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Delaware Valley has wound up as champion in all five seasons of Wyoming Valley Conference boys lacrosse, but a growing list of teams is building credentials that make it possible, perhaps even likely, that the run could end this season.
Three of the 10 conference teams won some type of championship a year ago; a fourth played in a pair of championship games and another was part of a first-place tie in the regular season.
Many of the players most responsible for those successes return.
Crestwood was technically a last-place team in the regular season, finishing fifth out of five teams in the tightly packed Division 1 standings, before winning its second District 2 Class 2A title in three years and following it up with the program’s first-ever state tournament win.
Anthony Caporuscio, a sophomore attacker who already went over the 100-goal mark for his career Tuesday when the Comets were beating Delaware Valley, leads Crestwood’s returnees. He had 79 goals and 47 assists as a freshman.
After earning Times Leader Coach of the Year honors for his team’s big finish, Crestwood’s Brian Zabroski has his team chasing regular-season honors and is hoping for District 2 to keep making progress in the sometimes-imposing task of closing the gap on parts of the state where the sport has been contested longer.
“District 2 is getting stronger and stronger,” Zabroski said. “My hope is that one of us will go even deeper into the state playoffs than we did last year.
“All of the teams are pushing one another and that is really great to experience.”
Delaware Valley and Wyoming Area won the WVC’s division titles last season. Delaware Valley, which competes with District 11 opponents as a Class 3A team in the postseason, needed to get through a three-team playoff with Dallas and conference newcomer Wyoming Seminary to win its latest Division 1 championship.
Wyoming Area won a Division 2 title in just its third year as a program.
Wyoming Seminary, which formerly played a Prep school schedule, joined the WVC last season.
For now, the WVC’s power-based split of divisions while programs that started in different years develop and emerge, appears to be at the exact right spot.
Teams play home-and-home in their divisions and once against teams from the other divisions.
Last season, Division 1 teams went 25-0 against Division 2, with last-place Crestwood sweeping Division 2 and Division 2 champion Wyoming Area losing to all the Division 1 opponents. Division 1 teams also beat Division 2 in the only two crossover games played prior to Tuesday.
That leaves teams like Tunkhannock with two sets of goals.
“We will be competitive within our division,” Tigers coach Dan Davidson said. “As the season progresses, we need to set our sights on getting after some of the teams in the upper division of the WVC.”
Scranton Prep, led by Daniel Hinton, who entered the season with 120 career goals, and Dallas could be the top contenders along with Crestwood in Division 1.
While the top division remains balanced, it may be difficult for Division 2 to produce a serious threat to Wyoming Area, a quickly improving program that returns much of its lineup while trying to keep up its climb in just the fourth season for the Warriors.
Dallas will need to replace the Times Leader Player of the Year, goalie Corey McAndrew, but still has three first-team, all-stars returning.
Christian Motley was already a first-teamer as a freshman and sophomore while T.J. Herron followed him to those honors as a freshman in 2017. John Betzko is the other first-teamer returning.
Motley’s honors came on defense as a freshman and as a long-stick midfielder last season.
WVC BOYS LACROSSE CAPSULES
NOTE: All teams remain in the same WVC division and same District 2/state classifications in which they competed last year. The 2018 records were going into Tuesday’s games.
CRESTWOOD
Coach: Brian Zabroski
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 7-6, fifth of five in Division 1
2017 Postseason: Beat Scranton Prep 12-4 in District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals; beat Wyoming Area 13-6 in D2-2A semifinals; beat Wyoming Seminary 11-10 in two overtimes in D2-2A final; beat Lewisburg 11-4 in PIAA state Class 2A first round; lost to Lansdale Catholic 12-9 in PIAA-2A quarterfinals
2018 Record: 2-0
All-star returning: Anthony Caporuscio was a first-team Times Leader all-star and coaches’ all-star on the attack. Goalie Reed Karaska was a second-team choice by the Times Leader and the coaches. Attacker Wyatt Malia was a second-team selection by the Times Leader and received honorable mention from the coaches.
Starters returning: Caporuscio, So. A; Malia, So. A; T.J. Kulak, So. A; Matt Tirpak, Sr. /FOGO; Owen Grigas, Sr. M; Patrick Colo, Sr. M; Sean Murphy, Jr. M; Michael Macri, Sr. D; Nathan Sledziewski, Sr. D; Karaska, Sr. G
Outlook: The Comets return a veteran midfield and a young and talented attack from the 2017 team, which improved late in the season and advanced to the state Class 2A quarterfinals. “I believe we have the ability to be a front-runner in our district and would love another opportunity to compete at the state level,” Zabroski said.
DALLAS
Coach: John Zug
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 10-3, three-way tie for first of five teams in Division 1, lost semifinal playoff to Delaware Valley, 9-7
2017 Postseason: Beat Lake-Lehman 18-9 in District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals; lost to Wyoming Seminary 8-5 in D2-2A semifinals
2018 Record: 1-1
All-stars returning: Long-stick midfielder Christian Motley and defender John Betzko were first-team, all-star selections by both the Times Leader and conference coaches. Attacker T.J. Herron was also a first-team Times Leader all-star. Michael Starbuck was a second-team midfield pick by the Times Leader and coaches.
Starters returning: Josh Kalna; Zach Kalna; Nick Solinsky; Betzko, Jr. D; Motley, Jr. LSM; Herron, So. A; Starbuck, So. M
Outlook: Zug thinks an improvement over last year’s tie for first is possible in his first season as a head coach. “We have a lot of young talent on the team with a great group of experienced players to take on leadership roles,” he said. “We want to build upon the success of last year’s team and surpass the mark they left.”
DELAWARE VALLEY
Coach: Jeff Krasulski
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 10-3, three-way tie for first out of five in Division 1, beat Dallas 9-7 in semifinal, beat Wyoming Seminary 9-8 in division championship
2017 Postseason: Lost to Emmaus 10-4 in District 2-11 Class 3A Subregional semifinals
2018 Record: 1-1
All-stars returning: Attacker Josh Balcarel and midfielder Anton Mackey were both first-team, all-star selections by the coaches. Long-stick midfielder Ryan Obiso and defender Chris Cucco were second-team conference all-star picks by the coaches.
Starters returning: Balcarel, So. A; Mackey, Sr. M; Dan Matarazzo, Sr. M; Obiso, Sr. LSM; Cuccio, Sr. D
Outlook: Delaware Valley has won conference or Division 1 titles all five years that the WVC has had boys lacrosse. “We hope to make the District 2-11 Subregional and look to make noise there so District 2 will view us as a district champion this season,” said Krasulski, a Nanticoke graduate. “We have a nice mixture of experience and youth and the team is coming together well.”
SCRANTON PREP
Coach: Jon Knowles
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 8-5, fourth of five teams in Division 1
2017 Postseason: Lost to Crestwood 12-4 in District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals
2018 Record: 2-0
All-stars returning: Daniel Hinton was a first-team, all-star midfielder selection by conference coaches; midfielders Luke and Tucker Johnson received honorable mention from coaches.
Starters returning: Joe Pettinato, Sr.; Greg Fisher, Jr., Luke Johnson, Sr. M; Tucker Johnson, So. LSM; Conor Jordan, Jr.; Kyle Reihner, Jr. G; Daniel Hinton, Sr. M; Cullen Chesnick, Sr.; Charles Farrell, Sr.; Ivan Balavage, Sr.
Outlook: Hinton is one of the conference’s most dynamic scorers and the Cavaliers appear to have the capability of being a big part of what is likely to be another multi-team battle for the Division 1 title. Knowles is looking for his team to bounce back from its home-field playoff loss that started Crestwood’s postseason run. “Bookended by nine seniors with experience and freshmen with talent, we look to be competitive both inside and outside of District 2,” Knowles said.
WYOMING SEMINARY
Coach: Andrew Billen
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 10-3, three-way tie for first of five teams in Division 1; lost to Delaware Valley 9-8 in division championship game
2017 Postseason: Beat Coughlin 14-2 in District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals; beat Dallas 8-5 in D2-2A semifinals; lost to Crestwood 11-10 in two overtimes in D2-2A final
2018 Record: 0-2
All-stars returning: Nick Ganter was a first-team Times Leader and coaches’ all-star for his play on defense. Max Bartron made the Times Leader second team as an attacker and was a coaches’ honorable mention midfielder; Matt Parsons, for faceoffs, and Bobby Deluna, as a long-stick midfielder, each received honorable mention from the coaches. Andrew Lehman received honorable mention from WVC coaches for his play on defense while at Crestwood.
Starters returning: Parsons, Sr. M/FO; Max Bartron, Jr. A; Ryan Anderson, Jr. A; Ganter, Jr. D; Deluna, Jr. LSM
Outlook: Wyoming Seminary was hit hard by graduation after playing in conference and district championship games in its first season after moving over from a primarily Prep school schedule. The Blue Knights lost 12 seniors, nine of them starters. “We’ll have to reload quickly,” Billen said. “We had a huge sophomore class last year, who are now juniors and ready to step in and fill the voids left by last year’s senior class.”
COUGHLIN
Coach: Dave Kelley
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 2-11, three-way tie for third out of five teams in Division 2
2017 Postseason: Beat Abington Heights 10-8 in District 2 Class 2A preliminary round; lost to Wyoming Seminary 14-2 in D2-2A quarterfinals
2018 Record: 0-2
All-stars returning: None
Starters returning: Brandon Kelley, Jr. M; Xayvion Proctor, Jr. G; Aiden Redding, So.; Orlando Aguas, Jr.; Jesus Perdomo, Sr.
Outlook: A conference newcomer last year, Coughlin is still in the developmental stage of its program and could face some struggles.
LAKE-LEHMAN
Coach: Chris Hampel
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 6-7, second place of five teams in Division 2
2017 Postseason: Beat Lakeland 14-4 in District 2 Class 2A preliminary round; lost to Dallas 18-9 in District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals
2018 Record: 0-1
All-stars returning: None
Starters returning: Josh Durling, Jr. D; Giovanni Ferrari, So. D; Liam O’Brien, Sr. A; Christian Diana, So. A; Scott Robbins, So. G
Outlook: Lake-Lehman contended in the division until late last season, but graduated 11 seniors from that squad and has just two seniors and one junior on this year’s roster. “This year will be a rebuilding year for us,” Hampel said. “We have a good deal of young, raw talent with a few of our freshmen and sophomores, along with some first-year players that show a lot of promise. It’s just a matter of getting game experience and learning how to play the game at a higher level.”
NORTH POCONO
Coach: Robert Deremer
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 2-11, three-way tie for third out of five teams in Division 2
2017 Postseason: Beat Tunkhannock 9-7 in District 2 Class 2A preliminary round; lost to Wyoming Area 17-2 in D2-2A quarterfinals
2018 Record: 1-1
All-stars returning: None
Starters returning: Marcus King, Sr. M; Tyler Motichka, Jr. M; Kristofer Zero, Jr. A; Jason Parola, Jr. A; Elias Gray, Jr. M; Dale Moore, Jr. D; Andrew Newell, Jr. M; Aidan Marcinko, Jr. D; Jack Roche, So. A; Colin Zaffino, So. M
Outlook: Marcus King, Spencer Bellucci and Nathaniel Hamilton are the team’s only seniors, but even though they are young, Deremer thinks the Trojans have enough experience and impact players to move up. Parola and Zero were the team’s top two scorers last season. Parola is a skilled player who is the team’s returning Most Valuable Player. Zaffino has more experience than many older players. “We are returning a large majority of our starters from last year,” Deremer said. “Also, almost all of our players have at least two-three years of playing experience.”
TUNKHANNOCK
Coach: Dan Davidson
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 2-11, three-way tie for third out of five teams in Division 2
2017 Postseason: Lost to North Pocono 9-7 in District 2 Class 2A preliminary round
2018 Record: 1-1
All-stars returning: None
Starters returning: Adam Martin, Sr. A; Brad Martin, Sr. M/FO; Michael Casey, Sr. M; Izaiah Simon, Jr. M; Steve Cross, Sr. D; Sergey Montross, Jr G
Outlook: Tunkhannock will have to rely on inexperienced newcomers in several positions. “The goal is to develop the skill level and lacrosse IQ of our whole team and be ready to compete every day,” Davidson said.
WYOMING AREA
Coach: Shaun Rohland
2017 WVC Record/Finish: 8-5, first place of five teams in Division 2
2017 Postseason: Beat North Pocono 17-2 in District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals; lost 13-6 to Crestwood in D2-2A semifinals
2018 Record: 1-0
All-stars returning: Justin Joseph was a first-team, all-star choice by both the Times Leader and WVC coaches. Sam Greenfield, a second-team coaches’ pick, and Joseph were each first-team Times Leader all-stars last season after making the second team as sophomores. Jake Urban and Conor McCormick were second-team, all-stars on the Times Leader and coaches’ teams; Alex Gonzales received honorable mention from the coaches as a defensive midfielder.
Starters returning: Greenfield, Sr. M; Urban, Sr. A; Joseph, Sr. M; McCormick, Sr. D; Alex Gonzales, Sr. M; Rob Trottini, Sr. LSM/M; Hawk, Sr. G; F.J. Braccini, So. A; Jacob Switzer, So. M; Dominic DeLuca, So. M.
Outlook: Four-year starters Greenfield, who scored 52 goals last season, and Urban lead the first group of players to go through the program from freshman to senior years. Hawk makes the move from attack to take over in goal. “We have high expectations this year for the squad,” said Rohland, who was named Coach of the Year by fellow coaches. “We have good senior leadership and a good corps of sophomores so we want to just continue to build on the success we had last year.”