Representatives of Pittston Area, Wyoming Area, and RJRK Sports gather after a successful fundraising drive. From right: Melia Bohn (WA Football Booster Club), Hillary Lynch (WA Football Booster Club), Rob Lopata (RJRK Sports), Mike Kivak (RJRK Sports), Lou Ciampi (WA Football Alumni Assoc.), Geoff Baumes (PA Football Booster Club), Tommy Wysokinski (PA Football Alumni, co-chair), Rich Musinski (WA Football Alumni and current coach), Ricky Joseph (RJRK Sports).
Submitted photo
PITTSTON — For the fourth consecutive year, the Pittston Area alumni squared off against the Wyoming Area alumni in a fundraising battle on Facebook to help raise money for their program’s football booster clubs.
Two weeks before the annual rivalry football game in October 2025 between the two schools, a challenge was issued to raise money for each program by auctioning a signed football helmet from alumni.
Local sports memorabilia collectors, Pittston Area alumni, and the Facebook group, RJRK Sports Group, suggested that if each school could provide a helmet to auction off, they would organize and promote the fundraiser and challenge on their group’s Facebook page
This year’s fundraiser pitted signed helmets of former Pittston Area standout and current Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo versus a Warrior helmet signed by more than 25 members of the 1980 Eastern Conference Championship squad in a head-to-head battle.
Lombardo, a 1982 Pittston Area graduate, achieved success both on and off the field during his time as a Patriot and has gone on to great success as mayor of Pittston.
He has accomplished many achievements during his career, including the construction of the Pittston Library, the Greater Pittston Revitalization program, and the 9 phases of the Downtown Streetscape project, among others.
The 1980 Warriors concluded a perfect 11-0 regular season by topping the Pottsville Crimson Tide 29-27 on December 6, 1980, to earn the Eastern Conference Championship.
The squad was led by the legendary coach, Paul Marranca, who also topped their rivals, Pittston Area, by 4 points earlier in their perfect season.
Every dollar raised during this 14-day event was donated to each of the school’s football booster programs last February.
Pittston Area won this year’s event and collected a $10,777 check from the RJRK Sports Group for their football booster club, while Wyoming Area received a $9,253 check for their program.
This year’s total of $20,030 is the largest fundraiser to date, bringing the total raised by RJRK Sports to over $48,000 for the two schools during the four years of this fundraising effort.
Planning has begun for the fifth event in 2026, which will break the rivalry tie at 2-2.
