LEHMAN — Nobody would have blamed Bobby Gallagher for throttling down. For all intents and purposes, Lake-Lehman running back Coldyn Harris was gone, destined for a trip to the end zone some 65 yards from where the Black Knights’ third offensive play started Friday night.

But that’s not Dallas football. And it’s not in Gallagher’s nature to give up. So the Mountaineers’ senior defensive back took off. Like a cheetah chasing down a gazelle in the Serengeti, Gallagher closed the gap and dove at Harris’ legs. Lake-Lehman’s leading rusher hit the black turf 3 yards short of the end zone.

Four plays later, Gallagher knocked down a fourth-down pass to turn the Knights away without any points. And when Dallas teammate Tyce Mason caught a 90-yard touchdown pass three plays later, the Old Shoe game had taken quite the dramatic turn.

Dallas won its fifth consecutive shoe, besting their Back Mountain rivals, 49-7. Mason was named the game’s MVP after catching 150 yards worth of passes, including a pair of touchdowns, and returning a punt for a score. But is was Gallagher who set the tone. The Mountaineers’ second-leading tackler entering Friday, Gallagher made three critical plays to keep Lake-Lehman out of the end zone in the first quarter. He and the Dallas defense held a team to one score or fewer for the fifth time in seven games to remain unbeaten (7-0).

“Knowing you’re the last guy, there’s no excuses not to try and chase him down,” Gallagher said. “When that film goes up on Sunday morning, if you’re the last guy available to make a play and it doesn’t happen, that’s on you. You alone have to live with that. So I just knew I had to get there.”

In the grand scheme of a 48-minute football game where Dallas invoked the mercy rule and a running clock by halftime, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference in the final score if Gallagher had coasted as Harris reached the end zone. But this is a Mounts defense which has made as much of an eye-opening statement this year as its offense has, even if it hasn’t been to as much fanfare.

Only Wyoming Valley West (12) and Abington Heights (23) have managed to put up double digit points against this Dallas defense. And the Mountaineers still won those games by a combined 52 points. This is a defensive unit which plays with a level of speed which has been unmatched by its seven opponents. They also play with a physicality which play after play seems to deliver a hit which elicits ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ from the bleachers.

Facing third-and-goal from the 6 after Gallagher ran down Harris, Gallagher shot through a gap and dropped ball-carrier Dylan Heinrich with a crushing his which belies his 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame. And when Lake-Lehman tried to sneak a receiver behind him on fourth down in the end zone, Gallagher elevated, knocking down the pass like a volleyball player registering a spike at the net.

“He can bring it,” Dallas coach Rich Mannello said. “He comes with an attitude, he’s aggressive, and he’s having fun playing football. He had a rough couple years in the beginning. We lost him for a whole year to a real bad injury. He’s long and he can run. He can block kicks. He’s got great range, and he’s turned in to a hell of a receiver, too. But he’s fun to watch come downhill on defense.”

Gallagher has made his bones on defense and special team this year. He entered the Old Shoe game second on the team with 36 tackles. He was also the only Mountaineer with multiple interceptions this season. And when he broke through the line a blocked a punt Friday to set up a Hunter Pitcavage touchdown run, it was the third time he’s gotten to the punter this year.

But he’s been valuable on offense, too. His five carries have averaged more than 10 yards a pop this year, including a 20-yard reverse to set up a Geskey touchdown run in the second quarter. He’s also averaging almost 17 yards per reception. He caught a pair of passes on Dallas’ opening drive Friday to help the Mounts traverse 65 yards and pick up a touchdown on an Owen Oldt 3-yard run on the game’s first possession.

“Bobby has always been that type of player. He’s always a hustle player,” Mason said. “He’s probably one of the best tacklers on the team. He’s a hustler, and he does whatever he can to help this team.”

The Dallas defensive effort became more evident after Gallagher’s chase-down tackle. Lehman recorded 77 yards rushing on its first three plays last night. It picked up just 110 yards on 33 carries the remainder of the game, much of which came after the starters had left the game in the third quarter.

It was the perfect complement to a Mounts offense which once again did not punt. Starting punter Brandon Miller hasn’t punted since he had three against Pittston on Sept. 18. Backup kicker/punter David Worth has just one punt this year, and that came in a Week 1 win over Tunkhannock.

Dallas averaged better than 9 yards a play last night. Geskey had all 177 of his passing yards by halftime, thanks to the 90-yard wheel route where he found Mason wide open, and a 40-yard catch and run by Mason at the end of the second quarter. Leading rushers Hunter Pitcavage and Mark Saracinaj combined for just 31 yards on six carries, but they weren’t really needed to carry the load.

The Mountaineers moved into the top spot in the District 2 4A standings after North Pocono lost to Scranton Prep by a point last night.

“We went a lot of different speeds on offense tonight, but that third-down pass to Tyce to go 90 yards really changed the first half. “We seem to be operating and executing really well.”

Dallas 49, Lake-Lehman 7
Dallas 14 21 7 7 – 49
Lake-Lehman 0 0 7 0 – 7
First quarter
D—Owen Oldt 3 run (Brandon Miller kick), 9:15
D—Tyce Mason 90 pass from Talan Geskey (Miller kick), 3:56

Second quarter
D—Geskey 4 run (Miller kick), 9:57
D—Hunter Pitcavage 1 run (David Worth kick), 3:38
D—Mason 40 pass from Geskey (Miller kick), 1:31

Third quarter
D—Mason 37 punt return (Worth kick), 8:53
LL—Devon Albee 1 run (Kolby Shook kick), 4:04

Fourth quarter
D—Tom Fostock 8 run (Christian Maier kick), 1:00

Dal LL
First downs 12 6
Rushes-yds 30-173 34-187
Com-att-int 6-7-1 0-4-1
Pass yards 177 0
Total yards 350 187
Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 6-35 4-35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing—Dallas, Tom Fostock, 13-88, TD; Hunter Pitcavage, 4-26, TD; Talan Geskey, 4-26; Bobby Gallagher, 2-26; Mark Saracinaj, 2-5; Jim Youngblood, 1-4; Owen Oldt, 1-3, TD; Carver Jones, 1-1; Team, 1-(-1); Jesse Berlew, 1-(-5). Lake-Lehman, Coldyn Harris, 14-110; Devon Albee, 9-35, TD; Anthony Magnotta, 1-28; Dylan Heinrich, 5-12; Aiden Miller, 1-7; Team, 1-(-1); Damon Bond, 2-(-2); Jesse Strengel, 1-(-2).

Passing—Dallas, Geskey, 6-7-1, 177 yds., 2 TDs. Lake-Lehman, Strenfel, 0-4-1.

Receiving—Dallas, Tyce Mason, 3-150, 2 TDs; Gallagher, 2-9; Brady McCann, 1-18. Lake-Lehman, None.

INTERCEPTIONS—Dallas 1, Jim Youngblood. Lake-Lehman 1, Dylan Heinrich.

RECORDS: Dallas (7-0); Lake-Lehman (3-4).

Simms tipped two passes over the middle of the field on the defining defensive stand of the game for the Bulldogs. He also scored a rushing touchdown as a part of a new Berwick offense which strips time off the clock like an hour glass with a leak in it.

Berwick snapped a two-game losing streak with a 14-0 win at Memorial Stadium, moving back to .500 and keeping pace in the District 2 Class 4A playoff race. Simms helped the Bulldogs post their second shutout this year as it forced four turnovers.

“I mean, what a stud,” Berwick coach CJ Curry said. “He’s a senior who’s been waiting for his time to go have a game like this. It’s a career-defining game to this point.”

Berwick’s defensive stand to close the first half was critical as it held the two-score lead, but even more so because Hanover Area (0-6) was receiving the second-half kickoff. But Hawkeyes quarterback Logan Richardson got his team to the Berwick 9 with an 11-yard scramble to set up first-and-goal.

When Richardson tried to hit a quick slant on first down, Simms jumped and tipped the ball off line. After the second-down pass was behind the receiver and fell incomplete, Simms again reached up and tipped away a pass that had eyes for an open receiver. Two plays later, when Richardson was pressured on fourth down, his desperation throw was intercepted by Shiloh Escobar on the goalline.

“I have the running back coming out on those plays. If he stays in the backfield, I’m a spy,” Simms said. “I was just sitting there reading his eyes. He looks my way and I float that way and got my hand on the ball. That’s a big turning point right there.”

Berwick repeated the effort to start the second half. Richardson and his brother Brody picked apart the Berwick defense on the ground accounting for 61 rushing yards to get the ball to the Berwick 1-yard line.

Logan Richardson was off the field on first down after his helmet came off on a third-down quarterback sneak to get a first down. Brody Richardson, who was filling in at tailback for injury leading rusher Dewayne Downey, was stuffed for a 2-yard loss on a run play on first down. Logan Richardson scrambled for a yard on second down to the 2. He threw low to Conor Richardson on a slant on third down for an incomplete pass. And on fourth down, Logan Richardson was sacked for a 1-yard loss and a turnover on downs by Berwick’s Evan Neiderheiser.

Hanover Area’s two drives to end the second quarter and start the third quarter totaled 25 plays, 137 yards of offense and zero points.

“That short field shrinks our offense, and then we’re already down our tailback,” Hanover Area coach Eric Richardson said. “Our quarterback has to come out because his helmet comes off. So our tight end has to come in to play quarterback for a play, but we don’t have a backup tight end this week because our tight end has to play fullback because our fullback has to play tailback this week because our tailback is out. So we got in a situation where they blitzed in the middle and knocked us back a couple yards, and then we have to scramble, and then we have to try some stuff that maybe we weren’t really comfortable doing in that situation.”

“When they’re able to spread guys out, they’ve been really successful in those situations all year,” Curry said. “It was able to force some tighter window throws, and we were lucky a couple times. But our guys played great. They understood their assignments, and they understood what we wanted to do down there on the goal line. And they came up big play after play after play.”

From there, Berwick’s offense took over. Hanover Area ran more than 8 minutes off the clock with its opening drive of the third quarter. The Hawkeyes’ offense had the ball just one more time in the second half, and that was a series which lasted just two plays because the Bulldogs’ pounced on a mishandled snap from a backup center.

Berwick’s offense was anything but flashy Friday night. With the dynamic Brady Cleaver at quarterback for the second consecutive week, the Bulldogs went to a run-heavy offense which saw them quite often utilize three backs in the backfield.

Gavin Galutia led Berwick with 79 yards on 23 carries, including a touchdown. Simms posted a career-high 32 yards and just his second career touchdown. Escobar ran for 45 yards from his quarterback position. Berwick ran for 200 yards as a team on 48 carries, gaining just enough yardage to consistently move the chains and keep the clock running.

Berwick held the football for more than 29 of the game’s 48 minutes. And when it didn’t have the ball, it recovered two Hanover fumbles and intercepted two Hanover passes.

Berwick ran out the final 8:52 with 13 consecutive runnings plays before taking a knee to run out the clock.

“Four yards and a cloud of dust,” Curry said. “We tried to control the clock and they did a good job of that. Our offensive line’s been phenomenal. All those guys up front have gelled together. They have a great relationship and you need that chemistry for a good offensive line. Hopefully we can continue to build on this momentum.”

Berwick 14, Hanover Area 0
Berwick 7 7 0 0 – 14
Hanover Area 0 0 0 0 – 0
First quarter
B—Gavin Galutia 1 run (Caleb Yost kick), 1:45
Second quarter
B—Brock Simms 3 run (Yost kick), 6:01

Ber HA
First downs 15 11
Rushes-yds 48-200 22-117
Com-att-int 1-4-0 8-16-2
Pass yards -2 96
Total yards 198 223
Fumbles-lost 1-0 5-2
Penalties-yards 7-42 9-64

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing—Berwick, Gavin Galutia, 23-79, TD; Shiloh Escobard, 8-45; Brock Simms, 7-32; Jake Lisnock, 4-29; Gabe Decker, 3-10; Bryce Cleaver, 1-6; Conner Roberts, 1-1; Team, 1-(-2). Hanover Area, Logan Richardson, 12-80; Brody Richardson, 9-39; Angel Tejada, 1-(-2).

Passing—Berwick, Escobard, 1-3-0, -2 yds.; Lisnock, 0-1-0. Hanover Area, L. Richardson, 8-16-2, 96 yds.

Receiving—Berwick, Decker, 1-(-2). Hanover Area, Tejada, 4-51; Conor Richardson, 2-20; B. Richardson, 1-22; Luke Willis, 1-3.

INTERCEPTIONS—Berwick 2, Bryce Cleaver, Shiloh Escobar.
RECORDS: Berwick (3-3); Hanover Area (0-6).

ALMEDIA – Having scored just two touchdowns through its first five games, and been outscored by a lot, Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech was looking for some improvement at the very least after installing a new offense as it opened the second half of its season with a home game Saturday afternoon against Holy Cross.

With the new offense intended to give multiple running options and in a driving rain that most of the game was played in from the passing Nor’easter, CMVT turned in its best offensive performance of the season, which included equaling their season output of touchdowns in the first quarter alone and outgaining the Crusaders for the game.

But turnovers and failed fourth down conversions that produced a field position disadvantage proved to be too much for the Rams to overcome as Holy Cross capitalized off both CMVT turnovers and came away with a 41-16 win over the Rams.

“We’re been working on this (new offense) for about two-and-a-half weeks, but it’s a work in progress to install something new,” said CMVT coach Mark Varner. “With all of our injuries, we don’t have a traditional drop-back quarterback, so we had to do something else. We’re finally getting the knack of it and I thought we played well today. We just need to cut down on our mistakes – the fumbles, the big-play scores for them. We cut down on that, we’re in the game.”

The Rams had more yards than Holy Cross, 271-204, with all of their yards coming on the ground as they did not throw the ball once. Liam Patraw led the way with 114 yards on 20 carries, while Blake Sponenberg had 95 on 17 carries and scored both CMVT touchdowns.

Sponenberg capped a nine-play, 76-yard drive off the opening kickoff for the Rams with a 10-yard touchdown run. Cody Zimmerman added 33 rushing yards on four carries on that drive while rotating at quarterback with Sponenberg, but was hurt on the last one of those carries and had to leave the game and did not return.

Sponenberg added another rushing touchdown later in the first quarter, this one a 62-yarder that tied the game 14-14 with 2:19 left in the first.

But after picking up 147 yards in the first quarter, the Rams only managed 124 more yards the rest of the game, as Holy Cross’ defense hunkered down and kept the Rams off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. A fourth quarter safety was the only other points the Rams could manage on the afternoon, and CMVT was just 1-of-6 on fourth down conversions.

“We kind of came out really flat. I don’t know if it was the letdown after the win last week or the ride down, but we just weren’t into the game early,” said Holy Cross coach Joe Giorgio. “We changed up the defense a little and that seemed to give them a little bit more of a problem, but I think the bigger thing was just the fact that we woke up, finally.”

Holy Cross’ average starting field position over its first eight possessions of the game was the CMVT 38-yard line, compared to CMVT’s own 25 for the Rams’ first 10 possessions.

A 75-yard kickoff return for touchdown by Luca Berardi immediately after Sponenberg’s first touchdown provided an immediate answer to the Rams.

The Crusaders then forced one of the Rams’ two turnovers and took over at the CMVT 21-yard line. Seven plays later, Chase Rutkoski capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to give Holy Cross a 14-8 lead with 2:38 left in the first quarter.

After Sponenberg’s second touchdown it was largely all Crusaders for the remainder of the game. The Rams went for it from their own 42 early in the second quarter and failed, giving the Crusaders the ball at the Ram 35, and one play later, Chris Transue got loose for a 35-yard touchdown run, giving Holy Cross a 20-14 lead with 8:53 remaining in the first half.

CMVT’s second lost fumble came later in the second quarter and the Crusaders recovered at the Ram 24. Two plays later, Rutkoski hit Berardi for a 24-yard touchdown reception, and then hit Tyler Kohut for the two-point conversion, making it 28-14 heading into halftime. Rutkoski threw for a pair of touchdowns and had 76 yards passing but completed just 4-of-14 passes.

“We’re still not executing like we should be. We need to give our quarterback more time to throw the ball because we do have receivers open but he needs to have time to throw the ball,” said Giorgio.

The Crusaders kept the momentum going to start the second half, as they received the second half kickoff and put together a seven-play, 58-yard drive capped by Rutkoski’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Kohut, making it 35-14.

Holy Cross then again came up with a fourth down stop on CMVT’s half of the field, taking over at the CMVT 45. From there, they proceeded to put together a five-play drive capped by a two-yard touchdown run by Noah Davis to extend their lead to 41-14 with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter.

The Crusaders then stopped the Rams twice inside their 5-yard line in the fourth quarter and while that sequence did eventually give the Rams a safety, Holy Cross was able to keep CMVT out of the end zone.

The first play of the fourth quarter was a 13-yard pickup by the Rams to give them a first-and-goal at the Holy Cross 1-yard line. The Crusaders stopped four straight runs by the Rams shy of the goal line.

After a punt gave the ball back to the Rams beginning at the Holy Cross 24, the Rams got as close as the 3-yard line before once again turning it over on downs.

“With Cody going out, the majority of the plays fell on Blake and that just wore him out a bit,” said Varner. “We wanted to have about 50-50 between the two of them at quarterback, but then it had to be about 75 percent for Blake and he just wore down.”

Holy Cross 41, Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech 14
Holy Cross (2-2) 14 14 13 0 – 41
CMVT (0-6) 14 0 0 2 – 16

First quarter
7:34 – (VT) Blake Sponenberg 10-yard run (Sponenberg run), 9-76, 4:26
7:23 – (HC) Luca Berardi 75-yard kickoff return (kick failed)
2:38 – (HC) Chase Rutkoski 1-yard run (Berardi pass from Rutkoski), 7-21, 3:08
2:19 – (VT) Blake Sponenberg 62-yard run (run failed), 1-62, :19

Second quarter
8:53 – (HC) Chris Transue 35-yard run (pass failed), 1-35, :10
:35 – (HC) Luca Berardi 24-yard pass from Chase Rutkoski (Kohut pass from Rutkoski), 2-24, :13

Third quarter
8:38 – (HC) Tyler Kohut 14-yard pass from Chase Rutkoski (Patino kick), 7-58, 3:22
3:58 – (HC) Noah Davis 2-yard run (kick blocked), 5-45, 2:14

Fourth quarter
3:19 – (VT) Team Safety

Statistics
HC VT
First downs 12 13
Rushes-net yards 26-128 56-271
Passing yardage 76 0
Passing 4-14-2-0 0-0-0-0
Fumbles-lost 3-0 5-2
Penalties-yards 5-31 6-39

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Holy Cross: Naim Ortiz (9-70), Chris Transue (8-51-1), Noah Davis (4-31-1), Chase Rutkoski (4-(-3)-1), Team (1-(-21)); CMVT: Liam Patraw (20-114), Blake Sponenberg (17-95-2), Hoyt Kelley (6-17), Keegan Moyer (5-8), Cody Zimmerman (4-33), Wyatt Bodnar (4-4)

PASSING: Holy Cross: Chase Rutkoski (4-14-76-2-0); CMVT: None

RECEIVING: Holy Cross: Luca Berardi (2-34-1), Chris Transue (1-28), Tyler Kohut (1-14-1); CMVT: None

DALLAS — The wheels were already turning in Rich Mannello’s head following Friday night’s 47-7 over Wilkes-Barre. Dallas improved to 5-0 with the mercy rule victory, but the veteran head coach wasn’t exactly happy.

The Mountaineers were hit with 10 penalties, and a couple more unsportsmanlike calls which were offset that didn’t make the stat sheet. They weren’t as crisp as they have been through the first four weeks offensively. The team’s emotions got the best of them more than once. And they had two touchdowns taken off the board, one for a penalty, and one because of a dropped pass.

As happy as Mannello was to walk away with a 40-point win against a Wolfpack team which had shown great strides in a win over Berwick as week ago, the scoreboard hadn’t even been turned off before he was thinking of ways to address the mistakes Friday night.

“I think we may be at the point that we’re done talking about it,” Mannello said. “I’ll figure out how to address it as the head coach, but I’ve done enough talking. And I’ll get it handled.”

There were plenty of reasons for Dallas to be pleased with Friday’s effort. Dallas is 5-0 for the first time since 2023, a season which ended with a state runner-up finish. The offense put up 467 yards of offense and saw five players score a touchdown. The defense played fast, forcing a pair of turnovers and holding an opponent to seven or fewer points for the third time in five weeks.

It’s not as if the team in general was upset. They ran the victory bell with vigor. But Mannello knows there’s work to be done following a day of rest Saturday.

“There’s things that have to get tightened up,” Mannello said. “There are just some loose ends that can come back to bite you. We’ll watch the film and learn from it.”

What the Wyoming Valley Conference has learned about through half of the regular season is that Dallas is the team to beat regardless of division. It showed why in all three phases Friday. An offense which has averaged 42.2 points per game through five weeks was only stopped when it stopped itself. Take away one 75-yard rushing touchdown by Wilkes-Barre, and the Wolfpack averaged just 3.4 yards per play.

And then there was special teams. The Mountaineers got quite the jump start when Trevor Slavinski raced up the far hash marks on the game’s opening kick and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown, outrunning Wilkes-Barre kicker John Mendola over the final 40.

“He’s a fast dude. He’s a killer,” said Dallas receiver Tyce Mason, who caught four passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. “Emotionally, that just hypes you up. We were all over the place on the sideline just screaming and yelling. And that carried into our defense and our offense.”

In the blink of an eye it was a two-score lead after the Mountaineers forced a three-and-out and then covered 64 yards on nine plays to hit paydirt. Hunter Pitcavage (13 carries, 98 yards, 2 touchdowns) carried six times for 43 yards on the drive, including the final 7 for his first score.

Then the defense made its presence known when it turned away a 14-play Wilkes-Barre drive with an interception by Brady McCann in the end zone on third-and-goal. Dallas needed just five plays in the ensuing possession to cover 80 yards. Mason caught a slant pass, stopped on a dime letting his defender run past him, then outran the Wolfpack to the end zone for a 21-0 lead.

Less than 3 minutes later, Mounts receiver Bobby Gallagher caught a 41-yard pass on the post to set up his own 5-yard scoring run on the next play. The 27-0 lead seemed to happen in an instant and helped cover up the penalties and misplays which seemed to plague the first half for the Mountaineers.

“We faced adversity in this football game and we still battled,” Mason said. “But adversity will help you and it motivates you. We know we have a killer offense and a killer defense. We just have to clean some things up.”

“That interception in the end zone was big. Wilkes-Barre is such a tough bunch of kids, and if it’s 14-7 there, we got a different game,” Mannello said. “Defensively, I just love our speed. Speed makes up for a lot. If you miss a gap or somebody misaligns, you still got guys that can run to the football. You always have a chance when you got speed on defense.”

Dallas 47, Wilkes-Barre 7
Wilkes-Barre 0 7 0 0 – 0
Dallas 14 20 13 0 – 47
First quarter
D—Trevor Slavinski 99 kickoff return (Brandon Miller kick), 11:44
D—Hunter Pitcavage 7 run (Miller kick), 5:16

Second quarter
D—Tyce Mason 46 pass from Talan Geskey (Miller kick), 11:14
D—Bobby Gallagher 5 run (kick failed), 8:39
WB—Wonder Woods 75 run (John Mendola kick), 5:33
D—Pitcavage 11 run (Miller kick), 2:16

Third quarter
D—Mark Saracinaj 9 run (pass failed), 6:50
D—Owen Oldt 1 run (David Worth kick), 2:07

WBA Dal
First downs 12 21
Rushes-yds 29-183 43-282
Com-att-int 11-23-2 8-14-0
Pass yards 63 185
Total yards 246 467
Fumbles-lost 2-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 4-53 10-79
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing—Wilkes-Barre: Wonder Woods, 1-75, TD; Anthony Daniel, 13-75; Matthew Cinti, 4-14; Noah Monsour, 2-10; Peter McCoy, 1-8; Kymani Hubbard-Jones, 2-6; Ethan Hooper, 1-3; Jhavon Jones, 1-1; Declan Gregor, 4-(-9). Dallas: Hunter Pitcavage, 13-98, 2 TDs; Mark Saracinaj, 8-72, TD; Talan Geskey, 4-34; Owen Oldt, 4-29, TD; Tom Fostock, 6-28; Carver Jones, 2-9; Jim Youngblood, 2-5; Trevor Slavinski, 1-5; Bobby Gallagher, 1-5, TD; Team, 1-(-1); Tyce Mason, 1-(-2).

Passing—Wilkes-Barre: Declan Gregor, 9-19-2, 53 yds.; Matthew Cinti, 2-4-0. Dallas: Geskey, 7-13-0, 181 yds., TD; Jesse Berlew, 1-1-0, 4 yds.

Receiving—Wilkes-Barre: Nic Saracino, 4-16; Jayson Sanchez, 2-16; Woods, 2-12; Omar Contreras, 1-9; Gino Dalessandro, 1-8; Jayden Pena, 1-2. Dallas: Mason, 4-91, TD; Gallagher, 1-41; Pitcavage, 1-38; Brady McCann, 1-11; Bolly Moran, 1-4.

INTERCEPTIONS: Dallas 2, Bobby Gallagher, Brady McCann.
RECORDS: Wilkes-Barre (1-4); Dallas (5-0).

BERWICK — Ciro Cinti was ready to kick the extra point after Wilkes-Barre took a seven-point lead on Berwick in the second quarter Friday night at Crispin Field. It seemed to be the most logical decision for the Wolfpack.

But veteran defensive coordinator Ed Michaels got in Cinti’s ear quickly and talked about going for two points. With Berwick suffering a bad PAT snap on its first touchdown of the night and not getting off a kick, Michaels posited going for two was a win-win situation. Miss it and the Wolfpack were still up seven. Get it, and Berwick would be in chase mode down two scores.

Cinti, the 20-plus year head coach, rolled the dice. Quarterback Declan Gregor found a wide open Wonder Woods in the end zone, and Woods picked the ball clean off his shoelaces for the two-pointer. Berwick never caught up.

In one of the weirdest high school football games in recent memory, Wilkes-Barre avoided the first 0-4 start in program history with a 22-12 win over the Bulldogs. Even Cinti as the winning coach was left scratching his head afterward, and his team wasn’t the one on the short end of a pair of decisions by the officiating which twice changed the complexion of Friday’s game.

But what Cinti’s team did do is finally notch a tally in the win column for the first time in four weeks. The 1-3 start matches the worst record through four games since the Wilkes-Barre school district merged to one program in 2019.

“Yeah,” Cinti said as he removed his had and scratched his head. “That was one for the records, I guess. All we wanted to do was stop the bleeding and get a win and then we can worry about the rest of the season. Was it pretty? Maybe not. But we stopped the bleeding.”

The way Wilkes-Barre stopped the bleeding wasn’t fancy. They handed the football to six different ball-carriers and picked on the perimeter in the run game. Cinti didn’t have visions of grandeur, expecting to break long runs and touchdowns. But he did think the running-back-by-committee approach to keep the sticks moving. And that’s exactly what happened.

Kymani Hubbard-Jones took the bulk of that duty, carrying 15 times for 74 yards and a touchdown. As a team, the Wolfpack averaged just over 3 yards a carry Friday night. But the running game was good enough to put the team in manageable third-down situations.

On its first touchdown drive, the Wolfpack converted a trio of third downs leading to a Declan Gregor 1-yard quarterback sneak which gave Wilkes-Barre a 7-6 lead. That drive lasted 15 plays and took 6 minutes, 1 second off the game clock.

Wilkes-Barre used eight plays on its second scoring drive to cover just 29 yards, but converted on a third-and-3 and a fourth-and-3 — both with a Hubbard-Jones carry — before Noah Monsour scored from 4 yards out. Wilkes-Barre picked on the perimeter of Berwick’s defense because the Bulldogs were without all-conference defensive end Gabe Decker, who was out with an injury.

“The bottom line is we were going to run either way,” Cinti said. “But with him not out there, absolutely we’re going to. You have to exploit whatever you can. It’s high school football. We don’t really have a true running back, but all the kids really contributed, and that’s probably the best the line has blocked all year.”

“We were just not able to tackle on defense,” Berwick coach CJ Curry said. “I can’t tell you how many run-throughs that we had, I just know that we couldn’t bring the back down in the backfield.”

It was after that Monsour touchdown when Cinti decided to take Michaels’ advice and go for two. The nine-point lead forced Berwick to really chase. Trailing 15-6, Berwick tried to work its way downfield to end the second quarter and give kicker Caleb Yost a look at the uprights.

The Bulldogs rattled off three consecutive first downs to get to the Wilkes-Barre 40. They picked up another first down and spiked the football with 10 seconds to go at the 30. After a fade down the sideline fell incomplete with 6 seconds left, Curry called on quarterback Brady Cleaver (15 carries, 193 yards, 2 touchdowns) to run a quarterback sneak to pick up a few extra yards and get in Yost’s range.

Curry was in the official’s ear as soon as Cleaver hit the ground after an 8-yard pickup calling timeout. The official blew his whistle and waved his arms with more than a second on the clock, but the clock continued to run until it hit all zeros. The officials got together to discuss the situation as Wilkes-Barre’s entire team made a beeline for the locker room. Eventually the officials threw the game ball to the sideline and said the half was over, sending Curry into a fit of an rage.

“I saw 1.3 on the clock when I called timeout and I was right in the ref’s ear,” Curry said. “But he said the guy across the field didn’t have a timeout with time left. I don’t know.”

The call was exacerbated when two plays after receiving the second-half kickoff, Cleaver went 74 yards for a touchdown. A missed PAT left Berwick trailing 15-12. Wilkes-Barre pushed the lead to 22-12 when it capitalized on the first of two Cleaver interceptions by covering 40 yards in seven plays, capped by a Hubbard-Jones 6-yard scoring run.

“We’re just going to keep moving the chains,” Cinti said. “Three yards and a cloud of dust, basically. But that let us wear down the clock and win the game.”

Berwick’s last shot at getting back into the game appeared to come when it forced and recovered a fumble early in the fourth quarter. As the Bulldogs celebrated the turnover with just under 9 minutes to go, the officials huddled and declared an inadvertent whistle had been blown during the play. When an inadvertent whistle is blown, the play does not count and is re-played, taking the turnover away from Berwick. Curry lost his mind as the officials explained the call. Wilkes-Barre proceeded to run more than 4 minutes off the clock.

“It’s a good thing high school coaches hopefully can’t get fined because that was one of the worst officiated games I’ve ever seen,” Curry said afterward. “But good teams find a way to overcome bad officiating. We just weren’t good enough, and that’s the bottom line. Wilkes-Barre earned it. They played better. They had the better team tonight.”

DALLAS — Dallas wasn’t a big-play offense Friday night. But it didn’t get out of its 42-23 win over Abington Heights without popping at least one big one.

And when Hunter Pitcavage ran over a linebacker and sprinted 40 yards to the end zone, it was the cherry on top of one of the most efficient offensive high school football games the Mountaineers have ever played. Pitcavage and sophomore Mark Saracinaj both ran for more than 100 yards. Quarterback Talan Geskey completed 10 of 12 passes. The Mountaineers didn’t punt and converted 9 of 11 third downs.

Oh, and the two third downs they didn’t convert? They converted on fourth down instead.

It all led to the third consecutive 40-point performance for the Dallas offense, and a third consecutive victory which should raise some eyebrows across the Wyoming Valley and Lackawanna Conferences.

“I always say to our staff that we’ll find out after we play Abington where we’re at as a football team for the year,” Dallas coach Rich Mannello said. “We hadn’t been challenged yet before (Friday) and we were going to find out if we’re going to bond or break. I’d say we bonded.”

Dallas averaged more than 6 yards per play Friday night. But it wasn’t just that it averaged half a first down per snap which made the Mountaineers’ offense so fierce. By averaging those 6-plus yards and not getting the pop plays until Pitcavage’s third touchdown run, it kept the ball out of the hands of a dangerous Abington Heights offense.

Dallas ran nearly twice as many plays as the Comets (64-35). The only two times a Mountaineers possession didn’t end in points is when the clock ran out on the first half after one play, and when two Geskey kneeldowns ended the game.

It’s hard to imagine Mannello — a veteran coach who has seen just about everything there is to see on a high school and college football field — having imagined that kind of performance was in store against that caliber of football team. But it’s what he got.

“You know, this offensive line is starting to come together,” Mannello said. “We needed to prove ourselves that we can knock a good front off the ball, and I think we proved that.”

And they proved it from the start. The Mountaineers used nine plays to cover 65 yards to score on their opening possession on a 5-yard Pitcavage run. After forcing a three-and-out, Dallas covered 50 yards in nine plays for Saracinaj’s first scoring run.

By the time Abington Heights recorded its first first down, Dallas had already rolled up 140 yards of offense (thanks to a couple holding penalties). And despite working with short fields much of the night — Dallas scoring drives averaged just 55.5 yards — the Mountaineers still used an average of more than nine plays per possession.

Pitcavage’s long touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter was the only one of six rushing touchdowns by the Mountaineers to not come from a goal-to-go situation. Pitcavage scored three touchdowns Friday to go with his 128 rushing yards. Saracinaj added a pair to go with 103 yards. And Geskey also had a TD run.

“I think that efficiency start with our coaching. They really are on our butts about it,” said Pitcavage, who tore his meniscus and missed the rest of the season in last year’s Abington Heights game. “When you do the right thing, that’s what you want it to be, and I think it looked right for us.”

“They just play the next play,” Mannello said. “There were a could third-and-longs or third-and-mediums early that we were able to convert to keep drives going and led to some scores, and I think it changed the complexion of the game.”

Dallas consistently put itself in position to convert on third down. The Mounts needed to cover an average of 5.8 yards to keep the sticks moving. And only one time did they need to cover more than 10 yards to convert.

On the game’s final possession, Saracinaj convert a third-and-7 on the ground, and Pitcavage converted a third-and-8, which allowed Dallas to run out the clock.

But that early efficiency put Abington Heights in a hole it just could never crawl out of. Pitcavage forced the Comets to settle for a field goal at the end of the first half when he blitzed untouched on third down in the red zone and recorded the game’s only sack of Comets quarterback Gavin Shay.

And because the Mounts offense moved at will, it didn’t matter that Abington running back Jayden Anglin ran for 153 yards and a touchdown. A year after torching Dallas for 170 rushing yards, Anglin’s big night was relatively quiet. Three of his carries (46, 35 and 39 yards) accounted for 120 of his 153 yards. His other 11 carries averaged just 3.3 yards per carry.

In fact, of the Comets’ 243 rushing yards, 189 of them came on five carries of 33 yards or more. And none of those went for touchdowns. They averaged 2.8 yards on their other 19 carries.

And after Abington Heights got back into the game with 10 second-quarter points, the Dallas defense shut the Comets out in the third quarter. They forced four consecutive incompletions from Shay, two of which were nearly intercepted. After completing all four passes in the first half, Shay was 2 for 7 in the second half.

“We definitely wanted to bring the pressure,” Pitcavage said. “We wanted to make sure the running back was on his heels and the quarterback had to throw the ball hot.”

“You never want to see a game change momentum because of an injury,” Berwick coach C.J. Curry said. “But you know, things happen, and our guys did a really good job. We’re counting on these seniors and these leaders to show up and make big-time plays in big-time moments, and Gavin did that tonight. That was incredible, and then he comes back out, he runs hard, and he had a touchdown run. He called that play from the huddle when he had his (offensive) touchdown. He’s a gamer. He’s a warrior. All these guys are warriors. We’re playing a treacherous schedule with 35 guys on our team, and about 15 or 16 can contribute on the varsity level.”

Once Galutia scored to put Berwick up 24-17, the air was let out of the home sideline at Charley Trippi Stadium. The Bulldogs got bottled up a now one-dimensional Pittston offense that was without the services of Santo Capitano, who made a couple of key runs that gave the Patriots a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Berwick (1-1) starting to rip off big chunks of yardage against a tiring defensive front. Brady Cleaver capped off a seven-play drive with a 1-yard quarterback sneak at the 8:15 mark of the fourth quarter, and Landon Zapata scored on a 5-yard run a little over five minutes later to put an exclamation point on a night that saw the Bulldogs rack up 370 rushing yards.

“That’s incredible,” Curry said. “You have to replace two all-staters from last year, but we’ve got three or four guys that are stepping up and doing a really, really nice job for us. How about a guy like Malikiah Brown stepping in as a sophomore on the offensive line when Nico (Lonczynski) gets hurt, and our offense really didn’t skip a beat. We had our fair share of pre-snap penalties we had our fair share of turnovers, which is unacceptable. But I’m really, really proud of the offensive line with the way they’ve come together.”

Trailing 14-10 at halftime, Berwick came out with an impressive three-play drive that quickly wrestled the lead back. Galutia finished it with authority as he bowled over a defender on his way to the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown run. Defensively, the Bulldogs were up against it a couple of times in the second half after giveaways. Chance Radzewicz recovered a fumble that gave Pittston a first-and-goal at the Berwick 10, but the defensive held up and only surrendered a field goal. On the Bulldogs’ next possession, Salvo intercepted a pass to give the Patriots a golden opportunity in the red zone, but after Capitano left with a hurt shoulder, Galutia did his thing and turned the game around. In addition to his heroics on defense Galutia finished with 120 rushing yards on 14 carries.

“We pride ourselves on being a second-half team,” Curry said. “All offseason, we worked our tails off. And with everything that we do at a specific point in our workouts, we really talk about a second-half mentality. The fours go up every time we go to the fourth quarter, and we’re saying everybody does it. It isn’t just hot air, but you really have to lock in, focus, and be about it, not just talk about it.”

Pittston (0-2) started the game with a bang when Lucas Lo Presto picked up the opening kickoff that a teammate originally muffed, made a nifty cutback, and was off to the races on a brilliant 84-yard kickoff return. Cleaver provided a swift answer when he executed a nice fake to the running back, kept the ball himself, and raced past the defense on an 85-yard sprint to paydirt with 9:13 left in the opening quarter. Berwick did all these good things despite being guilty of 15 penalties for 89 yards, which included four offsides penalties on Pittston’s opening offensive series. The Bulldogs had nine pre-snap penalties and were also offsides twice on kickoffs.

“Better enjoy it tonight, because Monday’s going to be brutal for these cats and they know it,” Curry said. “On their first drive, talking about unacceptable, we gave them like 20 yards. Then obviously, all of our false starts offensively, I think from a personnel standpoint from Week 1 to Week 2 we cleaned it up. We really didn’t have any miscommunications there, but still, young guys trying to figure it out, getting a little bit jumpy up there. (Pittston is) a really, really good football team. They’re going to have some success this season. But obviously we have to be much better than that, and they’re going to pay for it on Monday. They know that.”

Berwick 7 3 14 12-36
Pittston Area 6 8 3 0-17

Individual Scoring

First Quarter
PA-Lucas Lo Presto 84 kickoff return (run failed) 11:40
B-Brady Cleaver 85 run (Caleb Yost kick) 9:13

Second Quarter
PA-Santino Capitano 5 run (Kayden Bailey run) 3:45
B-Yost 27 field goal :06

Third Quarter
B-Gavin Galutia 33 run (Yost kick) 11:01
PA-Sam Augustine 24 field goal 7:07
B-Galutia 97 interception return (Yost kick) 3:38

Fourth Quarter
B-Cleaver 1 run (kick blocked) 8:15
B-Landon Zapata 5 run (kick blocked) 2:49

Team Statistics
…………………….B………………..PA
1st downs………….17…………………..11
rush-yds………….38-370………….31-102
comp-att-int……5-8-1……………….8-16-2
pass yds…………..38……………………87
total yds…………….408……………….189
fumb-lost………….2-1………………….2-0
pen-yds……………15-89……………..8-23

Individual Statistics
Rushing-Berwick: Brady Cleaver 10-161, 2 TDs; Gavin Galutia 14-120, TD; Landon Zapata 10-62, TD; Conner Roberts 2-21; Jake Lisnock 1-7; Team 1-(-1). Pittston Area: Santino Capitano 12-55, TD; Lucas Lo Presto 3-25; Jude Ferentino 11-23; Santino Salvo 1-7; Kayden Bailey 3-(-3); Chase Baron 1-(-5).

Passing-Berwick: Cleaver 5-8-1, 38 yds. Pittston Area: Capitano 4-8-1, 25 yds.; Salvo 4-8-1, 62 yds.

Receiving-Berwick: Gabe Decker 4-31; Zapata 1-7. Pittston Area: Ferentino 1-39; John Jadus 2-18; Lo Presto 3-15; Patrick Roman 1-11; Deondre Miller 1-4.

KINGSTON – After squandering an 18-point lead in the second half and seeing Holy Redeemer take a one-point lead with 4:24 to play, it might have been easy for Northwest to fold and give the ball right back to Holy Redeemer, where the Royals could have iced the game with another score.

Instead, the Rangers dug deep and responded to the adversity being presented to them. They put together a nine-play, 64-yard drive that not only put them over 300 yards rushing on the evening, but also produced the eventual game-winning touchdown, as Noah Arentt’s 19-yard rushing touchdown with :42 left gave the Rangers the lead once again, and a short time later, Northwest made a game-ending interception as the Rangers rallied back to defeat Holy Redeemer 36-31, and give head coach Greg Mullins his first win in his first game as the Rangers’ head coach.

“We’ve tried to teach these kids to be comfortable being uncomfortable and when adversity hits, how do we respond,” said Mullins. “I said, my biggest fear for this program was how mentally tough they are. Can they handle adversity? And they showed today that they’re in it for the long haul, which is exciting.

”One thing I wanted to make sure we got back to at Northwest was our identity. We’re a gritty bunch of young men, our neighborhood is tough, we’re strong and that’s what we do. We’re going to run the football and impose our will.”

The Rangers ran for 308 yards, which partially offset a very strong game by the Royals’ Brady McDermott, who completed 16-of-31 passes for 277 yards and five touchdowns, while Josh Grochowski caught six passes for 141 yards and two scores.

Cole Cavuto’s 13-yard touchdown run gave the Rangers a 30-12 lead with 6:58 remaining in the third quarter. That followed a 21-point second quarter for the Rangers that gave them a 24-12 lead at halftime, as Northwest asserted itself with its running game for much of the night. Cavuto only completed a single pass on the evening, but it was a big one – a 31-yard pass to Ben Bonham late in the second quarter to immediately answer Holy Redeemer’s biggest play of the night – a 77-yard touchdown from Brady McDermott to Josh Grochowski.

After Cavuto’s touchdown in the third quarter, the Royals answered back by putting together a nine-play, 69-yard drive capped by a 16-yard touchdown from McDermott to Kevin Arroyo to cut the lead to 30-19 with 2:16 remaining in the quarter.

The Rangers then quickly went three-and-out, and a short punt gave the Royals the ball back at the Northwest 35. McDermott and Arroyo connected on the first play for a 35-yard touchdown, cutting the lead once again to just 30-25 with 1:26 left in the quarter.

Northwest then looked to be on the doorstep of another answer, but its 67-yard drive was stopped a yard short as Cavuto fumbled the snap at the 1-yard line, and it was recovered by Holy Redeemer. The Rangers had some trouble holding onto the ball at times, as they committed five fumbles but only lost the one.

From there, Holy Redeemer benefitted from a personal foul penalty on first down, and then McDermott hit Ryan Zelinka for a 49-yard reception to flip the field position all the way from the Royal 29 to the Northwest 22. Four plays later, McDermott hit Zelinka again for a one-yard touchdown pass, giving the Royals their first lead since early in the second quarter, 31-30.

“We got down by 19 there, but the kids fought and showed a lot of resiliency to take the lead again,” said Holy Redeemer coach Vito Quaglia. “This time of the year, you often have a lot of guys going down with cramps and we seemed to have that every other play. We were trying to hold on for that last drive but they’re a big, physical and strong team and ran the ball really well. It’s hard to stop that kind of powerful run late in the game, especially when you have guys cramping up but our kids fought and fought and that’s what we’re going to build on. I told them if they keep bringing that intensity and effort, they’re going to have a lot of opportunity for success.

With 4:24 still remaining – still plenty of time to go down the field on the ground and not have to resort to the passing game, Northwest picked up three first downs and advanced from its own 36 down to the red zone on the Royal 19 with under a minute to go. On just his second rushing attempt of the game, Noah Arnett took the handoff and found a hole through the left side for 19 yards to put the Rangers back on top, 36-31.

Zayden Meeker then sealed it by picking off a desperation heave by McDermott near midfield to give Northwest the win in its season opener for the first time since 2022.

“We’ve watched Brady McDermott from afar and him coming into that program last year as backup and then got the starting job. That’s an outstanding young man, he’s very smart and it was awesome for our kids to be able to make plays against him, but he made a lot of plays as well,” said Mullins.

Though he didn’t have one of Northwest’s scores, Robby Voyton led the way out of Northwest’s backfield as the big bruising senior fullback had 110 yards on 17 carries. It was a total group effort, though, as Loegan Diltz finished with 43 yards on nine carries and Cavuto had 46 yards on nine carries and Ben Bonham had 37 yards on five carries. Each had key runs that resulted in important, drive-extending first downs throughout the game.

Northwest 36, Holy Redeemer 31
Northwest (1-0) 3 21 6 6 – 36
Holy Redeemer (0-1) 0 12 13 6 – 31

First quarter
4:53 – (N) Wyatt Olowski 21-yard field goal, 4-6, 1:49

Second quarter
10:48 – (HR) Josh Grochowski 10-yard pass from Brady McDermott (kick blocked), 13-90, 6:05
4:58 – (N) Ben Bonham 10-yard run (Olowski kick), 7-75, 3:17
2:15 – (N) Loegan Diltz 4-yard run (Olowski kick), 3-56, 1:23
1:44 – (HR) Josh Grochowski 77-yard pass from Brady McDermott (pass failed), 3-77, :31
1:16 – (N) Ben Bonham 31-yard pass from Cole Cavuto (Olowski kick), 1-26, :28

Third quarter
6:58 – (N) Cole Cavuto 13-yard run (run failed), 7-39, 3:23
2:16 – (HR) Kevin Arroyo 16-yard pass from Brady McDermott (Mohutsky kick), 9-69, 4:43
1:26 – (HR) Kevin Arroyo 35-yard pass from Brady McDermott (run failed), 1-35, :10

Fourth quarter
4:24 – (HR) Ryan Zelinka 1-yard pass from Brady McDermott (pass failed), 8-98, 2:33
:42 – (N) Noah Arnett 19-yard run (run failed), 9-64, 3:42

Statistics
N HR
First downs 17 19
Rushes-net yards 47-308 22-90
Passing yardage 31 277
Passing 1-6-1-0 16-31-5-1
Fumbles-lost 5-1 2-2
Penalties-yards 6-72 6-55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Northwest: Robby Voyton (17-110), Cole Cavuto (9-46-1), Loegan Diltz (9-43-1), Ben Bonham (5-37-1), Noah Arnett (2-23-1), Shane Hemple (2-6), Caleb Ide (1-41), Jake Ide (1-3), Team (1-(-1)); Holy Redeemer: Jerry Fino (14-58), Brady McDermott (6-30), Max Mohutsky (1-6), Logan Shrader (1-(-4))
PASSING: Northwest: Cole Cavuto (1-6-31-1-0); Holy Redeemer: Brady McDermott (16-31-277-5-1)
RECEIVING: Northwest: Ben Bonham (1-31-1); Holy Redeemer: Josh Grochowski (6-141-2), Ryan Zelinka (5-68-1), Kaden Sepkoski (3-17), Kevin Arroyo (2-51-2)

With a receiver sitting in the middle of the field with not a Whitehall defender in sight, Gregor threw across his body. The football never got to the receiver.

Zephyrs defensive back Rocco Fonzone made a tumbling interception to preserve Whitehall’s lead. And just a couple minutes later when Henry Shultz corralled the onside kick, the Zephyrs could breathe a little easier.

Whitehall was by no means happy with its 21-19 road victory at Wilkes-Barre last night. And on the flip side, the Wolfpack came out of the season opener feeling pretty good despite a two-point loss in a matchup of returning district champs.

“We gave up the big plays, that’s what killed us,” Wilkes-Barre coach Ciro Cinti said. “But in the same token, our kids never gave up. We were down by a couple scores and we came back. We’re a two-point conversion away from going to a fifth quarter.”
“This was awful,” Whitehall coach Andy Marino said. “Self-inflicted wounds. Lack of discipline.”

Whitehall lead, 21-6, going into the half thanks to a pair of long passes, one of which went for a touchdown, and the other of which set up a short touchdown run. It also had a blocked punt by Xavyer Fabian-Ubiera which was returned 29 yards by Fonzone for a touchdown.

But it felt like the gap was much wider than just a pair of scores. And the only reason it wasn’t was because of a Wilkes-Barre interception in the end zone on the Zephyrs’ opening drive, and a turnover on downs at the Wolfpack 10-yard line later in the first quarter.

It was a theme of the night for Whitehall. Every time it seemed to gather a little momentum with a big play, they gave it right back with a penalty, or a dropped snap, or getting dropped in the backfield trying to do too much. On top of that, Whitehall struggled to go more than a couple plays in a row in the second half without a player coming up with a cramp on an unsually cool night.

A relentless Wilkes-Barre defensive front limited the damage by Whitehall quarterback Tanner Dogmantis and running back Jeziah Gregory, both of which were massive headaches for Wilkes-Barre a year ago. They were able to hold a veteran offense in place in the second half while the Wilkes-Barre offense found its footing to get back into the game.

“Tale of two halves, right?” Marino said. “I think the cramps got us out of the flow. Wilkes-Barre got super aggressive and we just didn’t. We had a lot of bad calls on third-and-5, and that is definitely my fault. We have to get those so we can stay on the field.”

It turns out the footing Wilkes-Barre needed to find was receiver Deacon Eisenbach. Buried in a excessively deep depth chart of receivers a year ago, the senior made his presence known in the second half last night. His catch-and-run on a third-down slant in the third quarter should have been enough to keep the sticks moving and keep the offense on the field. But Eisenbach had different ideas, spinning out of a tackle, then racing down the far sideline for a 62-yard touchdown reception which got the Wolfpack within a score.

A quarter later, he went up over Whitehall defensive back Iskander Blanco — who already had one interception — for a 19-yard touchdown reception which got Wilkes-Barre within that two-point conversion of tying the game with 65 seconds left.
Eisenbach finished with 106 receiving yards, more than half of Blanco’s 199 passing yards for the night.

“Deacon’s first touchdown was huge. That was a momentum swing there,” Cinti said. “And then he makes a heck of a play in the corner of the end zone. That’s the familiarity of him and Declan getting together in the summer and throwing a lot.”
Wilkes-Barre put Gregor on the move for the two-point play, putting Eisenbach in motion and sprinting him in the flat to create some space. But Whitehall covered it well, and shut down any secondary throwing lanes. Fonzone won’t get credit for an interception in the box score, but of the three passes intercepted by the Zephyrs defense last night, it was the most important.

“Regardless of what happens on the two-point play, we had to get the kids to realize that we can still go win the game,” Marino said. “And two-point plays are not easy because there’s not a lot of space. It almost works as an advantage for the defense.”

Despite the loss, it was a positive night for the Wolfpack. Cinti implored his inexperienced group to live on the good of the night while correcting the mistakes. Gregor filled the shoes of the graduated Jake Howe quite admirably, completing 16 of 33 passes for 199 yards and a pair of scores. Minus one 33-yard scamper that led to no points, the defense held 1,000-yard back Jeziah Gregory to fewer than 4 yards a carry.

“They just hurt us on some big plays when we had some inexperienced guys playing there, and they’ll learn from that,” Cinti said. “But they’re good kids, and they’ll come to practice Monday ready to rock and roll and get ready for Stroudsburg.”

Whitehall 21, Wilkes-Barre 19
Whitehall 7 14 0 0 – 21
Wilkes-Barre 0 6 7 6 – 19
First quarter
WH—Envy Rivera 35 pass from Tanner Dogmantis (Nick Milley kick), 1:16
Second quarter
WH—Rocco Fonzone 29 blocked punt return (Milley kick), 1:59
WBA—Declan Gregor 1 run (kick blocked), 1:22
WH—Jeziah Gregory 4 run (Milley kick), :43
Third quarter
WBA—Deacon Eisenbach 62 pass from Gregor (John Mendola kick), :08
Fourth quarter
WBA—Eisenbach 19 pass from Gregor (pass failed), 1:05

WH WBA
First downs 12 17
Rushes-yds 26-94 37-77
Com-att-int 11-22-1 16-33-2
Pass yards 164 199
Total yards 258 276
Fumbles-lost 2-0 2-0
Penalties-yards 8-87 6-40

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Whitehall: Jeziah Gregory, 13-78, TD; Tanner Dogmantis, 7-16; Iskander Blanco, 2-5; Ben Pychinka, 2-(-1); Team, 2-(-4). Wilkes-Barre: Declan Gregor, 14-27, TD; Aiden Gilmore, 3-20; Kymani Hubbard-Jones, 5-19; Anthony Daniel, 11-11; Jayden Pena, 1-4; Ethan Hooper, 1-1; Kelan Slivinski, 1-(-1); Deacon Eisenbach, 1-(-4).

Passing
Whitehall: Dogmantis, 11-22-1, 164 yds., TD.
Wilkes-Barre: Gregor, 16-33-2, 199 yds., 2 TDs.

Receiving
Whitehall: Henry Shultz, 6-105; Envy Rivera, 2-48, TD; Pychinka, 1-4; Gregory, 1-4; Rocco Fonzone, 1-3.
Wilkes-Barre: Rajan Watson, 5-50; Eisenbach, 4-106, 2 TDs; Daniel, 3-5; Jayson Sanchez, 1-21; Wonder Woods, 2-11; Nic Saracino, 1-6.

INTERCEPTIONS—Whitehall 2, Rocco Fonzone, Griffin Peters. Wilkes-Barre 1, Rajan Watson.
RECORDS: Whitehall (1-0); Wilkes-Barre (0-1).

New Era, Familiar Expectations: Riverside Looks to Reload Under Jim Tucker

A new chapter begins at Riverside, but the expectations haven’t changed.

Jim Tucker takes over as head coach after helping build one of District 2’s most successful programs, and he inherits a team that finished 8-3 in 2025, reached the District 2 Class 2A semifinals and once again established itself as a contender in the Lackawanna Football Conference Division 3.

The Vikings opened last season with impressive victories over Dunmore and Hanover Area, won eight of their first nine games and scored at least 49 points in seven contests. Along the way, Riverside dominated league competition with convincing victories over Susquehanna Community, Holy Cross, Carbondale Area and Old Forge before falling to eventual district champion Dunmore in the postseason.

Now comes the challenge of replacing a talented senior class.

The Vikings graduated several key contributors, including Tavian Branch, Santino D’Amico, Madden Sandly, Angel Grande, Max Jackson, Ny-Jai Scott-Holt, Cooper Borowski and Dave Keiper.

Despite those losses, Riverside returns one of the area’s premier quarterbacks, a proven No. 1 receiver, an explosive sophomore running back and several experienced defensive playmakers.

The biggest challenge won’t be replacing talent.

It will be learning new systems.

Tucker and his staff are installing new offensive and defensive schemes while maintaining the physical identity that has defined Riverside football for years.

If the Vikings adjust quickly, they have the pieces to remain among the top teams in District 2 Class 2A.

Brayden Rose Returns as One of District 2’s Top Playmakers

Everything begins with senior quarterback Brayden Rose.

At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Rose enters the season as one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Last season he completed 77-of-156 passes for 1,070 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing 99 times for 745 yards and another 15 scores.

His impact didn’t stop there.

Rose also returned three kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns, making him a game-changing threat every time he touched the football.

His athletic ability, leadership and experience make him the centerpiece of Riverside’s offense.

Learning a new offensive system is rarely easy, but having an experienced quarterback accelerates the process.

Rose understands defenses, extends plays and gives the Vikings the ability to attack opponents in multiple ways.

His development within the new scheme will largely determine Riverside’s offensive ceiling.

Jackson Headlines Dangerous Receiving Corps

Senior Jared Jackson returns after establishing himself as one of the Lackawanna Football Conference’s top receivers.

Jackson caught 41 passes for 631 yards and six touchdowns in 2025, consistently providing Rose with a reliable target on critical downs.

At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, he possesses the size to win contested catches and the athleticism to create yards after the reception.

Jackson’s chemistry with Rose should help ease the transition into the new offense.

Opposing defenses will undoubtedly focus on limiting Jackson’s production, making it essential for other receivers to emerge throughout the season.

If Riverside develops multiple receiving threats, Jackson’s presence alone can create favorable matchups elsewhere.

Anstett Ready for Expanded Role

Sophomore running back Charlie Anstett quietly produced one of the most efficient seasons on the roster last year.

On only 50 carries, Anstett rushed for 516 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging more than 10 yards per carry.

His combination of speed, vision and explosiveness gives Riverside another dangerous offensive weapon.

With a full offseason of development and additional opportunities expected, Anstett could become one of District 2’s breakout performers.

His ability to complement Rose in the running game should prevent defenses from focusing solely on the quarterback.

Together, the pair gives Riverside a backfield capable of creating explosive plays on any snap.

Barnett Provides Versatility

Senior Carmelo Barnett returns after compiling 640 all-purpose yards and 10 total touchdowns.

Barnett’s versatility makes him one of the offense’s most valuable pieces.

Whether lining up as a receiver, runner or return option, he gives the coaching staff flexibility when designing weekly game plans.

The Vikings want to become less predictable offensively.

Barnett’s ability to contribute in multiple ways helps accomplish that goal.

As defenses devote attention to Rose, Jackson and Anstett, Barnett could become the player who consistently creates matchup problems.

New Offensive System Will Define Early Season

While Riverside returns significant talent, the biggest offensive storyline is the installation of an entirely new system.

The coaching staff believes how quickly the players learn and execute the offense will largely determine the team’s success.

The Vikings know Rose, Jackson and Anstett will attract defensive attention every week.

The question is who emerges as the fourth and fifth dependable options.

Developing additional playmakers will prevent defenses from loading the box or bracketing Jackson in coverage.

The offensive line must also develop quickly.

Riverside expects a young but physically strong group to compete for starting roles.

Junior Exavier Pelton returns as the lone experienced tackle, giving the line an important leader.

The Vikings firmly believe success starts in the trenches.

Everything else depends on how well that group develops.

Young Offensive Line Holds the Key

Replacing experienced linemen is never easy, particularly while installing a new offensive system.

The coaching staff expects internal competition throughout preseason camp as younger players battle for playing time.

Pelton provides stability at tackle, but the Vikings will need several inexperienced linemen to mature quickly.

The line must establish the running game, protect Rose and create consistency regardless of the opponent.

If the group develops as expected, Riverside’s offense has enough skill talent to become one of the highest-scoring units in District 2.

Tucker Adds New Wrinkles Defensively

Defensively, Tucker is blending the foundation he helped establish under former head coach Harry Armstrong with several new concepts.

The philosophy remains similar, but the details are evolving.

Again, the speed at which players learn the adjustments will determine how quickly the defense reaches its potential.

Riverside must replace several accomplished defenders while developing a young defensive front.

The returning leaders will be responsible for helping those newcomers transition into larger roles.

Rose Becomes Defensive X-Factor

Rose’s impact extends well beyond quarterback.

The senior has already attracted multiple Division I scholarship offers as a defensive player and is expected to anchor the Vikings’ secondary.

His size, athleticism and instincts allow him to erase mistakes and make plays across the field.

Tucker called Rose the defense’s “X-factor.”

His ability to cover receivers, support against the run and create turnovers gives Riverside tremendous flexibility defensively.

Few Class 2A teams have a player capable of influencing the game in as many ways.

Jackson and Grill Bring Stability to Secondary

Jackson also returns at cornerback after contributing on both sides of the football.

His size and physicality allow Riverside to match up against larger receivers while maintaining its aggressive style.

Senior safety Tyler Grill provides additional experience on the back end.

Together with Rose, the trio gives Riverside one of the conference’s more experienced secondaries.

Communication and leadership from those veterans should help younger defenders settle into expanded roles.

Pelton Anchors Developing Defensive Front

Pelton returns at defensive end after gaining valuable varsity experience.

At 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds, he provides size and physicality on the defensive line.

The Vikings are counting on him to help lead a relatively inexperienced front.

Tucker emphasized that football games are won and lost in the trenches.

The defensive line must control the line of scrimmage, occupy blockers and allow the linebackers to play downhill.

If the young front develops steadily, Riverside’s experienced secondary can become even more dangerous.

Fox Ready for Larger Role

Junior Chris Fox returns at outside linebacker after showing promise last season.

Fox’s athleticism and length make him an intriguing player within the new defensive system.

With several veteran linebackers gone, he now has the opportunity to become one of the unit’s leaders.

His development will be important as Riverside looks to maintain its physical defensive identity.

Special Teams Face Major Transition

Perhaps no position will be more difficult to replace than kicker and punter.

Graduated senior Santino D’Amico was a two-time All-Region selection who consistently changed games with field goals, punts and kickoffs.

Replacing that level of production will not happen overnight.

Finding a dependable kicker and punter is one of Riverside’s top priorities throughout preseason camp.

Meanwhile, Rose remains one of the state’s most dangerous return specialists after scoring four return touchdowns last season.

Opponents are likely to avoid kicking directly to him whenever possible.

That means someone else must emerge as a reliable return threat when the football goes elsewhere.

Improved depth in the return game will be essential.

Players to Watch

Brayden Rose, Sr., QB/DB/Returner: One of District 2’s premier athletes, accounting for 32 offensive touchdowns while adding four return touchdowns and serving as the defense’s X-factor.

Jared Jackson, Sr., WR/CB: Proven playmaker who caught 41 passes for 631 yards and six touchdowns while returning as a starting cornerback.

Charlie Anstett, So., RB: Explosive young running back who rushed for 516 yards and eight touchdowns on only 50 carries.

Carmelo Barnett, Sr., ATH: Versatile weapon who produced 640 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns.

Exavier Pelton, Jr., OT/DE: Returning two-way lineman expected to anchor both fronts.

Tyler Grill, Sr., S: Veteran safety who provides leadership in the secondary.

Chris Fox, Jr., OLB: Athletic linebacker expected to assume a larger defensive role.

My thoughts on Riverside 

Riverside enters 2026 balancing continuity with change.

The Vikings have a new head coach, new offensive concepts and new defensive wrinkles, but they also return one of the most talented quarterbacks in northeastern Pennsylvania and an experienced supporting cast.

Rose gives Riverside a player capable of taking over games, while Jackson, Anstett and Barnett provide proven offensive production.

The biggest offensive questions surround the development of a young offensive line and identifying additional playmakers within the new scheme.

Defensively, the Vikings return an experienced secondary led by Rose, Jackson and Grill, but the development of the defensive line and linebackers will determine how quickly the unit comes together.

Special teams must also replace the tremendous production of D’Amico while continuing to capitalize on Rose’s explosiveness in the return game.

The Lackawanna Football Conference Division 3 again features strong competition, with Lakeland, Dunmore, Lackawanna Trail and Holy Cross presenting significant challenges.

Riverside proved last season it can compete with anyone in the conference.

If the Vikings quickly adapt to Tucker’s systems and the young linemen mature throughout the season, they have the talent to return to the District 2 Class 2A playoffs and compete for another championship opportunity.

Head Coach: Jim Tucker

Assistant Coaches:
Jim Tucker
Bryan Besecker
Ben Thomas
Charlie Grande
Chris Stecik
Corey Talerico
Mike White
Tyler Armillay
Ron Pavalonis

Team Name: Riverside Vikings

District: 2

Class: 2A

League: Lackawanna Football Conference, Division 3

2025 Record: 8-3

8/22 @ Dunmore (2A) 7:00 pm W 17-14
8/29 Hanover Area (3A) 7:00 pm W 34-31
9/05 Lakeland (2A) 7:00 pm L 23-33
9/12 @ Lake-Lehman (3A) 7:00 pm W 49-7
9/18 @ Montrose Area (3A) 7:00 pm W 60-6
9/27 @ Susquehanna Community* (2A) 1:00 pm W 55-7
10/03 Holy Cross* (1A) 7:00 pm W 58-6
10/10 @ Carbondale Area* (3A) 7:00 pm W 55-7
10/17 Old Forge* (1A) 7:00 pm W 49-8
10/24 Lackawanna Trail* (1A) 7:00 pm L 14-40
10/31 Dunmore (2A) 7:00 pm L 7-27 District 2 Class 2A Semifinal

2026 Schedule:

Date Opponent Kickoff
8/22 @ Wyoming Valley West (6A) 10:00 am Scrimmage
8/28 Susquehanna Community (2A) 7:00 pm
9/04 Holy Cross (1A) 7:00 pm
9/11 @ Lake-Lehman (3A) 7:00 pm
9/18 Lackawanna Trail (1A) 7:00 pm
9/25 @ Old Forge (1A) 7:00 pm
10/02 Lakeland* (2A) 7:00 pm
10/09 @ Mid Valley* (3A) 7:00 pm
10/16 @ Western Wayne* (3A) 7:00 pm
10/23 Dunmore* (2A) 7:00 pm
10/30 @ Honesdale* (4A) 7:00 pm

Key Starters Lost:
Tavian Branch
Santino D’Amico
Madden Sandly
Angel Grande
Max Jackson
Ny-Jai Scott-Holt
Cooper Borowski
Dave Keiper

Offensive Starters Returning:
SR. QB Brayden Rose 6-3 210
SR. WR Jared Jackson 6-1 205
SO. RB Charlie Anstett 5’10 175
JR. OT Exavier Pelton 6’1 250
SR. ATH Carmelo Barnett 6-0 160

Defensive Starters Returning:
SR. ATH Brayden Rose 6-3 210
SR. CB Jared Jackson 6-1 205
SR S Tyler Grill 6-0 160
JR.DE Exavier Pelton 6’1 25
JR. OLB Chris Fox 6’0 180

Special Team Starters Returning:
Returner Brayden Rose 6-3 210

Key Newcomers:
SO. OL Aidan Taylor 6-0 250
JR. OL Eli Paroby 6-0 260
JR. OL Markus Ngongo 6-1 270
Sr. WR/DB Tavion Gonzalez 6-2 170
Sr. ILB Carter Whetstone 6-0 180

2026 Returning Player Stats:
Brayden Rose
Passing: 77/156, 1070 yards 17 TDS
Rushing: 99 carries for 745 yards 15 TDs
Special Teams: 3 KOR and 1 PR TDs
Jared Jackson –
41 Receptions 631 yards 6 TDs

Charlie Anstett
50 carries 516 yards 8 TDs

Carmelo Barnett
640 all purpose yards 10 total TDs

2026 Offensive Outlook: Brand new offensive system being installed. How quickly we can learn and properly execute the scheme will be a major factor for our success. Outside of Brayden, Jared, and Charlie, who else becomes a consistent weapon to keep the offense moving when one or more of those 3 are taken away. Will be a young, very strong offensive line group. How well they develop and improve throughout the season will be the ultimate key to our success. Everything begins and ends up front, they have to be the engine that keeps the offense consistently moving.

2026 Defensive Outlook: Marrying the existing system I helped build with Coach Armstrong with new concepts and scheme. Similar to the offense, how quick we understand and are able to execute the scheme a big factor. Brayden has multiple division 1 offers as a defensive player, he will be our X factor in the back end. Who else steps up to help him anchor the group? And like the offense, the game is always won and lost in the trenches. The development of the young, relatively inexperienced defensive line and LBs will be our biggest key to success.

2026 Special Teams Outlook: Replacing a two time all region kicker/punter in Santino D’Amico will not be easy. He helped us win several games during his career, not only with points but pinning teams deep with punts and touchbacks. Developing his replacement into a reliable punter and kicker will be our biggest key in the kicking game.

Brayden will also play a major role in the return game. Who else steps up with explosive returns when the ball is kicked away from him?