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HS FOOTBALL: Five LFC teams start season ranked in preseason polls

joby fawcett, the times-tribune, scranton, pa.
·6 min read

Aug. 12—Five Lackawanna Football Conference teams earned preseason attention at the state level.

When the poll was released Thursday morning by Pennlive.com, Delaware Valley, Valley View, Scranton Prep, Lakeland and Old Forge were ranked among the top 10 teams in the state for their respective classifications.

The regular season starts Aug. 26.

Old Forge, which reached the PIAA Class 1A quarterfinals, earned the highest spot. The Blue Devils, who finished last season ranked fourth after spending weeks at No. 1, start the 2022 season at No. 2. Bishop Canevin, a District 7 team that ended at No. 5 last season, is ranked first.

Delaware Valley, which won six straight District 2 Class 6A championships and moved down to Class 5A after a drop in enrollment, starts the season at No. 3 in its new class. The Warriors have a daunting first three weeks of the season, including a battle against Mosley, Florida.

Last season, Mosley finished 11-2. This season, the team is ranked No. 7 among Class 6A teams in Florida.

Mosley's tight end, Randy Pittman, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior, received scholarship offers from Florida State, Central Florida, Florida, Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, Maryland, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Tennessee and West George.

Cornerback Isaac Paul is another Division I recruit for the Dolphins. He has several offers, including from the Air Force, Appalachian State, Army, Connectucit, Arkansas and Georgia Southern.

Delaware Valley also plays at Harrisburg, the No. 3 team in Class 6A, in Week 2 and against Downingtown East, which is an honorable mention team in Class 6A.

Imhotep Charter is ranked No. 1 in Class 5A.

Valley View starts the season with all-state running back Connor Hilling and quarterback Adam Howanitz back and is ranked No. 10 among Class 4A teams. The Cougars are the defending District 2 Class 4A champions.

Aliquippa, which won an appeal against the PIAA competition formula that would have had them in Class 5A, stayed in Class 4A and is the No. 1 team in that classification.

Scranton Prep, last season's District 2 Class 3A champion, is ranked No. 9 in the preseason. The Cavaliers have one of the highest profile players in running back London Montgomery , who is committed to Penn State University.

Belle Vernon, a team that dropped down a class, and Wyomissing, which defeated the Cavaliers in the state quarterfinals last season, are ranked first and second to start the season.

Lakeland, which is also in a different classification, is ranked No. 8 in Class 2A. The Chiefs, who went 15-3 in the last two seasons as a Class 3A team, return several key players from last year's team, including All-Region defensive end Lacota Dippre, who is committed to Holy Cross, quarterback Dominico Spataro and defensive back Jon Seamans.

Southern Columbia, which has won five straight PIAA Class 2A championships, is No. 1 in Class 2A.

2022 PENNSYLVANIA PRESEASON RANKINGS

By PENNLIVE.COM

CLASS 6A

Rank — Team — District — '21 record — '21 final rank

1. St. Joseph's Prep (12) — 11-3 — 2

2. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) — 9-3 — HM

3. Harrisburg (3) — 12-2 — 7

4. North Penn (1) — 11-1 — HM

5. Bethlehem Freedom (11) — 12-3 — 4

6. Garnet Valley (1) — 14-1 — 3

7. Mt. Lebanon (7) — 15-0 — 1

8. Seneca Valley (7) — 7-4 — NR

9. State College (6) — 8-6 — 6

10. McDowell (10) — 9-3 — 10

Teams to watch: Central York (3) 11-1, Downingtown East (1) 9-3, Emmaus (11) 9-4, Parkland (11) 9-2, Wilson-West Lawn (3) 9-4.

CLASS 5A

Rank — Team — District — '21 record — '21 final rank

1. Imhotep Charter (12) — 11-2 — 2

2. Cathedral Prep (10) — 11-2 — 8

3. Delaware Valley (2) — 9-4 — NR (6A)

4. Penn-Trafford (7) — 13-2) — 1

5. Upper Dublin (1) — 9-3 — NR

6. Penn Hills (7) — 8-4 — NR

7. Exeter Township (3) — 10-4 — 3

8. Governor Mifflin (3) — 10-1 — 5

9. Pine-Richland (7) — 7-5 — NR

10. West Chester Rustin (1) — 11-2 — 7

Teams to watch: Gateway (7) 7-4, Shippensburg (3) 11-1, Strath Haven (1) 13-2, Unionville (1) 10-2, East Stroudsburg South (11) 9-4.

CLASS 4A

Rank — Team — District — '21 record — '21 final rank

1. Aliquippa (7) — 13-1 — 1

2. Bishop McDevitt (3) — 12-2 — 2

3. Jersey Shore (4) — 14-1 — 3

4. Thomas Jefferson (7) — 8-3 — 8

5. Allentown C.C. (11) — 9-4 — HM

6. Central Valley (7) — 15-0 — 1 (3A)

7. Lampeter-Strasburg (3) — 11-2 — 6

8. Meadville (10) — 9-4 — 10

9. McKeesport (7) — 9-3 — 9

10. Valley View (2) — 12-2 — 7

Teams to watch: Bishop Shanahan (1) 11-4, Manheim Central (3) 9-2, Pope John Paul II (1) 7-3, Selinsgrove (4) 8-4.

CLASS 3A

Rank — Team — District — '21 Record — '21 final rank

1. Belle Vernon (7) — 10-1 — 5 (4A)

2. Wyomissing (3) — 15-1 — 2

3. Neumann-Goretti (12) — 12-2 — 5

4. Danville (4) — 8-5 — 4

5. Central Martinsburg (6) — 14-1 — 3

6. Elizabeth Forward (7) — 9-3 — NR

7. Hickory (10) — 7-4 — NR

8. North Schuylkill (11) — 10-2 — 9

9. Scranton Prep (2) — 11-1 — 4

10. Grove City (10) — 10-3 — 8

Teams to watch: Avonworth (7) 9-3, Bedford (5) 10-2, Berks Catholic (3) 7-5, Clearfield (9) 11-1, Loyalsock (4) 7-5.

CLASS 2A

Rank — Team — District — '21 Record — '21 final rank

1. Southern Columbia (4) — 15-1 — 1

2. Farrell (10) — 11-1 — 3

3. Beaver Falls (7) — 9-4 — HM

4. Sto-Rox (7) — 12-1 — 4

5. Mount Carmel (4) — 10-3 — 9

6. Richland Township (6) — 11-3 — 5

7. Bishop Guilfoyle (6) — 11-4 — 1 (1A)

8. Lakeland (2) — 10-2 — HM (3A)

9. Wilmington (10) — 7-3 — NR

10. York Catholic (3) — 11-1 — 10

Teams to watch: Berlin Brothersvalley (5) 8-3, Serra Catholic (7) 14-2, Sharpsville (10) 7-3, South Williamsport (4) 7-4, Steel Valley (7) 11-1, Washington (7) 9-1.

CLASS 1A

Rank — Team — District — '21 Record — '21 final rank

1. Bishop Canevin (7) — 13-2 — 5

2. Old Forge (2) — 11-1 — 4

3. Steelton-Highspire (3) — 8-3 — 7

4. Canton (4) — 13-1 — 3

5. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (7) — 9-4 — 9

6. Reynolds (10) — 7-5 — NR

7. Homer-Center (6) — 8-4 — HM

8. Tri-Valley (11) — 9-2 — HM

9. Muncy (4) — 10-2 — HM

10. Redbank Valley (9) — 13-2 — 2

Teams to watch: Clairton (7) 7-3, Leechburg (7) 9-3, Northern Bedford (5) 9-4, Northern Lehigh (11) 11-4, Rochester (7) 9-3.

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