HS FOOTBALL: Delaware Valley dominates largest class in D2

Heading into the District 2 Class 6A championship game, Delaware Valley football coach Keith Olsommer overheard his players talking about how the title goes through Milford.

They were correct.

Not only have the Warriors won all five District 2 Class 6A championships since the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association expanded to six classifications, they are 16-0 against District 2 Class 6A opponents in that time, winning by an average of 25.6 points.

Also in that time, the Warriors are 8-1 in the district postseason with their only loss coming against Williamsport in the 2016 subregional final.

Olsommer’s program has seven District 2 titles since 2012, winning in Class 4A in 2012 and 2014, and now five straight in Class 6A.

This weekend they enter the state playoffs for the fourth time when they travel to play District 6 champion Altoona on Friday at 7 p.m.

CHRISTOPHER DOLAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Delaware Valley quarterback Aiden Oliver hands off the ball to teammate Preston Machado during a preseason practice in September.

D2 postseason

Dunmore claimed its seventh straight District 2 Class 2A title and automatic berth in the PIAA playoffs when Lackawanna Trail lost to Old Forge last week.

The Bucks (3-2) host District 12 champion Bishop McDevitt (Wyncote) on Friday at 7 p.m. in a rematch from last season when Bishop McDevitt won, 28-13. The Royal Lancers (2-1) are coming off a 14-0 win over Conwell-Egan. Their loss is to defending PIAA Class 5A champ Archbishop Wood.

This is the 23rd time the Bucks reached the postseason since the state moved to the district playoff format.

Old Forge (4-0) is the District 2 Class 1A champion for the first time since 2017. The Blue Devils host District 1 champion Bristol on Friday at 7 p.m. Bristol has faced District 2 champions previously in the Class 1A playoffs. The Warriors lost to Lackawanna Trail, 45-7, in 2018, lost to Dunmore, 34-12, in 2012 and lost to Old Forge, 14-10, in 2002.

Lake-Lehman (7-1) plays at Lakeland (4-0) in the District 2 Class 3A championship game Friday at 7 p.m. Lake-Lehman won four of the five previous meetings between the programs. Lakeland won, 6-3, in the 2018 District 2 Class 3A quarterfinals on a Giovanni Spataro touchdown run in overtime.

Lakeland reached the District 2 playoffs for the 22nd time and sixth straight season.

Lake-Lehman is making its 14th appearance and seventh straight in the District 2 playoffs.

Nonleague games

Several Lackawanna Football Conference teams are playing nonleague games the next two weekends.

On Friday, Wallenpaupack is at Western Wayne, Mid Valley is at Honesdale.

Lackawanna Trail is at Riverside in a game that moved to Sunday at 6 p.m.

Riverside is planning to play a second game this season against Mid Valley on Nov. 13. The Vikings won the first meeting, 42-36.

Two extra games will max out Riverside’s schedule. The two opportunities give quarterback Johnny Gilchrist a shot at becoming the Lackawanna Interscholastic Athletic Association’s all-time leader in career passing yards. The senior has 6,814 yards, trailing only Lakeland’s Evan Kraky, who had 7,447 from 1998-2001.

Also, Valley View hosts Malvern Prep on Friday at 7 p.m. Malvern Prep (2-0) has wins over Salesianum (Del.), 35-0, and Hun (N.J.), 10-8.