Photo by Jennifer Kucharski
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By Tom Robinson, NEPAFootball.com
PECKVILLE – With both running games neutralized, Wednesday night’s 91st annual Dream Game evolved into a series of one-on-one battles in the secondary.
All-star game rules, requiring man-to-man-coverage, dictated that the success of the passing games would be determined by the series of matchups between receivers and the defensive backs with which they were isolated.
Chase Taddonio found Shane Brower for touchdown passes early and late in a game that featured J.J. Rogers and Nick Kucharski leading the County secondary to five interceptions in a 41-17 victory over the City at Valley View’s John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadum.
When the County won more than its share of those individual showdowns, it came away with a decisive victory in the Scranton Lions Club’s all-star game for recent Lackawanna Football Conference graduates.
Riverside’s Taddonio went 11-for-13 for 156 yards passing. He threw touchdowns to Brower, the Abington Heights receiver who turned six catches into 130 yards, on the County’s first possession and in the game’s final minute.
“Man coverage is what you look for as a receiver,” Brower said. “But our (defensive) guys have been guarding my friend Shawn (Theodore) and me all week.
“They’ve seen what we can do and they’ve been getting some picks on us, so I knew they were going to come out here and make some plays. It was awesome.”
Rogers, who went 33 yards with a pick for the game’s only defensive touchdown, and Kucharski each had two interceptions.
“I knew it was going to be all man, all game, no switches,” said Rogers, who also broke up several passes, including one that appeared destined to be a game-tying City touchdown in the first quarter. “ … The other DBs, Nick, (Mid Valley’s Jakob) Lesher, (Western Wayne’s) Sean Owens, we locked things down.
“We’re the best DBs in the area and it showed tonight.”
The County scored on its first three possessions to build a 20-0 lead with 8:24 still remaining in the first half.
Photo by Jennifer KucharskiFrom there, the City could not get closer than 10 points despite game rules that gave it three extra possessions – twice getting the ball back on kickoffs after scoring touchdowns because it was behind by nine or more points and once to begin the second half because of the same rule.
The teams combined for 120 yards on 50 carries, none of which produced a run of more than 15 yards.
Taddonio, however, hit his first four passes to get the County offense started.
When the City gambled on fourth down to open the game and failed, the County needed to go just 37 yards to open the scoring.
“I thought our linemen were big, our running backs were big, our fullbacks; I thought we were going to pound the ball down their throats,” said Brower, who pulled in an 18-yard touchdown from Taddonio for a 7-0 lead. “When we started throwing like that, it got me real excited. It was a great offense for throwing the ball.”
Valley View quarterback Zach Cwalinski scored from the 1 on the second play of the second quarter.
On the next County offensive play, Aiden Collins from Honesdale found Shawn Theodore from Abington Heights on a post pattern for a 44-yard gain to the 2.
Delaware Valley lineman Pasquale Venitucci moved into the backfield and scored from the 4 for the 20-point lead.
Brady Holmes from Scranton Prep scored both City touchdowns. He made a tough catch in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown from West Scranton’s Caiden Berardi to cut the deficit to 20-7.
The score remained that way through halftime when the team’s combined for four interceptions, including both Kucharski picks, in six plays in a span of just 1:21.
“We’ve been flying around all week, having fun and connecting together,” Kucharski said. “We had it all figured out.
“Brady Holmes on the other side, we had a really good battle, and I just had fun with all my friends.”
The City used its chance to receive the second-half kickoff, after also receiving to begin the game, to move 59 yards in 8:03 and add a 32-yard field goal by North Pocono’s Sam Magnotta.
The County answered by driving to a 3-yard touchdown run by Western Wayne’s Josh Vinton on the first play of the fourth quarter. The big play of the drive was a 44-yard pass from Taddonio to Brower.
The touchdown was the first of four in the fourth quarter.
Rogers returned his interception a minute later for a 34-10 lead.
Holmes got free down the middle for a 71-yard pass from Wallenpaupack’s Drew Kiesendahl.
Taddonio completed all seven of his second-half passes, the last of which was the 15-yard touchdown to Brower with 53.3 seconds remaining.
“It’s a great way to walk off the field after your last game as a high school player,” Mike Schuback, the Old Forge coach, said of the effort of his County team.
The County was made up of players from Abington Heights, Carbondale, Delaware Valley, Honesdale, Lakeland, Mid Valley, Old Forge, Riverside, Valley View and Western Wayne.
The City, coached by West Scranton’s Jake Manetti, included players from Dunmore, Holy Cross, Lackawanna Trail, North Pocono, Scranton, Scranton Prep, Susquehanna, Wallenpaupack and West Scranton.
The victory margin was the largest in what is now a six-game winning streak by the County to take a 44-42-4 series lead.
