Athletes stand for the National Anthem at the 88th annual Scranton Lions Club Dream Game.
Tom Robinson | For Abington Journal
PECKVILLE — Lackawanna Trail’s Kody Cresswell was the City’s leading rusher and busiest kick returner July 20 during a 35-21 loss to the County in the 88th annual Scranton Lions Club Dream Game.
Steve Jervis from Lackawanna Trail served as the City team’s head coach in the all-star game for recent Lackawanna Football Conference graduates. The game, presented by Northeast Rehab for the benefit of sight preservation programs, drew a paid crowd of 7,469 to Valley View’s John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Cresswell was the City leader in all-purpose yards. He carried six times for 28 yards, caught two passes for 12 yards and returned four kickoffs for 84 yards.
“He’s a tough kid,” Jervis said. “He’ll go down as one of our best running backs at Trail.”
Cressell had 20- and 27-yard kickoff returns, an 11-yard run and a seven-yard catch in the fourth quarter when the City scored two of its three touchdowns.
“He was like that with us,” Jervis said. “As the game went on, he’d always get stronger and I think you saw that tonight.”
The City was behind, 14-0, before Cresswell ran eight yards on third-and-three for the team’s initial first down four minutes before halftime.
“I give our kids credit for hanging in there and fighting back in the second half,” Jervis said. “Early on, we just shot ourselves in the foot a little bit. We had some problems with huddle communication, but we got that fixed.”
The City led 21-7 at halftime and twice opened the lead to 21 points in the second half.
“I had a ton of confidence in our kids coming in,” Jervis said. “I give credit to the County. … They grabbed momentum, making some big plays and executing some first downs early on.”
Xander Ball, Cole Choplosky, Miles Edwards and Owen Lisk also represented the Lions in the game.
Ball kicked an extra point. Edwards made a tackle and Lisk assisted on one.
Scranton Prep had the largest group of players on the City roster with six, including Sacred Heart University-bound fullback/linebacker Michael Golay.
Golay had five tackles, seven assists and a fumble recovery. He also carried once for four yards.
Kellen Doughton, Andrew Durkin, Christian Kohut, Drew O’Malley and Donovan Williams were the other Cavaliers in the game.
The City also had players from Dunmore, Holy Cross, North Pocono, Scranton, Susquehanna, Wallenpaupack and West Scranton.
Lineman Christian Lezinski was the only Abington Heights player on the County roster.
Delaware Valley Keith Olsommer coached the County team, which also included players from his team, Carbondale, Delaware Valley, Honesdale, Lakeland, Mid Valley, Old Forge, Riverside, Valley View and Western Wayne.
C.J. Ross from Delaware Valley, the son of Chris Ross, the school’s athletic director and a former three-sport Lackawanna Trail athlete, threw touchdown passes to three different receivers to lead the County offense.
The County win cut the City lead in the series to 42-41-4.
