89th DREAM GAME: Big linemen highlight starting lineups for summer classic

Jul. 19—Some of the biggest high school players from the Lackawanna Football Conference will battle in the trenches as the starting lineups are announced for the 89th Scranton Lions Club Dream Game.

On Wednesday night at 7, the County all-stars will face the City all-stars at John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium, and the keys to success will be which team's massive group of linemen can establish control and withstand the sweltering July heat on the artificial turf field.

The City all-star starting linemen include a pair of 300-pound tackles from Wallenpaupack. Mike Fitzgerald, who checks in at 6-foot-2, 320 pounds, will start on offense, while Sam Filip, who is listed at 6-2, 360 pounds, is the anchor of the defensive line for coach Greg Dolhon.

The County team coached by Stan Yanoski will try to counter with Delaware Valley tackle Justin Hernandez (6-4, 330) and Lakeland All-Region tackle Adam Wormuth (6-4, 290). Western Wayne's Alex Enslin (6-3, 360) and Mid Valley's David Calafut (6-6, 290) are formidable backups for the County.

The City, which holds a 42-41-2 lead in the series, will also start Scranton Prep tackle Keith Pritchyk (6-4, 250), Wallenpaupack guard Jacob Gonzalez (6-0, 270), North Pocono guard Zach Hoover (6-0, 230), and Holy Cross center Pio Tanana (6-1, 275) on its massive offensive line.

That group will try to pave the way for North Pocono running back Michael Blaine, who ran for 1,213 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, Dunmore fullback Josh Malone, and North Pocono quarterback Zack Benzie.

Benzie's receiving group includes Lackawanna Trail's Evan Litwin, Scranton Prep's Aidan Colleran, and Dunmore tight end Patrick Pucilowski.

The City defensive line, led by Filip, also includes Scranton All-Region end Jacob Martinez, Dunmore tackle Evan Makowski, and West Scranton's Joe Collins.

A pair of All-Region players, North Pocono's Ty Lafave and Scranton Prep's Mick O'Malley, and Scranton Prep's Aidan Cullen, are the linebackers. Scranton's Lamiare Saldano and Matt Shilling and Dunmore's Cal Talutto and Nico Ruggiero are in the secondary for the City.

City kicker Max Hunt will kick, and West Scranton's Joe Harris will punt.

For the County, which has won three straight in the series, Hernandez and Wormuth will start on the offensive line. Joining them will be Valley View twin guards Jacob Casarin (5-8, 225) and James Casarin (5-8, 225) and Abington Heights center Connor Casey (5-11, 180).

Lakeland quarterback Dominico Spataro, last season's Times-Tribune Offensive Player of the Year, gets the start and will have a pair of All-Region weapons at receiver. Lakeland's Jon Seamans and Valley View's Taheed Jewell, two of the top playmakers in the conference, earned starts, along with tight end Isaac Carmody of Honesdale.

Delaware Valley's Paulie Weinrich, who ran for 1,315 yards last season, and Carbondale Area fullback Vincent DePalma are in the backfield.

On defense, Honesdale's Rocco Fluck and Bryce Stone, Western Wayne's Kyle Guarino, and Old Forge's Andrew Santarsiero start on the line.

DePalma, Honesdale's CJ Hinton, and Valley View's AJ Kucharski, an All-Region player, are the linebackers. Honesdale's Max Mickel, Old Forge's Casey Holzman, an All-Region player, Delaware Valley's Landon Machado, and Lakeland's Kevin Snyder are in the secondary.

Riverside's Nicholas D'Amico will handle both the kicking and punting for the County.

CITY ALL-STARS

OFFENSE

QB: 10 — Zack Benzie, North Pocono (6-3, 180)

RB: 2 — Michael Blaine, North Pocono (6-1, 190)

FB: 45 — Josh Malone, Dunmore (5-10, 200)

WR: 8 — Evan Litwin, Lackawanna Trail (6-1, 160)

WR: 31 — Aidan Colleran, Scranton Prep (6-0, 185)

TE: 47 — Patrick Pucilowski, Dunmore (5-11, 200)

T: 72 — Keith Pritchyk, Scranton Prep (6-4, 250)

G: 53 — Jacob Gonzalez, Wallenpaupack (6-0, 270)

C: 51 — Pio Tanana, Holy Cross (6-1, 275)

G: 50 — Zach Hoover, North Pocono (6-0, 230)

T: 68 — Mike Fitzgerald, Wallenpaupack (6-2, 320)

DEFENSE

DE: 55 — Jacob Martinez, Scranton (5-10, 260)

DT: 74 — Sam Filip, Wallenpaupack (6-2, 360)

DT: 54 — Evan Makowski, Dunmore (5-10, 240)

DE: 9 — Joe Collins, West Scranton (6-1, 205)

LB: 44 — Ty LaFave, North Pocono (6-0, 225)

LB: 33 — Mick O'Malley, Scranton Prep (6-2, 235)

LB: 4 — Aidan Cullen, Scranton Prep (5-11, 185)

DB: 21 — Lamiare Saldano, Scranton (5-8, 170)

DB: 7 — Matt Shilling, Scranton (5-10, 170)

DB: 6 — Cal Talutto, Dunmore (5-8, 150)

DB: 20 — Nico Ruggiero, Dunmore (5-10, 185)

SPECIAL TEAMS

P: 24 — Joe Harris, West Scranton (6-0, 190)

K: 28 — Max Hunt, Dunmore (5-10, 160)

COUNTY ALL-STARS

OFFENSE

QB: 1 — Dominico Spataro, Lakeland (5-9, 180)

RB: 0 — Paulie Weinrich, Delaware Valley (6-2, 210)

FB: 17 — Vincent DePalma, Carbondale Area (5-11, 200)

WR: 12 — Jon Seamans, Lakeland (6-1, 180)

WR: 7 — Taheed Jewell, Valley View (6-3, 170)

TE: 6 — Isaac Carmody, Honesdale (5-10, 180)

T: 78 — Justin Hernandez, Delaware Valley (6-4, 330)

G: 59 — Jacob Casarin, Valley View (5-8, 225)

C: 57 — Connor Casey, Abington Heights (5-11, 180)

G: 64- James Casarin, Valley View (5-8, 225)

T: 75 — Adam Wormuth, Lakeland (6-4, 280)

DEFENSE

DE: 20 — Rocco Fluck, Honesdale (6-3, 230)

DT: 60 — Bryce Stone, Honesdale (5-10, 200)

DT: 53 — Kyle Guarino, Western Wayne (6-0, 240)

DE: 51 — Andrew Santarsiero, Old Forge (6-0, 260)

LB: 17 — Vincent DePalma, Carbondale Area (5-11, 200)

LB: 44 — CJ Hinton, Honesdale (5-10, 180)

LB: 18 — AJ Kucharski, Valley View (6-0, 175)

DB: 11 — Kevin Snyder, Lakeland (5-9, 170)

DB: 5 — Max Mickel, Honesdale (5-9, 160)

DB: 3 — Casey Holzman, Old Forge (5-9, 165)

DB: 4 — Landon Machado, Delaware Valley (5-6, 140)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K-P: 9 — Nicholas D'Amico, Riverside (6-0, 185)

89th SCRANTON LIONS CLUB DREAM GAME

WHEN: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

WHERE: John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium.

SERIES: City leads, 42-41-4.

ON TV: MyTV WQMY.

NOTABLE: Proceeds benefit the Lackawanna Blind Association.

Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @sportsTT on Twitter