The City team faced a dilemma going into the 1967 Dream Game.
All five schools that made up the City roster at the time had used junior quarterbacks in the 1966 season.
West Scranton’s Sam Donato, serving as City coach, looked in an unlikely direction to find a signal caller – into the offensive line.
Donato chose guard Rich Revta, a future championship coach at Lackawanna Trail, to learn the position and the offense.
Revta took his two weeks of practice to train at quarterback where he ran an offense that churned out 15 first downs with just a single turnover in a 14-0 victory over the County.
The Dunmore graduate, who was drafted out of Lehigh University and played baseball in the Texas Rangers organization as a catcher, scored the City’s second touchdown on a 1-yard quarterback sneak.
A large part of Revta’s job for the night was handing the ball off to Joe Mesko and Mike Zanghi.
Scranton Central’s Mesko carried 15 times for 104 yards and the first touchdown. Scranton Tech’s Zanghi ran 12 times for 63 yards.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The 87th annual Scranton Lions Club-sponsored Dream Game is scheduled for Wednesday night at Valley View’s John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium in Peckville at 7 p.m. NATION NOSTALGIA is taking a daily look at the game’s history between now and this year’s game, which is being presented by Northeast Rehab and Riverfront Sports.
