw for 652 yards and nine touchdowns after starting over the starting job.
Prediction: Nanticoke

Pottsville at Hazleton Area
Fri 7 PM
Hazleton Area comes into the season with high expectations. The Cougars return QB Sparky Wolk who threw for 2,243 yards and 20 touchdowns and RB Damon Horton who rushed for 679 yards and seven touchdowns.
Prediction: Hazleton Area

Scranton at Valley West
Fri 7 PM
Scranton welcomes a new head coach as Steve Shumbres replaces Mike Marichak. RB Rodo Brown rushed for 524 yards. The Spartans are coming off a District Championship and advanced to the 5A State Quarterfinal. Valley West returns QB Jake Shusta who threw for 981 yards and nine touchdowns.
Prediction: Valley West

Scranton Prep at Dunmore
Fri 7 PM
Scranton Prep is coming off another District 2 3A title and a spot in the State Quarterfinals. Cavaliers QB Leo O'Boyle threw for 1,543 yards and 22 touchdowns. Dunmore is coming off a District Title as well and a spot in the State Semifinals. Bucks RB Cristian Buckley rushed for 500 yards and three touchdowns.
Prediction: Scranton Prep

Tunkhannock at Dallas
Fri 7 PM
Tunkhannock welcomes a new head coach in Mike Marabell and inherits starting QB Zach Rogers who threw for 858 yards and five touchdowns. Dallas came into the District tournament last season as the number two seed but was upset by Coughlin in the quarterfinals. Dallas junior QB Michael Starbuck threw for 974 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Prediction: Dallas

Wallenpaupack at Valley View
Fri 7 PM
Wallenpaupack fell in the District Finals last season to Valley West. Buckhorns RB Joe Ingulli rushed for 1,107 yards and nine touchdowns. Valley View is coming off a District Championship. Cougars wideout Chase Combs had 18 catches for 299 yards.
Prediction: Valley View

Western Wayne at Lake-Lehman
Fri 7 PM
This is a rematch of last year's District 2 3A Semifinal where Lake-Lehman took the victory in overtime. Wildcats RB Kobe Sauter ran for 852 yards and eight touchdowns. Black Knights RB Matt Kurtz ran for 731 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Prediction: Western Wayne

Meyers at Riverside
Fri 7 PM
Meyers qualified for the District Playoffs last season. Mohawks RB Kevin Dessoye rushed for 571 yards last season. Harry Armstrong comes back to the Riverside sideline. Vikings QB Johnny Gilchrist threw for 87 yards and three touchdowns in a backup role and will be the starter this season.
Prediction: Meyers

Wyalusing at Montrose
Fri 7 PM
Montrose finished 1-9 last season. The Meteors return QB Ethan Cina who threw for 93 yards. Wylausing finished the season at 5-6. A player to watch out for the Rams would be wide receiver John Morrison.
Prediction: Wyalusing

Wyoming Area at Mid Valley
Fri 7 PM
Wyoming Area is coming off an appearance in the District 2 4A Playoffs. This year, they drop down to 3A. Warriors QB Dominic DeLuca threw for 1,312 yards and 17 touchdowns. Mid Valley qualified for the District 2 2A Playoffs and return a two-headed attack at RB in Colin Hazelton and Joe Chylak, each rushing for over 1,000 yards.
Prediction: Wyoming Area

GAR at Susquehanna
Sat 1 PM
GAR is coming off a 1-9 season. Grenadiers wideout Malachi Williams caught 15 passes for 259 yards. Susquehanna is coming off a 4-6 season. Sabers RB Sam Cosmello rushed for 508 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Prediction: Susquehanna

Holy Cross at Holy Redeemer
Sat 7 PM
Holy Cross is on a 25 game losing streak. However, there is hope as they return QB Jake Wiercinski who threw for 509 yards and two touchdowns. Holy Redeemer is coming off a playoff appearance for the first time in school history. Royals RB Ryan Williams rushed for 279 yards last season.
Prediction: Holy Redeemer

New Season and Changes

Greetings everyone! Welcome to the start of the 2018-2019 High School Sports season. As with the start of another two year cycle, there is plenty of movement in the classifications and different formats for playoffs in High School Football. Another change is that every sport will be seeded by a power rating system. With that being said, here is the playoff format for each classification and who is in the classification.

6A
Teams:
Hazleton Area
Williamsport (District 4)
Delaware Valley
Scranton

Playoff Format and Changes: Williamsport's appearance makes this District playoffs a Subregional. All four teams make the playoffs regardless of record. This is one of two classifications that didn't see any changes to their format or teams.

5A
Teams:
Valley West
Wallenpaupack
East Stroudsburg South (District 11)
East Stroudsburg North (District 11)
Pocono Mountain East (District 11)
Whitehall (District 11)
Southern Lehigh (District 11)

Playoff Format and Changes: Abington Heights dropped to 4A which turned 5A into a two team classification in District 2. 5A is in a subregional with District 11 which has five teams in the classification. Regardless of District, four teams make the Subregional. If no District 2 teams make the subregional, they will both face off in a District Championship game. If one team qualifies for the Subregional, they will be automatically the District Champion. If both District 2 teams qualify, they will match up in the semifinal to determine the District Champ.

4A
Teams:
North Pocono
West Scranton
Crestwood
Coughlin
Dallas
Honesdale
Tunkhannock
Berwick
Valley View
Abington Heights
Pittston Area
Nanticoke
Montrose

Playoff Format and Changes: Eight out of 13 teams qualify in the District 2 4A Playoffs. Abington Heights dropped from 5A to 4A. Nanticoke and Montrose moved up from 3A to 4A.

3A
Teams:
Western Wayne
Lake-Lehman
GAR
Lakeland
Hanover Area
Holy Redeemer
Scranton Prep
Meyers
Wyoming Area

Playoff Format and Changes: Eight out of nine teams qualify in the District 2 3A Playoffs. This is a change from four teams that qualified over the last two years. Wyoming Area drops from 4A to 3A. Lakeland moves up from 2A to 3A.

2A
Teams:
Riverside
Dunmore
Susquehanna
Carbondale
Mid Valley

Playoff Format and Changes: Four out of five teams qualify in the District 2 2A Playoffs. No notable changes of teams moving into 2A.

A
Teams:
Lackawanna Trail
Old Forge
Northwest
Holy Cross

Playoff Format and Changes: Two out of four teams qualify for the Single-A District Championship. No changes were made in the format or teams from the last two years.

That will do it for this week's article, I hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned as there will be a Week 1 preview as well as a game blog on Friday. So with that, I bid you all a good day.