EDITOR’S NOTE: While NEPASportsNation.com compiles more detailed reports from Friday’s key football games around District 2, here is quick look at the results.
By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
PECKVILLE – Valley View pulled through a suspense-filled game and got some surprising help.
Pittston Area won with unexpected ease.
Lakeland and Old Forge avoided any disruptions to their plans.
When Friday night’s football games were over, the Cougars, Patriots, Chiefs and Blue Devils all had sole possession of division titles.
The night’s top matchup lived up to expectations when Valley View and Scranton Prep traded the lead twice and combined for three key defensive stands, all in the last 5½ minutes at John F. Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Dominic Memo went over a defender at midfielder to pull in a deep pass, then sprinted to the end zone for a 79-yard touchdown from Adam Howanitz with 1:14 left, lifting Valley View to a 22-16 victory over visiting Scranton Prep to claim the Lackawanna Football Conference Division 1 championship.
Scranton Prep reached the Valley View 13 in the final minute before Valley View used its pass rush to hold on downs with 22.4 seconds left.
The Cougars, ranked fourth among Big Schools in the Gaughan Auto Store Super Six Power Rankings, and Cavaliers, No. 3 among Small Schools, thought they were likely playing for a share of the Division 1 title.
But, when Abington Heights knocked Delaware Valley out of a share of the lead with a 38-13, road romp, the outright title went to Valley View.
Jack Burke scored the first two Abington Heights touchdowns, the second on a Pick Six, to erase an early deficit.
Shawn Theodore threw three touchdown passes, two of them to Mason Fedor during the second half.
Drew DeLucca earned the Carmelo Falcone Award as the game’s Most Valuable Player while leading host Pittston Area to a 35-0 rout of rival Wyoming Area for the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 title.
As the last two unbeatens in divisional play, the Patriots and Warriors knew they were playing for the outright title.
Pittston Area won its first championship since 2002 with the help of four touchdown passes by DeLucca, three of them in the first quarter for a 19-0 lead.
The game reached the Mercy Rule midway through the third quarter.
Lakeland and Old Forge had already clinched at least first-place ties a week ago. They wrapped up the LFC Division 2 and 3 titles with wins.
The Chiefs shut out Mid Valley, 28-0, to win LFC Division 2 and complete a perfect regular season at 10-0. They were the district’s only unbeaten team through the packa
Every other team in District 2 had a loss by the seventh week.
Old Forge defeated Carbondale, 34-14, to finish as LFC Division 3 champion.
Cyllel Rose opened the Old Forge scoring on a 41-yard interception return and Ryan Novak put the Blue Devils ahead to stay on a 91-yard kickoff return and quarterback James Sobol ran for two touchdowns.
MORE TO COME
Return to Football – NEPA Sports Nation for more coverage of these and other games.
