Old Forge was represented at Lackawanna Football Conference Media Day by, from left, Jake Lucarelli, coach Mike Schuback and Will Wozniak.
Tom Robinson | For Sunday Dispatch
All-star receiver Chris Rasmus, who doubled as the team’s leading tackler, returns along with a trio of experienced linemen to lead Old Forge’s hopes of returning to a winning football season in 2025.
Following five straight championship and six straight winning seasons, the Blue Devils slipped to 5-6 each of the past two seasons. More notably after being unbeatable in Lackawanna Football Conference play for those five seasons, they dropped to 1-4 last season in LFC Division 3.
Old Forge repeated its divisional victory with a rout of Holy Cross in the season-ending Eastern Football Conference Class A/2A championship game, a consolation event for teams that are not in district playoffs where the Blue Devils are accustomed to competing.
Injuries hit the program hard for the first time at the end of the 2022 season and again throughout 2024 when as many as eight players were sidelined at a time.
“Staying healthy is important to us,” Blue Devils coach Mike Schuback said in an interview at Tuesday’s LFC Media Day. “I hate to use that as a crutch, but it just really puts you in a bind.”
Rasmus is back at wide receiver after catching 52 passes, the most by any District 2 underclassman, for 624 yards and five touchdowns. He has played both at linebacker, his likely position this season, and in the defensive back.
The Blue Devils will have a new quarterback and will try to build the running game back closer to previous standards.
“We return four guys up front,” Schuback said.
Schuback points to “three very important people” up front in the seniors among the group, third-year starters Noah Michaylo, Jake Lucarelli and Will Wozniak.
Lucarelli led the team in tackles for losses last season. Wozniak missed the start of last season with an illness.
One of the injuries necessitated Rylan Gutowski getting some starts at tailback as a freshman. He produced 258 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries to finish third on the team in rushing.
Senior Robby Solfanelli has been in the program for three years and is ready to take over at quarterback.
Gavin McNichols is another lineman who returns after making some starts on both sides of the ball. He joins Michaylo and Lucarelli in the defensive front.
Joey Dominick, a returning linebacker, has some experience in the offensive line.
Wozniak, Rasmus and Gutowski join him as part of a linebacker corps that could be the strength of the team.
Solfanelli and Savion Cupil are among the most experienced players in the secondary.
Old Forge opens at home Aug. 22 against West Scranton. It plays five non-league games, then its five LFC Division 3 games beginning with a trip to defending champion Lackawanna Trail.
Lackawanna Trail and Riverside, last year’s second-place finisher, remain as the favorites in the division.
“They’ve had great success the last couple years,” Schuback said. “They’re sitting there on top.”
