Sports

By Tom Robinson
Go Lackawanna sports correspondent

Scranton Prep and Carbondale fell short of the District 2 football playoffs, but used winning records to extend their seasons into the Eastern Conference playoffs.

While district tournament winners advance into the state playoff system, teams in the Eastern Conference playoffs end their seasons in the next two weeks when the tournament is completed.

Scranton Prep is the fourth seed in Class AAA, Carbondale is the top seed in Class AA.

After undergoing a coaching change in the preseason, Carbondale started 0-3 under Larry Gabriel III. The only loss since came by a point on a missed extra point in the final minute against unbeaten Old Forge.

"We're playing for the Eastern Conference," Gabriel said prior to the last game, a 35-21 victory over Holy Cross Saturday. "It's a great way to let our seniors go out -- winning six of the last seven in the regular season and getting to play two more games."

Delaware Valley will represent the Lackawanna Football Conference in the Class AAAA playoffs.

Wyoming Valley West, Coughlin and Hanover Area are also in the Eastern Conference playoffs, giving District 2 a total of six representatives in the event, which also draws from Districts 3, 4 and 11.

All but one semifinal will be played Friday night at 7.

Scranton Prep (7-3) is at top-seeded Northwestern Lehigh (7-3) in Class AAA. The other game is Saturday at 1 when Bethlehem Catholic (5-5) plays at Coughlin (6-4).

Hanover Area (5-5) is at Carbondale (6-4) while Mount Carmel (5-5) is at Schuylkill Valley (5-5) in Class AA.

Whitehall (5-5) is at top-seeded Wyoming Valley West (6-4) and Delaware Valley (5-5) is at Emmaus (5-5) in Class AAAA.

The Class A bracket has Muncy (5-5) at top-seeded Lourdes Regional (7-2) and Shenandoah Valley (5-5) at Canton (5-5).