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Legendary coach George Curry walked away from the game after coaching at Wyoming Valley West last season.
TIMES LEADER FILE PHOTO/PETE G. WILCOX
Gary Campbell led his Berwick Bulldogs to the District 2 Class 3A title in 2008.
PETE G. WILCOX FILE PHOTOS/THE TIMES LEADER
Dallas coach Ted Jackson picked up career win No. 200 last season despite suffering through a 2-8 year.
The 2008 Wyoming Valley Conference football season started with plenty of promise for 16 teams.
Some of it was fulfilled. Some wasn’t.
Here’s a quick synopsis of what transpired and what to look forward to on the eve of a new season.
BERWICK (11-3)
What went right: The Dawgs firmly became Gary Campbell’s team in his third season by winning the District 2 Class 3A championship. The defense was opportunistic and dominant for most of the season.
What went wrong: The offense sputtered down the stretch and Berwick had to lean on its defense too much in the postseason.
Looking to ’09: There are plenty of holes to fill, but Berwick was able to find players to plug in last year and should do the same this year. The Dawgs should be back in the District 2 Class 3A playoffs.
COUGHLIN (7-4)
What went right: The Crusaders had one of the top rushing attacks in the WVC. The defense created numerous turnovers, especially vs. the pass with 13 interceptions.
What went wrong: The offense was too one-dimensional as the pass offense never eclipsed 100 yards in any game. The team was 1-4 against playoff qualifiers.
Looking to ’09: The program has recovered completely from a disastrous start of the decade. Coughlin is now considered a viable playoff contender instead of a dark horse and should make the District 2 Class 3A tournament.
CRESTWOOD (2-8)
What went right: Crestwood played fairly well, all things considered, in its opener with Berwick and followed by defeating Pocono Mountain West, which qualified for the Eastern Conference playoffs.
What went wrong: The Comets never seemed to recover after squandering a two-TD lead with five minutes left in week three against Pittston Area.
Looking to ’09: After making the postseason in 2006 and 2007, Crestwood took a step backward last year. The Comets should be better, but will be hard pressed to play beyond week 10.
DALLAS (2-8)
What went right: The Mountaineers played well down the stretch, winning twice to give coach Ted Jackson his 200th career win and pushing playoff-bound Hanover Area and Lake-Lehman to the limits.
What went wrong: The first five games were a nightmare as the Mountaineers managed just 14 points and were shut out three times. Aside from a decent performance in the opener vs. Williamsport, the running game was weak.
Looking to ’09: Dallas returns several starters and should improve, but making the postseason will take a few breaks.
GAR (10-2)
What went right: GAR was able to move the ball with ease on the ground, opening up some timely long passes. The defense and special teams were also very solid for the WVC Division 2A champion.
What went wrong: The Grenadiers didn’t match up well with Dunmore in the District 2 Class 2A title game, falling behind quickly and losing 48-13.
Looking to ’09: GAR’s linemen have caught the eye of opposing coaches in the preseason. If the skill players do as well, then the Grenadiers will find themselves battling for both the WVC 2A and D2-2A crowns once again.
HANOVER AREA (7-5)
What went right: Hanover Area played much better than expected, perhaps even overachieving to make the D2-2A playoffs. Once there, the Hawks avenged a loss to Lake-Lehman before battling GAR tough in a 17-12 loss.
What went wrong: A three-game losing streak in October dampened a 5-1 start, but in defense of Hanover Area those losses were to GAR, Pittston Area and Dunmore.
Looking to ’09: The Hawks are the toughest team to figure out. While there is talent back, there are some gaping holes that need to be filled. They could eke out one of the final D2-2A playoff spots.
HAZLETON AREA (10-2)
What went right: The running game didn’t miss a beat despite a reshuffling of the backfield. The defense was opportunistic, recording four touchdowns.
What went wrong: Had Hazleton Area not won a pair of one-point games, it might not have made the D2-11 Class 4A playoffs. The passing game was adequate but not as strong as it could have been.
Looking to ’09: The Cougars will be favored to win the D2-4A championship for a third consecutive year and the WVC 4A title once again. Graduation is little more than a nuisance for the district’s largest school.
HOLY REDEEMER (3-7)
What went right: The Royals were able to move the ball through the air with great efficiency at times. They could have finished .500 with a few breaks against playoff qualifiers Old Forge and Northwest.
What went wrong: The rushing attack was too hit-or-miss. Meanwhile, the rush defense gave up ground too easily.
Looking to ’09: Redeemer lost some quality athletes to graduation, so increasing the victory total is going to be a difficult task.
LAKE-LEHMAN (9-2)
What went right: Lehman ran roughshod over most of its opponents as both the passing and rushing attacks consistently produced big plays.
What went wrong: A weak schedule didn’t help in crunch time against quality opponents. The Black Knights ended the regular season with a loss to GAR and a last-second victory over rival Dallas. They then lost to Hanover Area in their D2-2A playoff opener.
Looking to ’09: There are many voids left by graduation, but a favorable schedule should lead to at least a .500 record and a remote chance at the postseason.
MEYERS (2-9)
What went right: Meyers made the postseason for an eighth consecutive season. The defense produced 20 turnovers during the regular season and combined with the special teams to score four TDs.
What went wrong: The playoff berth was more of a product of a weak Class A in District 2 in general. The Mohawks were overmatched and outmanned in almost every game.
Looking to ’09: The schedule is brutal for a Class A school, but Class A is even weaker in District 2 so the Mohawks might make the postseason by default.
NANTICOKE (0-10)
What went right: Nanticoke showed glimpses – however fleeting – of getting the knack of the triple option attack. If not for seven turnovers vs. Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech, the Trojans might have won.
What went wrong: Plenty. Nanticoke just didn’t have the talent to compete and managed to score more than one touchdown in a game only twice.
Looking to ’09: Nanticoke has lost 21 consecutive games, the longest streak in District 2. Snapping it would be nice, but showing progress in the WVC’s biggest reclamation project needs to be at the forefront.
PITTSTON AREA (6-5)
What went right: The Patriots overcame an 0-2 start, won three games by three points or less and returned to the postseason for the first time since 2003.
What went wrong: For all the progress made, Pittston Area was unable to win a statement game against either Berwick or Hazleton Area. Of course, not many teams could say they did.
Looking to ’09: The Patriots have been a notoriously slow-starting team over the past few years. That can’t happen again because the D2-3A playoff race will be much tighter this time around.
TUNKHANNOCK (4-6)
What went right: The Tigers started strongly, going 3-2 behind mainly a potent rushing offense. The defense posted its first shutout since the 2006 season.
What went wrong: Tunkhannock finished under .500 for a 10 consecutive year despite needing just two more wins in the last five games. The passing game couldn’t take advantage of opponents stacking up to stop the run.
Looking to ’09: The Tigers play six opponents who made the postseason in 2008 and four more that should be noticeably improved. A winning record is going to take plenty of hard work.
WILLIAMSPORT (2-8)
What went right: Williamsport snapped a 10-game losing streak by defeating Dallas in the season opener. The offense showed some big-play ability at times.
What went wrong: Tough consecutive losses to Stroudsburg and Coughlin seemed to drain some energy from the Millionaires. The rush defense gave up huge chunks of yards and the offense committed too many turnovers.
Looking to ’09: Williamsport won’t challenge Hazleton Area or Wyoming Valley West for the WVC 4A title, but should show more progress in coach Tom Gravish’s third season.
WYOMING AREA (4-6)
What went right: A young offensive line developed as the season wore on. The Warriors also used several underclassmen elsewhere who gained valuable experience.
What went wrong: After being spoiled with an excess of big-play players on offense, Wyoming Area couldn’t find one who could change the momentum in an instant. A streak of seven consecutive postseason appearances ended.
Looking to ’09: The learning curve isn’t as daunting, but it’s still there. The Warriors will likely hover around .500 again.
WYOMING VALLEY WEST (7-4)
What went right: The Spartans showed a lot of moxie by battling back from a 1-3 start to make the D2-11 Class 4A playoffs. The rushing attack was strong and the defense was stout for the most part.
What went wrong: The offense was a little too slanted toward the running attack, although the passing game did hit for some big plays. The season ended on a sour note with a 48-13 loss to Bethlehem Freedom.
Looking to ’09: Pat Keating takes over for legendary George Curry and has plenty of leftover parts from 2008. The Spartans seem like a shoo-in for the district playoffs.