2025 Face In The Crowd – Week 2

A FACE IN THE CROWD – WEEK 2

You know how the time flies
Only yesterday was the time of our lives|
We were born and raised in a summer haze
Bound by the surprise of our glory days…

Don’t judge me. Adele reaches me here in this God-forsaken hole above “the Legion” in Avoca. Last weekend was a disaster for my picks (2-2 – spectacularly unimpressive). The weight of the expectations set last year in my inaugural foray into high school football commentary has left me reaching out to the “British Queen of Soul” to soothe my wounded spirit. It’s either “Someone Like You” or the vat of Dago Red that Cousin Gino sips regularly through a giant straw. I’ll stick with Adele.

Thankfully, there are salient lessons that I have studied over the course of the week that can assist me on Friday night. The season’s first weekend was replete with surprises, statements, and a slew of overreactions, which we’ll get to in a bit. The Porky Paisan (another of the countless alliteratives I’ve developed for Gino), of course, was on the money with his pick of West Scranton over Old Forge. Word is that he celebrated deep into the wee hours at Salerno’s. Several calls came into headquarters from some misguided soul named Donatella. The heart wants what the heart wants. But I digress. Let me share the lessons with you and then we’ll see if we can improve upon the heartbreak of Week 1.

LESSON 1

Let’s not get too caught up in the results from Week 1. The lead-up to the high school football season used to resemble an NFL training camp, filled with multiple daily practices, meetings, two scrimmages, seances, and exorcisms. Well, most of those. Now, there is only one scrimmage, we have “heat acclimatization” (the winning word in last year’s national spelling bee), kids wear devices resembling giant beehives over their helmets, and coaches are not allowed to raise their voices. How can teams possibly prepare for “tackle football”? So, I look at Week 1 like a second scrimmage, a way for coaching staffs to figure out who can function under pressure. Last year, Valley View lost in Week 1 to the Jesuit Giants by the un-Christian score of 33-0. By season’s end, that did not amount to a whole hill of beans as the Cougars did not lose again until the state tournament, winning a district title en route. Delaware Valley, Dallas, and Wilkes-Barre lost to outstanding programs from outside of the friendly confines of District 2. It doesn’t mean that those three are not about to embark on successful campaigns.

LESSON 2

The “old ball coach” in Taylor has figured out a way to replace the plethora of talent he lost to graduation and conjure up a hard-nosed, gritty football team. Riverside’s win in Dunmore last Friday was, for me, one of the more impressive results of the opening weekend. With a schedule that is, let’s say, user-friendly, my guess is that the Vikings will be 9-0 when they host Lackawanna Trail in the season finale. That first hurdle was the steepest and Coach Armstrong’s boys managed to clear it by virtue of a 17-14 overtime white-knuckler. When Santino D’Amico (Cousin Gino’s favorite player) made good on a short field goal after a Dunmore fumble, the Vikings may have stamped their ticket for the top seed in Class AA.

LESSON 3

Word out of Moscow is that there is a new bully on the block. Greg Dolhon’s Trojans laid waste to Nanticoke on Friday night and, while Nanticoke will not make anyone forget the ’85 Bears, North Pocono gave its fans a glimpse of what may be coming throughout the fall. With a bevy of talented skill players and some true road-graders up front, NP has sent a message that they are prepared to take on all comers in Division I of the LFC. Speaking of that division, whoever comes out on top will be a most deserving champion given the gauntlet of programs that now populate the penthouse – Delaware Valley, Valley View, Prep, Abington Heights, and, of course, the Trojans.

LESSON 4

Meh…isn’t that the word the younger generation uses for events or people that leave us uninspired or lethargic? That’s the word that came to mind when I perused the results from the Wyoming Valley Conference. Ok, so Wyoming Area beat Crestwood in a good football game. But I need somebody in Luzerne County to stand up and throw a haymaker that makes the rest of District 2 take notice. Let’s look at the next few weeks. On Friday, Dallas hosts Wyoming Area and Crestwood hosts Valley View. In Week 3, Dallas travels to Abington Heights and Wilkes-Barre heads to Valley View. In Week 4, we get Dallas at Wilkes-Barre. If no one can step forward and claim primacy in the WVC, I fear we are doomed to another year of squandered hype and unmet expectations. In the name of all that’s holy, Ciro Cinti, please don’t break our hearts again!

LESSON 5

I recommended in last week’s effort that Gino and I are creating our own version of the Heisman Trophy, awarded each year to the most compelling and electrifying football player in our area. I decided to call it the “Henzes Award”, in honor of Coach Jack Henzes, to whom the word “legend” does not do justice. I can assure you that Gino will be drug-tested before he votes each week. I voided his initial vote this week as he had Vinny Testaverde and Tommy DeVito on his list. While we will not name our recipient until after the district title games have been played, here is the list, in order of “electrifyingness” (Gino’s word, not mine).

Brayden Rose – Riverside
Lucas Lo Presto – Pittston Area
Isaac Ryon – Lackawanna Trail
Cole West – North Pocono
Ty’Meere Wilkerson – Berwick

If you don’t like it, create your own award. Don’t cost nothing.

It was difficult to come up with 5 fistfights worth squawking about this weekend. And I had to make sure I gave one to Gino, his weekly venture into prognostication. He had meandered into the world of AI on his computer, I had hoped, to assist with his prediction this week. Instead, he had slipped into some weird rabbit hole and was trying to merge the voices of Lady Gaga and Jerry Vale. But I digress. Here are the fistfights!!

FISTFIGHT #5 DUNMORE (0-1) at OLD FORGE (0–1)

I know, it’s a game that involves two teams that came up on the fuzzy end of the lollipop in Week 1. But look at those names. Don’t they make your heart beat faster? Memories of the Big 11 dance in front of my eyes and force me to wax nostalgic with this pick. No, it’s not Jack Henzes vs. Elio Ghigiarelli. But it’s the battle for supremacy of the non-jointure schools. It’s the #9SQUAREMILES vs. the Pizza Capital of the World. And somebody has to win! The loser gets a one-way ticket down Lonesome Road (actually a street in Old Forge). I’ll take the Boys from Bucktown to even their record in a low scoring affair.

FISTFIGHT #4 WESTERN WAYNE (1-0) at LACKAWANNA TRAIL (1-0)

This one pits two squads who got a bit more than they bargained for last week. Western Wayne scuffled for a bit before subduing Susquehanna while Trail was genuinely challenged by Tunkhannock. But, all of you are familiar by now with my affinity for Coach Jervis and the Delaware Wing-T. His son, Tyler, is at the controls again this year. By the time the younger Jervis finishes his vast array of fakes and feints, the opposing defense resembles a Gordian Knot waiting for the arrival of Alexander the Great. The Dub-Dub Cats will be game, but the Lions remain untamed. Trail by two scores.

FISTFIGHT #3 NORTH POCONO (1-0) at PITTSTON AREA (1-0)

This pick is all Gino. It is sponsored this week by Tommy C’s Sports Book: “Gambling Addiction? No problem. Call Tommy C.”

It’s me, Gino. My cousin told yas. And he better stop with the Jerry Vale stuff. “Pretend You Don’t See Her” is culturally profound and all that. And I made out with Donatella to it last Friday. Also profound. So I’m going down to Pittston. Not far from this joint we’re holed up in. Minchia, there’s no air conditioning, though. I had a dream that I was swimming in the Blue Grotto. Instead, I’m sweating right into the box spring. So, my friend, Guido, from Gouldsboro, tells me about the kids from Moscow. Big and strong. The coach has good hair, too. That’s important, no? Pittston has lots of Italians, but I gotta go with my gut. It says I had too much cavatelli and broccoli for lunch. And take NP for fun.

And now, a return to some sense of normalcy…

FISTFIGHT #2 VALLEY VIEW (1-0) at CRESTWOOD (0-1)

The Cougars dropped a bomb on NEPA last week, physically beating the Jesuit Giants to avenge last year’s loss in the opening week. With a young line and a brand new quarterback, Valley View prevented Prep from scoring an offensive touchdown and hung on for a 14-10 stunner. This week, the Cougars climb to Mountain Top where Crestwood needs a win of some heft to silence the doubters (of which, I am one). While there isn’t much “electrifyingness” (I can’t help it – I’m a slave to it) to the Valley View offense, there is certainly enough toughness in this group. Until Crestwood convinces me, I remain unconvinced. Cougars by a touchdown to go 2-0.

FISTFIGHT #1 WYOMING AREA (1-0) at DALLAS (0-1)

If you’re doing a ranking of the teams in the Wyoming Valley Conference after Week 1, and I am, certainly Wyoming Area heads the list. The win over Crestwood stands as the most impressive win by any Luzerne County school last weekend. Dallas, on the other hand, got bopped at Jersey Shore. While there’s no shame in losing to the Bulldogs, the margin was a bit concerning. Three touchdowns is a big number for this proud Dallas program. It was enough to unfurl Coach Mannello’s mustache. But strange things happen in the Back Mountain when the Mounts appear to be teetering on the brink. Something tells me that they bounce back at home in a wild one filled with big plays on both sides. Dallas by the slimmest of margins.

And finally,

THE POWER 5 – the five best football teams in all of District 2 regardless of record or classification.