Whether facing traditional powers or a team on the rise, Lackawanna Trail was up to the test in September, winning all four of its football games to improve to 5-1 on the season.
Heading into October, the Lions were the leader in the race for the top seed in the four-team District 2-11 Class A Subregional. They were also one of three teams to start Lackawanna Football Conference Division 3 play with a win.
Lackawanna Trail 49, Old Forge 13
Isaac Ryon turned 12 carries into 231 yards and four touchdowns Sept. 27 as the Lions opened LFC play with a road win at Old Forge.
The long-time rivals for small school supremacy could have their usual second meeting of the season in the Subregional playoffs. If the playoffs started today, the Lions would host the rematch.
Ryon scored on runs of 37 and 22 yards in the first quarter, 65 yards in the second and 57 in the third for a 49-7 lead.
Old Forge’s only score in the first three quarters was on a kickoff return following Ryon’s first touchdown.
Demitrius Douglas scored three times for the Lions. He had touchdown runs of 2 and 18 yards and he caught an 80-yard pass from Tyler Jervis.
Lackawanna Trail 26, Mid Valley 14
Douglas and Ryon each had 100-yard rushing games that included two touchdowns as Lackawanna Trail handed Mid Valley its only loss of the first six weeks of the season with a home-field victory Sept. 20.
Ryon scored the game’s last two touchdowns after Mid Valley forced a 14-14 tie in the fourth quarter. He ran 16 yards for the game-winner and added a 2-yarder for insurance.
Mid Valley led after one quarter, but Douglas tied the game at halftime with a 5-yard touchdown, then put the Lions ahead with a 3-yard run in the third quarter.
Lackawanna Trail 28, Dunmore 7
Dunmore scored first at home Sept. 13, but Ryon scored the next three touchdowns, all before halftime, to lead Lackawanna Trail to victory.
Holden Edwards, Ryon and Douglas all surpassed 100 yards as part of a 386-yard ground game.
Ryon ran 18 yards for a score in the first quarter, then 30 and 41 yards for second-quarter touchdowns.
Douglas added the final touchdown on a 13-yard run.
Lackawanna Trail 35, Berwick 0
Lackawanna Trail turned its first meeting with Berwick, a program that has produced six state championships, into a Mercy Rule rout at home.
Ryon ran for both of the game’s first-half touchdowns, then Lackawanna Trail put up 21 third-quarter points with the help of two returns. Ryon scored from the 8 in the first quarter and 35 in the second.
Douglas opened the second half with a 77-yard kickoff return. Max Kimmel returned an interception 45 yards for a score, then Douglas added a 5-yard touchdown run.