HS FOOTBALL: New schedule proposal includes big matchups

Athletic directors from the Lackawanna League met Wednesday at PNC Field to address upcoming schedules, including the next cycle for football.

District 2 athletic directors and school administrators received via email a schedule proposal for discussion.

It will be voted on by Lackawanna Interscholastic Athletic Association principals at the Jan. 29 meeting. Wyoming Valley Conference officials will vote on it Jan. 30.

The Times-Tribune and The Citizens’ Voice obtained copies of the proposal.

The LIAA already approved the alignment of the Lackawanna Football Conference. It remained the same through the next cycle despite some schools changing classifications based on their male enrollment in grades 9 through 11.

With the return of Holy Cross, the conference is made up of four divisions of five teams. Teams play four division games to determine a champion.

Division I includes Delaware Valley, Scranton, Wallenpaupack, Abington Heights and North Pocono.

Division II is made up of Valley View, Scranton Prep, West Scranton, Western Wayne and Honesdale.

Division III has Dunmore, Lakeland, Mid Valley, Riverside and Carbondale Area.

Division IV includes Old Forge, Lackawanna Trail, Susquehanna, Montrose and Holy Cross.

Once again, the proposal includes crossover games between the LFC and the WVC.

Also in the proposal, are three games against Class 2A state champion Southern Columbia, which won its appeal to remain Class 2A in the PIAA on Wednesday.

The Tigers entered into a two-year agreement with Berwick last spring, and will kick off the season with the Bulldogs. Wyoming Area, in Week 4 and Dunmore, in Week 9, are the other two teams tentatively set to play the Tigers. Southern Columbia is also scheduled to scrimmage Valley View on Aug. 22.

Last season, Southern Columbia captured its third straight Class 2A state crown and, led by a cast of NCAA Division I recruits, outscored opponents, 888-82. Included in those games was a 42-0 win over PIAA Class 3A champion Wyoming Area.

Dunmore has played Southern Columbia twice since 2012. The Bucks beat the Tigers in the Class 1A playoffs, 35-29, in 2012 and lost to them, 56-19, in the Class 2A semifinals in 2017.

Other interesting proposed matchups include:

• Valley View playing Dallas in Week 1 and Delaware Valley in Week 7.
• In Week 3, Delaware Valley faces Western Wayne, which is coached by former Warriors defensive coordinator Randy Wolff.
• Holy Redeemer and Holy Cross playing in both Week 1 and Week 9.
• PIAA Class 3A champion Wyoming Area would have one LFC opponent — Lakeland in Week 6.

 

Lackawanna Football Conference

DIVISION I

• ABINGTON HEIGHTS: at Tunkhannock; at Honesdale; Valley View; Wyoming Valley West; at Delaware Valley; at North Pocono; Williamsport; at Wallenpaupack; West Scranton; Scranton.
• DELAWARE VALLEY: Florida; West Scranton; at Western Wayne; at Wilkes-Barre Area; Abington Heights; Hazleton Area; at Valley View; at Scranton; Wallenpaupack; North Pocono.
• NORTH POCONO: at Pittston Area; Western Wayne; Honesdale; at Tunkhannock; Wallenpaupack; Abington Heights; at West Scranton; Lake-Lehman; at Scranton; at Delaware Valley.
• SCRANTON: at Wilkes-Barre Area; Scranton Prep; West Scranton; at Valley View; at Honesdale; Wallenpaupack; Hazleton Area; at Delaware Valley; at North Pocono; Abington Heights.
• WALLENPAUPACK: at Honesdale; at Valley View; Scranton Prep; Lakeland; at North Pocono; Scranton; at Crestwood; Abington Heights; at Delaware Valley; Western Wayne.

DIVISION II

• HONESDALE: Wallenpaupack; Abington Heights; at North Pocono; Riverside; at Scranton; at Western Wayne; Scranton Prep; at Valley View; Nanticoke; at West Scranton.
• NORTH POCONO: at Pittston Area; Western Wayne; Honesdale; at Tunkhannock; Wallenpaupack; Abington Heights; at West Scranton; Lake-Lehman; at Scranton; at Delaware Valley.
• SCRANTON PREP: Nanticoke; at Scranton; at Wallenpaupack; Dunmore; Western Wayne; at West Scranton; at Honesdale; Tunkhannock; at Lake-Lehman; Valley View.
• VALLEY VIEW: Dallas; Wallenpaupack; at Abington Heights; at Scranton; West Scranton; at Crestwood; Delaware Valley; Honesdale; at Western Wayne; at Scranton Prep.
• WEST SCRANTON: Wyoming Valley West; at Delaware Valley; Scranton; at Mid Valley; at Valley View; Scranton Prep; North Pocono; at Western Wayne; at Abington Heights; Honesdale.
• WESTERN WAYNE: at Dunmore; at North Pocono; Delaware Valley; Crestwood; at Scranton Prep; Honesdale; at Lakeland; West Scranton; Valley View; at Wallenpaupack.

DIVISION III

• CARBONDALE AREA: at Lackawanna Trail; Holy Cross; at Old Forge; Hanover Area; at Lakeland; Dunmore; at Susquehanna; Riverside; Montrose; at Mid Valley.
• DUNMORE: Western Wayne; Old Forge; at Lake-Lehman; at Scranton Prep; Riverside; at Carbondale Area; at Mid Valley; Lackawanna Trail; at Southern Columbia; Lakeland.
• LAKELAND: Lake-Lehman; Lackawanna Trail; at Susquehanna; at Wallenpaupack; Carbondale Area; at Wyoming Area; Western Wayne; Mid Valley; at Riverside; at Dunmore.
• MID VALLEY: Old Forge; at Holy Redeemer; Montrose; West Scranton; at Holy Cross; at Riverside; Dunmore; at Lakeland; at Lackawanna Trail; Carbondale Area.
• RIVERSIDE: at Susquehanna; Montrose; Lackawanna Trail; at Honesdale; at Dunmore; Mid Valley; at Old Forge; at Carbondale Area; Lakeland; Lake-Lehman.

DIVISION IV

• HOLY CROSS: Holy Redeemer; at Carbondale Area; Hanover Area; OPEN; Mid Valley; at Susquehanna; at Lackawanna Trail; Old Forge; at Holy Redeemer; Montrose.
• LACKAWANNA TRAIL: Carbondale Area; at Lakeland; at Riverside; Susquehanna; at Holy Redeemer; Montrose; Holy Cross; at Dunmore; Mid Valley; at Old Forge.
• MONTROSE: Wyalusing Valley; at Riverside; at Mid Valley; Holy Redeemer; Old Forge; at Lackawanna Trail; Nanticoke; Susquehanna; at Carbondale Area; at Holy Cross.
• OLD FORGE: at Mid Valley; at Dunmore; Carbondale Area; Northwest Area; at Montrose; at Hanover Area; Riverside; at Holy Cross; Susquehanna; Lackawanna Trail.
• SUSQUEHANNA: Riverside; at Hanover Area; Lakeland; at Lackawanna Trail; at Nanticoke; Holy Cross; Carbondale Area; at Montrose; at Old Forge; Holy Redeemer.