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| Coach George Howanitz | Abe Bryant | Gabe Duda |
TEAM: Honesdale Hornets
COLORS: Red & Black
COACH: George Howanitz, 2nd Season (4-7) (120-75 overall)
PIAA: Class 4A
2026 CONFERENCE: LFC Division II
2025 RECORD: 4-7 (2-3 in conference)
RECORD LAST FIVE SEASONS: 22-31
STADIUM: Honesdale Stadium
OFFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 9
DEFENSIVE STARTERS RETURNING: 9
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Wing T
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3
2026 PREVIEW
Honesdale took some lumps last season while playing a lineup made up mostly of freshmen and sophomores. Now, head coach George Howanitz hopes the Hornets are the ones delivering the punishment. With a veteran backfield and an experienced roster, Honesdale believes it can take a significant step forward in 2026.
Abe Bryant returns at quarterback and now has a strong grasp of the Wing-T offense. Gabe Duda returns at fullback after rushing for nearly 2,000 yards during his career. Turk Acker, Dontae Joseph, and Damian Davis all saw time at running back last season and will continue to contribute in 2026.
The Hornets will feature several new faces at wide receiver, including Cooper McGhie, Gino Patrisso, Manny Edwards, and Brandon Stalter. Max LaBruno returns at tight end, with A.J. Dutton and Brayden Fritsch providing depth.
The offensive line should be a strength with four starters returning. Landen Bertot is back at left tackle, Bobby Macdowell returns at left guard, Liam Platt is back at center, and Mason Quigley returns at right guard. Cristo Basson and Charlie Smith will compete for the starting job at right tackle.
The defense will also feature plenty of experience. Macdowell and Quigley return at defensive end, while Owen Phillips is back at defensive tackle and will be joined by Bertot. Craig Stiles and Davis provide depth along the defensive front.
Patrisso returns as a starter at outside linebacker, with Edwards expected to line up on the opposite side. LaBruno is back at inside linebacker, while Fritsch and Cole Dieterich bring experience at the position.
Joseph returns as a starting cornerback and will be joined by Bryant. Acker and Duda are expected to start at safety, while Stalter, McGhie, and Kadyn Kinney provide depth in the secondary.
Alex Valerio will handle the placekicking duties, while Duda returns as the punter.
QUOTE FROM COACH HOWANITZ: We played a lot of Freshmen & Sophomores last year so they should be battle tested for the upcoming season. With essentially our whole offense team back from last year, I’d expect us to be much more efficient and our defense should be much more physical with most starters back on that side of the ball as well.
RETURNING ALL-STARS – LFC Division II
First Team Fullback – Gabe Duda
Honorable Mention Defensive Lineman – Bobby Macdowell
Honorable Mention Linebacker – Gabe Duda
