BLAKELY – Lackawanna Trail standout Isaac Ryon saved one of the best performances of his career for his final high school football game, leading the City All-Stars to a dramatic 36-35 victory over the County All-Stars in the 92nd Annual Scranton Lions Club Dream Game at John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Trailing by seven points in the closing seconds, the City mounted one final drive before Scranton Prep’s Mackey Lynett hauled in an 8-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Jervis with just 4.6 seconds remaining. Rather than kick the extra point, the City elected to go for the win, and Jervis connected with Lynett again for the game-winning two-point conversion, completing an unforgettable comeback.
Ryon was the unquestioned star of the night, showcasing his versatility from start to finish. The Lackawanna Trail standout rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns, caught two passes for 68 yards and another score, and even completed a 27-yard pass to spark the City offense. His all-around effort earned him one of the most memorable performances in Dream Game history.
The City struck first midway through the opening quarter when Jervis found Ryon for a 37-yard touchdown pass with 6:35 remaining to take a 7-0 lead.
The County answered late in the quarter as Lakeland quarterback David Naniewicz connected with Abington Heights’ Cayd Sespico on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 26.2 seconds left in the first quarter.
The County seized momentum in the second quarter. Delaware Valley’s Michael Iuzzolino capped a drive with a 7-yard touchdown run at the 3:45 mark to add to County’s lead.
Jervis answered for the City with a determined 1-yard touchdown run with 1:06 left before halftime, tying the game at 14-14.
The final minute of the first half belonged to the County. Iuzzolino electrified the crowd with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 54.1 seconds remaining, and Mid Valley’s Rhys Williams added to the momentum by returning an interception 16 yards for a touchdown with 39.9 seconds left. The County carried a commanding 28-14 lead into halftime.
The City regrouped after the break behind Ryon.
He scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter to trim the deficit to 28-21 and set the stage for a thrilling final period.
Ryon struck again early in the fourth, this time racing in from 3 yards out with 6:24 left, tying the game at 28.
The County answered with what appeared to be the decisive score when Naniewicz powered across from one yard out with 1:19 remaining, extending the lead to 35-28.
However, the City still had one final opportunity.
Jervis calmly engineered the game-winning drive before finding Lynett in the end zone with just 4.6 seconds to play. With everything on the line, City head coach Joe Giorgio elected to go for two, and Jervis connected with Lynett once again to complete the comeback and send the City sideline into celebration as the final horn sounded.
Jervis finished with two touchdown passes and a rushing score, while Ryon’s dominant all-purpose performance fueled the comeback in the annual all-star classic. The thrilling finish added another memorable chapter to the nation’s longest-running high school football all-star game, which once again delivered late-game drama for the thousands of fans in attendance.
Scoring Summary
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
| City | 6 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 36 |
| County | 7 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 35 |
First Quarter
- CITY – Isaac Ryon 37-yard pass from Tyler Jervis (6:35)
- COUNTY – Cayd Sespico 2-yard pass from David Naniewicz (:26.2)
Second Quarter
- COUNTY – Michael Iuzzolino 7-yard run (3:45)
- CITY – Tyler Jervis 1-yard run (1:06)
- COUNTY – Michael Iuzzolino 95-yard kickoff return (:54.1)
- COUNTY – Rhys Williams 16-yard interception return (:39.9)
Third Quarter
- CITY – Isaac Ryon 5-yard run (3:33)
Fourth Quarter
- CITY – Isaac Ryon 3-yard run (6:24)
- COUNTY – David Naniewicz 1-yard run (1:19)
- CITY – Mackey Lynett 8-yard pass from Tyler Jervis; Lynett caught the game-winning two-point conversion from Jervis (:04.6)