Latest / Cleats & Clipboards / Cleats & Clipboards | Episode 1: Season Kickoff, Preseason Top 10s & Week 1 Previews

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Cleats & Clipboards | Episode 1: Season Kickoff, Preseason Top 10s & Week 1 Previews · Cleats & Clipboards

• 0:42
  SPEAKER_02: Here we go.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_02: I believe we are live, Coach Juan.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_02: We have traded our cleats for clipboards, but we never left the game, my friend.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to our audience to Cleats and Clipboards, your front row seat to Pennsylvania High School Football, brought to you by Sportswire.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_02: And this is a big one, George, because it is our very first show.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_02: We're kicking it all off tonight with Sportswire preseason rankings, which you're gonna get into shortly, and a full preview of uh week one in District 2.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_02: And there's a lot of exciting games this uh weekend coming up.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_02: Just to give our listeners a preview, every week we will recap what happened, we'll roll out our rankings, preview what is ahead, and tell you exactly who and what to watch.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_02: We are part of the Sportswire family covering football that this region we know love uh lives for.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_02: And I'll just start here tonight with some introductions.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_02: If you don't know me, my name's Dan Lamagna.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_02: Uh played wide receiver, was a semi-pro captain with the good old Scranton Eagles, was honored to be minor league football news uh Hall of Fame member.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_02: Three years I got to coach with Coach Duda over there at Lackawanna College and now coaching at Abenton Heights.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_02: And George, introduce yourself and don't be modest, buddy.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_02: You got a nice resume over there.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, Coach Dan.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Uh hey, it's football season.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: This is awesome, isn't it?
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh just to kick this thing off.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: Uh again, George Wanitz.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I'm a head coach right now at Homesdale.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: I was the head coach at Valley View for a lot of years.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_01: Uh played quarterback, defensive back at Valley View, state champion quarterback.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh went on to play at Bucknell University, All Patriot League uh D back, and coached for two years at McDaniel College and uh started my career with Walmall Pack, who we'll be playing this week at Holmesdale, and then uh my Valley View days and my you know Homesdale days now.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: So uh you and I had you know paths crossed through the years, and uh the football has been great to both of us.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_02: Man, I and you left out NEPA Sports Hall of Fame.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: Don't leave that out, coach, because you you weren't that man.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_02: And I I love that Brad from Sportswire brought us together.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I think we we both came up through Valley View, my early days until I was a trader and went to Lakeland over there.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, you know, we had the whole Lakeland Valley View rival, and then paths crossed again.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_02: We got to play a little flag football after the college days uh in uh Fernhill and Offant there.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_02: And and man, I like I don't know what your memories are, but but I used to just love those days.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_02: And I I think whether it was back in our day or the players we're gonna talk about tonight, like their relationships you just build forever.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_02: You have respect from your teammates, the guys you went against.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: And I used to love getting up every morning because I didn't get we were a few years apart in high school, so I didn't get to play against you in high school.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_02: But man, I knew of your career and Scotty was sochak's career, and I used to love balling against you guys, and then now, you know, fast forward so many years later, and we were coaching high school football, and tonight we're finally on the same side, just behind the the microphone.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_02: So, man, great memories, right?
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I just think uh, I mean, you know, you played long enough, and I think even as coaches, we constantly tell the kids that and try to burn that into their memories that uh, you know, you're gonna have these friendships your whole life.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Stuff you do now, you're gonna remember uh for a long time, and it's gonna bond you as as athletes and and brothers on the field.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, the nice thing was when you and I were uh were growing up, there was a lot of that uh, I'm gonna say the the back and forth with with your rivals, but there was a lot of camaraderie as well.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you you ran against each other in track, you played basketball, you played baseball, you played um, you know, and everybody I think had a deep respect for each other, and uh I think that's what made everything so special.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what this show is that we're bringing.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_02: You know, there is that brotherhood.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_02: We know that you know the sportswire team's doing a lot in the community and bringing those kids together and highlighting those high school kids.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_02: But there's also two sides of the ball offense, defense, receiver DB, right here in one conversation, George.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, when we disagree, and we will, that the the challenge and the penalty flags are ready for you tonight, coach.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and we're our listeners are gonna get both sides of every matchup here.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_02: So here's what we're setting out to do.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_02: There's no shortage of Friday night scores out there.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_02: There's a lot of action coming up uh this weekend.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: What there's not enough of is the why behind them.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_02: The matchups, the game plans, the little things that actually decide a game, down to the people who have coached them and played them.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_02: That's our job.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: We're doing we're going to give this region's high school football the coverage it deserves, celebrate these kids in the programs, and help our listeners watch the game in the way that a coach sees it.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_02: We start right here in District 2 as the season builds towards the state playoffs.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_02: We'll take this across Pennsylvania bit and we'll of course branch out.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um, before we get rolling, just a quick thank you to the people that make the show possible.
• 5:22
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• 5:29
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• 5:32
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• 5:35
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• 5:37
  SPEAKER_02: But please go to hydrobathusa.com.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_02: Support the local businesses that support local football.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_02: They're the reason that we're here.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_02: So let's go with our sports wire preseason rankings.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_02: This is where we plant our flag before every single snap.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_02: Uh George, you've got some good ranked lists here.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_02: We'll start with the small schools.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_02: Coach Juanitz, talk to me, man.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_02: What do you got here?
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I just think uh, first of all, I love I think the comments are hilarious when we do uh, you know, when you see these rankings come out.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_01: And you see, and a lot of different groups do rankings.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, Sportswire has their own ranking, and um, you know, these are all based on obviously it's a it's preseason, right?
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_01: So we have uh, if you look at it, the heavy hitters are on the top, prep's always in the mix, Dunmore's always in the mix, Waming area is always in the mix, Lakeland, Trail, right?
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we've seen those same kind of teams uh, you know, rolling for the last five to ten years, a lot of these teams.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_01: So uh not much changes there.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of these teams bring back a lot of starters, uh, some high caliber athletes when you look at this.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, you got Riverside's got a major D1 kid playing quarterback, Dunmore's got a uh D1 kid, I think that's gonna be uh I don't know what position he'll play if he'll play quarterback, but he's playing that position.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um Wyoming area brings back a lot of depth and some older guys.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: Lakeland's got skilled guys out the uh you know, out the wazoo, and prep is always dangerous.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: So uh you look at that top five, top six, I mean, they're they're as good as any year that's been in uh these small school kind of rankings.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_02: I I think you have a very solid list there.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not gonna throw out the challenge flag tonight.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um you bring it, you bring up a good point, and it is one of the questions I want to ask you.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_02: And we didn't even talk about this before the show, but you talked about some schools just always having that tradition, you know, whether it's from back when we played to now, you know, sometimes there's a couple down years, you know, you get some injuries or the numbers might be down a little bit.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_02: But the Valley Views, the Dunmores, you know, that great tradition.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: Why do you think that is, Coach?
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_02: What is it that it's the glue that over the the test of time these schools continue to be successful programs?
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think uh, you know, for one thing, they have so much tradition.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think kids want to play football there.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's it's been embedded in them since they're uh probably as kindergartners and in their schools, and uh, you know, it's important for them to play.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: Their dads played, their brothers played, their uncles played, their grandfathers played.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, uh a Friday night there is an event.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you know that.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you go to Lakeland, you go to Dunmore, you go to Valley View, you go to Wyoming area, you go to Berwick.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, the the the history's there, uh, and kids want to be involved in that.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: So every year I think they're getting the you know, the better athletes in their schools to play that sport.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: And obviously, if you can do that, um, especially in these smaller schools, uh, you know, uh you have a good chance to win.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm looking, there's you know, uh some of the comments I'm reading, like, how did you choose you know, why'd you choose this?
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_01: Or how did there's only 15 uh small schools in in district two.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's seven three A's, five two A's, and three uh single A's.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, when you have to pick a group of 10, um, you know, you're only leaving five out.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: So, and I know it's difficult preseason.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody wants their team ranked, but these are usually the teams that seem to be in the mix, and uh, we think they'll have the best chance of kind of survival at the end.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_02: It definitely does give us a good start.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_02: I know Scranton Preps built themselves a reputation where some of those comments, when you go to Sportswire on Facebook there, they're like, hey, this should be a big school.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: So they've definitely built themselves a big school type of reputation there.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I love that you mentioned the tradition that these schools have, and so you know, some places are definitely tougher to play at.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, both of us having, you know, had a sample of you know, college football, and you know, I remember coaching under coach Duda, man, I knew how disciplined and strict and structured, and he was trying to get kids ready for D1.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I there's something I love to see in high school.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_02: You know, the more you get those school board members and the head coaches and superintendents all on that same page building the program, the more successful these programs could be.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_02: I've got some kids that, you know, I used to coach, they they coach out in Florida now, and boy, it's a different beast out in Florida.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_02: And not everyone Northeast PA realizes some of that football that's out there in Florida and Texas.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_02: So I look to diving into more of these programs as we go.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, as far as our big school top 10 coach Wanitz, what do you have here?
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, same thing.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: Look at the uh you look at the top, I mean, it's a lot of heavy hitters at the top.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_01: North Pocono defending district champs, uh, won a playoff game in the PIAA last year.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Dallas brings back a lot of starters.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: They're always uh in the mix, and then obviously Valley View.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: Those those three teams uh make, I think, the 4-A bracket, um, you know, probably one of the better brackets uh in district two.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um and again, just by the teams, you're gonna get in it.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, then we have Abington at four.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_01: You know, they lose some, uh lose their quarterback and some skill guys, but uh plenty of firepower coming back.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, a staff that's been there for a long time, so a lot of them ready.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_01: Same thing with Delaware Valley there.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they're gonna be in the same same kind of mix with Keith Olsmer there.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_01: He's gonna bring, you know, power football.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, he'll always have good linemen, good skill kids.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, and then you as you're working yourself down through, uh Berwick lost some guys, but have a lot of guys back.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, Holmes still plays well in Paul Pack this week, so uh, you know, we'll we'll get a good barometer of kind of where both of those teams are at.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_01: Wilkes Berry is one of the bigger schools, again, a lot of athletes.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, we have a lot of teams in there that are um, you know, bring a lot of bodies back.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh not many changes at the top as far as coaches go.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: They're very uh you know, very stable as far as things go.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: And um I think that'll be like I said, especially I think foray.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh 4A will be one of the more interesting uh you know divisions or classifications that you're in district two.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_02: Another good set of rankings there.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_02: You know what?
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna throw out the challenge flag at least once tonight on these rankings, coaches.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_02: Now, Valley View at number three.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_02: I know they're, you know, I think they're trending back up again, but there's no past Valley View bias there, is there tonight, Coach?
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_02: I got to challenge that one for the listeners and make sure there's no bias.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: Not at all.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: They have uh they're bringing back a quarterback, they're bringing back pretty much their whole skill position group.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, about half their line is back, and uh, you know this.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: They're gonna be prepared each week.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, they open up this week with a uh team from Allentown that'll give them a challenge.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_01: But um, you know, one of the nice things about I think about this list in general is most of these teams are gonna play each other at some point, right?
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna get North Pocano, Valley View, uh Abington, Delaware Valley, uh, Paul Pack, you know, and then the mix of all the other rooms coming in.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_01: So uh you're gonna get a really good look by the end of the year who really the top dog is uh as we get to week 10.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, haven't played a lot of them last year coaching at Abington.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_02: It is some very competitive football.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I have a love-hate with Valley View.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_02: You know, the listeners might be mad at me here.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I have to challenge it.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_02: You know, the love is for the Wasochak boys up there.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I just love that coach and staff, and there's a lot of great people in that community and district.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_02: But back in 1995, coach, you know, they they spray painted the field at Lakeland there, uh, Valley View.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_02: And it was, you know, an administrator up at Abmington now who I know is behind it.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not gonna mention any names.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_02: I've been busting his chops as I coach his kid over there at Abington.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_02: But so there's a little rival there still in me, but uh no, they're well deserving of the ranking, and it's gonna make for a competitive season for sure.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_02: So, with that, there are rankings week one.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_02: We will see how they pan out as we're gonna learn a lot more about these football teams after this weekend's games.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_02: But based on what we we know, we're on to week one.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_02: The district two games that we're circling.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_02: We have 22 games this week, a lot of competitive football in district two.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: I picked 10 of them to really highlight tonight, coach.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_02: And there may and I think there's still some good games that I might not have highlighted that we will touch on as well.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, to get through 22 games in under an hour isn't easy, but we're gonna be on point.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_02: The first one I want to talk about that I believe is a marquee cross-district game is Delaware Valley at Bethlehem Catholic.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_02: Coach, what do you see in there, man?
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_02: Del Valley defending District 2, Class 5A champions.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, what's your take on that game?
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_01: Well, no, they're hands full.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, uh, you know, when you go down to play any teams in Allentown, you're gonna get a lot of speed uh that you usually don't see in District 2.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I know from the years we play like ACC and some of the schools down there, you're gonna get big linemen, you know, running zone blocking schemes that are uh you know kind of coming at you, and and it's a it'll be a tough test, I think, week one uh for them.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_01: You know, they have some good skill kids back.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: They have a you know a good run, uh D V has Esteves, a great running back, and Davney has some offers as a tight end.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I think they'll be able to kind of go blow for blow with them at the beginning, but uh you know, you gotta hope that their your younger kind of players are uh ready to go early because I'm sure uh Beckle will be kind of firing all cylinders right out of week one.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: I love that, man.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I like that you mentioned just the type of athlete that's there in Allentown, and then I think that's something that's a bit underrated, that central part of the state.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_02: I had got to help coach a semi-pro football team in Allentown for one year, and we there were some really nice athletes there.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they're near Philadelphia, and you know, so I know the type of athletes they produce.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_02: And then on the flip side, Dell Valley.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you know, they were off to a little, you know, they had a little bit of a slow start last year, but boy, they're just such a well-coached team.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_02: And man, I like how they build, you know, you got that tight end.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_02: I love a good tight end and an offense.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I love that.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_02: I was a West Coast offense guy, so I love involving the tight end.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_02: And they got that big old line, Phillip Leslie, man, 6'4, 295.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_02: You get a big boy like that in the trenches.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_02: So it helped an office rush for over 2,700 yards last year.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_02: In the Northeast, you can pound the ball like that, you're gonna be competitive.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_02: So hopefully, Del Val, man, they can, you know, play well on the road and get off to a good start this year.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_02: We'll see.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the only thing, like I said, you're gonna see uh, and a lot of people in our area don't see a lot of the Allentown teams play, but you're gonna get, you know, you'll get a Becca team that they'll average probably 6'4, about 270 across the line.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: So it's gonna be a uh, you know, it'll be a spot where DV will kind of be mapped size-wise, which they usually aren't.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, I think it'll come down to the speed, and if they're able to kind of handle that speed.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: We got we got our first comment on the show tonight from Dave Kurtzman.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_02: I know those Kurtzman boys from Valley View are already plugging up the Valley View number one, Dave.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_02: Dave, we appreciate that.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_02: We will get to Valley View.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_02: They may not be number one in our rankings yet, they're number three, but uh they they they are definitely definitely up there.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_02: So, second game I want to touch on here now.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_02: Now, this one's close to home with me, so I'm gonna keep the bias out here.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_02: Allentown Central Catholic going to Abington Heights.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you and I talked a little bit during the week where, man, we wish there was two scrimmages because we we we had our first scrimmage for Abington, and there's some things to clean up.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you got a you know, District 6, 4-8 school versus District 2 Abington, 5A.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_02: Abington went 9-3 last year in 2005.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_02: We lost some really good guys over there to Lackawanna College that graduated.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, yeah, I think they're coming in week one as one of the most highly regarded large school programs, but a tough test this weekend.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I just think uh, and again, I'm I coach Repchus will have Abington ready to play.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you know that he's he has them ready each week.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um I it's gonna be the same thing as D V.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: They're gonna come in, they're gonna have a lot of speed.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, I there's been years I've played Allentown Central Catholic, they've been six and four, and you'll be like, oh, this is a bad team, and then they show up and they look like uh NFL football team, you know, rolling out.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_01: So um it's gonna be very similar to what DV's gonna get with Becca.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna get the size, you're gonna get the speed.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I mean, obviously they're a Catholic school, so they're you know, they they can pull kids from all around the Allentown area and kind of outside the Allentown area.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I know you've probably seen them more on film than I have, so you could probably speak more to that uh, you know, the film side of it, like what you've seen.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_01: But I, you know, if if they're any indication of how usually ACC teams are, um, you know, like I said, you're gonna get big bodies coming at you downhill pretty fast.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_01: And if you can handle that speed and kind of uh keep them off balance a little bit, you'll have a chance to win.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think you're mentioned there of handling that speed being very important.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_02: You know, some offenses, like last year for us at Abington, yeah, we had a lot of good receivers.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_02: We had one dude in Gavin Anders.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: Allentown, they've they've got a few dudes, you know, they got a lot of speed there that's coming at you that you gotta be mindful of.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_02: So it's gonna be really important for the Abington defense to be disciplined, you know, following those assignments that Coach Arcuri's, you know, put out there for the defense this week.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I think if they could do that, you know, we could be in good shape.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_02: And I think the other key will be controlling the game.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_02: You know, hey, let's keep that offense off the field.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Abington has a very good running back, and Jaden Anglin, he's a top returning rusher in District 2 coming off a 1,300 yard season.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_02: And uh he just keeps getting better, George.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_02: He's that kind of kid that like just has those intangibles, the vision, the balance, uh, things you just don't teach.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_02: You know, he's not the biggest back, but boy, he's that, you know, that you know, there's those kids that are a little bit smaller, and everyone always says, hey, they're a little smaller back, and they just keep proving everybody wrong.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_02: He's that kid that just keeps proving everybody wrong and puts up great stats.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_02: So him and Noah Kale went three and one at quarterback last year when uh Nick uh Bradley went down for four games.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_02: So he got some experience, which was very valuable that'll carry into this year, but now he's got to carry it for the full season.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_02: So it's gonna be a big test for Abington, and hopefully home field advantage could be the difference here in District 2.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_02: We will find out.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and Dan, you'll see.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I mean, you know this too.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_01: I I think, you know, it's it's I think one of the biggest telltales between the two groups.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like you'll see a lot of the our local athletes are kind of built like you know, like your tailback from Abington.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_01: I I have one at home still and gave dude that's just like that.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: He's a little smaller, but man, he can run.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: He's a uh, you know, you can't look at him and look at the stature and think he's not very good.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Paul Pack has the same thing with Keys and Dahl.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_01: Like, we have a lot of those backs, but like I said, they gotta be able to handle that size up front with some of these teams, and they'll they'll equal out that speed.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_01: And if you can hold on to the ball a little bit, like you said, not turn the ball over, finish drives.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_01: I think uh, you know, in District 2, our teams have played against the Allentown teams the best uh when that formula has been kind of followed.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_01: Protect the football coach.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_02: You just gotta you gotta just tattoo that, you know.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_02: Please protect that football key to every game for sure.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_02: So going to another big one.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, just one big game to the next.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_02: We have Berwick.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_02: George, you know a lot about that Berwick tradition, I'm betting from those Valley View days.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_02: Berwick is going to North Pocono, 4A versus 4A, um, number seven versus number one in the big school rankings.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_02: To me, this is one of the games of the week.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_02: North Pocono coming off historic, 13-1 season, District 2 4-A championship, best record since 1991.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_02: Do they keep that momentum going, Coach?
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_01: Well, this is gonna be a good game.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, this is an interesting game.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Berwick comes back with uh Cleaver, their quarterback and D-back.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, he's legit.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_01: He uh, you know, obviously, I think they went undefeated in the regular season last year, and then they uh they ended up losing uh in the playoffs.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, he's gonna be the leader of that offense.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, he's been running the show there for a couple years now, and then uh they bring back Gabe Decker, uh, another one of their really good athletes.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_01: And uh they have a really uh seasoned offensive line that's been playing.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I mean it's a great test uh you know for North Polkano in week one.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, they bring back Cole West, who's all state and uh and all everything last year, and then uh Zimmerman, their quarterback, goes back.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_01: So it this is about as, I think at least as even matched uh, you know, as far as athletes go and and just programs go, uh, you know, to start the season off.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm gonna, you know, you get a really good barometer where you're at, right?
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_01: Week one.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, like you said, you don't get a lot of, I don't think, from the scrimmages anymore because you don't have a whole lot of time to uh you know to fix things.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_01: You don't want to use your starters that much in scrimmages, but man, to uh this is a heavyweight fight right out of the gates in in week one.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I think these two teams will really go at it for the 48 minutes up in Moscow.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_02: I wish I could clone myself and be at the game I'm coaching and watch that one at the same time, right?
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_02: That that is gonna be a great game.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_02: There's no slow ramp up for either of these programs.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I think as a coach, it's great to see truly where you're at when you get when you do get a nice matchup like that.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_02: And hey, for all you high school athletes listening too, man, if not you can't win at week one every year.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_02: If you don't win week one, it's good to see where you're at, put in the work.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_02: There's a long season ahead, so just encourage everyone.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: Everybody whoever loses that game, you know, keep your chins up high, and you know, both teams should be in for a good season.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_02: But that that is gonna be a great uh week one test.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: And Dan, just one quick thing, like I and this is what people a lot of times don't realize.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_01: These teams are both 4A schools, right?
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_01: So you're gonna really be in the driver.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_01: Whoever wins this game based on you know getting the points from the win and all the points that the team will end up gaining during the year, uh, you're really in the driver's seat for a pretty high seat, I think, in 4-A if you can set the tone uh with a week one win here.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_02: It is a great opportunity out of the gates, and that's where, as coaches, you know, all those summer lifts, all those summer workouts, you know, you're you're you're where we all have that struggle of kids playing multiple sports and trying to get them in the weight room, and you know, all that work pays off in the in week one here.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_02: So one of them will definitely get a get a leg up out of the gates and uh we'll see who it is on next week's show.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_02: I can't wait to recap that one.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_02: And now, now, Coach Juan, it's I gotta shift to something close to you.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_02: And uh I would call this a rivalry game, right?
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_02: Here, Honesdale and Paw Pack.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_02: I'll talk a little bit more on this one out of the gates because this is this is your school here.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_02: All right, I want to I want to set it up.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, Paw Pack did win both both meetings last year, but I uh I think you know your team is chomping at the bit.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you you've done a good job getting these coaches ready.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_02: You mentioned Gabe Duda before, you know, he returns after rushing for 1,200 yards and 17 touchdowns while having 67 tackles.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_02: That that's a dude to me there, uh playing well on both sides of the ball.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_02: And you've got to defend a pop hack running back, uh, Ed Keysendah, who who rushed for 824 yards, a couple hundred yards receiving an 11 touchdowns.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_02: Uh what's the what's the key to success over there?
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I just think uh, you know, a lot of it is for at least from the wholesale perspective.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_01: I don't we haven't beaten them.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: I think in eight times uh they've won eight times in a row uh against us.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_01: So I think a lot of it is mental.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you've played some of those teams you just can't seem to beat, and sometimes there's a mental part of it.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_01: But uh, you know, they're well coached, obviously.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: They're uh, you know, they're gonna be physical.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_01: It's a it's a rivalry game, it's the shrine uh shrine game as well.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: So there's a little bit on top of that for local uh people in the area.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, we're looking forward, I think, to the game.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: It's a nice, like we said before, it's a nice way to start the year.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you get a really good you know look at where you're at and where you've kind of come from last year.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_01: And obviously, we lost them at the end of the year last year.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: So uh that was our last game of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, running right back a couple months later and seeing what strides you've made.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: And uh I think that's probably gonna be the big thing for both schools.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_01: They they lost some to graduation, we lost them.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_01: So it's uh, you know, which team can kind of come out and uh set the tone for the rest of the season.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_02: Without a doubt, you know, and you talk about the mental part of the game, that that's so important, you know, and I think you're you're building something in Honesdale that that mental game's only gonna get stronger.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_02: I think you bring that with you, coach, just from from your history and your past, and that's contagious, but it takes time.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_02: It takes time.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_02: And I think once you get that taste of success, I imagine your guys have got to be hungry, you know, looking to break that streak.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_02: And hey, we'll we'll see if it's this weekend and uh protect the ball and keep that mental game strong.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_02: I can't I've never upset enough to the guys because you know you and I have faced adversity so many different times, and you build up calluses, you build up that resilience over time.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: In high school, it takes some time.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, there's gonna be mistakes in every game, right?
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_02: You know, Abington, Honesdale, there's gonna be mistakes, whether it's the first quarter, the second, or the third.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_02: How those kids overcome those mistakes and doesn't let it impact their game, you just you just gotta have a short-term memory, right?
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's really a game where you have to have uh you gotta be able to put something way back in the brain after every play, or else uh, you know, anything that lingers, you're in trouble, right?
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_01: So uh and I have this conversation with kids a lot, and you would probably agree with this, but this isn't like basketball where you know you're gonna you're gonna touch the ball, you know, a hundred times or whatever in a basketball game, be able to score uh, you know, at will.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_01: In in football, some games you're you're lucky if you get four or five drives.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, every every play is really important, every drive is important.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, especially in this sport, kids need to understand that you gotta be able to a bad play, you can't compound that with another bad play.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_01: You gotta move on and you're ready for the next one.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_01: So we're gonna hopefully do that on Friday and uh we'll see kind of what happens.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_01: 100%.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_02: And a couple more comments rolling in here.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_02: Rob Shea mentioned both quarterbacks, solid, compete at Runko Elite quarterback.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_02: Runko League quarterback, we plug John here, maybe a potential future sponsor.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_02: We'll we'll we'll see, right?
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, but yeah, definitely good quarterback play.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_02: And then setting up our next game here, uh, Jesse Joe Walter, go to Valley View, Coach Howanitz, my buddy, you know, speaking well of you there, Coach.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, those Cougar fans are showing up tonight, and Valley View will host Northwestern Lehigh District 6 3A versus District 2 4A.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_02: I think this is again one of the games of the week.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, going into our show, doing my study, and realizing Northwestern Lehigh went 15-1 in 2025, won District 6, reached the PIW AA trip 3A championship game after winning the state title in 2024.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_02: Valley View has a challenge here, Coach.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's uh, you know, it'll be a big challenge, uh less a challenge than it would have been if they had their guys back from last year.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they graduated uh just an absolute stud at quarterback and um, you know, some of their skill position guys, but obviously same type of deal that we just talked about with ACC and Becca.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you're getting uh, you know, you're getting a power that's um pretty much perennially playing for state championships, right?
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_01: They're they're within that uh state semifinal round to finals round just about every year.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they're constantly spitting out Division I athletes.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, they're gonna have their hands full.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_01: Now, obviously, like I said to you early in the show, they you know, Value brings back a lot of guys uh that I think are our key skill position guys for them.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, they have uh Wasilchak is back on defense, he'll be a four-year starter, a backer.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Cunningham's there, Evans is there, Smith is there, Mushel's there.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_01: So they got a lot of uh kids coming at you that got a lot of playing time last year and the year before that I think you know they'll be able to match, I think, the physicality.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but it's the same type of deal.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you got to be able to go athlete for athlete.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: Um but you know, they're one of the nice things, and you know, you probably doing the same thing at Abington.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you have at least my mentality all the time is whoever that first opponent is, you have the whole summer to prepare for that opponent.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_01: So it's about as good as you're gonna be prepped for a team.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I think coming into a game, you're gonna have you know upwards to four and five weeks prepping.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_01: So um, I don't think they'll be able to throw a whole lot of things at them they haven't seen.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_01: It's just gonna be again, uh the physicalness, the speed, the um, like you said, if there's a turnover, how are they gonna uh adapt to that, or if they get down early, how are they gonna come back from that?
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, but I think again, these those three games against those Allentown teams, so I think it'll be as good as any.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_02: And I concur there.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_02: I know Scotty Wisoch's gonna have this team prepared, and you know, they're they're going in there with a really strong defense.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_02: Those guys you mentioned, when you get Jeffrey Wisoch with 100 plus tackles last year and Cunningham with eight sacks, they're gonna bring some pressure.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_02: And I think they're developing a young team that's a year more mature now that's gonna be really hungry, you know, after last season to get back to that edge that Valley View always has.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_02: So a legitimate statewide measuring stick for Valley View this weekend.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_02: Excited to see how that game goes.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_02: Now I'm gonna shift over to Wyoming area and Dunmore.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna go small school here.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um this is my top District 2 matchup of the week here.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Wyoming area finished 9-2 and 25.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_02: Dunmore 8-4.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_02: They reached the District 2 2A championship game.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_02: We got a lot of good players in this game, George.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_01: You better believe it.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_01: This is uh this is another one of those.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_01: This will be an uh old-fashioned street fight, right?
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_01: You're uh you're gonna get two teams with a lot of guys coming back.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Wyoming area brings back Jack Raven.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and uh, listen, Jack Ravine's father played uh with me, uh Rich Ravine and Uncle Randy played uh at Valley View, and they were just tenacious football players.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_01: So if uh I've met Jack a couple of times during track, he's every bit as tenacious as his dad was, just play in a much different position.
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_01: His dad was an offensive tackle, and he's uh gonna play quarterback for Woman area.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_01: But that uh that mentality is there.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, he's gonna be unbelievable.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_01: They have Kapetchny at wide receiver, uh, who's his you know division one kind of kid, and uh they're senior heavy up front.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they got a lot of offensive linemen that are seniors and coming back.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_01: So uh they'll be geared up.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_01: And then obviously Dunmore brings back Weston Yunon uh to play quarterback.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_01: They'll run some option with him, they'll run some wing T stuff with him.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_01: He's uh you know, he's a state medalist in the hurdles, so he's got great speed.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_01: He's a tremendous athlete.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um Costanzo's back at wide receiver and D back, so he's got somebody to throw the ball to.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_01: And then uh again, they're bringing back a lot of seniors with a lot of talent and a lot of uh games under their belt.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_01: So uh this one will be, I think, every bit as good as that North Bocano uh Burwhip game that we talked about earlier.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, what a juicy matchup.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_02: High-level quarterback play, outstanding defensive personnel.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, you know, you mentioned Xavier Burke, he was a defensive player of the year last year at Moore, two programs with championship expectations.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_02: I love that you mentioned it, and I forgot about that, Jack Graveen, and you know, you playing with a family member there and those genetics.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I'm gonna talk next week on my fantasy football show.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I always believe in those, like those NFL players whose dad played in the NFL.
• 31:36
  SPEAKER_02: I think there's an edge there.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we talk about you know, with Sochak over in Valley View.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_02: There's like a pedigree piece, not just you know, physically, but knowledge-wise, you know, just being around the game all the time.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, even though Dave Kurtzman's over there telling me to ditch the Cowboys gear, I'm gonna ignore that, Dave.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_02: All right, we can talk about that on the fantasy football show next week.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_02: But this is a great matchup.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_02: Big guys in the on the O-line, Wyoming area has Brad Bone who helped his team rush for 2,800 yards.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_02: And then again, Xavier Burke with a thousand tackles.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_02: They also have Carter Davy, 6'3, 280, Dumore there on the O-line and D-line.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_02: And Costanzo's a burner.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_02: I think he was breaking track records this this season, and he's got a tough decision whether he's going track or football after college.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_02: So just a lot of that's gonna be some great game film to watch there.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_02: So look really good.
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_01: This is another one of those.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh this is a 3A-2A matchup, but I mean, uh, whoever wins this game, just because the other team, I think, is gonna be uh very good throughout the year, is gonna be a this giving a big boost towards that uh high seed when the district playoffs come about.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_02: So we're gonna shift gears here.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_02: The next game I'm gonna talk about.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_02: Now, this one's close to my heart this time.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_02: It was supposed to be Holy Cross.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_02: They were not able to play.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_02: It's unfortunately a forfeit loss for Holy Cross.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_02: Lakeland was lucky enough to find a new opponent, so it's not a forfeit win for them.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_02: They're saying, hey, we want to play football.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_02: They're gonna play uh Wellsboro, who also needed a game, because I think they had a they were supposed to play Northwest area who had a schedule change.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um they're gonna play again in 2027 now as Lakeland will travel to Wellsboro then.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_02: So they they agreed on a nice little uh two-game uh series there.
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_02: And Wellsboro, I believe, is a team that is projected trending up, you know, on the rise.
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_02: They were two and eight a couple years ago.
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_02: They went six and five last year.
• 33:31
  SPEAKER_02: That was the most wins that they had since 2019.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_02: George, how is my Lakeland Chiefs gonna fare this weekend versus uh Wellsboro?
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think they're gonna be fine.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_01: They have uh just a plethora of athletes um, you know, that they can move around and and do the things they do with that spread offense.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they did get some bad news this week.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_01: Their quarterback uh uh Spatero got hurt.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I he's a jab thrower.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_01: I'm assuming there's probably something from the jab, right?
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_01: So um he's gonna be out for a year, and uh they're gonna have to move probably one of their athletes, obviously, that uh he would have been thrown to probably that quarterback spot.
• 34:06
  SPEAKER_01: But man, they have uh Rosencranz, uh you know um McFarlane, uh they have uh Dylan Loomis on the line.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they just have uh a lot of guys back from last year uh on that line and skill positions.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_01: And um I I just I don't think Wallsboro will be able to kind of keep up with that speed and um just what they throw at you.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I don't know if you've seen them play.
• 34:30
  SPEAKER_01: We played them last year, but they're all you know, they'll be empty, they'll be spread, they're running quarterback runs.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I'm assuming, like I said, they'll take one of those athletes, moving the quarterback, he'll be like another tailback.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, I'm not saying they they won't uh miss Spitero because he was a, you know, he's a dynamic playmaker and just a great player, but um, I think they have enough guys to kind of be able to make up for that loss and and uh keep that thing rolling there at Lakeland.
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_02: We definitely, before I talk about offensive strategy at Lakeland there, I definitely want to wish Rocco the best, get healthy.
• 35:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I believe he's a junior, he's got another year yet, so he's gonna have some time um to keep his chin and spirits up.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you can't control these things, and you know, he's still part of that team, and he's been a big part of it.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_02: So hopefully he'll be around to you know support the younger guys and the new quarterback that comes in.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, they definitely have a lot of athletes, so like you said, they'll move things around.
• 35:21
  SPEAKER_02: I think Lakeland will continue to be competitive.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_02: Chase Rosencrantz, he already has more than 1,600 career receiving yards going for history this year with an opportunity to become Lakeland's all-time leading receiver.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_02: Coach, I'm like jealous here because back in 1995, Coach Kawuchi, who I love, bless him, we just ran the ball.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_02: We had two 1,000-yard rushers, and even though we'd averaged like almost 28 yards per reception, we just pound and pound.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_02: And I even tell those Abington receivers, I'm like, you guys are lucky.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_02: We spread the ball out and throw it all over the yard.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_02: How come we couldn't do that back in the 90s?
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_01: What's well, I think the coaches back then didn't want to turn the ball over a lot.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you know how it was back then.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_01: You wanted to chunk up the clock and slow the game down.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, obviously uh back in the 90s, it was much more of a, I'm gonna say more of a physical game than a finesse game, right?
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but this really that really started um when Evan Crakey and some of those guys were there.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they they went to that uh John White Alabic brought in that spread with them.
• 36:19
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they really kind of haven't looked back since, right?
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they've been very uh spread oriented.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_01: You know, Jeff Wasilchak, even when he was there afterward, uh, you know, he he went back to a little more of the power stuff, but even he went to a lot of the spread.
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_01: So they're they've always, you know, they've Lakeland's always had great athletes.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, um, but years ago, it was you'd rather line up with five tackles and getting the power eye than you know.
• 36:45
  SPEAKER_02: That's my little event 20 years later.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_02: Even like we had an awesome dream game this year, right?
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_02: High fireworks, high scoring.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_02: I I think we threw the ball like five times in the dream game.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_02: I had one go my way and it sailed over my head.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_02: But uh so I love seeing the passing as a receiver, but you got to have a balanced offense getting these kids ready.
• 37:02
  SPEAKER_02: Again, both of these offenses are gonna be ready.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_02: I see one of our listeners there, Jamie LeParlo, Griffin Morrell from Wellsboro, decent athlete quarterback for sure.
• 37:11
  SPEAKER_02: So, again, that's gonna be a good matchup this week and uh happy those teams were both able to get a game.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_02: Now, shifting over, next game I want to touch about, touch on here.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_02: Now we're kind of getting some of the sneaky under-the-radar games a little bit.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_02: Whitehall at Wilkes Bear area, 6A versus 6A.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_02: I think Wilkes Bear has a very good wide receiver DB and Rashawn Watson.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_02: What any thoughts there on that game, George?
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think um, you know, I've known Cyril for a long time.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_01: Wilkes Bear is coaching.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_01: He's gonna do everything he can to get his athletes to football.
• 37:43
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, he's uh same type of thing.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_01: He'll get guys in in situations, get them out in space where they can use their speed and athleticism.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_01: I know he's uh he has uh Watson who's extremely athletic.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_01: He has uh Nick Saracino, I think you say his name.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh their tight end is really good.
• 38:01
  SPEAKER_01: He's getting some looks, so uh he brings back some offensive linemen um from the year before.
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_01: So I expect them to be you know right in the mix of things this year.
• 38:09
  SPEAKER_01: They play a tough schedule, but uh you know, again, same thing.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_02: Whitehall's that same type of Allentown team with the size, the speed, and you just got to build a match that's uh important 6A power points immediately against a district six opponent, and I'm gonna stay in district six.
• 38:27
  SPEAKER_02: And then hey, I always appreciate the parents that are watching this show here.
• 38:31
  SPEAKER_02: And when we know a mother's love is huge.
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_02: Watch for her son, Deacon Eisenbach, now playing wide receiver for Wilkes Bear.
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_02: Don't sleep on her son.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, you know, there's something about that parent's belief, so uh uh we will not sleep on him.
• 38:42
  SPEAKER_02: We'll definitely keep a keep an eye out this week, and then and thank you for listening to the show tonight.
• 38:48
  SPEAKER_02: Staying in 6A, William Sport at Wyoming Valley West.
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_02: I again say, you know, major playoff implications for week one.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, it's more important than a normal opener.
• 38:59
  SPEAKER_02: Uh William Sport, Wyoming Valley West, Hazleton, Scranton, West Scranton, and Wilkesbury area formed that official 2026, 6A sub-regional.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_02: Only the top four qualify.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_02: Thoughts on this game, Coach?
• 39:12
  SPEAKER_01: Wyoming Valley West has struggled uh, you know, for the last X amount of years.
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_01: They haven't won a lot of games, but I'm I think they're gonna be a lot better this year.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_01: They bring back a lot of starters.
• 39:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they bring back um Campbell, who's a really good athlete for them, uh, that they'll get the ball to a ton.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they have Moderna, who's a wide receiver, and D back, who's a really good player.
• 39:31
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, their offensive line's a little bit older, so uh, I really think they'll do um, they'll be much better than they've been um in the past.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_01: Again, the only thing uh, you know, William Sports, one of those, you know, larger schools, um, you know, and it and really it's year to year.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_01: Some years they're really good, some years they're uh not so good.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_01: So uh it's kind of gonna be which team shows up, and uh, can Wyoming Valley West just kind of go shot for shot with uh team like Loomsburg?
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_02: Love it.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_02: Two more what I consider feature games, and then I know we're running out of showtime.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_02: I'll rapid fire.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_02: I don't want to leave anybody's school out, and then again, as the season evolves, we'll we'll continue to make sure we're highlighting everybody as we can.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_02: Hanover area at Crestwood.
• 40:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um, this one is one of the few week one games with the median division division standings implications.
• 40:21
  SPEAKER_02: Thoughts there, coach?
• 40:23
  SPEAKER_01: This is an interesting game for me because uh, you know, again, they're both Wyoming Valley conference teams, both 4-A schools that um, you know, want to be in the mix.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_01: Hanover brings back uh Logan Richardson, their quarterback, and Lucas Cruz, their leading tackler.
• 40:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Crestwood has four offensive linemen that come back and a lot of their skill guys back.
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_01: So um Crestwood likes to run that single wing where they're you know they're kind of coming right at you the whole day.
• 40:47
  SPEAKER_01: So Hanover's a little more spread, um, you know, kind of get the ball over the the yard.
• 40:52
  SPEAKER_01: So it'll be an interesting game.
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's they're very different systems.
• 40:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, it'll probably be a hard-hitting game.
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I know Hanover's tired of kind of getting picked on in uh in the Wyoming Valley Conference, and Prestwood's been one of those bullies on the block now for about the last 10 years with Dallas and some of those schools.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I think that'll be an interesting test for both of those schools, week one.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it definitely does come off as one of those really interesting games.
• 41:17
  SPEAKER_02: I think the Comets five and six in three consecutive seasons, but they really, I think, are confident in this experience roster, hoping to break through.
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_02: You mentioned Jack Rogers and then running back Jake Jekyll, and then again, Hanover Area with Logan Richardson throwing for 1,800 plus yards and 20 touchdowns last year.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_02: You know, that's a good passing game.
• 41:34
  SPEAKER_02: And they got a good running back there too.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_02: And Dwayne Downey, who rushed for 889 yards and scored 17 touchdowns.
• 41:40
  SPEAKER_02: So Crestwood's got home field advantage.
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_02: We'll we'll see what happens there.
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_02: That should be a very good game.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_02: And then I'm gonna shift over to Dallas and Tonkanic.
• 41:50
  SPEAKER_02: Uh 4A versus 3A.
• 41:52
  SPEAKER_02: Dallas finished 2025, but with a major late season surge, winning five straight before falling North Pocono in the District 2 uh 4A championship game.
• 42:01
  SPEAKER_02: But I think everybody fell to North Pocono last year.
• 42:03
  SPEAKER_02: So, coach, does Dallas continue that hot streak?
• 42:06
  SPEAKER_01: Both teams, I think uh they're both gonna start new quarterbacks, which will be interesting.
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_01: So they're gonna get their first uh game play uh you know on Friday.
• 42:14
  SPEAKER_01: But uh, you know, Dallas brings back a lot of good good players, a lot of starters.
• 42:18
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they've been running that same system now for about 12 years or 10 years uh with coach there.
• 42:24
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, he's a big weight room guy.
• 42:26
  SPEAKER_01: He's I'm sure, you know, they're gonna be strong, they're gonna be physical, they're gonna do what they do.
• 42:30
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, they've kind of done the same thing, like I said, for about the last 10 years.
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_01: And then Tunkanic has a lot of good skill kids there.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_01: So uh again, I think we were talking about before, it's one of those situations where um can Tunkanic kind of get the monkey off the back of, you know, they've played Dallas for all those years and haven't beaten them in a long time.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_01: So uh are you beaten already before you get off the bus, or are you gonna, you know, play the game on Friday and hopefully uh, you know, come out and show what you've been working towards, you know, all summer and uh in the winter months.
• 43:00
  SPEAKER_01: So uh it's an interesting game, but like I said, I think Dallas just has so many guys back, and that system is so entrenched in their kids now, they're they're tough to beat.
• 43:08
  SPEAKER_02: That mental part of the game that we talked about, it's gonna be a factor there.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_02: Coach, rapid fire through through the remaining games this week.
• 43:16
  SPEAKER_02: West Granton at Hazleton area.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_02: Both schools are part of the six-team, six A sub-regional field.
• 43:22
  SPEAKER_02: So every early power ranking point matters.
• 43:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, West Granton's bumping up to 6A from 5A.
• 43:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, he's got a lot of good athletes.
• 43:30
  SPEAKER_01: They're young.
• 43:30
  SPEAKER_01: I know he has some really good freshmen because we had some seven-on-seven uh things with them this summer.
• 43:35
  SPEAKER_01: So he'll run some spread things, get the ball down the field, and uh I think West will be much better than they've been the last couple years.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, some good players there.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_02: Wes Granton, Quincy Mosley, wide receiver, DB, and Hazleton running back, Xavier Heck.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_02: Definitely some players to watch.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_02: And making sure I'm not missing anybody here, Coach.
• 43:58
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Carbondale area at Nana.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_02: Coke.
• 44:01
  SPEAKER_02: Cross-conference district two matchup between two programs competing in a crowded 4A classification.
• 44:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Carbonell brings back uh Nick Siccone, their quarterback.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_01: Matteo Spinelli is going to anchor their line.
• 44:13
  SPEAKER_01: And then Nana Coke has a new coaching staff.
• 44:15
  SPEAKER_01: So again, enough to kind of see uh what that's gonna bring.
• 44:18
  SPEAKER_01: But uh they have Justin Johnson, an athlete, and Chet uh Beggs will be their quarterback.
• 44:23
  SPEAKER_01: So they bring back some guys that played last year.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_01: So I think again, another week one matchup where you'll get a good look at uh where both of these teams are gonna be in the coming weeks.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_02: Agreed.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_02: We'll see if Carbondale running back Francisco Roman could build on rushing for 915 yards, 16 touchdowns.
• 44:40
  SPEAKER_02: Uh player to watch there.
• 44:42
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Scram Prep, we didn't mention them.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_02: All right, they weren't one of our top featured games, but they are number one in your big team rankings there.
• 44:49
  SPEAKER_02: Uh nice little test here.
• 44:51
  SPEAKER_02: One of District's two's premier programs, deliberately testing itself, right?
• 44:55
  SPEAKER_02: Out-of-state opponent before conference play.
• 44:57
  SPEAKER_02: What's your thoughts?
• 44:58
  SPEAKER_01: Well, they're gonna, I mean, prep brings back McPartland, who's all-state.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, they have Elijah Myers, uh three-year starter on the offensive line.
• 45:05
  SPEAKER_01: So they're gonna bring back a lot of guys, I think they that'll keep them in uh most of the games.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, they like they play their first couple games with uh out-of-state opponents to try to get their kids ready for playoff time, which uh obviously last year, like I said, I think they played undefeated Berwick in the playoffs and beat them by about 50 last year.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, I think it's one of those things people uh they worry a lot about records, but the uh seeing teams and the speed of teams, I think gets teams ready for moving through district two, and prep's gonna play some teams that'll get them ready to uh play that tough schedule they play as the district two schedule rolls around.
• 45:42
  SPEAKER_02: Love it, coach.
• 45:43
  SPEAKER_02: And coach, we we got an interesting comment in here.
• 45:46
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, I I think I might pull a hamstring by like the 30-yard line.
• 45:50
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not sure.
• 45:51
  SPEAKER_02: But that they want to see a 40 between us, you know.
• 45:54
  SPEAKER_02: Dave's kind, he's got me by a nose, but again, I think it's gonna depend on my hamstrings.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
• 45:59
  SPEAKER_01: Buddy, I am 51 years old and I was slow when I played, so I guarantee uh I would I would definitely bow to you in that race.
• 46:06
  SPEAKER_02: Dave, in flag football, George and I were talking smack, but the hamstrings were good back then, you know?
• 46:11
  SPEAKER_02: Love it, love it.
• 46:13
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, uh Lackawanna Trail and West at Western Wayne.
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_02: Can Trail's physical rushing attack continue after you know they lost some guys to graduation?
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Trail's gonna be an interesting team this year because this is the first year in I think about the last seven or eight years that Steve's uh one of Steve's sons isn't his quarterback, um, Coach Jervis.
• 46:32
  SPEAKER_01: So uh it's been a nice little uh thing to have like a feather in his cap.
• 46:36
  SPEAKER_01: His boys have been his quarterbacks, which I think they've been great play callers, signal callers, been uh you know, great leaders, and I think that's been big for him.
• 46:44
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and you know, they lose their tailback who is uh you know at Mr.
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_01: Everything there uh in that wing T.
• 46:50
  SPEAKER_01: So um it'll be interesting.
• 46:51
  SPEAKER_01: I think they have a lot of holes.
• 46:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um they do still bring back Bellucci who's an all-state O-line and D-line, but so they'll have some big guys up front, and then uh Wester Wayne comes with a new coach.
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, uh Jake Roda could be their quarterback.
• 47:04
  SPEAKER_01: So again, what kind of system are they gonna run?
• 47:06
  SPEAKER_01: Are they gonna be able to pick up with that system quick?
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_01: And I know that's not easy for a lot of kids when you're getting a lot of changes to start the year.
• 47:13
  SPEAKER_02: Jake, that's Shane's his dad, correct?
• 47:15
  SPEAKER_02: I think so, yes.
• 47:16
  SPEAKER_02: Former coach Shane, I played some semi-pro ball with him with the Scranton Eagles.
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_02: There's that genetic thing again there, you know.
• 47:21
  SPEAKER_02: So we definitely wish him well.
• 47:24
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, next one here, Lake Lehman at Mid Valley.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_02: I think it was up earlier, but Christina Butler, thank you for listening tonight.
• 47:29
  SPEAKER_02: She says Lake Lehman football is looking good this year.
• 47:32
  SPEAKER_02: Coach, what do you think?
• 47:33
  SPEAKER_01: Lake Lehman's gonna be young.
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_01: They got a new head coach.
• 47:36
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, but I think, you know, same thing there.
• 47:38
  SPEAKER_01: They'll their you know, their system's kind of embedded, so I think they'll be they'll be fine.
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_01: Mid Valley lost a lot of guys to uh graduation, especially their quarterback.
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Coach's son was their quarterback last year and graduated.
• 47:50
  SPEAKER_01: He was a uh you know a huge part of that offense, checking at the line of scrimmage and just doing a lot of things um you know for coach there at Mid Valley.
• 47:59
  SPEAKER_01: So uh it'll be an interesting game.
• 48:01
  SPEAKER_01: I think Mid Valley brings back some guys.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_01: I know they lost somebody early to injury that uh one of their big skill players.
• 48:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I think again, it'll be a good test for both teams to see uh both 3-A teams, and this will have playoff uh implications.
• 48:14
  SPEAKER_02: Mid Valley's got one big lineman there, O-line, D-line, Dylan, Macie Echo.
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_02: Hopefully I pronounced your name right, Dylan.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_02: But 6'4, 305 pounds, colleges are gonna be looking at you.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_02: So we'll see how he does in the trenches there, wishing him well.
• 48:28
  SPEAKER_02: Nativity BVM at Montrose.
• 48:31
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Nativity is one of the district six teams grouped with Holy Cross, Old Forge, Trail, and the 1A sub regional.
• 48:38
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, this week one result will, you know, therefore, indirectly affect them in the rankings.
• 48:44
  SPEAKER_02: What's your thoughts on that game?
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Montrose, same thing.
• 48:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I always think it's tough.
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_01: New staff, right?
• 48:49
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I know their coach, um, he seemed I could hear him over here in some of our coaching things that he was happy with uh how hard his kids are working.
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they bring back Ethan Smith, Olim and D-Lime, and he'll be their senior leader.
• 49:01
  SPEAKER_01: But um, you know, this will come down to uh for both teams, probably uh numbers, uh, you know, things like that.
• 49:07
  SPEAKER_01: Usually you're not getting a uh a lot of kids on those teams.
• 49:10
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna get a lot of guys going both ways.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, which team can kind of sustain and uh be able to hold the other one off in week one with uh, you know, like I said, I think the hardest thing for a lot of these kids when you get new staff is new offense, new defense, new special teams.
• 49:25
  SPEAKER_01: You gotta be able to pull all that together real quick for week one.
• 49:29
  SPEAKER_02: Then we got Susquehanna at Riverside, 2A versus 2A.
• 49:34
  SPEAKER_02: There's some playmakers in this game, coach.
• 49:37
  SPEAKER_01: Well, there's one.
• 49:38
  SPEAKER_01: I can tell you that.
• 49:39
  SPEAKER_01: The uh, you know, Braden Rose is uh just a stud.
• 49:42
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I uh I watched him play basketball in the district playoffs and he can jump out of the gym.
• 49:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh you know, he's fast, he's athletic.
• 49:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, he's gonna come up and hit you from that safety spot.
• 49:53
  SPEAKER_01: He's got a bunch of D1 offers and some some really big schools.
• 49:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so uh, you know, he's just a pure athlete.
• 50:00
  SPEAKER_01: So anytime you can put an athlete at quarterback and uh just kind of let him use his legs and do what he does, I think you know, he'll be dangerous every play.
• 50:07
  SPEAKER_01: Uh they have Jared Jackson back at wide receiver.
• 50:10
  SPEAKER_01: He'll be his go-to guy in the air.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_01: And uh the question mark for them is gonna be the O-line.
• 50:14
  SPEAKER_01: They had a lot of guys graduate and can they, you know, can they hold up up front?
• 50:17
  SPEAKER_01: And then Susquehanna brings back a four-year starter, uh Keys at wide receiver and D back, and then uh Barber will be their linebacker and line uh running back who uh you know hopefully will hold down the fourth there for them offensively and allow them to stay in the game with Riverside.
• 50:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, the O-line's gonna be a big piece for Riverside because man, if they do block well, when you got a guy like Rose who threw for 1,100 yards and 17 touchdowns and ran for a 16 with 724 yards, you got a playmaker there and a good receiver in Jackson, like you mentioned, and Susquehanna's gonna try to keep up with Gabe Maby and Mason Keys.
• 50:50
  SPEAKER_02: And man, Susquehanna, you know, George, these things that sting me tonight, you know, they were the first suburban school to beat a Big 11 school.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_02: And we talked about turnovers earlier in 1995.
• 51:01
  SPEAKER_02: Our team had a couple uncharacteristic turnovers that cost us as we were predicted to win states, but so Susquehanna forever will be uh, you know, they're right there at Valley View, you know?
• 51:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and that was back when uh Dick Bagnell was there for like 40 years as their coach.
• 51:15
  SPEAKER_01: They ran the veer.
• 51:16
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and he he could have done clinics across the country on running the veer, but that's what they did.
• 51:21
  SPEAKER_01: Didn't throw the ball much, and uh they were just so good at running it, and it was a uh you know a huge weapon for them back then.
• 51:28
  SPEAKER_02: Heck of a game, man.
• 51:29
  SPEAKER_02: Heck of a game.
• 51:29
  SPEAKER_02: But I'll go down memory lane another time.
• 51:31
  SPEAKER_02: We got, I think, two more games here.
• 51:33
  SPEAKER_02: Old Forge at Penn Argel, uh traditional District 2 small school program going on the road against a larger District 6 opponent.
• 51:41
  SPEAKER_01: Uh well, Coach Schubeck's gonna do a good job getting them ready.
• 51:44
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, he's been there a long time at Old Forge.
• 51:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, they've been down a little bit the last couple years, just I think by sheer numbers and uh maybe not as uh big size-wise as they normally are.
• 51:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, he'll come back this year with Gavin McNichols, O-lineman, and D-lineman.
• 51:58
  SPEAKER_01: He'll kind of anchor that line.
• 51:59
  SPEAKER_01: And then uh he has Joey Dominic, who'll be uh one of his better athletes there.
• 52:04
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, same thing here.
• 52:06
  SPEAKER_01: It'll be a uh, you know, a lot of new guys kind of in the mix.
• 52:09
  SPEAKER_01: He did play a lot of young kids last year with a lot of games under a belt.
• 52:12
  SPEAKER_01: So uh, you know, the question is if uh after another year, they're hopefully a year more physical, a year-wise, or a little better in the system, and uh Old Forge can get back to doing what they normally do in District 2.
• 52:24
  SPEAKER_02: So I and Coach Schuback, another one of my Scranton Eagles teammates there.
• 52:28
  SPEAKER_02: So it's just great going down memory lane tonight.
• 52:30
  SPEAKER_02: He will have those guys ready, and that should be a good game.
• 52:33
  SPEAKER_02: And I lied, I actually got two more games.
• 52:35
  SPEAKER_02: Pit Pitston area versus East Strasbourg South.
• 52:40
  SPEAKER_02: Thoughts there, Coach.
• 52:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um Pitston's gonna be good.
• 52:42
  SPEAKER_01: He's he's uh coach is bringing back a lot of good players.
• 52:45
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, they they won uh the division last year the first time in years of Pitston.
• 52:50
  SPEAKER_01: He's uh you know, Coach Russell Kazan kind of back on the map a little bit there in Wilkesbury.
• 52:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, they they lost, I think, in the playoffs to uh was it D V or Abington last year?
• 53:02
  SPEAKER_02: I think they lost in the uh D V 7-6.
• 53:05
  SPEAKER_01: So you you know that's got a sting there, 7-6, right?
• 53:08
  SPEAKER_01: They're hungry.
• 53:08
  SPEAKER_01: And he had uh, you know, he had a lot of seniors playing, but he had a lot of younger kids kind of sprinkled in.
• 53:13
  SPEAKER_01: So uh they should bring back a pretty good nucleus of players.
• 53:16
  SPEAKER_01: And um, you know, it'll be a tough game.
• 53:18
  SPEAKER_01: He's Trossburg South, usually has some pretty good skill kids.
• 53:21
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I think it'll be a good test um for Pittson to see if they can match speed.
• 53:26
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, he brings back Lepresto, four-year starter.
• 53:29
  SPEAKER_01: Ferrentino was hurt last year.
• 53:31
  SPEAKER_01: He'll come back as a running back, so he gets some uh weapons back that uh you know would have helped him last year as well.
• 53:37
  SPEAKER_02: And last but not least, Northwest area at holy redeemer.
• 53:42
  SPEAKER_02: Thoughts there, coach, to close us up.
• 53:45
  SPEAKER_01: I'm interested to see what Redeemer is going to be like because they have a lot of seniors playing, um, you know, and a good sprinkling of uh juniors, but they have uh uh Brady McDermott is our quarterback, 1700 yards passing last year.
• 53:57
  SPEAKER_01: So uh anytime your quarterback comes back and he was that dangerous the year before, I think it you know it puts you up in kind of another uh another bracket.
• 54:05
  SPEAKER_01: But uh, you know, Redeemer's been one of those teams up and down.
• 54:08
  SPEAKER_01: You know, they've had some good years, some really bad years.
• 54:11
  SPEAKER_01: But um I'm I'm really interested to see what this mix of seniors and some of these athletes they have, if they can kind of get themselves back in the picture and maybe uh you know, jump in on some of these district playoffs as they work around.
• 54:24
  SPEAKER_02: Coach, we covered a lot tonight.
• 54:27
  SPEAKER_02: 22 games, uh, named a lot of the players to watch, and there's still many more.
• 54:33
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna see how it plays out.
• 54:35
  SPEAKER_02: That is our first ever cleats and clipboards in the books.
• 54:39
  SPEAKER_02: Next, maybe Thursday, listeners.
• 54:42
  SPEAKER_02: Thursday is gonna be our normal night.
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_02: As we mentioned earlier, I'm coach with Abington.
• 54:46
  SPEAKER_02: We are traveling to Florida next week.
• 54:48
  SPEAKER_02: So we've we're you know, one team normally travels every year.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_02: It is us this year.
• 54:52
  SPEAKER_02: So George and I and Sports Wire, where we're gonna kind of hash that out.
• 54:56
  SPEAKER_02: But we will be back next week.
• 54:57
  SPEAKER_02: We'll react to how week one actually played out.
• 55:00
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe I'll broadcast from Florida.
• 55:01
  SPEAKER_02: Who knows, George?
• 55:02
  SPEAKER_02: We'll find out which right?
• 55:05
  SPEAKER_02: We will find out which of our ranked teams backed it up and we'll preview week two.
• 55:10
  SPEAKER_02: Some of these predictions are gonna look really smart, and some, well, that's that's why we play the game, right?
• 55:16
  SPEAKER_02: Do us a favor, follow us and subscribe wherever you are listening.
• 55:20
  SPEAKER_02: Don't miss us weekly, all right?
• 55:21
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, if you're following on X, GeorgeHowanitz at X, Danhausen at X, uh SportsWire, follow us on YouTube.
• 55:29
  SPEAKER_02: Again, we're gonna be streaming live weekly.
• 55:32
  SPEAKER_02: You can play us back tomorrow if you missed us tonight.
• 55:35
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, get the whole week one preview.
• 55:38
  SPEAKER_02: And share this with a coach, a player, or a parent who loves Friday night football, because we're gonna be bringing it every week.
• 55:43
  SPEAKER_02: For Coach Hoannets, I'm Coach Dan.
• 55:45
  SPEAKER_02: We traded our cleats for clipboards, but we never left the game.
• 55:48
  SPEAKER_02: We'll see you next week.