The Red Rovers scored all 39 of their points in the first half, building a 16-0 lead after the opening quarter before erupting for 23 more points in the second. The victory improved Easton to 3-3, while Pocono Mountain East fell to 4-2.

Easton’s defense got the scoring started. Broddy Thom tackled Pocono Mountain East’s Evan Garrett in the end zone for a safety, giving the Red Rovers an early 2-0 advantage.

Quarterback Zahviay McGurn then connected with Amin Fideen on an eight-yard touchdown pass. McGurn found Tommy Kornicke for the two-point conversion, increasing the lead to 10-0.

Brown provided the first of his three touchdowns later in the opening quarter, breaking loose for a 31-yard scoring run. The conversion attempt failed, but Easton carried a 16-0 advantage into the second quarter.

Brown was just getting started.

He opened Easton’s second-quarter scoring with a 36-yard touchdown run. McGurn connected with Justin Cosover for the two-point conversion to make it 24-0.

Brown struck again with a 40-yard touchdown run, his third rushing score of the night. He then caught a pass from McGurn for the two-point conversion, pushing the advantage to 32-0.

McGurn finished the first-half scoring with a 14-yard touchdown run, and Robbie McCormick added the extra point to send Easton into halftime with a commanding 39-0 lead.

With the outcome firmly in control, neither team scored in the second half.

Brown was the centerpiece of Easton’s offensive performance. He carried 13 times for 177 yards and three touchdowns, averaging more than 13 yards per attempt.

But Brown was far from the only Red Rover finding room to run.

McGurn rushed nine times for 88 yards and a touchdown, while Zachary Pastula added 32 yards on nine attempts. Jeffrey Thomas contributed 23 yards on five carries, and Jayden Foreman gained 18 yards on his lone rushing attempt.

As a team, Easton piled up 343 rushing yards on 42 attempts and scored four touchdowns on the ground.

McGurn was also efficient through the air, completing 5 of 6 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown without an interception. Cody Werkheiser completed all four of his attempts for 29 yards as Easton finished 9-of-10 passing for 79 yards.

Cosover led Easton with 39 receiving yards on two catches, while Jaycob Cicale had two receptions for 33 yards. Fideen caught three passes for 15 yards, including his first-quarter touchdown.

Pocono Mountain East quarterback Ceejay Serfass completed 11 of 23 passes for 127 yards. Prince Albino led the Cardinals’ receiving corps with three catches for 75 yards, while Elijah Jewell caught four passes for 25 yards.

Easton’s defense kept the Cardinals from establishing their ground game, holding Pocono Mountain East to 74 rushing yards on 24 attempts. Jesse Duran led the Cardinals with 30 yards on nine carries.

It was a complete performance for Easton. The Red Rovers scored through the air, on the ground and on defense, while Brown’s three touchdown runs highlighted a 343-yard rushing effort.

The contest was called with 1:35 remaining in the third quarter following an extensive injury delay. At that point, Steel-High held a 21-5 advantage in first downs and had outgained Newport 321-85, including a 213 to minus-2 advantage on the ground.

Steel-High struck first when Jaishawn George scored on a three-yard run with 8:56 remaining in the opening quarter. Yosiah Franklin added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Newport responded later in the quarter. Quarterback Logan Bates connected with Jameson Cummins for an 11-yard touchdown pass with three minutes remaining. The extra point failed, leaving the Buffaloes trailing 7-6.

From there, Steel-High took control.

Silas Hernandez opened the second quarter with a four-yard touchdown run, and Franklin’s extra point extended the Rollers’ advantage to 14-6.

George found the end zone again with 5:39 remaining in the half, scoring on a seven-yard run. The extra point was blocked, but Steel-High carried a 20-6 advantage into halftime.

The Rollers added another touchdown in the third quarter when Jayden Cleckner scored from one yard out with five minutes remaining. Franklin converted the extra point to make it 27-6.

The game later entered an extensive injury delay and was ultimately called with 1:35 remaining in the third quarter, making 27-6 the final score.

Steel-High’s ground game controlled the contest, producing 213 yards on 30 attempts. Cleckner led the way with 81 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Kamar Iberedem added 49 yards on six attempts, while George rushed eight times for 45 yards and two touchdowns.

Ni’Shaun Ward-McMullen contributed 25 yards on three carries, while Hernandez finished with 17 yards and a touchdown on three attempts.

Quarterback Jayce Jones completed 11 of 18 passes for 108 yards with one interception. Kalvin Pillier led the Rollers’ receivers with three catches for 41 yards. Iberedem caught five passes for 38 yards, and Hernandez added three receptions for 29 yards.

Newport had difficulty establishing its running game against Steel-High’s defense. Landon Cigic led the Buffaloes with 18 yards on three carries, while the team finished with minus-2 rushing yards.

Bates completed 9 of 12 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. Johnny Mayeresky and Myles Devlin each finished with 33 receiving yards. Mayeresky caught three passes, while Devlin had two receptions. Cummins caught two passes for nine yards, including Newport’s only touchdown.

Both defenses recorded an interception. Miles Devlin picked off a pass for Newport, while Iberedem recorded Steel-High’s interception.

The Rollers controlled possession with their rushing attack and limited Newport to five first downs and 85 total yards. Steel-High scored on the ground four times, including two touchdowns from George, to secure the 27-6 victory in a game shortened by the injury delay.

Newport 6 0 0 x–6
Steel-High 7 13 7 x–27

1st
SH-Jaishawn George 3 run (Yosiah Franklin kick), 8:56
N-Jameson Cummins 11 pass from Logan Bates (kick failed), 3:00

2nd
SH-Sila Hernandez 4 run (Franklin kick), 11:49
SH-George 7 run, (kick blocked), 5:39

3rd
SH-Jayden Cleckner 1 run (Franklin kick), 5:00

N SH
FDs 5 21
Rush-yds 16-(-2) 30-213
Passing 87 108
C-A-I 9-12-1 11-18-1
Tot Yds 85 321
Punts/Avg 3-40.3 0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0
Pen-Yds 4-18 4-35
3rd downs Cons 2-7 3-4
4th downs Cons 0-1 0-1

Rushing:
N– Landon Cigic 3-18, Johnny Mayeresky 1-1, Jameson Cummins 10-(-7), Logan Bates 3-(-14).
SH–Jayden Cleckner 9-81, Kamar Iberedem 6-49, Jaishawn George 8-45, Ni’Shaun Ward-McMullen 3-25, Silas Hernandez 3-17, Jayce Jones 1-(-4).

Passing:
N–Logan Bates 9-12, 87, TD
SH–Jayce Jones 11-18, 108, INT

Receiving:
N–Johnny Mayeresky 3-33, Myles Devlin 2-33, Jameson Cummins 2-9, Landon Cigic 1-12, Jose Toledo 1-0.
SH–Kamar Iberedem 5-38,Kalvin Pillier 3-41, Silas Hernandez 3-29.

INTs: N–Miles Devlin, SH–Kamar Iberedem

Note–Game was played at Bishop McDevitt HS–was called with 1:35 remaining in third quarter following an extensive injury delay.

The Buffaloes rushed for 288 yards and finished with 388 yards of total offense. Cummins led the rushing attack with 126 yards and a touchdown, while Cigic contributed as both a runner and receiver and scored twice through the air.

Susquenita struck first late in the opening quarter. Julian Boyer scored on a 15-yard run with 1:41 remaining, and AJ Castellucio added the extra point to give the Blackhawks a 7-0 lead.

Newport answered early in the second quarter when Johnny Mayeresky scored on a four-yard run. Logan Bates’ extra point tied the game at 7-7.

Susquenita regained the lead when quarterback Kalen Fleisher connected with Hunter Mitchell for a 49-yard touchdown pass with 6:45 left in the half. The extra point was blocked, leaving the Blackhawks ahead 13-7.

Newport responded just before halftime with one of the game’s biggest plays. Bates found Cigic for a 64-yard touchdown with 38 seconds remaining, and Bates added the extra point to send the Buffaloes into halftime with a 14-13 advantage.

The third quarter proved to be the difference.

On the opening stages of the second half, Cummins broke free for a 62-yard touchdown run, extending Newport’s lead to 21-13. Later in the quarter, Nolan Smith scored from one yard out, and Bates’ extra point gave the Buffaloes a 28-13 advantage heading into the fourth.

Susquenita attempted to rally when Fleisher connected with Boyer for a 16-yard touchdown with 9:33 remaining. The two-point pass failed, leaving Newport’s lead at 28-19.

The Buffaloes put the game away with 3:12 remaining. Bates connected with Cigic for a six-yard touchdown, Cigic’s second receiving score of the game, to produce the final 34-19 margin.

Newport’s rushing attack controlled the night, producing 288 yards on 41 attempts. Cummins carried 17 times for 126 yards and a touchdown, while Cigic added 57 yards on seven attempts. Bates contributed 44 yards on four carries, Mayeresky rushed for 32 yards and a touchdown, and Khriztopher Granados added 25 yards.

Bates didn’t have to throw often, but he made his completions count. He finished 4-of-10 for 100 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Cigic caught two passes for 70 yards, with both receptions resulting in touchdowns. Smith added a 20-yard reception, while Myles Devlin caught one pass for 10 yards.

Susquenita found most of its offensive success through the air. Fleisher completed 16 of 25 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted once. Rex Wilson completed one of three attempts for six yards, giving the Blackhawks 258 passing yards.

Mitchell led Susquenita’s receiving corps with four catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. Wilson had four receptions for 55 yards, Christian Boyer caught three passes for 52 yards, and Julian Boyer added three catches for 35 yards and a touchdown.

Julian Boyer also led the Blackhawks on the ground, carrying 18 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. Newport’s defense held Susquenita to just 63 net rushing yards as a team.

Mayeresky came up with Newport’s interception, while Noah Sarver recorded a sack. Darrien Reed registered Susquenita’s sack.

Susquenita finished with 321 total yards compared with Newport’s 388, but the Buffaloes’ advantage on the ground and their ability to generate big plays proved decisive. After trailing 13-7 in the second quarter, Newport outscored Susquenita 27-6 the rest of the way to secure the 34-19 victory.

Susquenita 7 6 0 6–19
Newport 0 14 14 6–34

1st
S-Julian Boyer 15 run (AJ Castellucio kick), 1:41
2nd
N-Johnny Mayeresky 4 run (Logan Bates kick), 11:51
S-Hunter Mitchell 49 pass from Kalen Fleisher (kick blocked), 6:45
N-Landon Cigic 64 pass from Bates (Bates kick), 0:38
3rd
N-Jameson Cummins 62 run (Bates kick), 11:10
N-Nolan Smith 1 run (Bates kick), 1:26
4th
S-Boyer 16 pass from Fleisher (pass failed), 9:33
N-Cigic 6 pass from Bates (kick blocked), 3:12

S N
FDs 15 13
Rush-yds 27-63 41-288
Passing 258 100
C-A-I 17-28-1 4-10-0
Tot Yds 321 388
Punts/Avg 2-35.5 2-28
Fumbles-Lost 3-0 1-1
Pen-Yds 7-65 7-73
3rd downs Cons 3-11 6-10
4th downs Cons 3-6 1-2

Rushing
S–Julian Boyer 18-82, Kalen Fleisher 6-(-2), Christian Boyer 1-(-2), Jake Herrera 1-(-3),Team 1-(-12)
N–Jameson Cummins 17-126, Landon Cigic 7-57, Logan Bates 4-44, Johnny Mayeresky 4-32, Khriztopher Granados 6-25, Myles Devlin 1-3, Nolan Smith 1-1, Team 1-0.

Passing
S–Kalen Fleisher 16-25, 252, 2 TDs, INT, Rex Wilson 1-3, 6
N–Logan Bates 4-10, 100, 2 TDs.

Receiving
S–Hunter Mitchell 4-86, Rex Wilson 4-55, Christian Boyer 3-52, Julian Boyer 3-35, Joel McNaughton 2-24, Jake Herrera 1-6
N–Landon Cigic 2-70, Nolan Smith 1-20, Myles Devlin 1-10..

INTs: N–Johnny Mayeresky

Sacks–S–Darrien Reed; N-Noah Sarver

The Buffaloes held Delone Catholic to just 144 yards of total offense, forced six turnovers and intercepted four passes in the shutout. Newport finished with 252 yards of offense and controlled the football with 42 rushing attempts.

Neither team was able to find the end zone in the opening quarter before Newport broke through late in the second.

Quarterback Logan Bates connected with Johnny Mayeresky on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 remaining before halftime. The extra point was blocked, but the score gave Newport a 6-0 advantage heading into the locker room.

Mayeresky was Bates’ favorite target throughout the game. He finished with seven receptions for 115 yards and the touchdown. Bates completed 9 of 20 passes for 126 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Newport added some breathing room in the third quarter.

Jameson Cummins capped a scoring drive with a one-yard touchdown run with 8:24 remaining in the quarter. Bates followed by running in the two-point conversion to extend Newport’s advantage to 14-0.

That was more than enough for the Buffaloes’ defense.

Buffaloes Force Six Turnovers

Delone Catholic struggled to sustain drives against Newport, converting just 1 of 8 third-down opportunities and finishing with eight first downs.

The Buffaloes intercepted Delone Catholic quarterback Parker Hohenstein four times. Henry Barlup led the way with two interceptions, while Myles Devlin and Cummins each added one.

Newport also recovered two of Delone Catholic’s three fumbles.

Oscar Bucher recorded a sack for the Buffaloes, while Mayeresky and Landon Cigic each contributed a half-sack.

Hohenstein completed 11 of 21 passes for 108 yards but was hurt by the four interceptions. Elijah Ramseur provided Delone Catholic’s biggest production in the passing game with four catches for 66 yards.

Colin Redding led the Squires on the ground with 38 yards on nine carries and also intercepted a pass defensively.

Newport Controls the Game on the Ground

While the Buffaloes averaged just over two yards per rushing attempt, their commitment to the ground game helped them control possession and keep Delone Catholic’s offense off the field.

Cummins led Newport with 30 yards on 14 carries and scored the game’s second touchdown. Khriztofer Granados added 26 yards on nine attempts, while Cigic rushed twice for 16 yards and Bates added 14 yards on eight carries.

Through the air, Newport produced several big plays. In addition to Mayeresky’s 115 receiving yards, Devlin caught one pass for 43 yards.

Newport finished with 15 first downs compared to Delone Catholic’s eight and held a 252-144 advantage in total offense. The Buffaloes also converted 2 of 4 fourth-down attempts.

The victory continued Newport’s success against Catholic school opponents during the regular season. The Buffaloes are now 7-2 all-time against Catholic schools in regular-season games.

Scoring Summary

FINAL: Newport 14, Delone Catholic 0

First Quarter

No scoring

Second Quarter

1:49 — Newport: Johnny Mayeresky 17-yard pass from Logan Bates (kick blocked)

Third Quarter

8:24 — Newport: Jameson Cummins 1-yard run (Logan Bates run)

Fourth Quarter

No scoring

by Ed Weaver

Towanda’s Adam Harris and Danville’s David Ackley have been chosen to serve as Honorary Captains for this year’s District IV UPMC North-South All-Star game.

At Towanda, Harris helped lead the team to two undefeated regular seasons and two District 4 Class AA title games (2005 and 2007). During his senior year he earned first-team all-state honors by PA Football News and the Associated Press. He was also the PA Football News Defensive Player of the Year after leading the state in tackles (198) and was an All-Eastern Pennsylvania small school first-team all-state selection. He was a four-year letter winner in football (two year captain), four times in track & field, and three times in basketball (one year captain).

Ackley, Danville ’81, played offensive and defensive line for the Ironmen under coach Ted Yeager. After high school, matriculated at Lock Haven State College and left after one year to join the United States Navy as a Sonar Technician. Following a medical discharge in 1988, he returned to Danville and enrolled at Susquehanna University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history. In 2021, he became the color analyst for Danville Ironmen football on the Black Diamond Sports Network. In addition, he hosts a weekly show during the football season, HEAVY METTLE: The Ironmen Football Show.

This year’s all-star game takes place on Friday, June 20 at the Endless Mountain Athletic Complex in Towanda. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. At halftime the Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be enshrined.

Special by Ed Weaver

The District IV Football Coaches Association is proud to announce the induction of five new members into its Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The ceremony will take place at halftime during the District IV UPMC All-Star Game on Friday, June 20, at Towanda’s Endless Mountain Athletic Complex, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.

Full bios for each inductee will be available in this year’s game program, plus added to this website after the game.

Darwin “Shubby” Marquette

“Shubby” was born in Shamokin then later moved to Dornsife where he graduated from Trevorton High School in 1961, where he was an outstanding quarterback, running back, and defensive back for the Red Devils. His love of football was evident. Right after graduation he became an assistant coach, and then head coach for the Trevorton Midgets for the next 25 years. When Trevorton merged with Mahanoy Joing to become Line Mountain, Marquette joined as an assistant coach. He remained their for the next 57 years. He was also head coach for a year in 1997, going 8-3.

At Line Mountain Coach Shubby was more than just a coach. He was a mentor, a motivator, and a builder of players. Coach Shubby was a part of nine championships, including the District IV Class 2A championship in 1995.

Dave “Whitey” Williams

Williams began his 35-year coaching career after graduating from Bloomsburg State in 1978. Williams majored in education and played baseball and basketball until an ACL injury ended his playing career. He then turned his focus to coaching after the loss of his Father, Don, a Korean War Veteran, at the age of 46. After 10 years as a teacher and assistant coach at his alma mater Tamaqua, Williams had a 16-year run as the head coach of Shenandoah, Mount Carmel and Nazareth, compiling a 153-53-1 record.

Williams was named PSFCA Coach of the Year three times and was also the Associated Press Pennsylvania Coach of the Year in 1996 after his Red Tornadoes went a perfect 15-0 and defeated Tyrone 25-6 for the Class 2A state championship. During his coaching career Williams compiled a 21-4 state playoff record.

John Zalonis

Zalonis was born in Frackville, Pa. in 1945 and attended Mahanoy Area School District. Upon graduation, Zalonis matriculated to Bloomsburg State and earned a degree in secondary education (biology). Zalonis’ coaching career spanned four different institutions. He was the head coach at South Williamsport from 1986-1994, where he compiled a record of 75-34-1. Zalonis led the Mounties to a District IV title in 1989, then District IV and Eastern Conference championships in 1993 en route to finishing runners up to Duquesne. Zalonis was also the head coach at Montgomery for 7 seasons, the co-Defensive Coordinator at Loyalsock for three years, and Linebackers Coach at Bucknell for three years.

Zalonis coached linebackers in the 1993 Big 33 Football Classic, was inducted into the West Branch Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, the North Anthracite Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, and received the Ray Keyes “Brotherhood Sports Award” in 2002.

Mark Strezlecki

Strezlecki was hired as a History Teacher and Assistant Football Coach at Troy High School in 1977. After 3 seasons as an assistant, he was named Head Football Coach at Troy in 1980. After winning only one game in his first season, he went on to compile a record of 64 wins over the next nine seasons. During his 10 year career, he led the Trojans to 3 NTL Titles, and the school’s first undefeated team and District IV Championship in 1988. His .678 winning percentage was first among NTL coaches during the decade of the 1980’s.

Tom Dickinson

Dickinson came to the Northern Tier as a member of the Mansfield University football squad where he played defensive tackle. Following graduation, he served as an assistant coach for the defensive line at MU for ten years. In 1994 he accepted the position of Head Football Coach of the North Penn-Mansfield High School and served in that position until his retirement in 2021. Over those years he accumulated a record of 154-134, making him the winningest coach in the school’s history. North Penn’s previous thirty-four years record before Tom’s arrival was 68-208-6.

They will play Thursday night at 7 pm at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field in Mechanicsburg.

Key Moments:

Thomas Jefferson dominated the first half. Peter Fiorello started the scoring with a 19-yard field goal. It was all Jaguars in the first half. Their defense got a safety on the blocked punt and Tyler Eber had touchdown runs of 1 and 20. At halftime, the score was 16-3 Thomas Jefferson.

Coming out of halftime, the Pioneers needed a spark. They got it. Howse ran a 45-yard touchdown and threw a 70-yard pass to Christian Nolt to jolt L-S in the third quarter. The game was close with the score 17-16 Lampeter-Strasburg.

In fact, L-S scored 17 unanswered points, which included a 32-yard field goal by Fiorello that extended their lead to 20-16 late in the game.

The Pioneers’ defense stepped up by breaking up a pass intended for TJ’s Braden White on fourth down in the final minutes, sealing the game for LS.

Aftermath:

With this win, Lampeter-Strasburg advanced to the PIAA Class 4A championship game, where they will face Bonner-Prendie who defeated Southern Lehigh 55-26.

Scoring summary:
Lampeter-Strasburg 20, Thomas Jefferson 16

1st Quarter:
LS – Peter Fiorello 19 yard field Goal
TJ – Safety

2nd Quarter:
TJ – Tyler Eber 1 yard run (Sam Wessel kick)
TJ – Tyler Eber 20 yard run (Sam Wessel kick)

3rd Quarter:
LS – Caileb Howse 45 run (Peter Fiorello kick)
LS – Christian Nolt 70 pass from Caileb Howse (Peter Fiorello kick)

4th Quarter:
LS – Peter Fiorello 32 yard Field Goal

First Quarter: 

Bishop McDevitt scored first. Nazir Jones-Davis, broke through for a 63-yard run followed by a four-yard touchdown. This gave the Crusaders an early lead. It was 7-0 Bishop McDevitt.

Second Quarter: 

McDevitt’s quarterback Stone Saunders, threw two touchdowns in the quarter. He threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Jontai Quick for his 200th career touchdown pass. Later, Saunders found Dominic Diaz-Ellis for another touchdown, making it 21-0  Bishop McDevitt before halftime.

Third Quarter:

Pine Richland’s Aaron Strader hit Jay Timmons for a 28-yard touchdown pass. Bishop McDevitt led 21-7.

Fourth Quarter: 

Saunders added a long 68-yard touchdown pass to Quick, which sealed the game for Bishop McDevitt.

Pine-Richland added a late touchdown pass from Aaron Strader to Dajuan Webb for 29 yards. 

With the loss, Pine-Richland finished the season, with an 11-2 record. McDevitt moves on to face Roman Catholic out of Philadelphia. 

Scoring summary:
Bishop McDevitt 28, Pine-Richland 14

1st Quarter:
BM – Nazir Jones-Davis 3 yard run (Aidan Grella kick)

2nd Quarter:
BM – Jontai Quick 7-yard pass from Stone Saunders (Aidan Grella kick)
BM – Dominic Diaz-Ellis 8-yard pass from Stone Saunders (Aidan Grella kick)

3rd Quarter:
PR – Jay Timmons 28-yard pass from Aaron Strader (Grant Argiro kick)

4th Quarter:
BM – Jontai Quick 68-yard pass from Stone Saunders (Aidan Grella kick)
PR – Dajaun Webb Higgs 29-yard pass from Aaron Strader (Grant Argiro kick)