SUSQUEHANNA – Lackawanna Trail produced another winning football season despite working with an extremely young lineup, particularly up front.
The Lions routinely started four or five freshmen along with having two sophomores, Max Kimmel and Demetrius Douglas among their top four rushers. Kimmel also leads the team in receiving yards and is one of its top all-around players.
“We’re starting five freshmen,” Lions coach Steve Jervis said. “I think everyone knows that by now. They’re good football players, but you can’t speed up experience.”
Cooper Patterson and Byron Axtell are the guards. Lucas Evans is at nose guard. Isaac Ryon is the free safety. Blake Stage is a defensive end.
The Lions posted their seventh straight winning season and 12th straight non-losing season, with a .500 record mixed in.
Lackawanna Trail takes a 6-4 record into the Nov. 4 District 2 Class A championship game at top-seeded Old Forge.
“They’re getting better all the time,” Jervis said of his young group after a 39-7 win at Susquehanna in the regular-season finale. “I’m excited for next Friday night. I think our kids are motivated and I think our kids are playing well at the right time.”
BOUNCING BACK
Lackawanna Trail, which also won the first three games of the season, closed the regular season on a three-game winning streak after losing four straight.
Abington Heights split its six games following an 0-4 start.
Scranton Prep started the regular season and the LFC Division 1 season each with losses where it was significantly outplayed by Lakeland and Scranton. The Cavaliers bounced back to finish 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the division, going 7-2 and 4-1 after those setbacks.
OCTOBER NOTES
Scranton Prep defeated host Abington Heights, 28-14, in an Oct. 8 game.
The game was part of a five-game winning streak by the Cavaliers in which sophomore Louis Paris emerged as the starting quarterback after splitting time early in the year.
Paris ran for three touchdowns against the Comets. He accounted for all five scores in a 32-0 win over North Pocono, going 3-for-4 for 71 yards and two touchdowns passing while running for the other three scores. In a 41-19 romp over Wyoming Valley West, Paris carried nine times for 99 yards and two touchdowns while hitting five of seven passes for 72 yards and another score.
Between late-season victories over contenders Scranton and Delaware Valley, Abington Heights stumbled in a 26-7 loss to North Pocono. Shawn Theodore hit 13 of 23 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown in the loss, but the Comets were held to minus-1 yard rushing.
Lackawanna Trail scored at least 36 points in each game of its late three-game winning streak. The Lions defeated Carbondale, 36-23, and Holy Cross, 40-13, before the win at Susquehanna.
Lukas Gumble ran for 109 yards and a touchdown and Stephen Jervis threw touchdown passes to three different receivers against Carbondale.
AH LEADERS
Theodore finished the regular season with 1,388 yards and 11 touchdowns passing, going 101-for-194 with 20 interceptions.
Other Abington Heights statistical leaders:
Receptions: Mason Fedor 46; receiving yards: Jack Burke 623; rushing yards: Christian Henzes 138; points: Fedor 32; tackles: Nico Bossi 56 solo, 91 total; sacks: Burke 5½; tackles for losses: Bossi 10; and interceptions: Kevin Schmidt 4.
