Tyler Jervis, left, and Isaac Ryon are two of the returning two-way starters as Lackawanna Trail attempts to defend a pair of football titles.
Tom Robinson | For Abington Journal
Lackawanna Trail has managed to buck the odds of small school football rosters by not only producing championship-level teams, but managing to do so with a mixture of seniors and underclassmen so that the Lions always seem to have a veteran crew in place, ready to try to continue the program’s successful run.
The 2025 season appears to be no different.
“The key at a small school is that it’s not always about the here and now, but always thinking a step ahead and what it is going to be like next year and the year after that,” Lions coach Steve Jervis said. “You’re trying to intertwine you veteran-type players with younger players.”
Jervis credits late Dunmore coach Jack Henzes with some guidance in that area.
“I remember talking to him a long time ago about how I really wanted to grow the roster,” Jervis said. “He always said to me, ‘it really doesn’t matter how many. It’s about the which ones. You want to get those right kids.’
“I think we’ve been fortunate in that even though we don’t have a lot of kids, I think we have a lot of really good kids. We’re trying to put them in a great position to be successful. Sometimes, we have to ask kids to play multiple positions so that we can build quality depth with not a lot of players.”
Lackawanna Trail brings back five two-way starters as it seeks to repeat its titles in Lackawanna Football Conference Division 3 and the District 2-11 Class A Subregional.
Isaac Ryon, the top scorer in District 2 last season and the top returning rusher going into this season, returns at both running back and safety.
Quarterback/outside linebacker Tyler Jervis, guard/inside linebacker Colin Owens, tackle/defensive end Blake Stage and two-way tackle Lucas Evans, all seniors, are the returning two-way starters.
Stage, a 6-foot-3, 250-pounder, is moving from tight end to tackle on offense.
Juniors Anthony Paolucci and Kaylix Douglas are back after starting one way, but are likely to add the second position. Paolucci, a guard, could add defensive tackle duties. Douglas, a defensive end, is projected to take over at tight end where he has made a few past starts.
“Our goal is to keep that consistency,” Coach Jervis said. “On offense, spread the ball around and defensively, we’re just trying to be really disciplined and being really good against the run. Our experience up front should help us accomplish both of those goals.”
There are other experienced players to turn to in order to fill out the lineup.
Senior fullback Holden Edwards is back from a knee injury. He averaged more than 12 yards on his 13 carries.
Sean Dwyer, another senior, joins Ryon as another halfback/wingback, as well as a receiver and kick returner.
Junior Timmy Richmond and sophomore Lucas Filipek, who also serves as the back-up quarterback, are the top split end candidates.
Cooper Castellano, a junior center, is set to fill in the open spot in the offensive line.
Sophomore Hayden Reed and senior Brayden Martinez are trying to work their way into the lineup as linebackers in the 4-4 defense.
Dwyer and Filipek are cornerbacks with Richmond also in the mix in the secondary.
Lackawanna Trail opens with two home games, against Tunkhannock Aug. 22 and Western Wayne Aug. 29.
The rest of the non-league schedule is: Sept. 5, at Berwick; Sept. 12, DUNMORE; Sept. 19, at Mid Valley.
The Lions finish with their five LFC Division 3 games: Sept. 26, OLD FORGE; Oct. 3, at Carbondale; Oct. 11, at Susquehanna; Oct. 17, HOLY CROSS; Oct. 24, at Riverside.
