OLYPHANT – Lackawanna Football Conference coaches met for their 15th Media Day Tuesday, giving the first sneak peek at the upcoming season, at the Regal Room.
A look at the LFC teams that will square off with Pittston Area and Wyoming Area this season:
MID VALLEY
For the second straight season, Mid Valley will be the opponent for a Pittston Area coach making his debut.
The Spartans, last year’s LFC Division 2 co-champions, visit Charley Trippi Stadium Aug. 23.
Paul Russick, the new Patriots coach, will have some familiarity with the Spartans. Last season, he faced them as Honesdale’s head coach, falling 27-14.
Mid Valley was 4-1 in the division and 8-4 overall in 2024.
Brett Yanoski, son of coach Stan Yanoski, returns at quarterback. He hit more than half his passes last season while throwing for more than 1,300 yards with an 11-4, touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The Spartans return the bulk of their offensive line and tight end/defensive end Rhys Williams.
Mason Vinansky, the second-leading rusher, made some starts when 1,800-yard rusher Jakob Lesher was unavailable.
With seven offensive and five defensive starters returning, Mid Valley is likely to battle with Dunmore for the division title.
Center Robert Mattioli and linebacker/tight end/punter Jake Bondy are among the other key returnees.
NORTH POCONO
Wyoming Area graduate Greg Dolhon brings his North Pocono team to Pittston Area for the second week.
The Aug. 29 game is a rematch of last year’s meeting that North Pocono won 23-13.
The players responsible for the third-quarter touchdowns that broke a 6-6 tie are all back.
Quarterback Chase Zimmerman hit leading receiver Cole West for the tie-breaking score and second-leading rusher Joe Briskie broke a 29-yard touchdown run.
They are among the seven offensive and eight defensive starters returning.
The Trojans went 1-5 in LFC Division 1 last season, but won three of four games against WVC opponents on the way to a .500 regular season and 5-6 overall finish.
Tight end/linebacker Evan Wolff is one of the division’s top returning players.
All that returning talent make it possible for the Trojans to jump from a three-way tie at the bottom of the seven-team division all the way into LFC and District 2 title contention.
WALLENPAUPACK
Matt Nawrocki’s second season as Wallenpaupack head coach includes an Oct. 17 visit by Pittston Area.
The Buckhorns were 1-5 and 4-6 last season, including a 22-10 win at Pittston Area.
Wallenpaupack lost its top players, including standout linebacker Xaiden Schock, but returns seven starters on each side of the ball.
WESTERN WAYNE
Western Wayne is essentially replacing its entire offense from last season’s LFC Division 2 co-champions, who split two games with WVC Division 2 champion Wyoming Area.
The Wildcats are at Wyoming Area Sept. 5.
The last time they faced each other, Wyoming Area won 36-35 in overtime in the District 2 Class 3A semifinals.
Players responsible for more than 95 percent of last year’s yardage have graduated.
The Wildcats do return inside linebacker Vinny Baldini, end Quinn Swartz and cornerback R.J. Walton from a physical defense.
LAKELAND
Lakeland may be ready to bounce back after two down seasons, a rare occurrence for one of the conference’s top programs.
The Chiefs were 1-4 in LFC Division 2 and 3-8 overall after winning just one game in 2023.
Chase Rosenkrans is the division’s top returning receiver.
David Naniewicz, who was a 1,000-yard passer, the team’s leading rusher and possibly its top defensive performer from the end position, is also back.
The Chiefs bring back a total of eight offensive and nine defensive starters.
They will host Wyoming Area Sept. 12 with a squad that should be vastly improved from the one that fell behind by 42 points at halftime of a 56-6 loss at Anthony “Jake” Sobeski Stadium last season.
