TimesLeader.com

Blue Devils, Bucks seek perfect regular seasons

By Tom Robinson
Scranton Edition sports correspondent

Old Forge and Dunmore are each one win from completing a perfect regular season.

Both teams have already wrapped up the top seed for the District 2 playoffs and Dunmore has clinched a division championship. Old Forge has clinched at least a tie but needs a win over Susquehanna Friday night to take the Lackawanna Football Conference championship outright.

"You always go into a season with a goal of winning championships no matter what level you are on," Old Forge coach Mike Schuback said. "We've been taking it in stride, one at a time, but as the games pile up, you realize what's at stake.

"It's the last game of the regular season. We know the magnitude of it. It's basically for the division and an undefeated record."

Old Forge is 4-0 in the division and 9-0 overall.

Susquehanna is 2-2 and 6-3. The Sabers were in contention until last week's 26-18 loss to Carbondale, the only team with a chance to tie Old Forge. Susquehanna could also boost its outside shot at making the playoffs with an upset of Old Forge.

The Blue Devils are seeking their first unbeaten regular season since 1987 when Schuback was a member of the team that won a championship in its first year after moving from the Big 11 to the Suburban Conference.

Dunmore had its most recent perfect regular season in 1999. The Division 2 champion Bucks have been close many times since.

After starting 8-0 in 2004 and 6-0 in 2006, Dunmore took unbeaten records into the final game of the regular season the last two years only to lose to Riverside.

The Vikings are again the opponent tonight in Dunmore. Riverside is headed back to defend its District 2 Class A title but has struggled at times while going 2-3 and 3-6.

While Old Forge seeks to make its division title official, up to three teams can share the LFC Division 1 title.

Abington Heights, Delaware Valley and North Pocono are all 4-1 in the division heading into their final game.

Abington Heights will be the last to play Saturday at home against winless Honesdale.

The Comets have bounced back from a loss to North Pocono that dropped them out of the state rankings and have won three straight.

"All we could do is control the things we could," Abington Heights coach Joe Repshis said. "We practiced every day to get better."

The Comets are in position to assure themselves the top seed in the District 2 Class AAA playoffs if they avoid the upset.

Delaware Valley and North Pocono have more significant tests Friday night against two of the division's top offensive weapons.

Delaware Valley (4-1 and 5-4) is home against Wallenpaupack (2-3, 6-3). Although the Buckhorns are behind the Warriors in the division, they are ahead in playoff points and are fighting to try to earn a spot in the District 2-4-11 Class AAAA Subregional.

Wallenpaupack's Joe DeFebo has rushed for 1,861 yards and scored 23 touchdowns.

North Pocono (4-1, 8-1) is home against West Scranton (2-3, 6-3).

The Invaders are coming off an upset of Wallenpaupack. West Scranton quarterback Tyler Hughes has averaged more than 300 yards per game passing in the last four and almost 100 yards per game rushing in the last three. During the four-game stretch, he has thrown for 1,205 yards and 16 touchdowns without an interception.

In Friday night's other Division 2 game, Lakeland (3-2, 6-3) is at home trying to extend its four-game winning streak and lock up a District 2 Class AA playoff berth against Montrose (0-5, 1-8).

Mid Valley (2-2, 6-3) is at Lackawanna Trail (1-3, 1-8) in Division 3.

Valley View (3-6) is at Scranton (4-5) in a non-league game.

There are two other games on the Saturday schedule.

Western Wayne (2-3, 4-5) is at Scranton Prep in Division 2.

Carbondale (3-1, 5-4) is at Holy Cross (0-4, 1-8) in Division 3. The Chargers can clinch a tie for the Division 3 title with a win if Susquehanna first upsets Old Forge.

Return to www.scrantonedition.com/sports throughout the final weekend of the regular season for updates on LFC games.

PREDICTIONS
(Home teams in CAPS)

OLD FORGE 39, Susquehanna 18

DUNMORE 40, Riverside 6

NORTH POCONO 35, West Scranton 21

Valley View 15, SCRANTON 10

Mid Valley 31, LACKAWANNA TRAIL 6

LAKELAND 47, Montrose 6

DELAWARE VALLEY 21, Wallenpaupack 12

Carbondale 41, HOLY CROSS 3

ABINGTON HEIGHTS 54, Honesdale 0

SCRANTON PREP 31, Western Wayne 10

Last Week: 8-3 (72.7 percent)

Season: 89-20 (81.7 percent)