Dominico Spataro accounted for all three touchdowns while Lakeland built a 20-point lead then watched from the sideline as the Chiefs held on for a 20-14 victory over visiting Dunmore Nov. 20 in the District 2 Class 2A football championship game.
The Chiefs take an unbeaten record into Friday night’s Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state playoff game against District 11 champion Executive Education at Dunmore’s Veterans Memorial Stadium. Dunmore ends its season at 8-4.
Spataro left the game with a leg injury in the third quarter with Lakeland leading 20-0.
Two plays later, Dunmore’s Domenick DeSando stripped the ball from Lakeland receiver Lacota Dippre and took off for a 63-yard fumble return touchdown to cut the deficit to 20-7.
Thomas Bowen scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak for Dunmore in the fourth quarter.
Lakeland outgained Dunmore, 209-60 on the ground, 193-123 in the air and 402-181 total.
That advantage was at 203-76 in the first half when the Chiefs built a 14-0 lead.
Spataro ran 2 yards for a first-quarter touchdown and passed 34 yards to Seamans for a second-quarter score.
Spataro finished the half 8-for-10 for 143 yards and wound up 13-for-17 for 198 yards. He had 54 yards rushing at halftime and finished with 63 yards on 13 carries, including the 2-yard run for his second touchdown in the third quarter.
Dippre caught 6 passes for 74 yards and was one of the defensive leaders. He was in on a sack, made another tackle for a loss and recovered a fumble.
Seamans caught 4 passes for 67 yards.
Adam Wormuth had a team-high six tackles for Lakeland and assisted on another.
