AJ Sports

By Tom Robinson
Go Lackawanna sports correspondent

Dunmore can clinch at least a share of its first Lackawanna Football Conference Division 2 title with a win at home Friday night against Valley View.

The unbeaten Bucks, ranked second in the state in Class AA by the Harrisburg Patriot-News, can even claim sole possession of the division title by the time Friday night is over if they win and Lakeland defeats Scranton Prep.

Dunmore is coming off its toughest challenge of the season by then second-place Scranton Prep. The Bucks escaped with a 21-14 overtime victory Saturday when Michael Perry ran for 188 yards and all three touchdowns then provided the clinching interception in overtime.

Valley View started 0-4 but that included a one-point game with North Pocono and a one-touchdown game with Abington Heights, the two Division 1 co-leaders.

Quarterback Shane Gensiak has returned from an injury and the Cougars have rebounded to win three straight games, including the last two in dominant fashion. Valley View opened a 47-0 lead on Western Wayne and a 39-0 advantage on Montrose at halftime of the last two games.

The Cougars are now in second place in the division at 3-1 along with their 3-4 overall record. Dunmore, which has just one division game left, is 4-0 and 7-0.

While the first- and second-place teams in the division go head-to-head, the third- and fourth-place teams will do the same. Scranton Prep (2-1, 5-2) is at Lakeland (1-2, 4-3).

The other Division 2 game has Riverside (1-2, 2-5) at Western Wayne (1-2, 3-4).

After giving unbeaten Division 3 leader Old Forge its toughest test to date, Carbondale is home against the other division co-leader. The Chargers (1-1, 3-4) host Mid Valley, which has won six straight since an opening loss to Dunmore to improve to 2-0 and 6-1.

Carbondale had a three-game winning streak snapped when it missed an extra point in the final minute of a 21-20 loss to Old Forge.

Old Forge (2-0, 7-0) should move a step closer to the title when it plays at Lackawannna Trail (0-2, 0-7).

Delaware Valley (2-1, 3-4) can move back into a share of the Division 1 lead for one night when it plays at West Scranton (1-2, 2-5) while North Pocono is busy in non-league action and Abington Heights waits to play on Saturday.

West Scranton's Tyler Hughes is coming off a game in which he accounted for six touchdowns while throwing for 362 yards and running for 101.

Honesdale (0-3, 0-7) is at Wallenpaupack (1-2, 5-2) in the other Division 1 game.

Montrose, the last-place team in Division 2 is at Division 1 co-leader North Pocono in a non-league game. The Meteors are 1-6 overall with five straight losses. The Trojans are 6-1.

There are two league games scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Defending champion Abington Heights (3-1, 6-1) can take over sole possession of the Division 1 lead when it plays against visiting Scranton (2-2, 4-3).

In Division 3 play, Susquehanna (1-1, 5-2) tries to repeat a 34-0, non-league victory from earlier in the year when it plays at Holy Cross (0-2, 1-6). The Crusaders have lost six straight.

For updates throughout the eighth weekend of the high school football season, return to www.scrantonedition.com/sports.

PREDICTIONS
(Home team in CAPS)

DUNMORE 32, Valley View 7

CARBONDALE 23, Mid Valley 17

Old Forge 43, LACKAWANNA TRAIL 0

Scranton Prep 23, LAKELAND 19

Delaware Valley 25, WEST SCRANTON 23

WESTERN WAYNE 33, Riverside 22

WALLENPAUPACK 49, Honesdale 9

NORTH POCONO 48, Montrose 3

ABINGTON HEIGHTS 40, Scranton 6

Susquehanna 37, HOLY CROSS 12

LAST WEEK: 11-0 (100.0 percent)

SEASON: 72-16 (81.8 percent)