It was a glorious, sun-splashed Monday in Northeastern Pennsylvania for the first day of heat acclimatization for fall sports athletes.

We hopped in the car and visited three Lackawanna Football Conference teams on Day 1, including stops at Dunmore, Scranton and Lakeland.

 

Total miles: 43

 

 

2019 DUNMORE BUCKS

 

The first stop had to be in Dunmore.

This is the first high school football season since 1971 where there is a new person in charge of the Bucks football program. Legendary coach Jack Henzes retired after a remarkable 48-year stay at the school as both an educator and coach. We continue to wish him and the Henzes family much health and happiness.

 

DON’T FORGET

 

 

 

LOOKING BACK:

 

 

 

FAST FORWARD:

 

 

KEVIN McHALE

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DUNMORE HEAD COACH

 

• Played at Dunmore from 1993 to 1995

• Helped Bucks win Big 11 titles in 1993 and 1995

• Part of District 2 Class 2A Championship Team in 1995

• Dunmore went 26-9 in his three years.

 

After playing at Moravian College, he returned and joined the staff in 2002 and became defensive coordinator in 2008.

 

 

• Dunmore went 182-41 in his seasons as an assistant including 9-4 last season when he served as interim coach.

• The Bucks have won nine District 2 championships since 2002 including the last 5 in Class 2A.

• Dunmore has reached the PIAA final three times since 2007.

VISIT NO. 1

 

 

 

 

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2019 SCRANTON KNIGHTS

 

After driving back to home base and putting together the first video on the tour AROUND THE CAMPS and writing the Dunmore recap for the Tuesday print edition of The Times-Tribune, we headed back on the road.

At Scranton Memorial Stadium, where the summer heat resonates of the turf by 2 p.m., the Knights hit the practice field for the second year under coach Steve Shumbres.

Scranton has twins on the roster — Liam and Seamus Hailstone — who have put in a lot of work trying to get the team back on the winning track after a 1-10 season in 2018.

 

 

LIAM HAILSTONE

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SCRANTON DEFENSIVE END

Solo	Assists	Total	Tackles for loss
7	7	14	1.5

 

 

 

 

 

SEAMUS HAILSTONE

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SCRANTON DEFENSIVE END

 

Solo	Assists	Total	Tackles for loss
1	8	9	1
	Receptions	Yards
	1	28

 

 

 

 

VISIT NO. 2

 

 

 

 

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2019 LAKELAND CHIEFS

 

Finally, after a NASCAR record-setting pit stop at home base, we headed to Scott Township and the first practice for coach David Piwowarczyk. He takes over for Jeff Wasilchak, who coached the Chiefs since 2008.

One of the standout players returning for Piwowarczyk is running back Giovanni Spataro. He is part of a junior class that includes CJ Dippre, Cross Douglas and Shane Barrett that moved up to the varsity team in 2017 to help fill out the roster and all eventually started for the Chiefs that season when they reached the District 2 Class 2A playoffs.

He has run for more than 1,000 yards in each of his two varsity seasons and is closing in on the Lakeland all-time leader in career rushing yards.

 

JOE TUZZE

LAKELAND, 2001-2004

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• Associated Press (Class 2A) all-state first team LB 2004, 2003
• Times-Tribune Defensive Player of the Year, 2003, 2004
• Times-Tribune Male Athlete of the Year, 2003, 2004
• Lakeland’s all-time leader with 362 tackles, 3,537 rushing yards, 67 Tds
• Led Lakeland to District 2 Class 2A Championships 2002, 2003, 2004
• Led Lakeland to 46 wins in four seasons
• Akron University

 

 

 

 

 

GIOVANNI SPATARO

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LAKELAND RUNNING BACK

 

 

2017

OPPONENT	CARRIES	YARDS	TDs
Valley View	13	92	1
Holy Cross	7	122	2
Dunmore	11	26	0
Carbondale Area	14	25	0
Lackawanna Trail	11	46	0
Susquehanna	21	214	3
Riverside	26	165	1
Old Forge	22	48	0
Montrose	24	197	2
Mid Valley	33	184	2
Carbondale Area	23	102	2
	205	1221	13

 

 

 

 

2018

OPPONENT	CARRIES	YARDS	TDs
Honesdale	22	98	1
Old Forge	27	143	3
Riverside	12	154	1
West Scranton	15	44	0
Mid Valley	13	116	0
Western Wayne	17	105	1
Carbondale Area	25	225	1
Nanticoke	20	163	3
Scranton Prep	15	57	1
Dunmore	19	116	0
Lake-Lehman	21	81	1
Wyoming Area	20	86	1
Scranton Prep	15	46	0
	241	1434	13

 

 

 

 

 

VISIT NO. 3

 

 

 

 

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TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE

 

 

TUESDAY
11 a.m.		North Pocono Trojans
4:30 p.m.		Delaware Valley Warriors

 

 

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SCRIMMAGE SCHEDULE

 

 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17

Abington Heights at Lakeland, 10 AM

Mid Valley at West Scranton, 10 AM

Dallas at Dunmore, 10 AM

Honesdale at Hanover Area, 10 AM

North Pocono at Old Forge, 10 AM

Valley View at Riverside, 10 AM

Athens at Susquehanna, 10 AM

Tunkhannock at Carbondale Area, 10 AM

Wallenpaupack, Western Wayne at Lackawanna Trail, 10 AM

Bethlehem Liberty at Delaware Valley, 11 AM

Towanda at Montrose, 11 AM

Scranton Prep at Scranton, 12:30 PM

 

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