EDITOR’S NOTE: While NEPASportsNation.com compiles more-detailed reports, here is a quick look at some of the biggest developments in Friday night’s football playoff openers.
PHOTO: Reese Gaughan looks for yardage for Riverside during Friday’s 17-14 loss ato Dunmore. (Tim Drewes Photo)
By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
OLD FORGE – Freshman Isaac Ryon booted a 29-yard field goal in overtime Friday night to lift Lackawanna Trail over host Old Forge, 24-21, for the District 2 Class A football title.
Ryon made the first field goal he ever attempted in a game on any level. His kick ended the game after sophomore teammate Max Kimmel had blocked shorter Old Forge field goal attempts with 4.1 seconds left in regulation and on the Blue Devils’ series to begin overtime.
The playoffs opened with a mixture of quarterfinals and semifinals along with the Class A final, depending on the number of teams in each field.
Lackawanna Trail was one of two teams to win on the road as a lower seed and one of two teams to avenge a regular-season loss with a win in the playoff opener.
Delaware Valley, which had won all six District 2-4 Class 6A Subregional titles before dropping to Class 5A this season, shook off a subpar, 5-5 regular season and a stunning, 38-13 upset loss to Abington Heights last week. The Warriors went on the road and shut out Pittston Area, 41-0, in a semifinal.
In the other Class 5A semifinal, Scranton defeated Abington Heights, 42-7, avenging a 14-13 upset loss on the road three weeks ago.
Donato Stepney scored three touchdowns to lead Scranton, including two while the Knights were breaking open a 14-7 game after halftime. One of those scores came on a blocked punt return.
Dunmore held off Riverside, 17-14, in one Class 2A semifinal.
There was very little suspense to the rest of the playoff openers.
Lakeland preserved the only unbeaten record in District 2, scoring 55 first-half points while defeating Holy Redeemer, 69-29, in the other Class 2A semifinal.
The season is over for other District 2 Class 6A teams.
Hazleton Area and Wilkes-Barre Area were both shut out on the road in the District 2-4-11 Class 6A Subregional quarterfinals. Bethlehem Freedom defeated Hazleton Area, 38-0, and top-seeded Emmaus blanked Wilkes-Barre Area, 42-0.
District 2’s largest tournament saw the top three seeds score at least 49 points.
Crestwood ripped Nanticoke, 61-7; Valley View defeated Honesdale, 54-7; Dallas downed Wyoming Area, 49-28; and Berwick beat North Pocono, 28-14.
Western Wayne defeated Carbondale, 36-7, in the district Class 3A semifinals to land the home field for next week’s final against the winner of Saturday’s Scranton Prep/Lake-Lehman game.
MORE TO COME
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