Cristian Buckley scored three touchdowns and Rayshaun Dawkins had the first and last scores of the game Friday night to lead the Dunmore Bucks to a 49-35 victory over the visiting Lackawanna Trail Lions in a game between defending District 2 small school football champions.

Buckley caught touchdown passes of 61 and 16 yards from Steve Borgia in the first half. He also rushed for 66 yards and a third-quarter touchdown.

Borgia went 7-for-9 for 179 yards and three touchdowns passing while also running for a score.

Dawkins returned the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown, then broke a 29-yard touchdown run around right end in the final minute with the Bucks looking for the third-and-12 conversion to kill the clock with a seven-point lead.

All that firepower was needed to get past Lackawanna Trail, which churned out 17 first downs behind a ground game that produced 273 yards on 46 carries in a series of sustained drives.

Ray Melnikoff carried 15 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Nico Berrios added 54 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Kody Creswell had 45 yards on seven carries.

Both teams came out of the game with 2-2 records.

Lackawanna Trail answered Dunmore’s score on the opening kickoff by driving 66 yards on six plays. Brown ran 27 yards and Melnikoff ran 18 to set up a 10-yard touchdown by Berrios.

The Lions missed the extra point and then were unable to take advantage of recovering the ensuing kickoff.

The first Borgia-to-Buckley touchdown pass, on a deflection off a Dunmore teammate that sent the ball to the speedy Buckley in stride well behind the Lackawanna Trail defense, gave the defending Class 2A champion Bucks a 14-6 lead after one quarter.

Lackawanna Trail, a state Class A finalist a year ago, again answered a quick strike with a long drive. The Lions moved 67 yards in 14 plays to score on Jeffrey Resto’s 4-yard run. Melnikoff ran for the tying two-pointer.

The two-pointer was the only time after the kickoff return that the Lions managed to tie the score.

The teams kept scoring on the next three drives.

Borgia passed and ran for scores for Dunmore, sandwiched around Melnikoff’s 48-yard touchdown run, to give the Bucks a 28-20 halftime lead.

A 49-yard touchdown pass from Borgia to Charles Valvano on their team’s first possession of the second half increased the Dunmore lead to 35-20.

Resto came back with a 93-yard kickoff return for his second touchdown to pull the Lions within seven.

Buckley ran 5 yards for another score to make it 42-28 going to the fourth quarter.

The Lions drove one more time, covering 74 yards on 15 plays, resulting in Melnikoff’s 4-yard touchdown.

Dunmore, however, was able to run most of the remaining time off the clock – and get the second Dawkins touchdown to seal the win.

The loss leaves Lackawanna Trail (2-2) chasing Old Forge (4-0) or Northwest (2-1) to try to get one of the two spots in the District 2 Class A championship game.

North Pocono 27

Abington Heights 0

The North Pocono defense picked off four passes while limiting visiting Abington Heights to 140 yards of total offense and posting the shutout in Friday night’s LFC Division 1 game.

The Trojans evened their records at 1-1 in the division and 2-2 overall. The Comets fell to 0-4 overall while losing in their division opener.

North Pocono scored on the game’s opening drive, then used one of the interceptions to score in the closing seconds of the half for a 13-0 lead. The Trojans added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Ryan Dolphin had come up with the first interception with Abington Heights threatening to tie the game early in the second quarter. Then, Ty LaFave, who also had a fumble recovery to set up the third touchdown, made the interception to set up the score late in the half.

The Abington Heights defense made North Pocono work for its points, despite the extra chances and field position advantages created by the five turnovers.

Michael Pusateri led the defense with 11 tackles, including a sack, and two assists. Shaine Hughes added eight tackles and three assists.

Michael Show led the running game with 39 yards on six carries while Julian Blanco added 34 yards on 10 carries.

Abington Heights’ Corey Perkins (No. 24) attempts a catch during Friday night’s game.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_aj091819AbingtonFball1.jpg.optimal.jpgAbington Heights’ Corey Perkins (No. 24) attempts a catch during Friday night’s game. Zachary Allen | For Abington Journal

Mike Show (No. 10) runs the ball for the Comets.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_aj091819AbingtonFball2.jpg.optimal.jpgMike Show (No. 10) runs the ball for the Comets. Zachary Allen | For Abington Journal

Tristan Burns (No. 3) sets up for an Abington Heights play during Friday night’s game.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_aj091819AbingtonFball3.jpg.optimal.jpgTristan Burns (No. 3) sets up for an Abington Heights play during Friday night’s game. Zachary Allen | For Abington Journal

Casey Knott (No. 83) runs the ball for the comets Friday night.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_aj091819AbingtonFball4.jpg.optimal.jpgCasey Knott (No. 83) runs the ball for the comets Friday night. Zachary Allen | For Abington Journal

By Tom Robinson

For Abington Journal

Reach the Abington Journal newsroom at 570-991-6405 or by email at news@theabingtonjournal.com.