2025 Face In The Crowd – Week 7

A FACE IN THE CROWD – WEEK 7

October – and the trees are stripped bare of all they wear,
What do I care?
October – where kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall,
But you go on and on…

And so we wax poetic as autumn’s first full month begins in NEPA. U2 released the album, October, in 1981. I’m not sure that Bono was in any way aware of the intricacies of American football back then. Somehow, though, he seems prescient today as Gino and I consider the rise and fall of kingdoms in our little corner of the Keystone State. Today, we’ll look at the rise and fall of kingdoms, the dynasties in high school football in District 2, both real and ephemeral. As Gino scrambles for the thesaurus (I believe it’s propping up his Scooby-Doo night light in the southwest quadrant of the Econoline – aka Mobile FITC Command Center), let’s get to this week’s lessons, because there is knowledge to pass on.

LESSON 1

With apologies to T.H. White, and anything else that is genuinely literary, Berwick is the “once and future king” of football in the Wyoming Valley Conference and, perhaps, in all of District 2. The Dawgs turned a fistfight into a full-out curb stomping last weekend in their 35-13 mauling of Division 2 rival Wyoming Area. Mark this down – Berwick will finish the regular season at 10-0 and will enter the Class AAA district tournament as the Numero Uno seed. That means one of two obstacles will stand in the way of a Canine Coronation in November – Wyoming Area or the Jesuit Giants from Wyoming Avenue. Berwick’s return to prominence is good for high school football. The fact that they are led by another Curry makes the story even more compelling. We at FITC congratulate DAWG KINGDOM for their dominance.

LESSON 2

It’s time for all of Gino’s Luzerne County paisans to rejoice! Pittston Area, that long dormant giant on the banks of the Susquehanna, has planted a giant red, white, and blue flag in the heart of Division 1 of the Wyoming Valley Conference. Last weekend’s pasting of Crestwood erased whatever nay-sayers may have still been lurking around Yatesville and those parts. What’s not to love about the Patriots? They have great quarterback play in Paulie Ferentino, outstanding ball carriers in Kaden Bailey and Brody Spindler, and a bona fide Henzes Award candidate in Lucas Lopresto. The junior has been a thrill-a-minute performer who has provided the highlights to the action flick that is the PA season thus far. Another quality opponent awaits on Friday night as the Howlin’ Wolfpack of WBA invade the mean streets of Yatesville. More on that later in the Fistfights.

LESSON 3

As we peak down the road to the district playoffs, in Class 4A we see a two-horse race. Those two stallions will meet head-on this weekend down the road from Alpine Swirl in Peckville. North Pocono and Valley View are easily the best football teams in that classification and will give fans a preview of what will inevitably come to fruition in November. The Trojans have ground out six consecutive victories to stand as the lone unbeaten among LFC programs. NP has not garnered a league title since 2009. Coach Greg Dolhon does not possess one. A victory on Friday, on the road in Cougar Country, would be a gigantic step in the right direction. The Trojans, truly, have not been a consistent threat to take home hardware since coaching legend Nick Donato patrolled the sidelines in Moscow. Back then, the Trojans were certainly LFC royalty. Maybe, just maybe, they wear crowns once again.

LESSON 4

Speaking of royalty… Coach Terry Gallagher and the Jesuit Giants have quietly peeled off three consecutive victories after three setbacks to begin the 2025 campaign. As the hirsute Prep mentor well knows, nothing was lost in those three weekends other than some pride. The league and district titles still reside on Wyoming Avenue and my guess is that Coach G and his troops will have much to say about where they will be when all the shooting subsides. This weekend brings a trip to Clarks Summit, a quaint village basking in the glory of the October fall foliage. But, Prep-Abington is a face-slapping, gauntlet-dropping, tooth-chipping affair, regardless of records. If the Cavs still have blue blood running in their collective veins, they will take care of business on Friday.

LESSON 5

So many candidates have arisen for mention in the hot list for the Henzes Award. Kevin Vincent of Holy Cross rushed for 346 yards at Holy Cross. His Catholic counterpart at Holy Redeemer, Brady McDermott, threw for 392. Apparently defense is a sin in the Diocese of Scranton. But I digress. We proceed with the five top bananas and a few honorable mentions. If you don’t like our list, make your own. Don’t cost nuthin’.

COLE WEST NORTH POCONO
ISAAC RYON LACKAWANNA TRAIL
TY’MEERE WILKERSON BERWICK
LUCAS LOPRESTO PITTSTON AREA
WILL MCPARTLAND SCRANTON PREP

Honorable Mention: Brayden Rose – Riverside, Jack Gravine – Wyoming Area, Jake Howe – Wilkes-Barre, Mike Iuzzolino – Delaware Valley, Gavin Anders – Abington Heights

Admittedly, Gino and I have been subpar with our picks. I think that speaks to the parity that exists across District 2 this year. Or, the previous statement was a bald-faced rationalization and we just have failed miserably at picking the Fistfights. But we vow to be better. We pledge to work inexorably toward success. And we shall begin this week. Hopefully.

FISTFIGHT #5 LAKE LEHMAN (3-3) at TUNKHANNOCK (2-4)

I have a soft spot for these games in Division 2 of the Wyoming Valley Conference that truly test the imagination. The Black Knights have evened their record after 6 games and look like they, along with Hanover, may be next in the hierarchy of the division behind Berwick and Wyoming Area. Lehman has won their last two games over Redeemer and Nanticoke by a combined score of 98-6. This week they travel to Tunkhannock to face a group that was humbled in one of last week’s Fistfights, to the tune of 42-0 by Hanover Area. The Black Knights appear to have found something in bruising fullback Jaydon Skipalis. The Tigers, on the other hand, are in search of points. I’ll take Lehman on the road.

FISTFIGHT #4 MID-VALLEY (3-3) at DUNMORE (3-3)

This has crossroads game written all over it. Neither of these two squads have been able to find footing during the 2025 campaign. There are flashes of potential and then bad losses or incomplete performances. Lakeland has taken firm command of the division and would need to spontaneously combust in order to lose their grasp at this point. So what do the Spartans and Bucks have to play for? Both are programs that have the potential to run the table the rest of the way, significantly improving their chances as the district tournament looms on the horizon. These are two rabid fan bases who expect the best from their teams given the tradition both schools possess. I like the game because I like quarterbacks, and Brett Yanoski and Weston Iannone are two of the better field generals in all of the LFC. It’s my guess that the quarterback that makes the big plays on Friday gets his squad ahead of the .500 mark overall. I like the Bucks in a close one.

Gino was a loser last week, and not just because he picked Crestwood over Pittston Area. He also managed to put a dent in the Econoline when he was joyriding with some Italian princess whom he sweet-talked back at Bandit’s in Berwick. Now, both the girl and our low insurance premiums are gone. I would send him packing but I fear my Aunt Modesta. I once saw her win two arm wrestling matches over bikers AT THE SAME TIME! I have nightmares of her putting me in the Sharpshooter like some Sicilian female version of Bret Hart. So, Gino stays and he has graced us with his offering for this week.

FISTFIGHT #3 WILKES-BARRE AREA (4-2) at PITTSTON AREA (5-1)

Gino’s pick this week is brought to you by Francesca’s Fried Delicacies: Serving Regret by the Basket Since 1987

Hey, listen up, it’s me, Gino. My cousin told yas. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, I’m comin’ for all yous sorry stunads who make me, Gino, look like a faccia de culo. I picked against these kids from Pittston last weekend. Mea culpa. That’s Latin, not Italian. That was the only smart-kid class I metastasized in. I think that’s the right termination. Anyway, I never make the same mistake twice, unless it’s with the opponent sex. I got distracted by a little semolina in Berwick and damaged the vehicle. But, I regress. I’ll take the Pittston kids this time. And I’ll be watchin’. But if yous stunads see me at the game, pretend yas don’t know me, cuz yas don’t

So not only did we get Gino’s pick (PA over WBA), but our lesson in foreign language for this week. And I’m not even talking about the Latin. On with the show.

FISTFIGHT #2 SCRANTON PREP (3-3) at ABINGTON HEIGHTS (4-2)

This one will be played, not at the Pit (where any “stunad”, as Gino calls them, would play this game), but at the new stadium behind the high school in Clarks Summit. I believe it’s called Modular Stadium. It came in four pieces. Including the goal posts. I’m sorry, I just can’t help it. As mentioned above, the Jesuit Giants come in on a bit of a heater while the Comets are moving in the other direction, having lost their last two contests to Division I royalty, North Pocono and Delaware Valley. Playing without Nick Bradley, Abington Heights played toe-to-toe with Delaware Valley on Saturday afternoon in Milford. The margin of 14 points can be attributed to a Comet fumble at the 2-yard line and a Mike Iuzzolino kickoff return. Otherwise, the teams were quite even. So don’t shed any tears for the Comets as they prepare for their rivalry game against Prep on Friday. Emotions can do wonders in high school athletics. But the Prep offense has scored 49, 42, and 37 in their last three games against Division 1 opponents. That type of production will be a bit too much for Abington Heights to match on Friday. I’ll take the Jesuit Giants.

FISTFIGHT #1 NORTH POCONO (6-0) at VALLEY VIEW (4-2)

Tough guy football at its best – these are two teams that truly love to run the ball and bloody the noses of their opponents. The Cougars are always a tough out on their home field and their defense has done a great job all season long of forcing turnovers, a great equalizer when facing a team with superior offensive talent. Coach Greg Dolhon’s Trojans, on the other hand, have avoided turnovers and have been efficient offensively. They possess the best (in my opinion) high school football player in all of District 2 in Cole West. They are tough and physical defensively and they have outstanding special teams. While I think that they will trade punches early, I like North Pocono to win by TKO at the finish. The Trojans will stay unblemished.

I feel a 5-0 week on the horizon. Even Gino’s pick, as threatening and as grammatically incorrect as it was, did make sense to me. Black Knights, Bucks, Patriots, Cavaliers, and Trojans are all winners this week. Book it.

Finally, I do believe that I hear the fat lady singing. And it ain’t Aunt Modesta. So lets put a period on this run-on sentence with this week’s Power 5.

THE POWER 5 – the five best football teams in all of District 2, heedless of record, classification, or team GPA.