North Pocono, coached by Wyoming Area graduate Greg Dolhon, is the only unbeaten football team left from District 2 as six schools celebrate district or subregional championships and get ready to head into Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament play.
The Lackawanna Football Conference Division 1 champion Trojans had no trouble with Dallas Friday night in a 38-6, home-field victory in the District 2 Class 4A championship game.
Dallas coach Rich Mannello, coming off a semifinal shutout at Valley View, was impressed by a North Pocono attack that outrushed his Mountaineers 333-74.
“That’s what high school football is about,” Mannello said. “They built that team from the ground up. They had some tough times the past few years, went into the weight room and stuck with it. That’s a first-class operation by a great coach.
“They deserved it. The way they play in that I-formation, they can go a long way at states.”
The Trojans opened a 20-0 lead in the second minute of the second quarter.
Chase Zimmerman threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Evan Wolff on the first play after Dallas was unable to field a kickoff. Zimmerman had also scored from the 1 in the first quarter to cap a 14-play scoring drive.
Cole West and Josiah Gray each scored twice for the Trojans (12-0), who will face Bishop Shanahan in the state playoffs Friday.
West returned the second-half kickoff 85 yards for a score.
Gray had third-quarter touchdown runs of 28 and 45 yards on the way to finishing with 164 yards on 22 carries.
North Pocono emerged as the last unbeaten when Berwick, the only other District 2 team with a perfect regular season, became the latest victim of a resurging Scranton Prep team and quarterback Will McPartland.
The Cavaliers claimed their fifth straight district title with a 42-7 romp at Crispin Field.
McPartland passed for more than 200 yards in the first half for the second straight week. He accounted for all six touchdowns.
The Cavaliers made it a Mercy Rule game for the entire third and fourth quarters when McPartland heaved the ball into the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown pass to Mackey Lynett to end the first half.
McPartland ran for four touchdowns and threw for two while completing all 10 of his passes for 226 yards.
Record-setting running back Ty’Meere Wilkerson rushed for 139 yards and the only Berwick touchdown, which came in the fourth quarter.
With Scranton Prep’s win and Delaware Valley’s 27-24 victory over host and defending champion Abington Heights, both Wyoming Area and Pittston Area had their seasons end with semifinal losses to eventual district champions.
Scranton Prep shut out Wyoming Area 42-0 last week when Delaware Valley was using couple of blocked kicks to squeeze past Pittston Area 7-6.
Delaware Valley erased 17-0 and 24-7 deficits in its win at Abington Heights.
Mike Iuzzolino carried 29 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner, on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The last six Delaware Valley possessions produced three touchdowns, two field goals and a drive that took the final 4:04 off the clock.
Wilkes-Barre Area, Class 6A with District 4, and Lackawanna Trail, Class A with District 11, won Subregional titles.
Jake Howe became the WVC’s all-time passing yardage leader, breaking the record held by Berwick’s Ron Powlus, during a 42-14 win over Williamsport.
Isaac Ryon became Lackawanna Trail’s all-time leading rusher when the Lions broke out of a 14-14 tie in a 41-14 victory over Tri-Valley.
Lakeland, the LFC Division 2 champion which suffered its only loss against Wyoming Area in a non-league game, was the Class 2A title 27-7 over Dunmore.
