OLYPHANT — There was a buzz in the air as players representing their schools filtered into the Regal Room on a steamy Tuesday afternoon.
Players and coaches from the Lackawanna Football Conference exchanged handshakes and pleasantries, and the excitement of those in attendance showed on their faces as the 2025 season rapidly approaches with heat acclimatization Monday.
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It was the annual LFC Media Day, and it serves as one of the significant dates on the summer calendar.
“We are excited,” Scranton Prep senior running back Will McPartland said. “Going into my senior year we are pretty excited. We are putting everything we can into it. Going to practice every day, going to film, getting in the weight room. We kind of have a different mentality this year, that it is our last year and we might as well do everything we can.”
Each coach for teams in the conference brings two players to the luncheon. Members of the media swarm and jockey around the room. Cameras shuttered, and athletes gave interviews and spent time socializing with those who they will compete with this season.
Lackawanna Trail running back Isaac Ryon, who is the top returning rusher in the LFC, and teammate Tyler Jervis, the quarterback, were on hand.
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Both will lead the Lions, who won the LFC Division III and District 2 Class 1A championships last season.
“We have a lot of guys coming back other than our backfield,” Ryon said. “Practices have been very intense and very exciting, and we are ready to get going.”
North Pocono lineman Dylan Caster caught everyone’s attention. The massive 6-foot-8, 330-pound tackle stood tall as an intimidating presence in the banquet hall.
He is one of several Trojans returning from a team that finished with a win in an Eastern Conference Class 4A playoff game.
“We are pretty excited,” Caster said. “We are all working hard. We were really happy after that last win of the season. We are ready to go. We all got stronger. We are all getting pumped. We are all practicing, running around. We are getting ready for the season and are excited.”
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Caster wasn’t alone in standing out among the gathering.
Riverside’s Tavian Branch was a player of few words. The 6-5, 300-pound two-way standout is eager to get back on the field after an intense college recruiting season for one of the top high school players in the state. He committed to Rutgers in June.
The Vikings are coming off their first District 2 championship since 2010 and reached the PIAA Class 2A semifinals in 2024.
“I am just ready to go out and play one last ride with my brothers,” Branch said.
Mid Valley defensive end and tight end Rhys Williams is one of several starters back. He helped the Spartans share last season’s LFC Division II championship, which was the first for the program.
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“We are fired up this year,” Williams said. “We have a lot coming back. We have half of our offensive line and most of our defensive line, too. We have a lot of experienced guys and a lot of young guys coming up who we are feeling pretty good about. I am just fired up to get to the season. I know all of the other guys are fired up, too.”
New posts, familiar faces
There are two coaches starting anew in the LFC this season.
George Howanitz, the longtime coach at Valley View, takes over at Honesdale for Paul Russick. In his career with the Cougars, he had a record of 116-68.
Kyle Cook returns to Susquehanna for his second stint as head coach. In his first stay, he had a career record of 42-61 in 10 seasons. Cook takes over for Mose Perry.
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Defending champions
LFC teams had a successful 2024 season.
Abington Heights captured the District 2 Class 5A championship; Valley View won the District 2 Class 4A championship; Scranton Prep won the District 2 Class 3A title; Riverside won the District 2 Class 2A championship; and Lackawanna Trail doubled up with the District 2 Class 1A crown and the District 2-11 Class 1A subregional title.
Last season’s LFC division champions were Scranton Prep in Division I, Mid Valley and Western Wayne in Division II and Lackawanna Trail in Division III.
