0% - Times Leader

Transcription

0% - Times Leader

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 2015
2 Thursday, September 3, 2015
Times Leader
2014 Final Regular Season Statistics
QUARTERBACK EFFICIENCY
(minimum 50 attempts)
Division 4A
Brady Davison, Wyo. Val. West
Isaiah Hankins, Williamsport
Ryan Heller, Haz Area
Non-Qualifier
Hunter VanBlargan, Haz Area
At
204
223
147
Cmp
123
119
73
Pct
60.3
53.4
49.7
Yds
2202
1879
876
TD
30
19
6
Int
10
4
6
34
15
44.1
141
1
0
Division 3A
Jay Popson, Crestwood
Jake Soller, Coughlin
Matt Harrison, Dallas
Dallas Arner, Berwick
Kyle Gattuso, Pittston Area
Ryan Gorki, Wyoming Area
Ryan Ell, Tunkhannock
Non-Qualifiers
Steve Homza, Wyoming Area
PJ Angeli, Wyoming Area
At
53
64
229
129
239
65
120
Cmp
27
31
114
61
117
33
41
Pct
50.9
48.4
49.8
47.3
49.0
50.8
34.2
Yds
595
581
1837
1085
1178
335
630
TD
5
6
17
9
11
2
4
Int
3
4
7
8
8
5
5
19
23
8
10
42.1
43.5
70
113
2
1
1
2
Division 2A
Garry Kroll, GAR
Logan Womelsdorf, Northwest
Josh Sayre, Lake-Lehman
Chad Fahey, Holy Redeemer
Jake Peters, Hanover Area
Non-Qualifiers
AJ Hunter, Nanticoke
Zahir Dunell, Meyers
Willie Wallace, Meyers
Antonio Ferrari, Lake-Lehman
At
100
151
55
208
138
Cmp
48
69
25
101
50
Pct
48.0
45.7
45.5
48.6
36.2
Yds
909
1319
436
1262
1042
TD
11
13
2
13
9
Int
4
4
3
8
11
QBR
152.66
142.18
113.13
112.46
105.24
41
43
42
15
12
17
19
3
29.3
39.5
45.2
20.0
305
288
231
80
5
3
2
1
3
4
8
2
117.37
100.21
69.06
60.13
INSIDE
Berwick........................... 5
Coughlin..........................6
Crestwood....................... 7
Dallas..............................8
GAR.................................9
Hanover Area................ 10
Hazleton Area................11
Holy Redeemer............. 12
Lake-Lehman................ 13
Meyers........................... 14
Nanticoke...................... 18
Northwest..................... 19
Pittston Area.................20
Tunkhannock................ 21
Williamsport..................22
Wyoming Area...............23
Wyoming Valley West....24
QBR
189.69
153.16
105.02
88.66
QBR
146.19
143.13
135.55
128.56
98.85
88.83
80.93
97.26
81.70
ON THE WEB
For live coverage of Friday night high school
football games, follow Times Leader sports on
Twitter @tlsports. For indepth game stories,
stats, photos and videos visit timesleader.com
or follow us on Facebook.com/570sports
ON THE COVER
A trio of Wyoming Valley Conference all-stars in
GAR’s Anthony Maurent, Lake-Lehman’s Connor
McGovern and Wyoming Valley West’s L.J.
Wesneski. To see behind the scenes video from
our cover shoot, check out the Times Leader
sports Youtube page.
Cover design: Russell Hryvnak
Section editors: Alicia Johnson, John Erzar
Writers: John Erzar, Paul Sokoloski, Tom
Robinson, Tom Fox, Nick Wagner
Photographers: Aimee Dilger, Pete G. Wilcox,
Bill Tarutis, Fred Adams, Charlotte Bartizek,
Tony Callaio, John Erzar, Nick Wagner.
RUSHING
Division 4A
Zach Zukoski, HazArea
Eric Acosta, WVW
Deretz Fletcher, Will
Isaiah Hankins, Will
Elliott Walker, Will
Sean Judge, WVW
Brady Davison, WVW
Carson Kinney, HazArea
Mike Baird, WVW
Adrian Otero, HazArea
Aaron Austin, WVW
Jerah Reeves, Will
Chris Melovitz, WVW
Stefan Scalleat, HazArea
Ross Stebbins, Will
Steve Longazel, HazArea
Matt Sutton, HazArea
Josh Sokoloski, WVW
JerMichael Bunch, WVW
Bill Davison, WVW
At
180
91
76
99
68
35
55
42
41
37
8
6
10
19
9
16
3
6
2
6
Yds
1044
698
458
354
328
282
228
176
159
139
129
100
72
52
51
49
30
25
13
10
Avg TD
5.8 11
7.8
4
6.0
5
3.6
4
4.8
2
8.1
4
4.1
5
4.2
1
3.9
4
3.8
2
16.1
1
16.7 1
7.2
0
2.7
0
5.7
1
3.1
1
10.0 0
4.2
0
6.5
0
1.7
0
Division 3A
Frank Aigeldinger, Cre
Jeff Skursky, WA
Tyler Layton, Cou
Kyle Gattuso, PA
Nick Talanca, Ber
Jake Soller, Cou
Jay Popson, Cre
Tanner Kahlau, Cre
Brian Beauchemin, Tunk
Tom Mitchell, Cou
Matt Bobeck, Cre
Nate Maczuga, Ber
Matt Harrison, Dal
Daquan Hellenthal, Ber
Mike Taylor, Tunk
Dallas Arner, Ber
David Simpson, Dal
Marty Michaels, WA
Carmen Falcone, PA
Justin Mucha, Dal
Ryan Cheskiewicz, Dal
Bill Buraczewski, WA
Garrett McAfee, Cre
Brian Miles, WA
Zach Erfman, PA
Brett Stage, Tunk
Brandon Dailey, Tunk
Lance Blass, Cre
Leonard Wyda, Ber
Brian Muckin, Tunk
Andrew Chang, Cre
Robert Wargo, WA
Taylor Price, PA
PJ Wiegand, Ber
Zach King, Cou
Rob Geiser, Cre
Mike Olenginski, Dal
Jake Cole, Cou
Keith Pugh, WA
At
133
217
132
173
147
133
99
43
129
78
71
73
96
20
48
85
34
41
58
48
52
13
18
51
36
37
28
10
12
39
5
15
12
9
11
13
19
23
7
Yds
1678
1271
1009
860
848
766
739
669
617
518
488
468
451
369
265
251
210
199
187
184
162
159
135
132
116
116
104
93
82
82
74
70
64
63
59
54
50
47
45
Avg
12.6
5.9
7.6
5.0
5.8
5.8
7.5
15.6
4.8
6.6
6.9
6.4
4.7
18.5
5.5
3.0
6.2
4.9
3.2
3.8
3.1
12.2
7.5
2.6
3.2
3.1
3.7
9.3
6.8
2.1
14.8
4.7
5.3
7.0
5.4
4.2
2.6
2.0
6.4
TD
20
9
12
8
18
12
17
10
5
10
6
11
5
5
2
1
2
0
1
6
3
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
2
1
0
1
Brandon Charney, WA
Ryan Gorki, WA
Jacob Barney, Cre
PJ Angeli, WA
Andrew Force, Ber
Angelo Aita, PA
Joe Miraglia, Cou
Jacob Zbegner, Cre
Ron Ostrowski, Dal
Dorian Ryan, PA
Zach Andress, Ber
Brandon Belfonti, Cre
Ryan Davis, PA
10
51
6
12
4
3
7
5
4
7
1
3
7
42
40
39
39
36
32
31
26
25
25
18
17
16
4.2
0.8
6.5
3.3
9.0
10.7
4.4
5.2
6.3
3.6
18.0
5.7
2.3
0
0
2
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Division 2A
Anthony Maurent, GAR
Ya’Sir Jones, Han
Zahir Dunell, Mey
Blake Balderrama, Nan
Alec Norton, Nan
Isaiah Taylor, Han
Austin Mazonkey, Nwt
Kody Pachamovitch, LL
Pat Villani, HR
Joey Vigil, LL
Jimmy Stuart, LL
Mark Robinson, Mey
Trent Kowalski, Nwt
Nick Eury, LL
Mike Drozda, GAR
AJ Mouzone, Mey
Tyler Hanna, Nan
O.Leemoui-Brown, Nan
Josh Goodwin, GAR
Garry Kroll, GAR
Tyler Burger, Nwt
Namir Murphy, GAR
Thomas Engle, HR
Tyhiem Taylor, Han
Michael Dempsey, Mey
Jeremy Walsh, Nwt
Justin Renfer, HR
Damon Beckhorn, Nan
Sean Westawski, Han
Ron Kotz, Nan
Sa’id Abdul-Qayir, GAR
Trey Borger, LL
Logan Womelsdorf, Nwt
Jim Thiemann, Han
Charlie Kushke, LL
Adam Schechterly, Nwt
Jules Beckhorn, Nan
Antonio Ferrari, LL
Jack Stancavage, Nwt
Mason Ross, LL
Josh Sayre, LL
Quince Hutchings, Mey
Alex Jacobs, Han
Cody Mutchler, Nan
Jake Peters, Han
Carlo Telesco, Mey
At
129
130
144
149
128
105
113
123
103
70
91
101
140
66
75
77
31
57
50
80
30
14
55
15
20
8
23
17
19
21
6
15
50
5
7
12
8
8
4
6
28
12
14
6
26
5
Yds
1058
956
839
820
807
800
724
680
676
631
580
564
563
520
486
358
294
279
243
222
143
133
131
125
123
111
104
91
91
87
60
51
45
44
40
38
37
35
32
32
31
27
26
24
23
20
Avg TD
8.2 14
7.4
9
5.8
8
5.5
6
6.3
4
7.6
11
6.4
9
5.5
8
6.6
8
9.0
5
6.4
7
5.6
8
4.0
7
7.9
6
6.5
3
4.6
2
9.5
3
4.9
4
4.9
2
2.8
5
4.8
2
9.5
1
2.4
1
8.3
0
6.2
1
13.9 4
4.5
0
5.4
1
4.8
2
4.1
3
10.0 1
3.4
1
0.9
2
8.8
1
5.7
0
3.2
0
4.6
0
4.4
1
8.0
1
5.3
0
1.1
2
2.3
0
1.9
0
4.0
0
0.6
4
4.0
1
Continued on page 4
Times Leader
Thursday, September 3, 2015
THE UNDISPUTED LEADER IN LOCAL
SPORTS COVERAGE IN WILKES-BARRE
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
3
All games are broadcast LIVE on Service Electric channel 2.
September 4:
7:00 pm - Carbondale @ Hanover
September 5:
September 25:
7:00 pm - Dallas @ Coughlin
September 26:
1:00 pm - Holy Cross @ Holy Redeemer
7:00 pm - Old Forge @ GAR
7:00 pm - Pittston @ Crestwood
September 11:
7:00 pm - Coughlin @ WVW
September 12:
7:00 pm - Mid-Valley @ GAR
September 18:
7:00 pm - Meyers @ Hanover
September 19:
7:00 pm - Nanticoke @ Meyers
7:00 pm - Susquehanna @ Meyers
7:00 pm - Hanover @ Holy Redeemer
7:00 pm - Coughlin @ Crestwood
7:00 pm - Riverside @ Meyers
October 2:
October 3:
October 9:
October 15:
October 16:
7:00 pm - WVW @ Crestwood
October 17:
7:00 pm - Juniata @ Holy Redeemer
October 23:
7:00 pm - Hazleton @ WVW
October 24:
7:00 pm - Wyoming Area @ Coughlin
October 30:
7:00 pm - Williamsport @ Crestwood
October 31:
7:00 pm - Meyers @ Holy Redeemer at King’s Stadium
November 6:
7:00 pm - GAR @ Meyers
November 7:
7:00 pm - Tunkhannock @ Coughlin
CABLE & INTERNET
$
99
ONLY 39 PER MONTH
570-825-8508
www.sectv.com
Your Full Service Provider Offering the Latest in State-of-the-Art Digital Cable,
HDTV, Video on Demand, High Speed Internet and Telephone.
80674731
Times Leader
2014 Final Regular Season Statistics
Continued from page 2
Ian Novakowski, Nan
Dajon Rush, GAR
Connor Bowers, Han
Bryce Waters, Han
Kyle Piskorik, HR
Marcus Welliver, Nwt
Austin Yanora, Mey
12
6
3
5
6
3
6
20
19
18
17
16
15
15
1.7
3.2
6.0
3.4
2.7
5.0
2.5
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
RECEIVING
Division 4A
Jerah Reeves, Will
LJ Wesneski, WVW
Devon Weidman, WVW
Sean Judge, WVW
Joey Bayzick, HazArea
JerMichael Bunch, WVW
Kahsim Buey, Will
Jed Chestnut, Will
Jose Cabrera, HazArea
Elliott Walker, Will
Dante Wright, Will
Eric Acosta, WVW
Eddie Bielen, HazArea
Jalen Jackson, Will
Steve Longazel, HazArea
Chris Reese, WVW
Anthony
Lombardo, HazArea
Kyle Swetz, HazArea
Ross Stebbins, Will
Jesse Walker, Will
Rec
47
38
31
29
28
25
18
15
14
14
13
11
9
7
6
4
4
3
Yds
838
542
499
449
340
262
403
424
159
140
188
139
104
27
94
35
28
56
Avg TD
17.8 13
14.3 9
16.1 6
15.5 9
12.1 3
10.5 3
22.4 6
28.3 3
11.4 0
10.0 1
14.5 1
12.6 1
11.6
1
3.9
0
15.7 0
8.8
0
7.0
0
18.7 1
3
2
2
2
2
12
21
16
9
8
4.0
10.5
8.0
4.5
4.0
Division 3A
Justin Mucha, Dal
Omar Nijmeh, Dal
Paul Brady, PA
Angelo Aita, PA
Josh John, PA
Andrew Force, Ber
Connor Sheloski, Cre
AJ Lenkaitis, WA
Robbie Palermo, Ber
Kyle Petroski, PA
PJ Wiegand, Ber
Ryan Martin, Dal
Brett Stage, Tunk
Tanner Gattuso, Dal
Nick Zalaffi, Cou
Niko Cinquegrani, PA
Dante Deluca, WA
Mike Brown, Cou
Josh Hvozdovic, Cou
Tom Mitchell, Cou
Christian Roberts, Dal
David Simpson, Dal
Nick Anastasi, PA
Ben Steve, WA
Rec
50
31
31
29
24
24
22
16
16
13
13
11
11
8
8
8
8
7
7
7
6
5
5
5
4
Yds
799
506
380
403
369
187
423
465
166
267
84
212
153
207
198
162
98
127
124
230
58
115
77
20
40
Avg TD
16.0 9
16.3 3
12.3 3
13.9 5
15.4 1
7.8
1
19.2 5
29.1 5
10.4 1
20.5 1
6.5
1
19.3 2
13.9 2
25.9 3
24.8 1
20.3 2
12.3 1
18.1 3
17.7
1
32.9 3
9.7
0
23.0 1
15.4 1
4.0
0
10.0 0
0
0
0
0
0
Marc Minichello, WA
Jeff Skursky, WA
Lance Blass, Cre
Christian Scotti, Tunk
Robert Wargo, WA
Zach Erfman, PA
Tom Laubach, Ber
Harrison Kuchka, Ber
Ryan Murray, WA
Trevon Simmons, Ber
Kevin Woodeshick, Ber
Brian Miles, WA
Tyler Layton, Cou
Noah Klocke, Dal
Tanner Kahlau, Cre
Nick Talanca, Ber
Mike Taylor, Tunk
Devonte Powell, Ber
Brian Muckin, Tunk
Anthony Nardell, WA
Marty Michaels, WA
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
30
28
62
34
33
25
0
46
37
35
30
29
27
25
17
15
14
13
10
8
7
4
3
7.5
7.0
20.7
11.3
11.0
8.3
0.0
23.0
18.5
17.5
15.0
14.5
13.5
12.5
8.5
7.5
7.0
6.5
5.0
4.0
3.5
2.0
1.5
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Division 2A
Jason Hoggarth, HR
Pat Villani, HR
Nick Long, Nwt
Derek Brodginski, Han
Brendon Chafin, Han
TJ Cistrunk, Mey
Dajon Rush, GAR
Ya’Sir Jones, Han
Tyler Hanna, Nan
Cameron Brennan, HR
Ezra Judge, Nwt
Greg Skrepenak, GAR
Nick Eury, LL
Tyler Burger, Nwt
JD Turosky, HR
Josh Goodwin, GAR
Mark Robinson, Mey
Blake Balderamma, Nan
Josh Schiowitz, Mey
Justin Crosby, GAR
Joey Vigil, LL
Noah Gorski, LL
Mike Drozda, GAR
Zahir Dunell, Mey
Tydus Winstead, GAR
Trent Kowalski, Nwt
Bryce Harrison, Nwt
Zaach Bruchler, LL
Josh Sayre, LL
Jimmy Stuart, LL
Eric Levandowski, Nan
Willie Wallace, Mey
Tyhiem Taylor, Han
Rec
51
33
31
25
19
16
13
13
12
10
9
9
8
7
7
6
6
6
6
6
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Yds
750
341
448
305
374
362
175
169
237
187
281
75
200
260
160
222
56
43
39
31
45
13
116
90
78
104
37
33
17
53
48
38
37
33
31
17
14
10
Avg TD
14.7 10
10.3 3
14.5 4
12.2 1
19.7 1
22.6 6
13.5 1
13.0 2
19.8 3
18.7 2
31.2 4
8.3
0
25.0 2
37.1 4
22.9 2
37.0 4
9.3
2
7.2
1
6.5
0
5.2
0
9.0
0
2.6
0
29.0 1
22.5 1
19.5 0
34.7 0
12.3 0
11.0 0
5.7
0
26.5 1
24.0 1
19.0 0
18.5 0
16.2 0
15.5 0
8.5
0
7.0
0
5.0
0
SCORING
Division 4A
TD 2pt K Tot
Sean Judge, WVW
14
2
0
88
Jerah Reeves, Will
14
1
0
86
14
1
0
86
Ian Ultsh, WVW
0054
54
LJ Wesneski, WVW
9
0
0
54
JerMichael Bunch, WVW 7
0
0
42
Eric Acosta, WVW
6
1
0
38
5
3
0
36
Devon Weidman, WVW
6
0
0
36
Brady Davison, WVW
5
0
0
30
Elliot Walker, Will
5
0
0
30
Isaiah Hankins, Will
4
2
0
28
Tristan Williams, HazArea
0027
27
Mike Baird, WVW
4
0
0
24
Kahsim Buey, Will
4
0
0
24
Joey Bayzick, HazArea
3
0
0
18
Ryan Heller, HazArea
2
0
0
12
2
0
0
12
Aaron Austin, WVW
1
0
0
6
Jose Cabrera, Haz Area
1
0
0
6
Donte Johnson, Will
1
0
0
6
Carson Kinney, Haz Area 1
0
0
6
Steve Longzael, Haz Area 1
0
0
6
Jack Murray, Haz Area
1
0
0
6
Chris Reese, WVW
1
0
0
6
Avery Schultz, Will 006 6
Ross Stebbins, Will
1
0
0
6
Dante Wright, Will
1
0
0
6
Division 3A
Nick Talanca, Ber
Jay Popson, Cre
Justin Mucha, Dal
Tyler Layton, Cou
Nate Maczuga, Ber
Jake Soller, Cou
Tom Mitchell, Cou
Jeff Skursky, WA
Tanner Kahlau, Cre
Kyle Gattuso, PA
Ron Ostrowski, Dal
Olivia Seely, Ber
Brandon Butry, Cou
Andrew Force, Ber
Matt Harrison, Dal
Connor Keenan, Cre
George Gendler, Cre
Angelo Aita, PA
Matt Bobeck, Cre
Daquan Hellenthal, Ber
Connor Sheloski, Cre
AJ Lenkaitis, WA
Steven Pugliese, PA
Paul Brady, PA
Dante Deluca, WA
Josh Hvozdovic, Cou
Omar Nijmeh, Dal
TD
20
18
17
15
12
12
12
10
10
10
6
8
0
0
0
6
6
0
0
5
5
5
5
1
0
3
3
3
3
3
2pt
1
2
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
K Tot
0 122
0
112
0 102
0
90
0
74
0
74
0
72
0
62
0
62
0
60
16 52
0
48
44 44
43 43
39 39
0
38
0
36
32 32
31
31
0
30
0
30
0
30
0
30
20 26
19
19
0
18
0
18
0
18
0
18
0
18
Dave Simpson, Dal
Brett Stage, Tunk
Mike Taylor, Tunk
PJ Wiegand, Ber
Andrew Chang, Cre
Ryan Ell, Tunk
Jacob Barney, Cre
Bill Buraczewski, WA
Rob Geiser, Cre
Ryan Martin, Dal
Kyle Petrosky, PA
Seamus Rother, Cre
Nick Zalaffi, Cou
Dallas Arner, Ber
Lance Blass, Cre
Robert Wargo, WA
3
0
0
18
3
0
0
18
3
0
0
18
3
0
0
18
2
2
0
16
22016
2
0
0
12
2
0
0
12
2
0
0
12
2
0
0
12
2
0
0
12
2
0
0
12
2
0
0
12
1
2
0
10
1
1
0
8
1
1
0
8
Division 2A
Pat Villani, HR
Mike Robinson, Mey
Isaiah Taylor, Han
Ya’Sir Jones, Han
Jason Hoggarth, HR
Zahir Dunell, Mey
Nick Eury, LL
Tyler Hanna, Nan
Dawin Reyes, GAR
Trent Kowalski, Nwt
Alec Norton, Nan
Jeremy Walsh, Nwt
Blake Balderamma, Nan
Tyler Burger, Nwt
Jimmy Stuart, LL
Brandon Chafin, Han
Joey Vigil, LL
Mike Symeon, LL
Garry Kroll, GAR
Nick Long, Nwt
Tydus Winstead, GAR
Maurecio Rodriguez, HR
Mike Drozda, GAR
Jake Peters, Han
Dajon Rush, GAR
Greg Skrepenak, GAR
Damon Beckhorn, Nan
Ron Kotz, Nan
John Murphy, Han
AJ Mouzone, Mey
TJ Cistrunk Mey
Josh Goodwin, GAR
Ezra Judge, Nwt
Josh Sayre, LL
Sean Westawski, Han
Logan Womelsdorf, Nwt
Bryce Harrison, Nwt
TD
17
13
11
11
11
10
9
8
9
9
9
0
8
5
4
6
7
7
6
6
0
5
5
5
4
0
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2pt
2
0
3
2
0
2
1
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
K Tot
0 106
0
78
0
72
0
70
0
66
0
64
0
56
0
54
0
54
0
54
0
54
51
51
0
50
18 48
21 45
0
42
0
42
0
42
0
38
0
36
31 33
0
32
0
30
0
30
0
26
26 26
0
24
0
24
0
24
0
24
0
20
0
20
0
20
0
18
15
15
0
14
0
12
0
12
0
12
0
12
0
12
0
12
0
12
0
8
Times Leader
5
Dawgs have the bite to contend
By John Erzar
[email protected]
Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader
From left: Berwick FB/
LB Kyle Roberts, OL Zach
Beckley, DL Sean McCole,
OL/DL Kyle Pierce, and LB
Randy Miller.
George Curry
Alex Koch
Mike Force
Kyle Pierce
AT A
GLANCE!
BERWICK BULLDOGS
AT A GLANCE
Coach: George Curry (446-96-5), 4th year
back at Berwick; 46th overall
Division: WVC 3A
PIAA Class: 3A
Returning starters: 6 offense/7 defense
Male enrollment: 343
School phone: 570-759-6400
Stadium location: Crispin Field, Mulberry
and 11th Sts., Berwick
Key players lost: Andrew Force, WR/DB;
Dan Gingher, OL; Max Jones, DL; Tommy
Laubach, LB; Nate Maczuga, RB; Dalton
Perla, OL; Dante Powell, DE; Nick Talanca,
RB; Paul Jay Wiegand, WR
2014 regular-season leaders
PASSING: Dallas Arner 61-of-129, 1,085
yds., 9 TDs, 8 Ints.
RUSHING: Nick Talanca 147-848, 5.8 avg.,
18 TDs
RECEIVING: Andrew Force, 22-423, 19.2
avg., 5 TDs
SCORING: Nick Talanca 112 pts.
KICKING: Olivia Seely 37 XPM, 2 FGs, 43
pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4
Crestwood
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 11 at Pottsville
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18 at Dallas
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25 Wyo. Valley West 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
Selinsgrove
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9
at Wyoming Area 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16
at Williamsport
7 p.m.
Former Berwick coach George
Curry stepped to the plate as a
pinch hitter in 2012 when thencoach Gary Campbell abruptly
resigned in the summer. Three
years later, the 70-year-old is 3 for
3 — as in three seasons and three
appearances in the District 2 Class
3A championship game.
Whether 2015 is Curry’s last
at-bat remains to be seen. Some
turmoil in the offseason led to
the program being shut down
for two weeks for an internal
investigation. Curry was cleared
by the Berwick administration,
but later resigned effective the end
of this season. The school board
opened the position and accepted
applications.
Curry, though, kept the door
ajar for a return in 2016 if
possible. He believes the junior
class is something special and
would like to coach them as
seniors.
“This junior class, I’ve said I
want to go one more year if my
health is there,” Curry said. “That
junior class is exceptional. There
is talent there.”
Of course, the school board will
have its say whether that happens
as well as Curry’s health. He’s
dealt with some medical issues in
recent years.
“I’m fired up,” Curry said.
“When I’m coaching, nothing
hurts.”
Fri., Oct. 23
Pittston Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30 Coughlin
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6
at Hazleton Area 7 p.m.
2014 Results (9-3)
at Crestwood (12-1)
L 28-20
Pottsville (0-10)
W 46-14
Dallas (6-5)
W 26-23 OT
at Wyo. Valley West (8-3)
L 31-21
Selinsgrove (9-4)
W 22-21
Wyoming Area (3-7)
W 29-13
Williamsport (2-8)
W 52-13
at Pittston Area (3-7)
W 43-0
at Coughlin (6-5)
W 28-21
Hazleton Area (1-9)
W 56-6
District 2 Class 3A Playoffs
Scranton Prep (8-3)
W 51-29
at Crestwood (12-1)
L 35-19
ON OFFENSE
The Dawgs lost several
skill players to graduation,
including their leading
receiver and top-two
rushers, but the cupboard is
far from bare.
Running back Daquan
Hellenthal had some strong
games at the end of the
season after returning
from injury. Len Wyda
averaged 6.8 yards per
carry is limited duty. Mike
Force will take over at
quarterback after missing
much of 2014 with an
illness. Fullbacks Kyle
Roberts and Will Morey will
supply blocking.
What Berwick lacks in
experience at receiver is
made up in depth. There
are about 10 players who
can contribute. The most
See BERWICK | 29
!
ROSTER
BULLDOGS ROSTER
No.Name
Ht Wt Pos
1
Alex Koch
5-9 180 RB-DB
3
Harrison Knorr
5-9 150 WR-DB
4
Nick Koch
5-9 160 WR-DB
5
Len Wyda
5-8 165 RB
6
Daquan Hellenthal 5-9 160 RB-DB
7
Mike Force
6-1 175 QB
8
Evan Klinger
5-9 160 RB-DB
9
Denver Knorr
5-9 150 WR-DB
10 Robbie Harter
5-9 155 WR
11 Jared Marshman
5-11 208 QB
15 Ben Stola
5-11 175 DE
16 Luke Fisher
5-11 190 WR-DB
19 Alex Parks
5-10 150 WR-DB
20 Ethan Miller
5-8 140 WR-DB
22 Tom Smith
5-7 170 LB
23 Jared Watts
5-7 145 DB
24 Justin Groshek
5-8 155 WR-DB
26 Anthony Cicini
5-9 170 WR-DB
27 Matt Shannon
5-9 175 RB
28 Trent Kowalski
6-0 190 RB
29 Ryan Wright
5-9 160 DB
30 Sean McCole
5-8 190 DL
32 Joe Miller
5-10 170 LB
33 Fernal Guevara
5-9 215 FB
35 Brandon O’Kane
RB
40 Noah Craig
5-8 180 LB
44 Will Morey
5-10 210 DB-DL
50 Joe Knipp
5-7 210 OL-DL
51 Kevin Tanribilir
5-9 175 C
55 Jake Minnig
6-0 210 OL-DL
57 Nate Zanolini
5-11 150 OL-DL
60 Joe Brewer
5-10 230 OL-DL
61 Jared Levan
5-9 190 DL
65 Chris Gross
5-10 245 OL-DL
66 Nick Adams
5-9 250 OL-DL
68 Kevin Limas
5-9 195 OL
70 Chase Strothers
6-2 270 OL-DL
71 Matt Taylor
5-10 255 OL-DL
72 Ryan Woodard
6-2 310 OL
73 Tom Monico
6-2 255 OL-DL
75 Logan Eyer
5-9 250 OL-DL
76 Austin McLaughlin 5-10 260 C
77 Zach Beckley
6-2 260 OL
78 Stone Force
6-2 245 OL-DL
82 Harrison Kuchka
6-1 175 WR
83 Dylan Weaver
5-11 200 TE-DE
84 Connor Hanson
5-10 165 WR-DE
85 Ahren Slusser
6-0 170 DE
87 Max McCabe
5-11 210 TE
88 Malik McMillan
5-11 150 WR
90 Kyle McMillan
6-2 210 LB
92 Jim LeGrande
6-0 210 TE-LB
94 Joe Norce
6-3 210 TE-LB
95Kyle Pierce
6-1260TE-DL
97 Randy Miller
6-1 180 LB
99 Kyle Roberts
6-1 220 FB-LB
Gr
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
So.
Jr.
So.
So.
Fr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Times Leader
Crusaders seek to keep postseason streak going
By John Erzar
[email protected]
Eight consecutive years.
That’s the length of Coughlin’s
postseason streak.
As coach Ciro Cinti embarks
in his 10th season at the helm,
he isn’t about
to jump ahead
to November.
There’s still
plenty of work to
do in order for
the Crusaders to
be playing once
again when most
Wyoming Valley Ciro Cinti
Conference
teams have the
equipment packed away.
“I don’t make predictions,”
Cinti said. “We take it one game
at a time. We have a good bunch
of kids. All I know, they have
goals set and want to fulfill
them. They’ve worked extremely
hard to get to those goals. But
each week is a different battle.”
John Erzar | Times Leader
Some of the top
players for Coughlin
this year are, kneeling
from left, Zach King,
Chris Wright, Mike
Brown. Back row: Ryan
Solt, P.J. Marinko, Nick
Zalaffi, Josh Hvozdovic,
Jake Soller, Evan
McManus.
AT A
GLANCE!
ON OFFENSE
Jacob Cole
Josh Hvozdovic Jake Soller
Ryan Solt
Chris Wright
Nick Zalaffi
P.J. Marinko
COUGHLIN CRUSADERS AT A GLANCE
Coach: Ciro Centi (54-46) 10th year
Division: WVC 3A
PIAA Class: 3A
Stadium location: Wilkes-Barre Memorial
Stadium, Old River Road, Wilkes-Barre
Key players lost: Brandon Butry, K;
Jason Evans, OL/DL; Brenden Jones, OL/
DL; Tyler Layton, RB/LB; Tom Mitchell,
RB/DB; Derek Nunez, LB (transferred
to Montrose); Chris Sebia, OL/DL; Nick
Stavinsky, P; Frank Wojtash, TE/LB
PASSING: Jacob Soller 31-of-64, 581 yds.,
Zach King
6 TDs, 4 Ints.
RUSHING: Tyler Layton 132-1,009, 7.6
avg., 12 TDs
RECEIVING: Nick Zalaffi 8-162, 20.3 avg.,
2 TDs
SCORING: Tyler Layton 74 pts.
KICKING: Brandon Butry 33 XPM, 2 FGs,
39 pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4
Hazleton Area
7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 11 at West Scranton 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 18 at Crestwood
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25 Dallas
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
at Wyo. Valley West 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9
Williamsport
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16
at Pittston Area
7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 24 Wyoming Area
7 p.m.
Cinti had high hopes for
quarterback Jake Soller last
season, but kept them tempered
in order to keep the pressure off
the first-year starter. Soller lived
up to expectations, rushing for
12 touchdowns, throwing for six
more and accounting for over
1,300 yards of total offense.
“You guys didn’t believe me,”
Cinti said. “I said he was going
to have a breakout year and he
Fri., Oct. 30 at Berwick
7 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 7
Tunkhannock
7 p.m.
2014 Results (6-5)
at Hazleton Area (1-9)
W 40-7
West Scranton (2-8)
W 14-7
Crestwood (10-0)
L 63-27
at Dallas (6-5)
L 27-13
Wyo. Valley West (8-3)
L 48-20
at Williamsport (2-8)
W 49-38
Pittston Area (3-7)
W 35-6
at Wyoming Area (3-7)
W 42-7
Berwick (9-3)
L 28-21
at Tunkhannock (0-10)
W 28-9
Eastern Conference 3A Playoffs
at Blue Mountain (10-2)
L 35-21
did. He’s worked harder,
he’s gotten bigger and he’s
gotten stronger.”
Soller, though, will
be handing off to new
backs in the run-oriented
offense. Jake Cole, whose
brother Paul was a 1,000yard rusher in 2013, got a
taste of varsity action in
2014 as a freshman. Zach
King got some carries
late in the season. Chris
Wright will also run the
ball.
The receiving corps
returns its top three
receivers — wideouts
Mike Brown and Nick
Zalaffi and tight end
Josh Hvozdovic. While
their numbers didn’t look
impressive on paper, all
See COUGHLIN | 28
!
ROSTER
CRUSADERS ROSTER
No.Name
Pos
2
Vincent Todd
WR-DB
3
Chris Wright
RB-CB
4
Josh Hvozdovic
TE-LB
5
Jeremy Welles
WR-DB
6
Taylor Banas
RB-DB
7
Jared Kline
WR-DB
8
Ryan Dougalas
TE-DE
9
Kevin Kozerski
QB-DB
10 Matt Zalaffi
QB-DB
11 Noah Gebhardt
WR-LB
12 Jacob Soller
QB-DB
13 Naseem Johnson
WR-DB
15 Taylor Chronowski QB-DB
17 Stan Goeckel
WR-LB
19 Pat Strouse
WR-DB
20 Tyler Burke
WR-DB
21 Vance Cullen
RB-DE
22 Zach King
RB-LB
23 Marc Rodriguez
WR-DB
24 Melvin Robinson
WR-DB
26 Jacob Cole
RB-LB
27 Tyler DeCinti
WR-DB
32 Zack Kenzakowski RB-LB
34 Ryan Kollar
RB-LB
42 Khalid Credle
WR-LB
43 Eric Sovan
RB-LB
44 Jevron Young
RB-LB
50 Ryan Solt
OL-DL
51 Ray Laurer
OL-DL
52 Ken Perez
OL-DL
53 Evan McManus
OL-DL
54 Matt Malenovitch
OL-DL
55 Alex Gulitas
OL-DL
56 Isreal Gonzalez
OL-DL
57 Mekhi McDonald
OL-DL
60 Devon Ortolani
OL-DL
63 Joey Gayton
OL-DL
65 P.J. Marinko
OL-DL
66 Nyeheem Kenzakoski OL-DL
75 Corey Harrison
OL-DL
80 Malik Diop
TE-LB
81 Nick Zalaffi
WR-DB
82 Mike Brown
WR-DB
83 Gavin Baranski
WR-DB
88 Brandon Kalenak
WR-DB
89 Umar Hollis
WR-DB
99 Michael Cinti
K-P
Gr
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Fr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Times Leader
Comets preparing to stay on top
By John Erzar
[email protected]
Crestwood set a school record for victories in
2014. The Comets won the first District 2 football
title in school history. They also won the Wyoming
Valley Conference Division 3A championship.
In the process, they steamrolled nearly every
opponent and scored a school-record 71 points in a
game.
Now the Comets want to do it all over again
despite some key losses to graduation. Coach Greg
Myers believes the program has become potent
enough to be a perennial power.
“I think we’re to that point,” Myers said. “Interest
is high, our numbers are high. The kids want to win
another championship. That’s what their goals are.
I think we are to the point where we continually get
kids out and keep their interest.”
ON OFFENSE
Crestwood players,
kneeling from left,
Noah Kita and
Christian Kintz.
Standing: Lance Blass,
Tanner Kahlau, Connor
Sheloski, Seamus
Rother.
Greg Myers
Lance Blass
Tanner Kahlau
Christian Kintz Noah Kita
Connor Sheloski
Crestwood ran the single wing to perfection last
season as running back Frank Aigeldinger became
the school’s all-time leading rusher and quarterback
Jay Popson found the end zone 17 times. Aigeldinger
was named all-state and Times Leader Player of the
Year. He and Popson were Times Leader All-WVC
selections.
Both are now at Bloomsburg University along with
Matt Bobeck, another runner who was All-WVC.
The cupboard, though, is still fairly full. Wingback
Tanner Kahlau has proven to be a breakaway back
the past two seasons and averaged 15.6 yards per
carry last year. Lance Blass, an all-state pick at safety
last year, will take over the main running duties be it
at running back or quarterback. Seamus Rother will
also play quarterback.
Other runners include Garrett McAfee, who
averaged 7.5 yards per rush in limited duty, and Josh
Seamus Rother
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ROSTER
COMETS ROSTER
No.Name
Ht Wt
1
Lance Blass
6-1 183
2
Mark Dixon
6-1 165
3
Kevin Klusewitz
5-9 130
4
Kyle Frisbee
6-0 250
5
Alex Makowski
5-8 180
6
Tanner Kahlau
5-10 190
7
Kyle Richards
6-2 175
8
Connor Keenan
5-8 178
9
Alex DeSpirito
5-9 165
10 John Macri
5-10 183
11 Connor Sheloski
6-2 180
12 Owen Grigas
5-10 150
13 Rob Geiser
6-3 182
14 Michael Macri
5-10 155
15 Seamus Rother
5-9 183
16 Ryan Black
17 Pat Colo
6-2 175
18 Ryan LeRoy
6-0 200
20 Garrett McAfee
5-10 150
21 Patrick Rother
5-9 160
24 Jeff Schmude
5-10 185
25 Josh Malkemes
5-10 160
32 Matt Tirpak
5-10 175
33 Dave Windt
5-10 170
34 Nate Smith
6-0 185
36 Jacob Barney
5-9 150
38 Ben Kreuzer
5-10 145
40 Mike Williams
5-10 180
42 Tyler Zaykoski
5-7 155
44 Josh Kaminski
5-11 180
46 David Mazur
5-9 165
50 Shane O’Rourke
5-11 180
51 Thomas Urban
5-7 140
52 Ethan Van Gorden 6-0 200
54 Will Boyer
6-1 280
55 Luis Castro
6-0 280
58 John O’Boyle
6-0 240
60 Christian Kintz
5-9 227
61 Troy Simko
6-1 218
63 Tyler Nuss
5-11 240
70 Christian Zero
5-7 257
75 Dan Kivler
5-10 210
76 Nick Miller
5-10 213
77 Jeremy Hannen
6-0 220
78 Noah Kita
6-0 256
79 Jimmy Cannesso
5-10 255
80 Austin Wood
5-9 150
81 Mike Wyda
5-10 150
84 Nathan Sledziewski 5-10 145
85 Brett Reidinger
6-0 165
86 William O’Boyle
6-0 159
87 Brandon Brozena
5-10 170
88 David Havard
6-1 205
89 David Johnson
Gr
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Fr.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
So.
Good Luck Comets!
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Times Leader
Mountaineers’ new regime set to make waves
By Tom Robinson
For Times Leader
Charlotte Bartizek | For Times Leader
Some of the top players for Dallas are, from left: Tanner Gattuso, David Simpson, Cole Dixon, Matt
Harrison, Ryan Martin.
!
ROSTER
MOUNTAINEERS ROSTER
No.Name
Ht. Wt.
2
Chris Murray
5-10 170
3
Chase Feeney
5-7 190
4
Cole Dixon
6-0 200
5
Ray Ostroski
6-0 190
7
Nick Whitesell
5-9 160
10 Matt Harrison
5-10 170
11 Jack Tomko
6-0 170
14 Tanner Gattuso
6-0 190
15 Ryan Martin
6-0 195
17 David Schuster
5-8 153
21 Christian Roberts
6-1 165
24 Bret Storrs
6-0 190
28 James Powell
5-9 195
31 James Hutchins
5-7 160
33 Christian Sypniewski 5-10 165
34 David Simpson
5-10 220
35 Abdulrhman Almeky 6-2 195
43 Ron Ostrowski
5-8 177
Pos.
TE-LB
TE-LB
RB-LB
TE-DL
QB-DB
QB-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
TE-DB
QB-DB
WR-DB
RB-LB
RB-LB
RB-DB
TE-LB
RB-LB
TE-DL
RB-LB
Gr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
45
50
52
54
55
56
60
62
63
64
66
70
73
75
77
81
86
88
91
Justin Sweeney
Jason Anderson
Brody Strickland
Owen Mackiewicz
James Geiger
Corey McAndrew
Dalton Simpson
Malik Kaleta
James Hunter
Isaiah Marquez
Michael Anderson
Ian Spare
Michael Farrell
Quinten Huey
Edward Hontz
Stone Mannello
Ed Zochowski
Chase Wallace
Michael Woychio
5-11
5-10
5-11
6-1
5-11
5-7
5-5
5-9
6-0
5-10
6-0
6-0
6-2
5-10
6-3
5-9
5-10
5-8
5-10
160
227
231
200
205
223
240
180
174
230
230
247
280
230
300
162
155
130
230
WR-LB
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
WR-DB
OL-DL
WR-DB
OL-DL
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
So.
So.
Fr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
So.
Locally Owned & Operated
FAMILY MARKETS
Some of the top players for Dallas are, from
left: Tanner Gattuso, David Simpson, Cole
Dixon, Matt Harrison, Ryan Martin
FAMILY MARKETS
As a King’s College coach
on the recruiting trail, Rich
Mannello often hopped
from one Wyoming Valley
Conference game to another,
catching about a quarter at
a time.
Now, he will be
responsible for locking in
for 48 minutes, leading
the Dallas Mountaineers
through their WVC
schedule.
It’s a challenge for which
he’s anxious.
“I knew first-hand how
strong this conference was,”
said Mannello, who was
hired in February to take
over a squad filled with the
same players who went 6-5
and reached the District 2
Class 3A playoffs. “I’m very
respectful of the opportunity
to be a part of it.”
Mannello led the King’s
program for 19 years
through 2009, including
two junior varsity seasons
when he restarted it before
moving to varsity.
Taking over a lineup with
returning starters available
at more than half the
positions is a different task,
but Mannello made it clear
with a new regime there’s no
guarantee that incumbents
hold positions. He said
some of the returnees could
move as he believes in crosstraining players for multiple
positions to reduce the
vulnerability to injury losses.
The Mountaineers have
been receptive to the new
coach, his staff and his
ideas.
“They’ve been
tremendous since Day One,”
he said.
Rich Mannello Ryan Martin
ON OFFENSE
The Mountaineers have
an excellent starting point in
a veteran quarterback.
Matt Harrison threw
for 1,918 yards and 17
touchdowns while also
leading the team in rushing
with 420 yards and six
touchdowns. The senior
has held the position since
breaking into the lineup as a
sophomore.
Harrison will be protected
by a veteran group that
Mannello says will be a sign
of his positional versatility.
“Within the offensive line,
every day they move to a
new spot,” he said. “They’re
getting trained across the
board.”
Jason Anderson, James
Geiger, Ian Spare and
Michael Farrell all return as
starters along with tight end
Ryan Martin.
Matt Harrison David Simpson
Cole Dixon
Tanner Gattuso
Tanner Gattuso returns
at wide receiver and
David Simpson is back
at a running back spot.
Christian Roberts, who was
the team’s top kick returner
last season, also has some
experience at wide receiver.
See DALLAS | 29
Go Dallas
Mountaineers
Thomas’ Foodtown • Shavertown and Dallas
Times Leader
9
Grenadiers want to ride wave of momentum
AT A
GLANCE!
By John Erzar
[email protected]
GAR players, front row from left, Anthony Maurent, Dajon Rush, Brent
Stephenson, Nate Luckey. Back row: Mike Drozda, Garry Kroll, Josh Goodwin.
Just past the midway point
of last season, GAR was at a
crossroad. The Grenadiers were 3-3
thanks to three tough losses that
could have swung in their favor.
There were two paths available.
The team could have shut it down
and accept the inevitable — failing
to make the playoffs for consecutive
years for the first time since 2004
and 2005. Or it could crank it up a
notch and make a postseason push.
GAR chose the latter, running off
four consecutive wins. And while
2014 ended with a heartbreaking
overtime loss in the District 2 Class
2A playoffs, it also showed this
year’s version of the Grenadiers
they had the fight to be a strong
team.
“Last year was a big stepping
stone from 2013,” GAR coach Paul
Wiedlich Jr. said. “We ended on a
high note (in 2013) winning our
last three ball games. We brought
that into last year and finished the
regular season 7-3 and got into a
playoff game with Northwest and
had the ball in overtime and came
up two yards short.”
ON OFFENSE
Paul Wiedlich Jr. Anthony Maurent
Mike Drozda
Nate Luckey
Garry Kroll
Brent Stephenson
Josh Goodwin
Dajon Rush
!
ROSTER
GRENADIERS ROSTER
No.Name
2
Tashawn Qualls
3
Gerson Peralta
4
Anthony Maurent
5
Garry Kroll
6
Emmanuel Solomon
7
Dajon Rush
8
Muhaideen Tajuddin
9
Midjerson Pierre
11 Noah Edwards
12 Austin Yelland
15 Rudy Rivera
20 Anthony Blake
21 Anthony Oritz
23 Josh Goodwin
Ht
5-8
5-11
5-9
5-11
6-0
6-1
5-8
6-2
5-11
6-0
5-11
5-11
5-9
5-9
Wt
145
160
185
176
215
175
172
155
183
170
150
171
127
167
Pos
RB-DB
QB-DB
RB-LB
QB-DB
TE-DL
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-LB
TE-LB
K
WR-DB
WR-DB
RB-LB
Gr
So.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Jr.
31
42
44
50
51
54
56
58
60
64
66
68
70
75
80
88
There’s no doubt GAR has the
skill players to concern opponents,
headed by running back Anthony
Maurent.
Maurent was a Times Leader
All-WVC selection last year as he
rushed for 112 or more yards in six
of the nine regular-season games
in which he played. He brings a
combination of speed and power.
The same could be said for
backfield mate Mike Drozda, who
came on strongly at the end of last
season. He had 146 yards rushing
Mike Drozda
5-8
Alquan Cade
5-4
Shaquan Everett
5-8
Zynear Bradford
5-11
David Virgo
5-9
Chris Kolativa
6-5
Brent Stephenson
5-11
Zach Norbert
6-0
Joe Delaney
5-8
Alex Ruberto
5-8
Josafat Brito
6-2
Robbie Petrovich
6-0
Chris Depaula
5-9
Trent Brownell
5-9
Nate Luckey
5-11
Anthony Hoopingarner 5-11
215
135
195
205
180
255
262
220
285
170
228
220
218
197
174
177
RB-LB
RB-DB
RB-LB
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
WR-DB
WR-DL
Jr.
So.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
GAR GRENADIERS AT A GLANCE
Coach: Paul Wiedlich Jr. (39-19) 6th
year
Division: WVC 2A
PIAA Class: 2A
Returning starters: 6 offense/5
defense
Stadium location: Wilkes-Barre
Memorial Stadium, Old River Road,
Wilkes-Barre
Key players lost: Anthony Easter,
OL/DL; Dawin Reyes, K; Greg
Skrepenak, TE/DL; Saul Wilkins, OL/
DL
PASSING: Garry Kroll 48-of-100, 909
RUSHING: Anthony Maurent 1291,058, 8.2 avg., 14 TDs
RECEIVING: Anthony Maurent 12237, 19.8 avg., 3 TDs
SCORING: Anthony Maurent 102 pts.
KICKING: Dawin Reyes 33 XPM, 6
FGs, 51 pts.
when Maurent missed the Holy
Redeemer game due to injury. Josh
Goodwin also performed well in
that game and adds depth to the
unit.
Senior Garry Kroll returns at
quarterback. He was solid throwing
and running the ball and just needs
to smooth out some rough edges to
improve. Wideout Dajon Rush led
the team in catches last season and
will team with Nate Luckey on the
outside. The running backs are also
capable receivers.
Offensive success, though,
will be determined by the line.
Graduation took its toll, taking allstate selection Saul Wilkins among
others. Seniors Brent Stephenson
and Robbie Petrovich and junior
Josafat Brito will be the foundation
for the rebuilt unit.
“Losing guys like Saul Wilkins
and Anthony Easter, they were in
the program six years from seventh
grade on, they’re irreplaceable,”
Wiedlich said. “Those guys, our
underclassmen looked up to and
worked with them. Somebody’s got
to take the bull by the horns and
we have a couple guys doing that
already.”
Schedule
Sat., Sept. 5 Old Forge
7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 12 at Holy Cross 1:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18 Carbondale
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25 at Northwest 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 3 Mid Valley
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9 at Lake-Lehman 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16 Hanover Area 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23 Holy Redeemer 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30 at Nanticoke
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6 Meyers
7 p.m.
2014 Results (7-4)
at Old Forge (12-1)
L 21-14
Holy Cross (1-10)
W 68-14
at Carbondale (3-7)
W 52-6
Northwest (9-3)
L 14-10
at Mid Valley (1-9)
W 28-27
Lake-Lehman (6-5)
L 21-6
at Hanover Area (6-5)
W 37-12
at Holy Redeemer (3-7)
W 28-24
Nanticoke (4-6)
W 38-7
Meyers (3-7)
W 46-19
at Northwest (9-3)
L 26-20 OT
ON DEFENSE
GAR held six of its 11 opponents
last year to under 20 points and
created plenty of turnovers as well.
Similar, if not better results are
expected. But like on offense, the
onus will be on an inexperienced
line.
GAR certainly has the size and
ability at the line of scrimmage.
Brito, Petrovich, Stephenson, Chris
Dupaula, Anthony Hoopingarner
and Chris Kolativa will be tested
out of the gates against Class A
power Old Forge, a team with a
warranted reputation for being
physical.
If the line can disrupt things,
there’s little doubt the linebackers
can do their jobs. Drozda and
Shaquan Everett return inside and
Goodwin is back on the outside.
Austin Yelland will fill out the
quartet.
The secondary returned seven
interceptions for touchdowns
during the regular season in 2014.
Rush had one of them to go along
with three picks. Luckey also
had three interceptions and the
Grenadiers picked off 18 passes in
10 regular-season games.
See GAR | 27
Times Leader
New coach, Hawkeyes seek postseason run
AT A
GLANCE!
By Paul Sokoloski
[email protected]
Hanover Area enters the
season with high playoff hopes
behind, in the front row from
left to right, Sean Westawski,
Zach Shaffer, Brandon Chafin
and Jake Peters and in the
back row Kyle Holmgren, Zach
Roediger, John Sheridan,
Connor Bowers and Frank
Geklinsky.
!
ROSTER
Mike McCree
Brandon Chafin Zach Shaffer
Zach Roediger
Connor Bowers Jake Peters
Frank Geklinsky
Sean Westawski
John Sheridan
Kyle Holmgren
HAWKEYES ROSTER
No.Name
2
Nick Minich
6
Zakee Nettles
7
Christian Percy
9
Kyle Baranosky
11 Brandon Chafin
12 Jacob Peters
14 Brandon Brueckner
15 Ed Nelson
16 Mike Gronkowski
20 Ian Mullery
22 Josh Jopling
24 Alex Jacobs
25 Tyheim Taylor
27 Sean Coleman
28 Kyle Holmgren
30 Sterling Wade
32 J.J. Hooper
33 Jay Jay Masur
35 John Morgan
41 Dave Cook
44 Michael Lanahan
45 Francisco Martinez
48 Sean Westawski
54 Sal Gurnari
55 Robert Fuller
56 Zack Shaffer
58 Matthew Sebolka
59 John Sheridan
63 Tristan Saldana
64 Jeremy Andrewlavage
66 Andrew Schiel
73 Zach Roediger
74 John Jenkins
75 Justin Kopko
76 Frank Geklinsky
81 Connor Bowers
82 Trek Brodginski
87 Keith Eichler
88 Donny Lott
89 Corey Smith
Ht
6-1
5-8
6-0
6-0
6-0
6-0
6-1
6-0
5-4
6-2
5-9
5-9
6-0
5-10
5-7
6-0
5-10
5-9
5-9
5-9
5-10
5-9
5-9
5-9
5-10
5-10
5-10
6-3
5-9
6-0
6-1
6-5
6-0
6-3
5-10
6-1
5-9
6-3
6-0
5-9
Wt
175
142
160
175
186
190
161
160
135
175
165
170
197
167
155
205
172
160
140
170
170
175
230
207
235
210
250
285
270
210
280
297
225
283
220
240
150
200
180
165
Pos
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-S
QB-S
WR-S
QB-S
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-S
QB-S
RB-S
RB-S
RB-LB
WR-DB
RB-S
TE-LB
TE-LB
WR-DB
K-P
LS
WR-LB
TE-LB
FB-DT
OL-DE
OL-DT
OL-LB
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DE
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DE
OL-DT
OL-DE
TE-DE
WR-DB
TE-DE
WR-S
WR-S
Gr
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Fr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Fr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
For a guy who’s been away from the
sidelines for awhile, Mike McCree certainly
isn’t acting like a coach who’s easing his
way back into things.
He quickly hired a whole new staff at
Hanover Area, implemented a completely
new offensive system and immediately
raised the team’s expectations.
“We’re ready to go, man,” McCree said.
Hanover Area decided to go with
McCree after parting ways with Ron
Hummer, a former Hawkeyes hero who
quarterbacked the school to its only state
championship in 1990 and who guided the
Hawkeyes to seven postseason appearances
during his nine seasons as the school’s
head coach. But last season ended with a
first-round loss in the Eastern Conference
playoffs, and the Hawkeyes are looking for
a little more.
They’ve already declared anything less
than a playoff berth this season will be a
disappointment, and expect the postseason
to include the District 2 Class 2A playoffs.
“We expect to be playing an 11th game,”
McCree said.
Not many really expected McCree
to emerge as the top candidate for the
Hanover Area job.
A former defensive standout at Wilkes
during the early 1990s, McCree spent time
as an assistant at Wyoming Seminary and
Tunkhannock and was an assistant head
coach while working with wide receivers
and special teams units at Wilkes.
But McCree, the associate director of
admissions at Wilkes, stepped away from
the game before getting the urge to return
after a four-year absence.
He chose former Wilkes teammate
Len Butczynski to run the offense and
Jason Majiros to handle the defense, with
assistants Nick Dawson, Drew Dewitt and
Tom Stavitski - who helped make the gamesaving tackle on a two-point conversion
try that secured Hanover Area’s 1990 state
championship - filling out the coaching
staff.
“It’s my first head coaching experience.
I’m excited,” McCree said. “I’m very happy
with the staff I have and a great bunch of
kids.”
He quickly made sure those kids had a
bunch to handle.
“It’s a lot to get used to in such a short
period of time we had in the offseason,”
said Jake Peters, who will quarterback the
Hawkeyes this season. “(But) it seems like
it could work.”
HANOVER AREA
HAWKEYES AT A GLANCE
Coach: Mike McCree (0-0), 1st year
Division: WVC 2A
PIAA Class: 2A
Stadium location: St. Mary’s Road,
Hanover Twp.
Key players lost: Derek Brodginski, WR;
Randy Florek, OL/LB; Ya’Sir Jones, RB/
DB; Shaun Jones, OL/DL; Mike Kremenic,
LB; Anthony Marcincavage, OL/DL; Kyle
Merth, TE/LB; Jes Sheridan, OL/DL;
Isaiah Taylor, RB/DB
PASSING: Jake Peters 50-of-138, 1,042
RUSHING: Ya’Sir Jones 130-956, 7.4 avg.,
9 TDs
RECEIVING: Brandon Chafin 16-362,
22.6 avg., 6 TDs
SCORING: Isaiah Taylor 70 pts.
KICKING: John Murphy 15 XPM, 15 pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4 Carbondale 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 12 at Holy Redeemer 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18 Old Forge
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25 at Riverside
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2 Northwest 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9 Meyers
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16 at GAR
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23 at Panther Valley 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30 at Lake-Lehman
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6 Nanticoke
7 p.m.
2014 Results (6-5)
Carbondale (3-7)
W 51-6
Holy Redeemer (3-7)
W 42-7
at Old Forge (12-1)
L 16-13
Riverside (3-7)
W 6-0
at Northwest (9-3)
L 28-12
at Meyers (3-7)
W 37-21
GAR (7-3)
L 37-12
Panther Valley (1-9)
W 34-0
Lake-Lehman (6-5)
L 44-14
at Nanticoke (4-6)
W 38-21
Eastern Conference 2A Playoffs
Pine Grove (6-6)
L 17-7
ON OFFENSE
Peters, now a senior, returns as a big-play
passer for the third straight season, but
that’s not the best news for Hanover Area.
He has plenty of protection up front,
with starting returning offensive tackle
Zach Roediger - a 6-foot-5, 290-pound
senior - and senior center Frank Geklinsky.
See HANOVER | 28
Times Leader
11
Cougars want a show of strength
By Paul Sokoloski
[email protected]
Nobody was trying to kick
sand in the face of the Hazleton
Area Cougars.
But the way last season turned
out, they felt a little powerless at
times to prevent a rather dismal
season.
“We got pushed around a
little bit,” Cougars senior Steve
Longazel said, “on the offensive
line and on the defensive line.”
Now they plan to push back.
Mark Brennan, a two-time
state championship coach with
Mount Carmel who then turned
Blue Mountain in a District
11 contender, didn’t like what
he saw when he took over as
Hazleton Area’s head coach last
season.
“We knew we had a tough
road,” Brennan said, “with only
two starters back and seven
letterwinners. Things got away
from us pretty quickly.”
See HAzLETON | 27
!
Hazleton Area plans to put on
a show of strength this season
behind, from left to right in
the front row, Adrian Otero,
Jose Cabrera and Hunter
Vanblargan and in the back
row Steve Longazel, Eddie
Bielen, Collin Gunsser and
Joey Bayzick.
Joey Bayzick
Eddie Bielen
Mike Brennan
Steve Longazel
Collin Gunsser
Adrian Otero
Hunter
Vanblargan
Jose Cabrera
COUGARS ROSTER
No.Name
1
Aaron Kellmer
2
Hunter Vanblargan
3
Davion Reeves
4
Craig Stetchak
5
Jose Cabrera
7
Sparky Wolk
8
Eddie Bielen
11 Jared Bielen
12 Joey Bayzick
14 Tristan Williams
15 Moises Ramos
16 Ed Shoepe
17 Argenys Gomez
20 Endy Santos
22 Matt Sutton
23 Jeffrey Zanolini
25 Carlix Pledger
26 Brian Minzola
27 Joey Hatton
28 Koby Jackson
30 Jake Fetterman
31 Trevor Wilkinson
32 Adrian Otero
34 Josh Zukoski
35 Luis Hiraldo
36 Kaleb Yahner
37 Cole Bono
38 Logan Jones
40 Isaiah Santiago
42 Carson Kinney
43 Steve Longazel
45 Sebastian Rojas
ROSTER
Ht
5-9
5-10
6-0
5-8
5-6
5-9
6-3
6-1
6-1
5-6
5-7
5-7
5-10
5-9
6-1
5-7
5-6
5-11
5-6
5-11
5-8
5-6
6-1
5-7
5-6
5-7
5-9
5-8
5-10
5-10
6-0
5-6
Wt
165
160
175
140
145
145
215
165
180
150
175
135
150
155
175
140
155
160
140
200
160
175
210
175
130
145
155
175
180
190
210
130
Pos
WR-DB
QB-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
QB-DB
TE-LB
WR-DB
WR-LB
K-P
WR-LB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-LB
RB-LB
WR-LB
WR-DB
WR-LB
WR-DB
RB-LB
WR-LB
RB-LB
RB-DB
RB-LB
WR-DB
RB-LB
WR-DB
RB-LB
RB-LB
RB-LB
RB-DE
WR-DB
Gr
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Fr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
47
48
50
51
52
54
55
56
58
59
60
61
62
64
65
66
67
69
70
72
73
76
77
78
79
80
81
83
84
86
87
88
89
92
Jack Murray
Leonel Peguero
James Luminella
Zach Petrosky
Kalington Casada
Phil McCoy
Michael Fuchick
John Dietrich
Hunter Williams
Bryan Woratyla
Anthony Ryba
Colin Gunsser
Marcus Matz
Travis Kostyal
Sammy Sanchez
Angelo Roman
Zach Bergersen
Matt Bennett
John Merola
Anthony Lugo
Matt Brunza
Bobby Koslop
Anderson Lopez
Justin Podlasek
Zach Fuchick
Isaiah Harayda
Jared Llewellyn
Brandon Cooper
Ivan Ramos-Fuentes
Kyle Swetz
David McCarthy
Will Strassner
Bryan Torrez
Jacob Oressie
5-10
5-10
5-8
5-4
5-9
5-8
5-10
5-8
6-0
5-9
5-8
5-11
5-10
5-10
6-0
5-11
5-10
5-9
6-0
5-10
6-2
5-11
5-9
6-0
5-9
6-0
6-1
6-0
5-8
6-0
6-3
6-2
6-0
5-11
180
165
155
160
185
210
225
245
235
220
205
235
210
270
280
250
175
230
250
195
210
180
260
250
245
195
175
180
145
200
175
175
180
210
FB-LB
WR-DB
DL
OL-DL
DL
OL-DL
C-LB
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
DL
OL-DL
C-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
TE-LB
WR-DB
TE-LB
WR-DB
TE-LB
TE-LB
TE-LB
TE-LB
DL
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Fr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
GOOD LUCK Cougars!
from
ATTY. WILLIAM J. WATT, III
CLASS OF 2000
Saporito,
&Watt
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Times Leader
Royals look to build on success
By Paul Sokoloski
[email protected]
The way Scott Dennis sees it,
the Holy Redeemer Royals are
already ahead of the game.
They have an idea of what he
expects now, an ambitious attitude
to execute it and the numbers to
accomplish it.
And all of that should help
Redeemer’s program grow quickly
during Dennis’ second season at
the helm.
“I think we got a lot of things
implemented last year, from an Xs
and Os standpoint,” Dennis said.
“I feel like we’ve got Xs and Os
entrenched.”
They’re getting some numbers
now also.
The Royals boast a roster of 34
varsity players and 28 more in the
school’s junior high program. And
while that may not approach the
numbers Dennis grew accustomed
to coaching as an assistant in
Berwick’s program, they signal a
flood of interest from where the
program stood two years ago.
“When we got here, there were
17 (players) in the entire football
program,” Dennis said.
The strength of the Royals is
beginning to show outside the
numbers, too.
Last year, Redeemer opened
the season by going 2-2 before
dropping five of its final six
Holy Redeemer is lining up for a run at
a .500 season behind, from left to right,
tackle D.J. Baird, center Liam Vender,
quarterback Cameron Brennan, guard
Mike Conway and tight end J.D. Turosky.
See HOLY REDEEMER | 26
Scott Dennis
Mike Conway
Liam Vender
D.J. Baird
J.D. Turosky
Cameron
Brennan
HOLY REDEEMER ROYALS
AT A GLANCE
Coach: Scott Dennis (3-7), 2nd year
Division: WVC 2A
PIAA Class: 2A
Stadium location: Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium,
Old River Road, Wilkes-Barre
Key players lost: Robert Bertram, OL/LB; Marc
Cantafio. OL/DL; Bailey Endler, OL/DL; Chad Fahey,
QB/DB; Jason Hoggarth, WR/DB; Justin Renfer, FB/
LB; Andrew Semanek, OL/DL; Pat Villani, RB/WR/DB
PASSING: Chad Fahey 101-of-208, 1,262 yds., 13 TDs,
8 Ints.
RUSHING: Pat Villani 103-676, 6.6 avg., 8 TDs
RECEIVING: Jason Hoggarth 51-750, 14.7 avg., 10 TDs
SCORING: Pat Villani 78 pts.
KICKING: Mauricio Rodriguez 17 XPM, 3 FGs, 26 pts.
Schedule
Sat., Sept. 5
Holy Cross
1 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 12
Hanover Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18
at Lake-Lehman
7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26
Col-Mont Vo-Tech
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
at Nanticoke
7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 10
at Susquehanna
2:15 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 17
Juniata
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23
at GAR
7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 31
Meyers*
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6
at Northwest
7 p.m.
* — at King’s College
2014 Results (3-7)
at Holy Cross (1-10)
W 30-0
L 42-7
Lake-Lehman (6-5)
L 37-13
at Col-Mont Vo-Tech (3-7)
W 27-20
Nanticoke (4-6)
L 48-35
Susquehanna (7-5)
L 13-0
at Pius X (11-3)
L 40-15
GAR (7-4)
L 28-24
at Meyers (3-7)
W 25-18
Northwest (9-3)
L 34-13
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AT A
GLANCE!
Times Leader
Big, strong Lake-Lehman ready for more
By Tom Robinson
For Times Leader
Lake-Lehman has a familiar
look as it prepares for the
upcoming season.
Just two years ago, the Black
Knights had a veteran lineup that
was simply too big and strong
for local small school opponents,
resulting in Wyoming Valley
Conference Division 2A and
District 2 Class 2A titles.
Lake-Lehman will try to use a
similar formula for success this
season after slipping slightly in
an injury-plagued 2014 season.
“We’re going to be 250 pounds
right across the line this year, so
you know what we’re going to
be doing,” Black Knights coach
Jerry Gilsky said.
Knowing that did not help
opponents stop Lehman’s power
game two years ago. It may not
be enough this time.
The Black Knights have
different levels of experience
– players who return on both
sides of the ball, those who
started one-way and rotated the
other and are moving up to fulltime, two-way detail and still
others who filled in for injured
teammates.
“It’s kind of like a whole
returning team,” Gilsky said.
Charlotte Bartizek | For Times Leader
Lake-Lehman will be counting upon the
following players. Seated, from left: Nick
Eury, Kris Rosencrans, John Thomas.
Back row: Joey Vigil, Luke Hummel, Zach
Brucher, Connor McGovern, Chris Traver.
Jerry Gilsky
FAMILY MARKETS
See LAKE-LEHMAN | 26
Vince Ferrari
FAMILY MARKETS
Connor McGovern
Luke Hummel
Joey Vigil
Nick Eury
AT A
GLANCE!
13
LAKE-LEHMAN
BLACK KNIGHTS AT A GLANCE
Coach: Jerry Gilsky (35-21) 6th year
Division: WVC 2A
PIAA Class: 2A
Stadium location: Edward Edwards Stadium, high
school, off Route 118, Lehman Twp.
Key players lost: Antonio Ferarri, QB/DB; Phil Hettes,
OL/DL; Cory Hoyt, OL/DL; Mason Little, OL/DL; Alex
Major, OL/DL; Kody Pachamovitch, RB/LB; Josh
Sayre, QB/DB; Jimmy Stuart, RB/DB
PASSING: Josh Sayre 25-of-55, 436 yds., 2 TDs, 3 Ints.
RUSHING: Kody Pachomovitch 123-680, 5.5 avg., 8 TDs
RECEIVING: Nick Eury 7-160, 22.9 avg., 2 TDs
SCORING: Nick Eury 54 pts.
KICKING: Mike Symeon 28 XPM, 1 FG, 31 pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4
at Lackawanna Trail 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 11
Mid Valley
7 p.m.
Sat, Sept. 18
Holy Redeemer
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25
at Old Forge
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
at Meyers
7 p.m.
Fri, Oct. 9
GAR
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16
Northwest
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23
at Nanticoke
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30
Hanover Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6
at Dallas
7 p.m.
2014 Results (6-5)
Lackawanna Trail (7-4)
L 28-13
at Mid Valley (1-9)
W 36-18
W 37-13
Old Forge (12-1)
L 33-0
Meyers (3-7)
W 13-12
at GAR (7-4)
W 21-6
at Northwest (9-3)
L 34-26
Nanticoke (4-6)
W 35-0
W 44-14
Dallas (6-5)
L 27-26
at Dunmore (14-2)
L 21-7
Go Lake-Lehman
kniGhts!
Thomas’ Foodtown • Shavertown and Dallas
Times Leader
Mohawks seeking to leave mark on school history
!
ROSTER
By Paul Sokoloski
[email protected]
Meyers seeks to carve a legacy into school
history behind, at front and center, QB Willie
Wallace and in the back row from left to right,
OL Carlo Telesco, RB Mark Robinson, OL Maliek
Moore, RB Fahbian Biggs and WR Raheem
Twyman.
Fahbian Biggs
Mark Robinson
Raheem Twyman
Jeff Labatch
Willie Wallace
Maliek Moore
Carlo Telesco
The possibility of playing one of the final seasons of
football at Meyers High School doesn’t fill the hearts of
the Mohawks with sorrow or even make them bristle
with anger.
Instead, they look at the scenario as an inspiration.
“There’s a lot of excitement,” Meyers senior two-way
lineman Carlo Telesco said.
That’s because no one knows for sure if Meyers will
even exist in a few years as the Wilkes-Barre Area School
Board already passed a vote to merge it with Coughlin.
Meanwhile, staunch supporters of a threeschool system in Wilkes-Barre (including GAR) are
championing a proposal by a group of investors led by
GAR grad Bob Sypniewski that would renovate Meyers
and keep the three city schools running deep into the
future.
If that last-gasp pitch doesn’t reverse the decision
by the school board, the school that produced such
mesmerizing football talents like former NFL standouts
Raghib and Qadry Ismail, former Penn State lineman
Todd Moules and former Maryland record-setting
running back Charlie Wysocki will become a program of
the past.
“It’s a concern,” said first-year Meyers coach Jeff
Labatch, a former Mohawks assistant who quarterbacked
the team during his high school days. “The juniors and
seniors aren’t worried about it, they’ll be gone by the
time anything is done. But the younger kids are a little
worried.”
The coaching staff will try to turn that worry into a
couple of seasons of winning with a speech about school
spirit.
“Whatever is decided, we don’t have a say in it,”
Labatch said. “We tell them, ‘You might be one of the
last teams to play here. Make your name part of that
tradition.’
“That’s something we can do.”
ON OFFENSE
RickRick
Gazenski
Hoban
RenoReno
Gazenski Rob Rob
Hoban AndyAndy
See MEYERS | 15
MOHAWKS ROSTER
No.Name
1
Tyler Schneikart
2
Willie Wallace
3
Josh Schiowitz
4
Chayne Patterson
5
Reese Patronick
6
Mark Robinson
7
Steven Morel
8
Janssen Wilborn
9
Alfonso Mondragon
10 Ja’mell Ballard
11 Khabir Williams
12 Bryce Waters
14 Fahbian Biggs
17 Namir Murphy
19 Omar Kelly
20 Tyriq Hatcher
21 Colin Browne
22 Christian Martinez
23 Michael Dempsey
25 Raheem Twyman
28 Jason Marston
29 Thomas Capinas
30 Travis Paul
31 Sufyan Burroughs
33 Erik Betz
34 Isaiah McGahee
35 Onje Crowder
41 Safee Shivers
43 Ziaire Mouzone
44 James Langan
50 Matt Yekel
52 Lucas Borum
53 McDaniel DeJesus
55 Evens Paul
57 Josh Burrowes
58 Dwayne Canty
61 James Mitchell
62 Pedro Hernandez
63 Maliek Moore
65 Bill Williams
66 Carlo Telesco
68 David Rosado
69 Alex Velazco
71 Ken Macko
72 Jason Castellano
73 Isaiah Stapleton
78 Preston Perkins IV
80 Je’Vondrea McClair
81 Michael Horvath
82 Dillan Ryman
88 Enrique Betz
99 Elisha Mitchell
Ht
5-8
6-1
5-7
5-8
5-9
5-10
6-2
5-11
5-9
5-11
5-8
5-7
5-9
5-10
5-10
5-9
5-10
5-7
5-7
6-4
5-9
5-10
5-8
5-8
5-7
5-9
5-11
5-10
5-7
5-8
6-1
5-8
5-10
5-9
5-10
6-0
5-10
5-11
6-2
5-11
6-2
6-0
5-11
5-9
5-10
5-11
5-11
5-9
6-4
5-8
5-10
5-10
Wt
135
180
165
140
150
175
140
165
180
165
140
150
166
200
155
135
195
125
130
175
185
150
175
145
175
170
205
185
140
145
220
225
190
270
239
250
210
175
260
250
285
215
180
170
185
270
245
145
200
135
193
175
Pos
K
QB-DB
RB-LB
WR-DB
WR-LB
RB-DB
WR-DB
QB-DB
TE-LB
WR-DB
WR-DB
QB-LB
RB-DB
RB-LB
WR-DB
WR-DB
TE-LB
WR-DB
WR-LB
WR-DE
RB-LB
WR-DB
RB-LB
RB-LB
RB-LB
RB-DE
RB-LB
RB-LB
WR-DB
K
OL-DE
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DE
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DE
OL-DT
OL-DE
OL-DT
OL-DT
OL-DT
WR-DB
TE-DE
WR-DB
TE-LB
OL-DE
Gr
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Fr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Fr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Times Leader
From page 14
It should be fun to watch
teams try to keep up with
the speed of Meyers, which
could very well turn Friday
nights into track meets.
Promising junior
Willie Wallace takes over
at quarterback for the
graduated Zahir Dunell, and
has half of last year’s gold
medalist PIAA Class 2A
track and field sprint relay
team to throw to.
Senior Raheem Twyman,
at 6-foot-4, presents a big
target and blazing speed
in the open field and
running back/receiver Mark
Robinson, who joined him
on that state championship
400-meter relay team, is
back after scoring a teamleading 72 points last year.
Promising sophomore
receiver Omar Kelly makes
his varsity debut after
leading the Meyers junior
high team to a strong finish
last year.
When Robinson isn’t
in the backfield, running
backs Fahbian Biggs,
Namir Murphy and Khabir
Williams are sure to see
plenty of action.
“I’m really excited about
playing multiple positions,”
Robinson said. “It’ll work
out good for college. We
have a lot of kids who can
play multiple positions this
year.”
And a lot of horses to
block for them.
A talented line led by
returning starter Telesco
(6-2, 285) while Maliek
Moore (6-2, 260), Matt
Yekel (6-1, 220), Lucas
Borum and David Rosado
add some size and a physical
nature up front.
“It’s a new team,” Telesco
said. “A lot of players I
started playing with are
gone now. It’s just different.
But I have confidence in us.”
ON DEFENSE
Biggs, one of the
conference’s finest defensive
backs a year ago, returns
to the secondary with an
ability to close ground
quickly. He’ll need it because
the Mohawks don’t have
a ton of experience in the
defensive backfield to help
him.
Their strength may be up
front where seniors Telesco,
Moore and Yekel are all back
to lead the defensive line.
Josh Schiowitz is the
lone returning linebacker
for Meyers, but Murphy
- who transferred from
GAR - could provide a big
boost to the linebacking
corps. Sophomore Onje
Crowder also flashed some
play-making ability in the
preseason.
“Be disciplined,” Labatch
AT A
GLANCE!
MEYERS MOHAWKS AT A GLANCE
Coach: Jeff Labatch (0-0), 1st year
Division: WVC 2A
PIAA Class: 2A
Stadium location: Wilkes-Barre Memorial
Stadium, Old River Road, Wilkes-Barre
Key players lost: Richard Assuah, OL/DL; T.J.
Cistrunk, TE/LB; Zahir Dunell, QB/DB
PASSING: Zahir Dunell 17-of-43, 288 yds., 3 TDs,
4 Ints.
RUSHING: Zahir Dunell 144-839, 5.8 avg., 8 TDs
RECEIVING: T.J. Cistrunk 13-175, 13.5 avg., 1 TD
SCORING: Mark Robinson 72 pts.
KICKING: Gino Setta and Nicholas Sisko, 3 XPM
each, 3 pts. each
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4 at Montrose
7 p.m.
said, “don’t give up the big
play. That’s going to be a
priority for us.”
OUTLOOK
Labatch may be new
to the scene as a head
coach, but he has plenty of
experience working with the
Mohawks from his days as
an assistant.
“It’s a great feeling,”
Labatch said about guiding
the program he used to lead
in the huddle. “It’s been a
good transition. Everybody’s
been very supportive.”
If the Mohawks can adapt
quickly to the nuances and
adjustments Labatch puts
into the playbook, they may
be looking at a sustained
threat to make the playoffs
this season after a 3-0 start
last year turned sour with
seven straight losses to
finish the season - including
a one-point defeat to LakeLehman and a seven-point
heartbreaker against Holy
Redeemer.
“It’s been a smooth
transition,” Robinson
said. “We’re used to coach
Labatch already, it’s not
like he’s never coached us
before. For the most part,
it’s the same thing (system
from last year). It’s a lot
more disciplined, I will say
that.”
15
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Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570991-6392 or on Twitter @
TLPaulSokoloski
Fri., Sept. 11 Susquehanna
7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 19 Riverside
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25 at Lackawanna Trail 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
Lake-Lehman
7 p.m,
Fri., Oct. 9
at Hanover Area
7 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 15 Nanticoke
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23 at Northwest
7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 31 at Holy Redeemer* 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6
GAR
7 p.m.
* — at King’s College
2014 Results (3-7)
Montrose (1-9)
W 58-0
at Susquehanna (7-5)
W 19-14
at Riverside (3-7)
W 20-0
Lackawanna Trail (7-4)
L 28-16
at Lake-Lehman (6-5)
L 13-12
Hanover Area (6-5)
L 37-21
at Nanticoke (4-6)
L 28-12
Northwest (9-3)
L 56-7
Holy Redeemer (3-7)
L 25-18
at GAR (7-4)
L 46-19
And More!
TV AND APPLIANCES
639 Wyoming Avenue, Kingston
570-287-9631
1313 Wyoming Avenue, Exeter
570-655-8811
Visit us on the web at www.voitektv.com
80674566
Meyers
Times Leader
Times Leader
17
HigH ScHool
Sept. 4-5
Sept. 11-12
Sept. 18-19
Sept. 25-26
oct. 2-3
oct. 9-10
oct. 15-17
oct. 23-24
oct. 30-31
Nov. 6-7
Berwick
Fri. Crestwood 7pm
Fri. at Pottsville 7pm
Fri. at Dallas 7pm
Fri. Wyoming Valley West 7pm
Fri. Selinsgrove 7pm
Fri. at Wyoming Area
Fri. at Williamsport 7pm
Fri. Pittston Area 7pm
Fri. Coughlin 7pm
Fri. at Hazleton Area 7pm
cougHliN
Fri. Hazleton Area 7pm
Fri. at West Scranton 7pm
Fri. at Crestwood 7pm
Fri. Dallas 7pm
Fri. at Wyoming Valley West 7pm
Fri. Williamsport 7pm
Fri. at Pittston Area 7pm
Sat. Wyoming Area 7pm
Fri. at Berwick 7pm
Sat. Tunkhannock 7pm
creStwood
Fri. at Berwick 7pm
Sat. at Abington Heights 2pm
Fri. Coughlin 7pm
Sat. Pittston Area 7pm
Fri. at Wyoming Area 7pm
Fri. Wyoming Valley West
Fri. at Dallas 7pm
Fri. at Pottsville 7pm
dallaS
Fri. at Scranton 7pm
Fri. Wallenpaupack 7pm
Fri. Berwick 7pm
Fri. at Coughlin 7pm
Fri. Crestwood 7pm
Fri. Lake-Lehman 7pm
gar
Sat. Old Forge 7pm
Sat. at Holy Cross 1:30pm
Fri. Carbondale 7pm
Fri. at Northwest 7pm
Sat. Mid Valley 7pm
Fri. at Lake-Lehman 7pm
Fri. Hanover Area 7pm
Fri. Holy Redeemer 7pm
Fri. at Nanticoke 7pm
Fri. at Meyers 7pm
HaNover area
Fri. Carbondale 7pm
Sat. at Holy Redeemer 7pm
Fri. Old Forge 7pm
Fri. at Riverside 7pm
Fri. Northwest 7pm
Fri. Meyers 7pm
Fri. at GAR 7pm
Fri. at Panther Valley 7pm
Fri. at Lake-Lehmasn 7pm
Fri. Nanticoke 7pm
HazletoN area
Fri. Scranton 7pm
Fri. at Delaware Valley 7pm
Fri. Tunkhannock 7pm
Fri. Daniel Boone 7pm
Fri. Berwick 7pm
Holy redeemer
Sat. Holy Cross 1pm
Sat. Hanover Area 7pm
Fri. at Lake-Lehman 7pm
Sat. Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech 7pm
Sat. Juniata 7pm
Fri. at GAR 7pm
Sat. Meyers at King’s College 7pm
lake-leHmaN
Fri. at Lackawanna Trail 7pm
Fri. Mid Valley 7pm
meyerS
Fri. at Montrose 7pm
Fri. Susquehanna 7pm
Sat. Riverside 7pm
Fri. at Lackawanna Trail 7pm
NaNticoke
Sat. at Susquehanna 1pm
Fri. Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech 7pm
Fri. at East Juniata 7pm
Fri. at Lakeland 7pm
NortHweSt
Fri. at Lakeland 7pm
Fri. Dunmore 7pm
Fri. Western Wayne 7pm
Fri. GAR 7pm
pittStoN area
Fri. Abington Heights 7pm
Fri. Valley View 7pm
Sat. at Crestwood 7pm
tuNkHaNNock
Fri. Athens 7pm
Fri. Western Wayne 7pm
Sat. at Scranton Prep 1:30pm
Fri. Wyoming Area 7pm
Fri. Honesdale 7pm
williamSport
Fri. at Central Mountain 7pm
Fri. Mifflin County 7pm
Fri. Abington Heights 7pm
Fri. at Hazleton Area 7pm
Fri. at Dallas 7pm
wyomiNg area
Sat. at Scranton Prep 1:30pm
Fri. at North Pocono 7pm
Fri. at Tunkhannock 7pm
wyomiNg SemiNary
Fri. Episcopal Academy 7pm
Sat. Blair Academy 7pm
wyomiNg valley weSt
Fri. Delaware Valley 7pm
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2015 high school football schedule
Times Leader
Young Trojans aim for run at playoffs
By Paul Sokoloski
[email protected]
Nanticoke is taking aim at a
playoff run behind standout
players, from left to right,
Nick Littzi, John Guszak,
Ocyrus Leemoui-Brown and,
from left to right in the back
row, Justin Casey, Samantha
Good, Robert Roth, Alec
Norton and Matt Wrubel.
Matt Wrubel
John Guszak
Fred Adams | for Times Leader
Ron Bruza
Sam Good
Alec Norton
Nick Littzi
Justin Casey
Robert Roth
If the newest member of Nanticoke’s football team
has any say in the matter, scoring touchdowns will soon
become a girl’s job.
That’s not to say Sam Good plans to overshadow the
boys.
But she does hope to become one of them.
See, Sam is short for Samantha, and rather than
stand out as a girl trying to crack the lineup in a sport
traditionally dominated by macho boys, the 5-foot-4, 115pound sophomore just wants to blend in. And help the
Trojans make a run at the Eastern Conference berth that
slipped away from them last season.
“I like the sport,” Good said. “I played before, for the
Kingston Township Raiders B-team.”
While other girls have excelled playing football in the
Wyoming Valley Conference during the last decade, most
of them were kickers.
The kicker with Good is, she’s a wide receiver.
“Definitely not a kicker,” Good said. “Can’t kick if my
life depended on it.”
Instead, she hopes to become a target that the Trojans’
passing game can depend on. And if that means absorbing
a bone-jarring hit or two in the process, so be it.
“Oh, that’s part of playing football,” Good said. “If I was
afraid of that, I wouldn’t play.”
Apparently, she’s not fearful of much, although
Nanticoke coach Ron Bruza will weigh the risk of injury
Good may face running pass patterns against the reward
of eventually making her a factor in the team’s passing
game once she recovers from a current injury.
“That’s always a thought,” Bruza said. “But this is
a good kid, she’s tough. What we’ve got going with
Samantha, she’s doing our manager’s duties right now.
We just want Samantha to get healthy and we’ll take it
from there. I’ve known Sam since she was in elementary
wrestling.”
Oh yes, Good intends to compete on Nanticoke’s
wrestling team, too, in the 120-pound weight class.
“Plans are to,” she grinned.
AT A
GLANCE!
NANTICOKE TROJANS AT A GLANCE
Coach: Ron Bruza (20-30), 6th year
Division: WVC 2A
PIAA Class: 2A
Stadium location: High School, Kosciuszko Street,
Nanticoke
Key players lost: Blake Balderrama, RB/LB; Dylan
Eichhorn, OL/DL; Derek Fisher, OL/DL; Tyler Hanna,
WR/DB; Ron Kotz, LB
PASSING: A.J. Hunter 12-of-41, 305 yds., 5 TDs, 3
Ints.
RUSHING: Blake Balderrama 149-820, 5.5 avg., 6
TDs
RECEIVING: Tyler Hanna 9-281, 31.2 avg., 4 TDs
SCORING: Tyler Hanna 54 pts.
KICKING: Alec Norton 15 XPM, 1 FG, 18 pts.
Schedule
Sat., Sept. 5
at Susquehanna
1 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 11
Col-Mont Vo-Tech
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18
at East Juniata
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25
at Lakeland
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
Holy Redeemer
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9
Northwest
7 p.m.
Thur., Oct. 15
at Meyers
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23
Lake-Lehman
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30
GAR
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6
at Hanover Area
7 p.m.
2014 Results (4-6)
Susquehanna (7-5)
L 21-17
at Col-Mont Vo-Tech (3-7)
W 47-0
East Juniata (2-8)
W 42-8
Lakeland (4-6)
L 21-6
W 48-35
at Northwest (9-3)
L 26-6
Meyers (3-7)
W 28-12
L 35-0
at GAR (7-4)
L 38-7
Hanover Area (6-5)
L 38-21
See NANTICOKE | 29
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Times Leader
Rangers must overcome departures
By John Erzar
[email protected]
Pete G. Wilcox|Times Leader
Northwest will be relying
on, from left: Doug
Campbell, Garrett Reese,
Bryce Harrison, Hayden
Stancavage, Neno
Agnello, Jeremy Walsh
and Brendan Riley.
Bryce Harrison
Lon Hazlet
Brendan Riley
Doug Campbell
GOOD LUCK TO ALL PLAYERS THIS SEASON
in
after
every
game.
GOODStop
LUCK TO
PLAYERS
THISTHIS
SEASON
GOOD
LUCK
TOALL
ALL
PLAYERS
SEASON
Eat
in
take
out
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inin
after
game.
GOOD
LUCK
TO
ALLorevery
PLAYERS
THIS
SEASON
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after
every
game.
Garrett Reese
Hayden
Stancavage
Neno Agnello
Northwest has been on an
impressive playoff run for a
tiny rural school tucked in
the shadows of neighboring
football hotbed Berwick.
The Rangers have made the
postseason nine consecutive
seasons, albeit the first eight
were in Class A where the
field wasn’t particularly strong
and any team hovering around
.500 was assured of playing
Week 11.
Last year was different.
The program bumped up to
2A because of what some
observers believed was a
questionable decision to have
a cooperative agreement with
Benton High School. It had
no effect on the program as
a veteran group of players
helped Northwest reach the
District 2 Class 2A title game.
Will it backfire this year?
Possibly as new coach Lon
Hazlet will have quite a task
getting a young team to the
2A postseason.
“To my calculations, we’re
replacing 96 percent of the
offensive yardage,” said
Hazlet, who is on his fifth
coaching stop. “We have four
percent of last year’s yardage
coming back, so that’s a big
uphill battle. But at the same
time, my number one goal is
for these 10 seniors to have
Wilkes- Saturday
Barre •11:00
(570)a.m.
824-4477
Monday
- 10:00 p.m.
Sunday
12:00
p.m.a.m.
- 8:00
p.m.p.m.
Monday
- Saturday
11:00
- 10:00
Schedule
at Lakeland
Dunmore
Western Wayne
GAR
at Hanover Area
at Nanticoke
at Lake-Lehman
Meyers
at Tunkhannock
Holy Redeemer
2014 Results (9-3)
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
Lakeland (4-6)
L 14-6
at Dunmore (14-2)
L 35-6
at Western Wayne (6-5)
W 14-13
at GAR (7-4)
W 14-10
Hanover Area (6-5)
W 28-12
Nanticoke (4-6)
W 26-6
Lake-Lehman (6-5)
W 34-26
at Meyers (3-7)
W 56-7
Tunkhannock (0-10)
W 56-0
W 34-13
GAR (7-4)
W 26-20 OT
Dunmore (14-2)
L 35-0
2 Cycle
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Mazonkey, RB/LB; Adam
Schechterly, DL; Marcus
Welliver, TE/DL; Curtis
Whitmire, OL/DL; Logan
Womelsdorf, QB; Matt
Zawatski, LB
2014 regular-season
leaders
PASSING: Logan
Womelsdorf 69-of-151,
1,319 yds., 13 TDs, 4 Ints.
RUSHING: Austin
Mazonkey 113-724, 6.4 avg.,
9 TDs
RECEIVING: Nick Long 31448, 14.5 avg., 4 TDs
SCORING: Austin
Mazonkey 56 pts.
KICKING: Jeremy Walsh 21
XPM, 21 pts.
Snow BlowEr TunE uP
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Fri., Sept. 18
Fri., Sept. 25
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Fri., Oct. 16
Fri., Oct. 23
Fri., Oct. 30
Fri., Nov. 6
AT A
GLANCE!
See NORTHWEST | 28
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NORTHWEST RANGERS
AT A GLANCE
Coach: Lon Hazlet (84-87),
1st year at Northwest; 17th
year overall
Division: WVC 2A
PIAA Class: 2A
Returning starters: 3
offense/5 defense
School phone: 570-5424126
Stadium location: High
School, Thorne Hill Road,
off Route 239, Shickshinny
Key players lost:
Tyler Burger, WR/DB;
Tyler Harrison, OL/DL;
Trent Kowalski RB/DB
(transferred to Berwick);
Nick Long, WR/DB; Austin
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Times Leader
Patriots want to
change culture
By Nick Wagner
[email protected]
When Jim Norris took over
Pittston Area’s football team last
season, he wanted to change the
culture. He wanted his players to
buy in to the commitment to get
the program to the next level.
Pittston Area will be celebrating
the 50th season as a football
program this year. Norris has
studied the history of the school
and knows he coaches at a football
school. Now, he’s still trying to
get that point across to his players
heading into the 2015 season.
“We’re working on approaching
the game with a little more passion
and enthusiasm,” Norris said. “We
have the ability and the scheme to
do great things. What we’re lacking
is our emotion for the game.”
Norris has seen his players go
through the motions at times early
this season. If the team is going to
be able to compete at the highest
level, it will have to commit 100
percent all the time, he said.
Pittston Area is blessed with a
large senior class and a sophomore
class that that can turn some heads
in the next few years.
“The nice thing about this year
is that we have a big senior class
that’s really supported by a strong
sophomore class,” Norris said.
“We’ll see them on the field this
year.”
ON OFFENSE
Pittston Area will have to
replace one of the best athletes in
the Wyoming Valley Conference
from a year ago.
Quarterback Kyle Gattuso, who
is now in his freshman season at
Wilkes University, led the Patriots
in scoring, passing and rushing.
While Gattuso will no longer be
in the backfield, Norris will look to
running his offense by committee
at both the quarterback and
running back positions.
Sophomore Walter Coles and
senior Niko Cinquegrani will take
most of the reps under center.
Seniors Carmen Falcone, Eric
Petrosky, Ryan Davis and Kyle
Petrosky will split reps at running
See PITTSTON AREA | 30
Nick Wagner | Times Leader
Pittston Area’s key offensive players for the 2015 season are, from left, senior Niko Cinquegrani, senior Carmen
Falcone, sophomore Walter Coles, senior Eric Petroski and senior Paul Brady.
Jim Norris
Paul Brady
Niko
Cinquegrani
Ryan Davis
Brandon
Goodlavage
Carmen
Falcone
Eric Petroski
AT A
GLANCE!
PITTSTON AREA PATRIOTS
AT A GLANCE
Coach: Jim Norris (3-7), 2nd year
Division: WVC 3A
PIAA Class: 3A
Stadium location: Charley Trippi Stadium, high
school, Stout Street, Yatesville
Key players lost: Angelo Aita, WR/DB; Kyle
Gattuso, QB/DB
PASSING: Kyle Gattuso 117-of-239, 1,178 yds., 11
TDs, 8 Int.
RUSHING: Kyle Gattuso 173-860, 5.0 avg., 8 TDs
RECEIVING: Paul Brady 31-380, 12.3 avg., 3 TDs
SCORING: Kyle Gattuso 48 pts.
KICKING: Steve Pugliese 16 XPM, 1 FG, 19 pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4
Abington Heights
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 5
Valley View
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18
at Wyo. Valley West 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26
at Crestwoood
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
Hazleton Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9
at Tunkhannock
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16
Coughlin
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23
at Berwick
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30
Fri., Nov. 6
Dallas
7 p.m.
at Wyoming Area
7 p.m.
2014 Results (3-7)
at Abington Heights (4-6)
L 31-14
at Valley View (4-6)
W 35-34
L 56-7
Crestwood (12-1)
L 62-14
W 34-28 OT
Tunkhannock (0-10)
W 30-7
at Coughlin (6-5)
L 35-6
Berwick (9-3)
L 43-0
at Dallas (6-5)
L 47-6
Wyoming Area (3-7)
L 28-7
GOOD LUCK PATRIOTS!
from
ATTY. SAMUEL A. FALCONE, JR.
CLASS OF 1983
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Attorneys
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Standing: Lee Ann Shovlin, Tracy Ciarimboli, Patricia Survilla
490 N. Main St., Pittston
654-4643
Times Leader
Numbers, spirit up at Tunkhannock
By Tom Fox
For Times Leader
Restore the roar.
That’s the mantra around
Tunkhannock football.
But when you’re coming
off an 0-10 season in 2014,
first-year coach Jan Cechak
understands it may take
some time.
The first
encouraging
sign? One
look at the
roster, it’s
close to
40 kids.
Considering
Jan Cechak
the Tigers
finished
Week 10 with less than 20
kids dressed, it’s a huge
step.
“A real good sign for
our program,” Cechak
said. “Everything has
been positive. The kids
understand what is expected
of them. The practices are
fast-paced, and everyone
gets a good workout. I think
the confidence level is there.
Everyone wants to turn this
around.”
Of course, the first step
is Week 1 where the Tigers
take on Athens.
ON OFFENSE
Fred Adams | for Times Leader
Tunkhannock captains are, from left, Jarod Bernosky, Ricky
Stevens, Josh Flaherty and Ryan Cywinski.
Get ready for a new
offense in Tunkhannock.
It should come as no
surprise. It’s going to be an
up-tempo style – more of a
pistol look filled with backs
and receivers.
“We want to put the
ball in their hands and
allow them to make plays,”
Cechak said.
Who will step up to
make those plays is still the
biggest question facing the
Tigers.
Gone is all-everything
Brian Beauchemin, who
ran, threw, caught and
kicked the football. Also lost
to graduation is starting
quarterback Ryan Ell. The
two accounted for close
to 80 percent of the 2014
offense.
See TUNKHANNOCK | 30
Ryan Cywinski
Josh Flaherty
Ricky Stevens
Jarod Bernosky
21
AT A
GLANCE!
TUNKHANNOCK TIGERS
AT A GLANCE
Coach: Jan Cechak (23-79-2) 1st year back at
Tunkhannock; 11th year overall
Division: WVC 3A
PIAA Class: 3A
Stadium location: High School, off Route 6,
Tunkhannock
Key players lost: Brian Beauchemin, RB/LB; Kory
Callum, OL/DL; Ryan Ell, QB/DB; Brett Stage, WR/DB
PASSING: Ryan Ell 41-of-120, 630 yds., 4 TDs, 5 Ints.
RUSHING: Brian Beauchemin 129-617, 4.8 avg., 5 TDs
RECEIVING: Brian Beauchemin 24-369, 15.4 avg., 1 TD
SCORING: Brian Beauchemin 52 pts.
KICKING: Brian Beauchemin 7 XPM, 3 FGs, 16 pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4
Athens
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 11
Western Wayne
7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 19
at Scranton Prep
1:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25
Wyoming Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
Honesdale
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9
Pittston Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16
at Hazleton Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23
at Williamsport
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30
Northwest
7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 7
at Coughlin
7 p.m.
2014 Results (0-10)
at Athens (4-6)
L 20-14
at Western Wayne (6-5)
L 33-17
Scranton Prep (8-3)
L 29-0
at Wyoming Area (3-7)
L 17-7
at Honesdale (7-4)
L 34-13
L 30-7
Hazleton Area (1-9)
L 49-19
Williamsport (2-8)
L 28-16
at Northwest (9-3)
L 56-0
Coughlin (6-5)
L 28-9
good luck TigErS
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THE ALL NEW
153 E Tioga STrEET • Tunkhannock Pa • 877.509.0510 • ShErwoodchEvrolET.com
Times Leader
New coach looking for different results
By John Erzar
[email protected]
Williamsport football has been a bit of an
enigma.
The pieces seem to be in place, but success
has been fleeting. The Millionaires made
some progress under coach Tom Gravish,
making the postseason in 2010 only to
bottom out the next year. Gravish departed
after five years and has found success at
Jersey Shore.
Long-time assistant Kevin Choate took the
reins in 2012, but Williamsport won just five
of 30 games before he retired.
Enter new coach Chuck Crews, who
coached four years at Chester under similar
circumstances. He’s hoping to restore the
program to the power it was when it joined
the Wyoming Valley Conference in 1994.
“That’s why I’m here,” Crews said. “The
best decisions I’ve made were in the assistant
coaches I’ve kept around. They are doing an
outstanding job and had a relationship with
the boys in one shape or another because
most of them are from the community.
There is a willingness to put back that true
Williamsport pride.”
Clockwise, from lower left:
Williamsport OL/DL Eli Clary, WR
Jerah Reeves, LB/TE Jalen Jackson,
WR Dante Wright, QB Isaiah
Hankins, and OL Tyler Anderson.
ON OFFENSE
Isaiah Hankins
Chuck Crews
Jerah Reeves
Jalen Jackson
Dante Wright
Eli Clary
Tyler Anderson
!
ROSTER
MILLIONAIRES ROSTER
No.Name
1
Jerah Reeves
3
Treyson Potts
5
Michael Lingard
8
Jared Thompson
9
Kullen Rogers
10 Jalen Jackson
11 Nathan Welch
12 Dante Wright
14 Terrance Hillman
16 Tristan Connor
18 Angelo Girardi
19 Thomas Robinson
22 Isaiah Hankins
23 Latrelle Jackson
24 Jonah Nikalaus
25 Cameron Dickey
31 Ross Stebbins
32 Elliott Walker
36 Alex Pickering
40 Bryce Wright
Ht
6-2
5-9
5-6
6-0
5-5
6-0
6-0
5-8
5-7
6-1
5-7
5-10
5-10
5-7
5-9
5-5
5-10
5-10
5-7
5-10
Wt
195
170
135
160
135
205
175
150
150
170
155
155
185
155
140
140
210
175
130
175
Pos Gr
WR-DB Sr.
RB-DB Fr.
RB-DB Jr.
WR-LBSo.
RB-DB So.
TE-LB Jr.
TE-LB So.
WR-DB Jr.
K
Jr.
WR-DB Jr.
WR-DBSo.
WR-DBSo.
QB-DB Jr.
RB-DB So.
WR-DBSo.
WR-DBSo.
RB-LB Jr.
RB-DB Jr.
WR-DBSo.
RB-LB Jr.
42
43
44
50
51
52
54
55
56
58
59
60
66
68
72
73
74
75
76
77
84
87
Denver Fredericks 5-10
Chase Bower
5-10
Keough Johnson
6-3
Peter Jagelia
5-9
Elijah Carey
5-9
Frank Rose
6-3
Jamaire Burget
5-8
Zane Lundy
6-1
Alec Dickey
5-6
Jack Holmes
5-11
Benjamin Kelley
5-11
Dalton Kriner
6-3
Liam Breasette
5-8
Christopher Harvey 6-2
Jordan Hockenberry6-2
Tyler Anderson
6-4
Chance Bower
5-9
Kurt Danneker
6-4
Jeff Keynan
5-7
Marshall Nork
6-2
Devin Welch
6-0
Ethen Stryker
6-4
190
145
190
205
220
250
190
195
160
210
190
250
230
215
225
300
240
320
245
240
155
225
FB-LB Sr.
WR-LBSo.
WR-DE Jr.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL Sr.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL So.
TE-DB Sr.
TE-DE So.
Williamsport has one of the best pitch-catch
combinations in the WVC in quarterback
Isaiah Hankins and receiver Jerah Reeves.
Hankins was the surprise winner in the
quarterback battle as a sophomore last season
and showed he could excel with his arm or
legs. Reeves led the entire WVC with 13
touchdown catches. His 47 receptions were
second best in the WVC as he earned Times
Leader All-WVC honors. Receiver Dante
Wright and tight end Jalen Jackson also had
their moments in the passing game.
“He’s been a true blessing,” Crews said of
Hankins. “My gosh, the kid goes hard. He’s
grasping what we’re trying to install and is
making sure his teammates around him are
picking it up.”
The running game, though, was
problematic last year. Williamsport produced
100-yard rushing performances just twice,
with returning running back Elliott Walker
getting 147 against Hazleton Area in Week 4.
The Millionaires never built on that moment
and struggled to run the ball the rest of the
way.
That could change if Williamsport can fill
some voids around guards Tyler Anderson and
Kurt Danneker and tackle Eli Clary.
ON DEFENSE
A chronic problem, no matter who has been
coaching, has been big plays. Williamsport
AT A
GLANCE!
WILLIAMSPORT
MILLIONAIRES AT A GLANCE
Coach: Chuck Crews (11-29), 1st year at
Williamsport; 5th year overall
Division: WVC 4A
PIAA Class: 4A
Stadium location: High School, West Fourth
Street, Williamsport
Key players lost: Jed Chestnut, WR/DB;
Deretz Fletcher, RB/LB; Donte Johnson, DB;
Garrett Nork, OL/DL; Dustin Pelleschi, OL/
DL
PASSING: Isaiah Hankins 129-of-223, 1,879
RUSHING: Deretz Fletcher 76-458, 6.0 avg.,
5 TDs
RECEIVING: Jerah Reeves 47-838, 17.8 avg.,
13 TDs
SCORING: Jerah Reeves 86 pts.
KICKING: Avery Schultz 6 XPM, 6 pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4 at Central Mountain 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 11 Mifflin County
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18 Abington Heights 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25 at Hazleton Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
at Dallas
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9
at Coughlin
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16 Berwick
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23 Tunkhannock
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30 at Crestwood
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6
Wyo. Valley West 7 p.m.
2014 Results (2-8)
Central Mountain (1-9)
L 34-33
at Mifflin County (1-9)
L 35-12
at Abington Heights (4-6)
L 37-12
Hazleton Area (1-9)
W 26-14
Dallas (6-5)
L 56-22
Coughlin (6-5)
L 49-38
at Berwick (9-3)
L 52-13
W 28-16
Crestwood (12-1)
L 56-20
at Wyo. Valley West (8-3) L 35-25
simply surrenders too many of them, forcing
the Millionaires to play from behind too often.
They surrendered 34 or more points in eight
games in 2014.
“That’s from being inconsistent in your
technique and scheme and not being
fundamentally sound,” Crews said. “We’re
doing a lot of different things, but there’s a lot
of carryover where responsibilities stay the
same.”
See WILLIAMSPORT | 30
Times Leader
23
Warriors ready to get physical
By Tom Robinson
For Times Leader
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area ready to answer the bell this season. Donovan O’Boyle (22)
RB, Brian Miles (24) RB, PJ Angeli (12) QB, MarcAnthony Minichello (10) RB.
WARRIORS ROSTER
No.Name
2
Steve Homza
3
Kyler Higgins
4
Mitchell Higley
5
Ryan Murray
7
Keith Pugh
10 MarcAnthony Minichello
11 Ethan Crake
15 Shane Eslick
16 Anthony Saitta
19 Robert Trottini
21 Blaise Ciampi
22 Donovan O’Boyle
24 Brian Miles
30 Dante DeLuca
33 Jeff Urban
38 Brandon Charney
41 Robert Butwin
43 Blaise Erzar
44 James Eslick
45 A.J. Ross
47 Justin Joseph
52 John Rubino
53 Joe Mikoliczyk
54 Paul Hager
56 Noah Johnson
57 Michael Dructor
58 Frank Yurek
62 Andrew Bartoli
63 Antonio Koshinski
68 Justin Steinberger
70 Dean Smith
71 Adam Rivera
72 Joe Zaleppa
73 Damon Barhight
74 Jeff Hoover
75 Jake Yarmey
76 Matt Wycoski
80 Kyle Carr
85 Mark Ostroski
86 Tristen Sokach-Minnick
87 Tyler Demko
89 Dylan Kostak
99 Justin Smith
!
Ht.
6-0
6-0
5-9
5-11
5-7
5-10
5-10
5-9
6-2
5-9
5-6
5-8
5-9
6-2
5-11
5-9
6-1
6-0
5-9
5-8
5-7
5-9
6-1
5-10
6-1
6-3
6-0
5-7
5-9
6-0
6-3
5-9
6-1
5-11
6-4
5-10
6-1
6-1
5-9
6-0
5-8
6-0
5-11
Wt.
165
170
155
165
175
165
150
160
175
155
135
165
195
200
160
160
170
185
175
175
185
240
225
180
250
285
250
185
230
225
250
265
270
235
330
180
210
200
185
180
155
210
205
Pos.
QB
QB
WR
WR
RB
RB/DB
WR
WR
WR
WR
WR
RB
RB/DB
TE/DE
WR
RB
WR
TE
RB
RB
RB
G
T
G
T
T/DT
T/DT
C
G
C/DL
T
T
T
G
T
G
T
TE/DT
WR
TE
TE
TE/LB
TE
ROSTER
Gr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
So.
So.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Fr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Wyoming Area will look to
continue the adjustment to the
more physical demands of playing
in the large school half of the
Wyoming Valley Conference.
The Warriors went 3-7 last year,
the first following a move back up
from Class 2A to Class 3A and the
more-demanding schedule that
goes with the switch.
“When you look at Wyoming
Valley Conference Division
1, you’re talking about very
competitive,” Wyoming Area
coach Randy Spencer said. “You
better be able to go toe-to-toe,
big, strong and physical and you
better have some athletes who can
run.”
The eight starters Wyoming
Area returns are spread across
three grades with three seniors,
three juniors and two sophomores
after many young players were
tested during the 2014 season.
ON OFFENSE
The Warriors often went with
three quarterbacks in the same
game last season and it wouldn’t
be a surprise for them to use two
this year.
Junior Steve Homza and
sophomore P.J. Angeli are back
after being part of the three-man
rotation last season.
“Both kids are working
hard,” Spencer said. “It’s a good
competitive environment with
them, pushing each other to get
better every day.”
The coach will look for one
player at the position, but he has
shown he doesn’t mind using
more.
“You have to have two ready
to play, especially in our league,”
Spencer said. “I’m sure the
competition will bring us to one
before the season, but then both
guys will be ready to play and I’m
sure both will get an opportunity
to play during the season.”
Both Homza and Angeli can
play receiver when not under
center.
Marc Anthony Minichello is
another young player bringing
versatility to the attack. After
seeing time at receiver last
season, he could return to that
spot or take a shot at running
back.
Brian Miles also has some
experience at running back while
sophomore speedster Donovan
O’Boyle could also be in the mix.
The most experienced
AT A
GLANCE!
WYOMING AREA WARRIORS AT A GLANCE
Coach: Randy Spencer (37-39) 8th year
Division: WVC 3A
PIAA Class: 3A
Stadium location: Anthony “Jake” Sobeski Stadium,
Boston Ave., off Route 11, West Pittston
Key players lost: Cade Bekanich, OL/DL; Ryan Gorki,
QB/DB; A.J. Lenkaitis, WR/K/P; Marty Michaels, RB/LB;
Jeff Skursky, RB/LB; Jeremy Stach, LB; David Vincent,
OL/DL; Robert Wargo, LB
PASSING: Ryan Gorki 33-of-65, 335 yds., 2 TDs, 5 Ints.
RUSHING: Jeff Skursky 217-1,271, 5.9 avg., 9 TDs
RECEIVING: A.J. Lenkaitis 16-166, 10.4 avg., 1 TD
SCORING: Jeff Skursky 62 pts.
KICKING: A.J. Lenkaitis 14 XPM, 2 FGs, 20 pts.
Randy Spencer
MarcAnthony
Minichello
P.J. Angeli
Brian Miles
players are up front where
Michael Dructor and Frank
Yurek return as tackles, Justin
Steinberger is back at guard along
with juniors Kyle Carr and Dante
DeLuca at the tight end spots.
Looking to fill out the rest
of the line are center Andrew
Bartoli, John Rubino and Dean
Smith. Rubino can play guard or
tackle. Smith, a 250-pound senior,
has returned after time away from
the program and looked good
in the preseason, according to
Spencer.
See WYOMING AREA | 27
Schedule
Wyo. Valley West
7 p.m.
at Scranton Prep
1:30 p.m.
at North Pocono
7 p.m.
at Tunkhannock
7 p.m.
Crestwood
7 p.m.
Berwick
7 p.m.
Dallas
7 p.m.
at Coughlin
7 p.m.
at Wallenpaupack
7 p.m.
Pittston Area
7 p.m.
2014 Results (3-7)
L 42-7
Scranton Prep (8-3)
L 42-14
North Pocono (4-6)
L 29-27 OT
Tunkhannock (0-10)
W 17-7
at Crestwood (12-1)
L 71-13
at Berwick (9-3)
L 29-13
at Dallas (6-5)
W 17-10
Coughlin (6-5)
L 42-7
Wallenpaupack (5-5)
L 24-5
W 28-7
Fri., Sept. 4
Sat., Sept. 12
Fri., Sept. 18
Fri., Sept. 25
Fri., Oct. 2
Fri., Oct. 9
Fri., Oct. 16
Sat., Oct. 24
Fri., Oct. 31
Fri., Nov. 6
Times Leader
Playoffs in focus for Spartans
By John Erzar
have to earn everything
we get and accomplish.
Hard work does that.”
[email protected]
Wyoming Valley West
has never missed the
playoffs under coach
Pat Keating. That streak
should likely continue this
season.
The
Spartans
have some
holes to
fill, but
are at
the point
where
Pat Keating
there are
always
candidates
ready to step up. That
should mean another
Wyoming Valley
Conference Division
4A title and postseason
berth unless there’s an
unforeseen cascade of
injuries.
“You have that bull’s eye
on your back,” Keating
said. “That’s one thing I
can attribute to our kids
because they work for
it. It’s instilled in them
to work hard during the
spring and summer. They
put in a lot of hours.
Nothing’s handed to them,
nothing’s given to them.
“Basically, we say we
!
n
e
ow
N
p
O
ON OFFENSE
The key loss is
quarterback Brady
Davison, a Times Leader
All-WVC selection. Junior
Aaron Austin takes over
the position. He’s a bit of
an unknown, but so was
Davison in 2014 and that
turned out incredibly well.
“Last year he was a
little of a scatback/wide
receiver, kind of like
(Sean) Judge,” Keating
said. “But he’s been a
quarterback coming up
through our system.”
Austin will be throwing
to a very talented
receiving corps that
includes All-WVC tight
end L.J. Wesneski, bigplay wideout Devon
Weidman and super
versatile Sean Judge.
Wesneski will split out
quite often while a GPS
device will be needed to
find Judge on the field. He
could end up anywhere,
including in the backfield
where he’s shown the
capabilities of being a
breakaway threat.
See WVW | 31
John Mylott (far left) takes a picture of his teammates during Wyoming Valley West
media day.
Sean Judge
Bill Davison
L.J. Wesneski
Chris Bleich
Devon Weidman
Kris Wolfe
Jason Wall
Jake Shemo
Aaron Austin
Chris Reese
Budd’s
Pizza Café & Page 134 SPortSHub
(3 blocks behind Kingston Corners Edwardsville Plaza, right at end of Lowes)
!
SPARTANS ROSTER
No.Name
1 Logan Myers
2 Savion Saunders
3 Aaron Austin
5 Jake Gurtis
6 Chris Melovitz
7 Rob Dwyer
8 Nick Stuart
10 Sean Judge
11 Jake Shemo
12 Nate Baranski
13 Damian Davies
14 Joe Hogan
15 Kris Blanco
16 Devon Weidman
17 Tyler Norton
21 Nick Mooney
22 Eric Raitter
23 Sean Mikovitch
24 Jake Blaski
25 Derek Kamus
26 Chris Kuzma
28 Rakim Nathan
31 Mike Kindler
32 Michael Baird
33 James Grady
34 Paul Sims
35 Noah Cussatt
36 Nuh Johnson
39 Raphael Zbysheski
40 Zach Davies
44 Bill Davison
45 Brady Strassman
46 Josh Sokoloski
50 John Mylott
52 Nelson Colon
54 Brydon Rukstalis
56 Sam Novas
58 Greg Lord
60 Mike Sims
61 Noah King
62 Robert Moffat
63 Tim Sult
65 Mike Saracino
67 Kris Wolfe
69 Kyle Puterbaugh
71 Brandon Steidinger
72 Chris Bleich
74 Brian Hoffman
75 Dominic Alunni
76 Rahsaan Brooks
78 Isaiah Hurry
79 Jason Wall
85 L.J. Wesneski
87 Dylan Jockel
88 Derek Doroskewicz
89 Davohn Edwards
90 Chris Reese
95 Mike Stuart
96 Absalom Major
99 Adam Cortes
ROSTER
Ht
5-10
6-1
6-1
5-8
5-8
5-10
5-11
5-8
6-0
6-1
6-2
5-10
5-10
6-1
5-11
5-8
6-2
5-8
5-10
5-7
5-6
5-11
6-1
5-7
5-10
5-10
6-0
5-7
5-7
5-9
6-1
5-9
5-11
6-0
5-11
6-1
5-11
5-10
5-9
5-11
5-9
6-1
5-10
6-1
5-10
5-11
6-6
6-0
6-4
6-0
6-4
6-0
6-3
6-0
5-10
5-6
6-4
6-1
5-10
6-3
Wt
160
175
175
150
155
170
170
165
170
190
195
165
180
175
165
155
200
160
150
145
140
160
140
220
190
190
155
140
150
180
210
165
200
210
210
230
270
225
205
265
170
175
190
250
260
260
310
260
335
250
390
270
240
200
175
145
230
180
200
215
Pos
WR-DB
WR-DB
QB-DB
K
RB-DB
WR-OLB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
QB-DE
QB-ILB
WR-OLB
WR-OLB
WR-DB
WR-OLB
RB-OLB
WR-OLB
RB-OLB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
FB-ILB
FB-ILB
FB-ILB
WR-DB
RB-DB
WR-DB
FB-ILB
FB-ILB
FB-ILB
FB-ILB
T-DE
C-DE
G-DT
T-DT
G-DT
C-DT
T-DT
G-DT
TE-DE
G-DE
G-DT
G-DT
G-DT
T-DT
G-DT
T-DT
G-DT
T-DT
T-DT
TE-DE
TE-DE
WR-OLB
WR-DB
TE-DE
T-DE
FB-DE
TE-DE
Gr
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Fr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
So.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
So.
A Family Tradition Since 1972
Best Wishes for a Great 2015 Football Season!
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Times Leader
LACKAWANNA CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
WEEK 3
Friday, Sept. 4
Abington Heights at Pittston
Area
Carbondale at Hanover Area
Dallas at Scranton
Delaware Valley at University
City (Fla.)
Honesdale at Wallenpaupack
Lake-Lehman at Lackawanna
Trail
Meyers at Montrose
North Pocono at Western
Wayne
Northwest at Lakeland
Scranton Prep at Dunmore
Valley View at Mid Valley
West Scranton at Riverside
Saturday, Sept. 5
Holy Cross at Holy Redeemer,
1 p.m.
Nanticoke at Susquehanna,
1 p.m.
Old Forge at GAR, 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 18
Abington Heights at
Williamsport
Carbondale at GAR
Dunmore at West Scranton
Hazleton Area at Delaware
Valley
Lackawanna Trail at Montrose
Lakeland at Valley View
Mid Valley at Honesdale
Old Forge at Hanover Area
Scranton at Wallenpaupack
Western Wayne at Northwest
Wyoming Area at North
Pocono
Saturday, Sept. 19
Susquehanna at Holy Cross,
1 p.m.
Tunkhannock at Scranton
Prep, 1:30 p.m.
Riverside at Meyers, 7 p.m.
WEEK 2
Friday, Sept. 11
Coughlin at West Scranton
Delaware Valley at Wyoming
Valley West
Dunmore at Northwest
Lackawanna Trail at Riverside
Mid Valley at Lake-Lehman
Montrose at Carbondale
North Pocono at Honesdale
Old Forge at Lakeland
Scranton at Hazleton Area
Susquehanna at Meyers
Valley View at Pittston Area
Wallenpaupack at Dallas
Western Wayne at
Tunkhannock
Saturday, Sept. 12
GAR at Holy Cross, 1:30 p.m.
Wyoming Area at Scranton
Prep, 1:30 p.m.
Crestwood at Abington
Heights, 2 p.m.
WEEK 4
Friday, Sept. 25
Hanover Area at Riverside
Holy Cross at Montrose
Honesdale at Carbondale
Lake-Lehman at Old Forge
Meyers at Lackawanna Trail
Nanticoke at Lakeland
Scranton Prep at Scranton
Wallenpaupack at Valley View
West Scranton at North
Pocono
Western Wayne at Mid Valley
Saturday, Sept. 26
Delaware Valley at Abington
Heights, 1 p.m.
Dunmore at Susquehanna, 1
p.m.
WEEK 5
Thursday, Oct. 1
North Pocono at Scranton
Prep, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2
Carbondale at Dunmore
Holy Cross at Western Wayne
Honesdale at Tunkhannock
Lakeland at Lackawanna Trail
Montrose at Susquehanna
Riverside at Old Forge
Valley View at Scranton
West Scranton at Delaware
Valley
Saturday, Oct. 3
Wallenpaupack at Abington
Heights, 1 p.m.
Mid Valley at GAR, 7 p.m.
WEEK 6
Friday, Oct. 9
Abington Heights at Valley
View
Delaware Valley at North
Pocono
Dunmore at Honesdale
Lakeland at Montrose
Old Forge at Mid Valley
Scranton at West Scranton
Scranton Prep at
Wallenpaupack
Western Wayne at Riverside
Saturday, Oct. 10
Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech at
Holy Cross, 1 p.m.
Holy Redeemer at
Susquehanna, 2:15 p.m.
WEEK 7
Friday, Oct. 16
Holy Cross at Carbondale
Lackawanna Trail at Old Forge
Lakeland at Dunmore
Montrose at Western Wayne
North Pocono at Scranton
Riverside at Honesdale
Susquehanna at Mid Valley
Valley View at Delaware Valley
West Scranton at
Wallenpaupack
Saturday, Oct. 17
Abington Heights at Scranton
Prep, 1:30 p.m.
WEEK 8
Friday, Oct. 23
Delaware Valley at Scranton
Dunmore at Western Wayne
Honesdale at Lakeland
Montrose at Riverside
North Pocono at
Wallenpaupack
Old Forge at Carbondale
Susquehanna at Lackawanna
Trail
Saturday, Oct. 24
Mid Valley at Holy Cross, 1
p.m.
Valley View at Scranton Prep,
1:30 p.m.
West Scranton at Abington
Heights, 2 p.m.
WEEK 9
Friday, Oct. 30
Abington Heights at North
Pocono
Holy Cross at Old Forge
Mid Valley at Lackawanna Trail
Montrose at Dunmore
Riverside at Lakeland
Scranton Prep at Delaware
Valley
West Scranton at Valley View
Western Wayne at Honesdale
Wyoming Area at
Wallenpaupack
Wyoming Valley West at
Scranton
Saturday, Oct. 31
Carbondale at Susquehanna,
1 p.m.
WEEK 10
Friday, Nov. 6
Carbondale at Mid Valley
Honesdale at Montrose
Lakeland at Western Wayne
North Pocono at Valley View
Riverside at Dunmore
Scranton Prep at West
Scranton
Susquehanna at Old Forge
Wallenpaupack at Delaware
Valley
Saturday, Nov. 7
Lackawanna Trail at Holy
Cross, 1 p.m.
Scranton at Abington Heights,
1 p.m.
25
Holy Redeemer
!
ROSTER
From page 12
games to finish 3-7. But the Royals were
painfully close to a .500 season, losing
two games by 13 points and another by
just four.
“We’re considerably stronger this year
than last year,” Dennis said, crediting the
development to offseason weight work.
“Without question (last year), physically,
there were aspects where we were
lacking. Number one, we had no strength.
We have more knowledge of the system
this year.
“We’re a much better football team.”
ON OFFENSE
This may be where Redeemer made
the most improvement from a year ago.
With tackles D.J. Baird and Mike Conway,
guard Liam Vender and tight end J.D.
Turosky all returning up front, the Royals
expect to feature an offensive line that can
stand toe-to-toe with most teams in the
Wyoming Valley Confernce Division 2A.
“I feel our offensive line may be a
strength,” Dennis said.
Now if the Royals can put some
weapons behind them.
They lost Times Leader All-WVC
receiver Jason Hoggarth, star running
back Pat Villani and quarterback Chad
Fahey along with fullback Justin Renfer,
all of whom graduated and took a lot of
leadership with them.
Senior Cameron Brennan will step in
at quarterback, and the ground game will
feature a crew of ballcarriers looking for
yardage.
“This year, we have a multitude of
players we can run in a game,” Dennis
said.
Junior Thomas Engle is slated to be the
feature back, but senior Justin Januszko
and promising freshman Eric Jeffries
should see plenty of carries. Senior Tom
Williams will fill the void at fullback.
Kyle Piskorak returns at the wide
receiver spot with first-year starters
Connor Thole, a state swimming qualifier,
Jonathan Winter and Alex Wampole
appearing capable of helping at that
position during preseason camp. Jonathan
Winter and Alex Wampole, a strong player
from the school’s soccer team, could also
provide a boost to the wideout corps.
Dennis cited Brennan, who switched
from the receiver spot to quarterback,
along with Conway and Baird as
players who had particularly impressive
offseasons.
ON DEFENSE
The Royals plan to be fearsome up
front, with their whole defensive line
Lake-Lehman
ROYALS ROSTER
No.Name
Ht
1
Justin Januszko
5-10
3 Cade Fahey
5-10
4 James Cunningham 5-10
7
Alex Wampole
5-10
8 Robb McClay
5-10
9 Cameron Brennan 5-11
10 Dennis Harrison
5-10
14 Kyle Piskorik
5-9
15 Mauricio Rodriguez 5-7
20 Eric Jeffries
5-10
24 Jeffrey Hornlein
5-11
25 Jonathan Winter
6-1
30 Jason Poor
6-0
31 Tyler Benson
5-10
34 Thomas Engle
5-11
42 Brian Greenwalt
5-11
44 Ryan Januszko
5-11
50 D.J. Baird
6-3
53 Michael Conway
6-0
55 Liam Vender
5-11
56 Marc Kolendowicz 5-9
59 Dan Jones
5-10
61 Jarrett Gabriel
5-10
69 Austin Smith
6-2
70 Joe Pisack
6-2
75 Drew Casper
5-11
77 Joe Al-Daoud
6-0
79 Zach Walker
6-3
80 Chris Mennig
6-3
81 J.D. Turosky
6-2
85 John Sartin
5-11
87 Connor Thole
6-2
90 Tom Williams
5-10
Wt
165
165
180
170
175
185
170
150
130
180
160
190
175
180
180
175
175
275
250
265
180
170
180
240
220
220
270
280
210
210
170
190
190
Pos
RB-CB
WR
RB-LB
WR-CB
QB-S
QB-CB
WR-CB
WR-CB
K-P
RB-CB
RB-CB
WR-LB
WR-S
FB-LB
RB-S
TE-LB
RB-LB
OT-DT
OT-DE
C-DT
C-DT
C-NG
C-DE
OT-DE
OT-DE
OT-DE
OG-DT
OT-DT
TE-DE
TE-LB
WR-CB
WR-CB
FB-DT
From page 13
Gr
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
coming back.
Tackles Vendor and Williams team with
edge rushers Conway and Jarrett Gabriel
to give Redeemer an all-senior group on
the front line.
Linebackers Turosky, Winter and Brian
Greenwald are back at the linebacker
spots.
“Where we’re going to be challenged is
probably our secondary,” Dennis said.
Brennan returns to his safety spot, but
he’ll be joined in the defensive backfield
by some new faces.
Januszko, Wampole and Piskorak are
the likely candidates to man the corner
spots.
OUTLOOK
The Royals are probably a little way
away from challenging for a league title,
but they do expect to compete.
An upset or two and a .500 season
isn’t out of the question for Redeemer
anymore.
“I have expectations every year for us
to be successful,” Dennis said. “To be
10-0? That’s probably not happening. But I
probably would be disappointed in myself
if this isn’t a better-than-.500 football
team.”
Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter
@TLPaulSokoloski
ON OFFENSE
Penn State recruit Connor
McGovern leads the big and
experienced front.
Joey Vigil averaged 12.7 yards per
carry while running for 1,218 yards on
the 2013 championship team.
They are joined by many
experienced teammates.
Vigil was in and out of the lineup
last year. When he was out, he was
replaced by Nick Eury. Now, they
are both available to play halfback
or operate out of double wings. Luke
Hummel is a strong blocker at fullback.
Vincenzo Ferrari steps in at
quarterback.
“He’s taller; he’s stronger,” Gilsky
said. “He’s vocal. I really like his
leadership this year.
“He was a sophomore quarterback
last year waiting for his turn and he’s
been in the weight room ever since. He
really deserves it.”
Noah Gorski is back at receiver.
McGovern, who moves from center
to guard, and Cole Spencer are back to
start in the line. Chris Traver rotated
in at times last year.
Zach Brucher, a 6-foot-5,
255-pounder, adds to the strength of
the offensive line as the tight end.
Depending on who wins the center
job, the Black Knights may not have a
starter smaller than 230 pounds at any
of the six positions.
ON DEFENSE
The front of the 4-4 defense should
be tough with McGovern and Traver
back at tackles.
Brucher, a part-time starter last
year, is likely to be at one end with
either Kris Rosencrans or Cole
Spencer.
“We’re 250 pounds across the front
line on defense, too, except with using
Rosencrans and he’s my speed guy
coming off the edge,” Gilsky said.
There is even more available. Mason
Rios started five games up front last
year.
Hummel is back at one inside
linebacker spot and will be joined by
Eury, who gained some experience
on the outside last year. Trey Borger,
who started half the season, is likely
to be an outside linebacker with Tyler
Wojciechowski and Jesse Tomolonis
joining him.
The secondary is all experienced
players. Ferrari and Vigil return.
Charlie Kuschke started some and
Times Leader
Gorski was part of the rotation. Matt
Myers is also part of the mix and there
could be players rotating through the
three-man unit.
OUTLOOK
The Black Knights are expected to
be back in title contention.
“I’m trying to keep quiet,” Gilsky
said, “but we have a good corps of kids
back.”
After easing into the schedule,
Lehman goes through a tough
midseason stretch.
The Black Knights go from seeing
their first WVC opponent – what could
be an improving Holy Redeemer team
– to hitting the road to face two-time
defending District 2 Class A champion
Old Forge the next week.
Lake-Lehman is home in the sixth
and seventh games against GAR, the
team it is most likely to battle with
at the top of WVC Division 2A, and
Northwest, the defending division
champion.
A veteran group should be ready by
then.
“We only have eight seniors, but a
lot of them will be going both ways,”
Gilsky said.
Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or
on Twitter @TLsports
!
ROSTER
BLACK KNIGHTS ROSTER
No.Name
Ht.
4 Vincenzo Ferrari
6-0
6 Jake Tomolonis
5-11
7 Luke Hummel
6-1
8 Matt Myers
5-11
10 Nick Eury
5-9
11 Trey Borger
5-9
15 Mavrick Nulton
5-7
16 Nate O’Donell
5-11
18 Noah Gorski
5-11
19 Ian Dawsey
6-0
21 Nate Labar
5-7
22 Liam O’Brien
5-8
23 Tyler Wojciechowski 5-9
24 Charlie Kuschke
5-5
25 Joey Vigil
5-10
28 Matt Benn
5-10
29 Kyler Space
5-9
34 Jesse Tomolonis
5-9
40 Zach Brucher
6-5
44 Jack Symeon
6-1
50 Ryan White
5-7
51 John Thomas
6-3
52 Kaleb Konigus
6-2
54 Nate Mutchler
6-0
57 Nate Pavlichko
6-0
58 Jerimya Stonier
5-11
60 Connor McGovern 6-5
67 Cole Spencer
6-3
75 Riely Sutliff
6-1
76 Mason Rios
5-7
79 Chris Traver
5-10
80 Eddie Sikora
6-0
83 Jarrett Daum
5-6
88 Kris Rosencrans
6-0
89 Jared Campbell
5-11
Wt.
170
165
225
165
195
175
150
185
170
150
130
145
180
160
175
150
160
195
255
200
175
215
235
285
245
275
310
250
220
250
260
175
145
200
165
Pos. Gr.
QB-DB Jr.
WR-DB Jr.
TE-LB Sr.
WR-DB Jr.
RB-LB Sr.
RB-DB So.
WR-DL So.
QB-LB So.
WR-DB Jr.
K
Jr.
WR-DB So.
WR-DB So.
RB-LB Jr.
RB-DB Jr.
RB-DB Sr.
RB-LB So.
RB-LB Jr.
FB-LB Jr.
TE-DE Sr.
TE-LB So.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Sr.
OL-LB So.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL Sr.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL So.
FB-DL Jr.
OL-DL Sr.
WR-LB Jr.
WR-DB Jr.
TE-DE Sr.
WR-DB Jr.
Times Leader
GAR
Wyoming Area
From page 9
From page 23
OUTLOOK
DeLuca and wide receiver Kyler Higgins could develop into top
targets in the passing game.
After righting the ship in 2014, GAR
goes into this season as a legitimate
playoff contender. The D2-2A playoffs
chase, though, was very competitive last
year and is expected to be even more so
this year. Many of those sub .500 teams
are likely to improve.
Still, if GAR stays healthy and the line
does its job, it’s difficult to envision the
Grenadiers sitting at home come Week
11.
Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @
TLJohnErzar
Hazleton
From page 11
He watched as opponents either
overpowered or wore down his team
time and again, and turned to team
strength coach Jeff Weed for help in
the offseason.
The results have been noticeable.
“No question,” Brennan said. “We
went from zero 300-pound bench
pressers last year to six this year.
We look better physically. I think we
carry ourselves differently.”
Along with some muscle, the
Cougars are counting on some
valuable experience from last season
to change the fortunes of a team
that’s won just nine games over
the past four years and finished 1-9
during two of the previous three
seasons.
Now, Hazleton Area brings back
nine starters on both offense and
defense and returns 33 letterwinners
from a year ago. That should go a
long way in helping a once-proud
program that regularly went deep
into the District 2/11 Class 4A
playoffs during the 2000s to make a
push back toward respectability.
“We’re just looking to improve all
around the ball,” tight end Eddie
Bielen said. “We’re all bigger and
faster than last year. We didn’t win a
lot last year because of our (lack of)
strength. We all knew we needed to
get stronger.”
ON OFFENSE
It all starts up front for Hazleton
Area where the Cougars are
ON DEFENSE
The defense returns more experienced.
Dructor and Yurek are back in the interior line whether the
Warriors show a four- or five-man front. Steinberger has also spent
some time up front.
DeLuca starts at an end position.
The linebacking corps will go through some changes with Dylan
Kostak moving into the lineup. Carr, who has experience at both
tackle and end, could also start at linebacker.
“The guys who did get their feet wet last year are a little bit
more mature, a little bit more experienced,” Spencer said. “I just
like our size and skill set in the front set.”
counting on leadership from a
veteran line.
Seniors Collin Gunsser, John
Dietrich, Matt Bennett and Justin
Podlasek are back with more brawn
this season, hoping to pave the way
to success.
“I think our offensive line has to
be good enough,” Brennan said.
If it is, there’s some promising
talent ready to make plays at the
skill positions.
Sophomore running back Adrian
Otero, at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, has
the ability to be a game-breaker.
“He’s going to be a special one,”
Brennan predicted. “He’s a really
good football player.”
Back at quarterback is Hunter
Vanblargan, who took over the
Cougars’ starting job near the end
of last season. He’ll be looking
for senior Joey Bayzick, whose 28
catches for 340 yards led the team
last year, along with Jose Cabrera at
the receiver spots. Bielen returns to
his tight end spot and fellow tight
end Kyle Swetz will also get some
looks.
“Our running game isn’t bad,”
Bielen said. “Our passing game
really improved. We put a lot of
work in.”
ON DEFENSE
This is where a lot of the 2014
season was lost for the Cougars,
who believe things will change this
time around.
Longazel will help try to change
Hazleton Area’s fortunes up front.
“He has the potential to be one
of the best defensive linemen in the
conference,” Brennan said. But he
also has plenty of help.
Gunsser and junior Zach Fuchick
also return up front, and the
Cougars are excited for the return of
defensive lineman Jake Oressie, who
returns from a torn ACL that cut
short his junior year.
Bayzick will be back at one
outside linebacker spot and Matt
Sutton will fill another linebacking
position.
Otero moves from linebacker
to free safety this year, joining
cornerbacks Cabrera and Vanblargan
in the secondary.
“That’s where we have to make
the most progress in order to be a
competitive football team,” Brennan
said. “We gave up over 30 points
(per game) defensively last year.
I don’t think that we were bad.
Athleticism and maturity were an
issue. We realize we’re not going
to be a good football team until we
solidify the defensive side of the
ball.”
OUTLOOK
The Cougars probably aren’t
going to compete for a Wyoming
Valley Conference division
championship just yet, but they
believe they can make some giants
steps toward getting there this
season. If they do, an Eastern
Conference playoff slot may not be
out of the question.
“Really, I think we’re a 5-5, 6-4
team,” Longazel said. “That’s
something I think we can do, at the
minimum. And I do think we can do
better than that. I’m really excited
for this year.”
Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on
Twitter @TLPaulSokoloski
27
Minichello, Miles and Angeli all return to an experienced, but
still young secondary. Miles is a junior while the other two are
sophomores.
Minichello is a corner and Angeli is a free safety. Miles can
move around, going to strong safety in alignments that call for
one.
OUTLOOK
Regardless of which classification they wind up in for the next
two-year cycle, the Warriors appear to be trending up for 2016.
The questions surround how much progress the team is ready
to make now.
For the second straight year, the Warriors face a very
demanding start, going back-to-back against two of District 2’s top
teams – Wyoming Valley West and Scranton Prep.
If the Warriors are able to be competitive in those games,
it could be a sign that they are ready to do well against the
remainder of the schedule.
Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @TLsports
AT A
GLANCE!
HAZLETON AREA
COUGARS AT A GLANCE
Coach: Mike Brennan (114-71) 2nd year at Hazleton Area;
15th year overall
Division: WVC 4A
PIAA Class: 4A
Male enrollment: 1,332
Stadium location: Harman-Geist Memorial Field, Cedar
Street, off East Diamond Avenue, Hazleton
Key player lost: Zach Zukoski, RB/LB
PASSING: Ryan Heller 73-of-147, 876 yds., 6 TDs, 6 Ints.
RUSHING: Zach Zukoski 180-1,044, 5.8 avg., 11 TDs
RECEIVING: Joey Bayzick 28-340, 12.1 a vg., 3 TDs
SCORING: Zach Zukoski 86 pts.
KICKING: Tristan Williams 21 XPM, 2 FGs, 27 pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4
at Coughlin
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 11
Scranton
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18
at Delaware Valley
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25
Williamsport
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
at Pittston Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9
at Crestwood
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16
Tunkhannock
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23
at Wyo. Valley West
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30
Daniel Boone
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6
Berwick
7 p.m.
2014 Results (1-9)
Coughlin (6-5)
L 40-7
at Scranton (7-4)
L 42-14
Delaware Valley (10-2)
L 41-7
L 26-14
Pittston Area (3-7)
L 34-28 OT
Crestwood (12-1)
L 41-7
W 49-19
L 56-20
at Daniel Boone (8-5)
L 42-27
at Berwick (9-3)
L 56-6
Northwest
!
ROSTER
RANGERS ROSTER
No.Name
3
Neno Agnello
4
Brandon Hardiman
7
Eric Evans
8
Jeremy Walsh
12 Zach Carr
24 Ezra Judge
25 Dylan Womelsdorf
27 Danny Truskowski
29 Bryce Harrison
32 Garrett Reese
33 Mitchell Mazonkey
35 Jake Anderson
40 Beau Getz
42 Gene Faulls
50 Nolan McCorkell
51 Zach Wolfe
52 Steve Bingman
54 Austin Sult
55 Doug Campbell
56 Nick Levandowski
57 Peyton Schwartz
64 Martin Zugarek
69 Brendan Riley
xx Carl Graziano
72 Devon Anusiewicz
75 Luke Pavill
79 Ethon Rinehamer
80 Tyler Hinkson
84 Hayden Stancavage
88 Brian Hardiman
99 Jack Stancavage
From page 19
Ht
5-7
5-8
5-9
6-1
6-0
5-11
6-2
6-0
6-2
6-0
5-10
5-8
5-9
5-6
5-10
5-10
5-7
5-7
6-0
6-2
5-6
5-8
5-11
6-2
6-0
6-0
6-1
5-11
5-10
5-8
5-8
Wt
150
150
175
190
155
150
245
185
220
190
180
160
190
180
175
195
240
180
260
210
290
205
285
230
250
290
290
180
180
175
215
Pos
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
QB-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
TE-LB
WR-LB
TE-LB
RB-LB
RB-DB
RB-DB
RB-LB
RB-LB
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
TE-LB
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
TE-LB
TE-DE
TE-LB
RB-LB
Gr
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Coughlin
From page 6
three came up with big plays as the trio
averaged 24.6 yards per reception. Malik
Diop will also see time as a tight end.
The line has a big-time prospect in
junior guard Ryan Solt, son of former
NFL All-Pro guard Ron Solt. Solt has
already been offered a scholarship from
his dad’s alma mater Maryland. No doubt
there will be more to follow. Senior center
Evan McManus and three more juniors —
center P.J. Marinko and tackles Nyheem
Kenzakowski and Devon Ortolani — will
also start.
“They work extremely hard together,
they’re strong and they’re pretty mobile,”
Cinti said. “It’s a nice group.”
ON DEFENSE
Opponents with pass-heavy attacks in
2014 gave Coughlin problems. That could
change this season as Wright and Brown
at the corners and Soller at safety have
a year of experience under their belts.
The defense had just three interceptions,
though, and creating turnovers was a bit of
an issue.
Coughlin will certainly miss Times
Leader All-WVC linebacker Derek Nunez,
who transferred to Montrose after leading
the team in tackles and sacks. There’s
the best season they can have.
“If I were a senior and one coach left
and another came in, rebuild would be the
last word I’d ever want to hear.”
ON OFFENSE
Hazlet’s math appears to be very close
to reality. Northwest rushed for 1,641
yards during the regular season in 2014.
Returning players accounted for a measly
142 of those yards.
Most of the returning rush yardage
came from running back Jeremy Walsh
in mop-up duty in a couple of blowout
victories. Walsh, though, is moving
to quarterback and didn’t attempt any
passes last year. Since-graduated Logan
Womelsdorf accounted for every yard via
air.
Receiver Ezra Judge didn’t start last
season, but had a handful of receptions.
Tight end Bryce Harrison grabbed a
couple passes, while wideout Neno
Agnello contributed but mainly on the
other side of the ball.
enough talent to cover the loss of him
and six other starters to keep the defense
strong.
Solt returns as a starter on the line
with Nyheem Kenzakowski, McManus,
Marinko, Ortolani, Ryan Dougalas and
Jevron Young all seeing time. King returns
as an inside linebacker and will be paired
with Hvozdovic. Cole and Stan Goeckel
provide depth. The outside linebacking
group also has depth with Diop, Zack
Kenzakowski, Khalid Credle and Noah
Gebhardt all in the mix.
“Even the kids that didn’t start last year,
they played,” Cinti said. “What we lack is
the experience after the starters. We have
kids there who aren’t at a varsity level yet.”
OUTLOOK
Cinti feels very good about his players,
not only for their football ability but for
work ethic, focus and determination.
Those traits can help overcome adversity,
and the Crusaders will face plenty with
away games with Crestwood and Wyoming
Valley West sandwiched around a game
with Dallas. They can’t go 0-3 against that
bunch once again.
Still, there’s little doubt Coughlin will
once again be in the mix for a District 2
Class 3A playoff spot or, at the very least,
a berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
TLJohnErzar
Garrett Reese, Jack Stancavage and
newcomer Mitchell Mazonkey will be
the running backs. Jake Anderson will be
the fullback in two-back sets. Reese and
Stancavage had a combined 10 carries last
year.
“Every skill player graduated along with
three offensive linemen,” Hazlet said. “So
we don’t have a lot of experience coming
back.”
There are some veterans in the trenches
as Nick Levandowski and Brendan Riley
return at the guard spots and Doug
Campbell shifts from center to tackle. No
matter who starts at the other spots, the
Rangers will have size.
ON DEFENSE
Except for Dunmore, Lake-Lehman
and GAR (in the postseason), opponents
found it quite difficult to run against
Northwest. But again, some of those
key defenders have departed and the
remaining guys need to adjust to a new
scheme.
Campbell at nose guard and Riley at
tackle give the team a pair of big guys
inside. The other tackle spot was up
for grabs in the preseason. The outside
linebackers will be Levandowski, Hayden
Hanover
From page 10
The other tackle, Justin Kopko, is just a
freshman but stands 6-3, 283.
“We’re going to have one of the most
experienced lines in the conference,”
McCree said.
Peters was a 1,000-yard passer last
season - “Very strong-armed kid, he can
make all the throws,” McCree said - and
he’ll have plenty to targets to hit.
District 2 long-jump champion
Brandon Chafin is back as Hanover
Area’s top wide receiver, coming off a
season of 16 catches for 362 yards and
a 22.6-yard average with six touchdown
grabs. He’ll team with speedy 5-4 slot
receiver Mike Gronkowski.
“I don’t have to rely on just one
receiver,” Peters said. “I can throw to all
of them. They can all catch the ball.”
The Hawkeyes can run it, too. They
lost top running back Ya’Sir Jones to
graduation, but bring back sophomore
Tyheim Taylor, who saw some duty last
year.
“Our offense is really set this year,”
Chafin said. “There’s a lot of controlled
stuff. And there’s going to be a lot of
different stuff.”
Times Leader
Stancavage and Dylan Womelsdorf. Reese
returns at inside linebacker. Others in
the mix are Harrison, Jack Stancavage
and Beau Getz, who is the only Benton
student on the team.
Agnello is back in at corner where he
had two interceptions last year and will be
paired with Judge with Brian Hardiman
seeing time. Walsh and Mazonkey will
be at the safety spots although there are
a couple promising sophomores at that
position as well.
OUTLOOK
Qualifying for the postseason, especially
the D2-2A playoffs, will be a challenging
task. The early part of the schedule is
quite difficult, but if Northwest can get
a few victories in that portion it could
be capable of making a playoff push in
October.
“We’re cautiously optimistic we can put
a good season together,” Hazlet said. “The
one thing we don’t have is any experience
in the skill positions. But I don’t think that
translates to say we don’t have any skill.
We just don’t have any experience.”
TLJohnErzar
ON DEFENSE
Don’t be surprised to see the
Hawkeyes stacking the line time and
again with an eight-man front as they
try to limit the scoring opportunities for
opposing ground games that gashed the
team last year.
“Obviously in this league, you’ve got to
stop the run,” McCree said. “Defense is
where I’m going to spend my time.”
Hanover Area will lean on defensive
linemen Sean Westawski and John
Sheridan, two returning senior starters,
up front. Zack Shaffer leads an active
linebacking corps, while junior safety
Chafin plans to put a charge into the
secondary.
OUTLOOK
With 15 experienced seniors on the
roster and plenty of talent returning
across the board, the Hawkeyes have
their eyes on a WVC Division 2A crown
and a deep playoff run this season.
“We’re going to definitely be one of the
teams to beat this year,” Chafin said. “I’m
ready to play now.”
By the end of October, Hanover Area
should be in the hunt for a berth in the
District 2 postseason, and maybe beyond.
“We’d be very disappointed,” Peters
said, “if we didn’t make a playoff run.”
Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on Twitter
@TLPaulSokoloski
Times Leader
Dallas
From page 8
Although the Mountaineers
have to replace two highly
productive receivers, they
have some proven weapons.
Martin was third on the team
in receptions while Gattuso was
third in receiving yards a year
ago.
ON DEFENSE
The Mountaineers have a lot
to work with defensively, with
five of their top seven tacklers
back.
Linebacker Cole Dixon led
that group in 2014, making
stops and creating turnovers and
was tied in leading the team in
both interceptions and fumble
recoveries.
Simpson, Geiger, Farrell and
Gattuso were also among the
leaders.
Anderson and Owen
Mackiewicz join Farrell and
Geiger as experienced linemen.
Simpson joins Dixon as the
returning linebackers.
Gattuso, Roberts and Stone
Mannello, the coach’s son, are
the returnees in the secondary.
OUTLOOK
Mannello is adjusting to
coaching two-way players for the
first time and the Mountaineers
are adjusting to their new staff.
“We had to teach,” Mannello
said. “We had to start from
scratch, and that can be a very
slow process at times.”
Mannello was looking forward
to speeding up that process
during two-a-day workouts that
Nanticoke
From page 18
Meanwhile, a Trojans team that had
to do a lot of re-stocking after narrowly
missing the Eastern Conference playoffs
last year is planning to make another bid
for the postseason this time around.
“A lot of us are young,” Bruza said.
“We’re looking to compete every week,
stay healthy and just get better each day.”
ON OFFENSE
The horse is back and the Trojans
certainly plan to ride him.
Senior running back Alec Norton
has been a force out of the backfield for
the past two seasons, and looks to put a
charge into Nanticoke’s Wing-T offense
as the main runner this season.
He’ll have some promising runners
to complement him, including senior
halfback Ocyrus Leemoui-Brown, juniors
Ian Novakoski and John Pietrzyk and
returning runner/receiver Nick Littzi.
Senior Robert Roth and sophomore
Matt Wrubel are battling for the starting
quarterback spot, and both may see time
represented the last stage of
preparation.
The number of players
back means a likely move up
in the ranks, possibly even
to conference and district
contender status, but although
it was a playoff team a year ago,
there was a gap between Dallas
and the elite.
Dallas lost, 56-0, to Crestwood
in the district playoffs, its third
loss by 24 or more points. The
first chance to test itself against
one of the conference’s toughest
opponents comes Oct. 9 at
Wyoming Valley West. Before
that, Dallas will host Berwick on
Sept. 18 in its first game against
a WVC opponent in what is also
a meeting of 2014 playoff teams.
DALLAS
MOUNTAINEERS AT A GLANCE
Coach: Rich Mannello (0-0), 1st year
Division: WVC 3A
PIAA Class: 3A
Returning starters: 8 offense/8
defense
Stadium location: School Road, off
Route 309, Dallas
Key players lost: Ryan Cheskiewicz,
RB/LB; Ryan Monk, OL/DL; Justin
Mucha, WR/DB; Omar Nijmeh, WR/DB
PASSING: Matt Harrison 114-of-229,
1,837 yds., 17 TDs, 7 Ints.
RUSHING: Matt Harrison 96-451, 4.7
avg., 5 TDs
RECEIVING: Justin Mucha 50-799, 16.0
avg., 9 TDs
SCORING: Justin Mucha 60 pts.
KICKING: Ron Ostrowski 29 XPM, 5 FGs,
44 pts.
Reach Times Leader sports at 570829-7143 or on Twitter @TLsports
this season.
“We’ll be able to throw the ball this
year,” Bruza said.
The Trojans don’t have much
experience up front, but they do have
promise and size.
Linemen Dante Rodriguez weighs in
at 285 pounds and Austin Belles tips the
scales at 265 and both stand 6-foot-3.
Sophomore John Guszak joins Cooper
Bartle on a line that could be a force in
the conference quickly.
“Our offensive line is young, but it’s a
real tight-knit group,” Norton said. “I’m
just looking forward to getting out there
with the guys on Friday nights.”
ON DEFENSE
The strength of the team is on the line,
where Bartle, Justin Casey and Guszak
all return to put pressure on defenses.
“We’ve got a great work ethic and a
great group of kids,” Nanticoke assistant
Walter Szychowski said. “We’re young
and we’ve got to get better each day.
We’ve got to step up in the league this
year.”
Norton and Leemoui-Brown are back
to lead the linebacker corps and Littzi
returns to lead the secondary.
Some promising prospects in the
defensive backfield include freshman
Dylan Szychowski, Roth and sophomore
Mark Walters.
“I think we should be good,” Norton
said, “always flying to the ball. We may
not have the most experienced guys, but
we have the biggest hearts.”
OUTLOOK
The Trojans began the season 4-3 last
year and looked like a playoff team before
dropping their final three games. A
heartbreaking 21-17 loss to Susquehanna
started the season and a difficult defeat
to rival Hanover Area kept them from
reaching the Eastern Conference
Playoffs.
If they can find a way to blend in a
couple more victories, Nanticoke could
be a contender for the postseason again
in Class 2A.
“Even though we only have five
seniors, the leadership is there,” Bruza
said. “We’re going into it controlling our
own destiny. If we can get it together
fast, we’ll be there. If we can’t, we’ll
struggle.”
Reach Paul Sokoloski at 570-991-6392 or on
Twitter @ TLPaulSokoloski
!
ROSTER
TROJANS ROSTER
No.Name
1 Sam Good
2 Eric Grodzicki
3 Robert Roth
4 Ed Lukowski
5 Carmelo Pioquinto
7 Trahjan Krupinski
8 Austin Urbanski
9 Nick Littzi
13 Matt Wrubel
17 Dylan Szychowski
22 Mark Walters
Ht
5-4
5-10
6-0
5-7
5-9
6-4
6-2
5-10
5-9
6-2
5-7
Wt
115
150
180
150
165
215
185
185
165
175
160
Pos Gr
WR-DBSo.
WR-DB Jr.
QB-DB Sr.
K
Sr.
K
Sr.
TE-DE Fr.
WR-DB Jr.
WR-DBSr.
QB-DBSo.
WR-DB Fr.
RB-DBSo.
23 Dawson Hughes
5-9 190
24 Ocyrus Leemoui-Brown
5-11 185
26 John Pietrzyk
5-10 175
27 Jaden Morelli
5-8 145
32 Chuck Heddings
5-10 175
35 Brian Reakes
6-3 190
39 Pat Bova
5-10 165
42 Ian Novakoski
5-11 175
44 Alec Norton
6-1 230
50 Allen Fowler
5-9 200
53 Cooper Bartle
6-2 255
57 Brandon Karavitch 5-11 175
RB-LB So.
RB-LBSr.
RB-LB Jr.
WR-DBSo.
WR-LBSo.
TE-DL So.
WR-DBSr.
RB-LB Jr.
RB-LB Sr.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL So.
60
62
65
68
71
72
74
75
77
80
86
87
88
Evan Stecco
Tyler Kowalski
John Keefe
John Guszak
Brad Markowski
Nick Capozzi
Dante Rodriguez
Michael Krieger
Austin Belles
Kris Siewell
Matt Jurta
Matt Piontkowski
Justin Casey
6-0
5-11
6-0
5-9
5-11
5-11
6-3
6-0
6-3
6-0
6-2
6-3
6-3
AT A
GLANCE!
190
185
180
245
195
175
285
215
265
185
175
185
185
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL Sr.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Jr.
OL-DL Sr.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL So.
OL-DL Jr.
TE-DL So.
WR-DB Jr.
WR-DBSo.
TE-DL Jr.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4 at Scranton
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 11 Wallenpaupack 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18 Berwick
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25 at Coughlin
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2 Williamsport
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9 at Wyo. Valley W. 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16 at Wyoming Area 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23 Crestwoood
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30 at Pittston Area 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6 Lake-Lehman
7 p.m.
2014 Results (6-5)
Scranton (7-4)
W 32-24
at Wallenpaupack (5-5)
W 14-13
at Berwick (9-3)
L 26-23 OT
Coughlin (6-3)
W 27-13
W 56-22
L 38-14
Wyoming Area (3-7)
L 17-10
at Crestwood (12-1)
L 49-10
Pittston Area (3-7)
W 47-6
W 27-26
at Crestwood (12-1)
L 56-0
Berwick
From page 5
experienced is speedy
Harrison Kuchka, who had
two catches last season. Kyle
Pierce will be shifting to
tight end from guard, where
he earned Times Leader AllWVC honors in 2014.
Even if Pierce doesn’t
line up in the interior, the
offensive line should be
strong. Zach Beckley returns
at tackle while tackle Stone
Force and guard Matt Taylor
lettered last year. Center
Austin McLaughlin would
have seen plenty of time last
year, but was sidelined due to
injury. Guard Ryan Woodard
is the biggest lineman on the
roster at 310 pounds.
ON DEFENSE
29
Few opponents were able
to run consistently against
the Dawgs last year and for
good reason. They were
strong up the middle and
should be again in 2015.
Nose guard Sean McCole
was a coaches all-star last
year despite being only 180
pounds. Pierce was equally
tough at tackle. Randy Miller
was an all-star choice as an
inside linebacker. He and
fellow inside linebacker
Kyle McMillan are fast and
physical. Depth behind them
is a concern.
Roberts will likely lock
down an end position with
either Luke Fisher or Joe
Norce on the other side.
The secondary struggled
against passing teams last
year and managed just four
interceptions. Curry, though,
believes it will be a strength.
The Koch brothers — Alex
and Nick — will form the
left side of the secondary.
Anthony Cicini will be the
corner opposite Alex Koch.
Justin Groshek will be the
other safety.
OUTLOOK
Berwick has played for
the District 2 Class 3A
championship all three
years in Curry’s second stint
running the program. The
Dawgs could make it a fourth
time in what many believe is
Curry’s last year at the helm.
Remember, he returned on
an interim basis in 2012
when Campbell resigned in
the summer of that year.
There are about eight
legitimate contenders and a
couple sleepers contending
for those four D2-3A playoff
berths, so it won’t be easy
getting one.
Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394
or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar
Pittston Area
From page 20
back.
“We expect them all to contribute, along
with sophomore Richie Wallace,” Norris
said. “With those guys, you’re going to see
a good mix of speed and agility, as well as
downhill running.”
Cinquegrani provides Pittston Area with
a look Gattuso gave them. He’s a running
quarterback. Coles will give the Patriots
a more conventional quarterback, but still
has the ability to run the football.
“He brings a combination of size and
speed that will be hard for a defense to
defend,” Norris said of Cinquegrani. “He’s
a really good blocker and has some of the
best hands on the team.”
The Patriots’ offense this season will
show some new formations. It will be a
different type of offense the WVC has seen,
Norris said. Mostly, Pittston Area will be
relying on the run.
When they have to pass, Paul Brady
will be the target. The 6-foot-4 senior led
Pittston Area with 380 yards and three
touchdowns last season on 31 catches. He’ll
also be one of Pittston Area’s best weapons
defensively.
“Any time you have a 6-4 kid that runs
and catches well you have to be excited
about it,” Norris said. “Hopefully we’ll be
able to create some mismatches with him.”
ON DEFENSE
Admittedly, Norris knows his defense
struggled last season for the most part.
There were times, however, where the
Patriots did some nice things defensively.
Several games a year ago the Patriots
didn’t have a defensive player over 200
pounds on the field. That will change this
season. Pittston Area got bigger up front
and will rotate several guys across the
defensive line.
“The change you’ll see this year is that
there will be bigger bodies on the field,”
Norris said. “We’ve taken a lot out and
simplified it. We’re trying to let them
play fast as opposed to worrying about
schemes.”
Heading into the season, Pittston Area
committed to simplifying its defense.
Following the team’s first scrimmage
against Scranton, the Patriots will simplify
it even more. Norris is going to more of a
high school based defense and allow his
kids to play.
Up front, it will be a committee
controlling the line of scrimmage. The
group will be led by three-year starter
Brandon Goodlavage at tackle.
With the secondary not very big,
Pittston Area will focus on getting to the
quarterback in passing situations.
“We’re going to play zone and allow our
front eight to attack the quarterback a little
bit when we can,” Norris said.
OUTLOOK
Getting the Patriots to better that threewin season from last year won’t be an
easy task for Norris. However, he won’t be
satisfied without approaching that five- or
six-win season.
As far as scheme and athletic ability,
Norris believes his team is ready to catapult
into a playoff berth. The only thing is team
knows is how to play in 3-7 seasons.
“Anything less than a six-win season
will be disappointing from a potential
standpoint,” Norris said. “We’re not going
to get there unless we correct some of the
intangibles. I want to see them meet their
potential for once.”
Reach Nick Wagner at 570-602-0178 or on Twitter @
Dispatch_Nick
!
ROSTER
PATRIOTS ROSTER
No.Name
1
Nic Anastasi
2
Rich Wallace
3
Niko Cinquegrani
4
Keemar Woodruff
5
Trevor Tigue
7
Jaylin Williams
8
Paul Brady
9
Mike Mckidish
10
Kyle Petroski
12
Walter Coles
18
Austin O’Reilly
20 Tim Higgins
21
Ryan Davis
22
Joe Warren
22
Matt Starinsky
24
Ray Cruz
24
Jeremy Shaughnessy
25
John McDonald
25
Tyler Price
26
Joe Carey
31
Chris Dudek
33
Kevin Krawczyk
34
Carmen Falcone
Pos
WR-DB
WR-DB
TE-DL
WR-DB
WR-DB
RB-LB
WR-DB
K
RB-DB
QB-DB
WR-DB
OL-DL
RB-LB
K
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
RB-LB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
RB-LB
Gr
Sr.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
36
38
38
41
45
45
51
52
52
53
54
54
56
58
59
62
71
75
76
77
78
79
84
86
87
Eric Petroski
Anthony Griffith
Tyler Ferlick
Kyle Brady
Brandon Fino
Dylan Spurlin
Jake Rutkowski
Jake Patelunas
Nate Soto
Dave Perry
Mike Fuhrman
Josh Mawson
EJ Herron
Nick Lynch
Lucas Baritski
Brandon Goodlavage
Mike Hopkins
Yousf Almoumin
Brandon Lucke
Jon Kaczmarczyk
Troy Franklin
Gino Coffay
Matt Mulea
Tom Brody
Ed Warunek
RB-LB
RB-LB
OL-DL
TE-DE
RB-LB
RB-LB
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
TE-LB
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
OL-DL
TE-DL
OL-DL
TE-DL
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Sr.
Williamsport
From page 22
Hankins and Reeves are back in the
secondary. They will be joined by Walker,
who is also a dangerous kick returner.
Jackson is back at linebacker. Junior
Keough Johnson and sophomore Jared
Thompson will also be linebackers and
will try to shore up a run defense that
surrendered 350 or more yards on three
occasions last year. Clary and Danneker
are set at defensive tackles, with Ross
Stebbins at an end spot.
Tunkhannock
From page 21
That’s where you are going to see
players like Mike Taylor, Hunter Hopkins,
Brian Muckin, Bryce Steele and the
Cywinski brothers, Logan and Ryan, called
upon to make things happen.
“We are really young. You can use any
cliché you want,” Cechak said with a
laugh. “But we have confidence in the
kids. We are going to put the game in their
hands.”
Up front, Tunkhannock has some holes
to fill because of graduation. But Cechak
has size with kids like John Walsh (6-2,
250) and Tyler Pugh (5-11, 245), and
experience in Josh Flaherty (6-0, 200).
“We are going to use more of a zoneblocking scheme, and I think the kids are
starting to pick up on it,” Cechak said.
“Plus, the speed of our backs are going to
help.”
ON DEFENSE
Don’t let the 2014 scores fool you.
In almost every game, Tunkhannock
hung around in the first half – going toeto-toe with teams like Scranton Prep,
Williamsport and Coughlin.
When the Tigers wore down because of
depth, the scores inflated.
Cechak is going to use a 4-3 defense
with one basic principle.
“We want 11 hats to the ball,” he
said. “We film our practices, and we are
showing the kids what we mean. At the
end of the play, I don’t want three or four
kids in the picture. I want all 11 kids
standing there. I want to see everyone.
Obviously, we are going to need to build
up some depth in order to stay in games.
We don’t want to be worn down in the
fourth quarter.”
Flaherty and Walsh return up front,
while Hopkins and Jarod Bernosky hold
down the linebacker spots. Muckin, Taylor
Times Leader
OUTLOOK
The key this season will be consistency.
While the Millionaires lost plenty to
graduation, they also have a solid junior
group that played some major roles as
sophomores.
“We don’t have many returning
starters,” Crews said, “but we have a lot
of guys who saw action last year. We were
senior-heavy last year. We lost 18 seniors
and most of them started.”
A year of seasoning could smooth out
some rough edges and perhaps result in a
few more victories. Contending appears at
least a year away.Reach John Erzar at 570-991-
6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar
and Steele all return in the secondary.
OUTLOOK
It’s hard to say how Tunkhannock will
be judged in 2015.
The schedule is tough with teams like
Scranton Prep, Williamsport, Hazleton
Area and Coughlin.
If there’s a positive, five of the first six
games are at home.
“I honestly believe we can compete,”
Cechak said. “Having early home games
help, but we have to be ready each week.”
Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on
Twitter @TLsports
!
ROSTER
TIGERS ROSTER
2
Keegan Bell
3
Ryan Cywinski
4
Hunter Hopkins
8
Zac Rogers
9
Thomas Smits
11 Bryce Steele
11 Connor Munley
12 Logan Cywinski
16 Jake Kalacinski
19 Danny LoBouno
21 Dennie Robinson
23 Brian Muckin
24 Keegan Cook
25 Jarod Bernosky
27 Mike Taylor
28 Garrett Hopkins
33 Fred Beamer
44 Matt Ramey
51 Tyler Peterson
52 Carl Anthony
52 Joey Gavik
53 Ricky Stevens
54 Shane Holton
55 Josh Flaherty
56 Tyler Pugh
57 Nate Shirtz
59 Charles Harry
61 John Walsh
64 Stephen Davis
66 Zak Borgeson
67 Alex Payton
69 Derek Scranta
71 Mark Holton
72 Thomas Parry
79 Brad Webb
81 Braden Seboe
87 Jake Stephens
88 Kurtis Christ
5-7
5-11
5-10
5-8
5-10
5-10
6-1
5-10
5-6
5-9
5-5
6-1
5-5
5-10
5-9
5-4
5-11
5-9
5-9
5-7
5-8
5-11
5-8
6-0
5-11
5-11
5-10
6-2
5-9
6-1
6-2
5-10
5-10
5-10
6-2
5-10
6-3
5-4
170
200
170
170
165
175
145
180
130
130
145
180
185
190
175
125
145
180
230
165
175
210
225
200
245
215
200
250
160
170
200
175
205
250
285
150
170
125
RB-LB
RB-DE
QB-LB
QB-DB
TE-LB
WR-DB
WR-DB
QB-DB
RB-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
WR-DB
RB-LB
TE-LB
RB-DB
RB-DB
WR-DB
RB-LB
C-LB
G-LB
RB-LB
G-LB
TE-T
C-DE/LB
G-DE
T-T
C-DE
T-T
G-DE
TE-DE
T-T
G-T
G-DE
T-T
T-T
WR-DB
TE-DE
WR-LB
Fr.
Sr.
Jr.
Fr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
Fr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
Fr.
Sr.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Fr.
Jr.
Fr.
So.
So.
Sr.
So.
Fr.
Fr.
Times Leader
Crestwood
From page 7
Malkemes, a first-year
player plucked off the
basketball team where he
showed very good athletic
ability.
Although receiver
Connor Sheloski’s stats
aren’t gaudy because of the
run-based offense, he is
still one of the best in the
WVC. He would be good
for 50 or so receptions on
a passing team. The rest
of the receiving corps is
young but has potential.
Tackle Noah Kita and
guard Christian Kintz
return and will anchor
a line that averages 240
pounds across the board.
ON DEFENSE
Crestwood’s offense was
so high powered in 2014
that it overshadowed an
excellent defense. The
unit allowed 14.5 points
during the regular season,
with several touchdowns
coming against the
backups.
Blass earned all-state
honors after picking off
nine passes. He’ll be
flanked by a pair of new
cornerbacks in Malkemes
and Mark Dixon. McAfee
and Ben Kreuzer will also
see time in the secondary.
Rother will move from
the secondary to inside
linebacker, filling the void
left by tackling machine
Aigeldinger. John Macri
returns on the outside.
Rother and Macri each
had two interceptions and
returned one for a TD last
season.
Kita will slide from
inside to defensive end.
Kintz will be a mainstay
at defensive tackle. The
linebacking and defensive
line groups are deep
enough to give players a
breather if needed.
“It’s probably the lack
of experience at a couple
positions,” Myers said
of his main concern
defensively. “We moved
some guys around to try
AT A
GLANCE!
CRESTWOOD COMETS
AT A GLANCE
Coach: Greg Myers (69-51)
10th year at Crestwood; 11th overall
Division: WVC 3A
PIAA Class: 3A
Stadium location: High school, Route 309, Wright
Twp.
Key players lost: Frank Aigeldinger, RB/LB; Matt
Bobeck, RB/DE; Andrew Chang, DB; Frank Cordeiro,
DE; George Gendler, K/P; Rob Hess, OL; Rodney
Koch, OL/DL; Matt McDonald, DB; Joey Petro, TE;
Jay Popson, QB; Jacob Zbegner, FB/DL
PASSING: Jay Popson 27-of-53, 595 yds., 5 TDs, 3
Ints.
RUSHING: Frank Aigeldinger 133-1,678, 12.6 avg., 20
TDs
RECEIVING: Connor Sheloski 16-465, 29.1 avg., 5
TDs
SCORING: Frank Aigeldinger 122 pts.
KICKING: George Gendler 38 XPM, 1 FG, 41 pts.
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4
at Berwick
7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 12
at Abington Heights
2 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18
Coughlin
7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 26
Pittston Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
at Wyoming Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 9
Hazleton Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16
Wyo. Valley West
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23
at Dallas
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30
Williamsport
7 p.m.
Fri. Nov. 6
at Pottsville
7 p.m.
2014 Results (12-1)
Berwick (9-3)
W 28-20
Abington Heights (4-6)
W 31-0
at Coughlin (6-5)
W 63-27
W 62-14
Wyoming Area (3-7)
W 71-13
W 41-7
W 28-14
Dallas (6-5)
W 49-10
W 56-20
Pottsville (0-10)
W 50-20
Dallas (6-5)
W 56-0
Berwick (9-3)
W 35-19
PIAA Class 3A Playoffs
Bethlehem Catholic (12-2)
L 42-28
to get some experience at
key positions. Physically,
there’s not a lot of
concerns. We’ll be a big
team, an athletic team on
the perimeter.”
OUTLOOK
Before Myers took
over, Crestwood was an
afterthought. No one
expected the Comets to
be playoff contenders and
they weren’t.
Things evolved and now
Crestwood is the team
to beat in Division 3A of
the WVC and, perhaps,
District 2 Class 3A. Expect
another strong season
from the new-look Comets
and another postseason
berth.
Reach John Erzar at 570-9916394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar
WVW
From page 24
Receiver Jake Shemo, running back
Chris Melovitz, tight end Chris Reese
and fullbacks Bill Davison and Mike Baird
provide flexibility to formations and
schemes.
Three veterans return to the interior
line — senior tackle Jason Wall, senior
guard Chris Wolfe and sophomore tackle
Chris Bleich. Bleich is among the biggest
linemen in the state at 6-foot-6 and 310
pounds. He already has offers from
Rutgers and Syracuse. More will surely
follow.
ON DEFENSE
Crestwood and Delaware Valley on two
occasions were the only teams to move
the ball effectively against Valley West last
season. The red flag — those opponents
handed the Spartans their only losses.
The secondary returns intact for the
most part with Judge and Weidman back
as corners. Shemo played enough at safety
to be considered a returning starter.
Reese and Wesneski will form an
impressive set of bookends at defensive
end. Bleich, Wall and Wolfe will be the
foundation of the defensive tackle group.
Sam Novas, Brydon Rukstalis, John
Mylott and Nelson Colon will rotate in,
giving Valley West better depth than most
teams.
The linebacking unit underwent some
renovations. Davison returns for his third
year as a starter inside. Josh Sokoloski
will also start inside. The outside
candidates are Kris Blanco, Nick Mooney,
Eric Raitter and Nick Stuart. All but
Mooney are seniors.
OUTLOOK
Valley West has won every Division 4A
title since the Wyoming Valley Conference
went to three divisions in 2010. The
Spartans should make it six in a row as
Hazleton Area and Williamsport are still
in rebuild mode under second-year and
first-year coaches, respectively.
As for the District 2/4-11 Class 4A
playoffs, Valley West’s top competition
will come from the Lackawanna
Conference in the forms of Delaware
Valley and Scranton. If, at the worst, the
Spartans split with those teams and take
care of business in the WVC as expected,
they’ll be back in the subregional
tournament for a third consecutive year.
It’s very difficult to concoct a scenario
where Valley West is done after the
regular season.
TLJohnErzar
AT A
GLANCE!
WYOMING VALLEY WEST SPARTANS AT
A GLANCE
Coach: Pat Keating (49-19) 7th year
Division: WVC 4A
PIAA Class: 4A
Stadium location: Spartan Stadium, Pierce
Street and Gates Avenue, Kingston
Key players lost: Eric Acosta, RB;
JerMichael Bunch, WR/DB; Brady Davison,
QB; Colin Hanson, LB; A.J. Iorio, OL/DL;
Mike Jola, LB; Jared Kozich, OL/DL; Jeremy
Kozich, OL/LB; Ian Ultsh, K
PASSING: Brady Davison 123-of-204, 2,202
RUSHING: Eric Acosta 91-698, 7.7 avg., 4
TDs
RECEIVING: L.J. Wesneski 38-642, 16.9 avg.,
9 TDs
SCORING: Sean Judge 88 pts.
KICKING: Ian Ultsh 47 XPM, 3 FGs, 56 pts.
31
Schedule
Fri., Sept. 4
at Wyoming Area 7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 11 Delaware Valley
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 18 Pittston Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 25 at Berwick
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 2
Coughlin
7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 9
Dallas
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 16
at Crestwood
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 23
Hazleton Area
7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 30
at Scranton
7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 6
at Williamsport
7 p.m.
2014 Results (8-3)
Wyoming Area (3-7)
W 42-7
at Delaware Valley (10-2)
L 43-35
W 56-7
Berwick (9-3)
W 31-21
at Coughlin (6-5)
W 48-20
at Dallas (6-5)
W 38-14
Crestwood (12-1)
L 28-14
W 56-20
Scranton (7-4)
W 24-14
Williamsport (2-8)
W 35-25
District 2/4-11 Class 4A Playoffs
at Delaware Valley (10-2)
L 38-19
Times Leader

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Transcription

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