Dishin’ the Dirt: The latest in local sports

By Steve Svetovich

Joe Cardillo, 2022 Dunmore and 2026 Marywood University graduate, finished second in Steamtown Marathon out of over 1,300 runners with time of 2:29:24 and was first local finisher...At Dunmore, he earned PIAA state medal, finished 22nd place at PIAA state cross country championship and set school record at 16:50...He was District 2 AA runner-up and PIAA state qualifier and earned second place in District 2 Class AA track and field championship to qualify for states ..At Marywood, he was 10,000 meter school record holder and named 2026 Atlantic East Men’s Athlete of Year...He was Triple Conference champion across 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meters and three times NCAA Division III All-Mid Atlantic Regional... He finished seventh place in 2026 Wyoming Valley 10-mile run with time of 52:18...

Congratulations to undefeated Dunmore Bucks football team who earned Lackawanna Football Conference Division II title with 10-0 record under head coach Kevin McHale...Dunmore senior back Josef Wolff rushed for 203 yards and scored four touchdowns, three on runs and one on 35-yard pass from Bucks junior quarterback Brady McCormick in division clinching 53-6 win over Lakeland...Dunmore’s Jacob Costanzo caught 53-yard touchdown pass and Logan Miller snared 16-yard TD pass both thrown by McCormick...Dunmore senior all-purpose performer Weston Yannone missed contest due to flu...With its first undefeated season in nine years, Dunmore outscored opponents by 563 to 43 margin in regular season...Top seeded Bucks will play No. 4 Holy Redeemer Friday, November 6 in District 2 Class 2A semifinals...

Boston College music graduate Dylan Pidich and his sister Alyson Pidich, a Manhattan MD, both from Moscow, won Fort North TV Festival Pilot and Script Competition held in Greenport, NY...Their script placed in top 25 at Austin Film Festival, largest scriptwriting competition in world...The siblings are in process of writing another screenplay...Dunmore senior football cheerleaders recognized Senior Night October 30 include Chloe Bellas, Ayla Cantafio, Clare Fofi, Grace Hennessy, Emily McGowan, Maggie Mecca, Reagan Rodzniak and Riley McHale who is Miss Buck...

Dunmore senior marching band members recognized include Alina Alvarado, Kelsie Bidwell and Ryan McMynne...Dunmore Crimsonettes honored are Nakia Griffin and Shy Ann Hulse... Dunmore soccer team won district quarterfinal game, 4-0, over Lakeland. Russell Toole, Oliver Soriano, Gabe Vullo and Ryan Clark scored goals for Dunmore... Congratulations to Dunmore cross country runners Buddy Laroche and Olivia O’Brien for qualifying in PIAA state cross country championships... Congratulations to Dunmore quarterback Brady McCormick for surpassing 1,000-mark in passing yards this season...

Dunmore football cheerleaders collected donations during Dunmore-Lakeland home game to support Lakeland multi-sport athlete Matthew Pritchyk who is battling lymphoma...Holy Cross cross country team helped raise $3,070 through Gemma Bistran’s fundraiser for Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania... Congratulations to Holy Cross junior girls soccer player Alaina Scassellati who earned 500th career save...Holy Cross girls soccer team earned double overtime win over Elk Lake, 2-1, to advance to district semifinals...Ryleigh Conway scored game winner on long pass from senior Liza Froncek...Alexia Wasp scored first goal on corner kick from Natalya Musto... Congratulations to Holy Cross senior Elias Stabinski named Lackawanna League cross country all-star...

Congratulations to Holy Cross soccer player Alaina Scassellati named All-State and first-team Lackawanna League all-star... Congratulations to Holy Cross senior soccer standout Liza Froncek named first-team Lackawanna League all-star. Congratulations to Holy Cross Lady Crusader soccer players Jane Walsh and Sophia Roman named second-team Lackawanna League all-stars. Congratulations to Dunmore soccer coach Tom Clark who earned 100th career win, 2-1, over North Pocono last month and for leading team to Lackawanna League Division II title...Congratulations to Dunmore soccer standout Johnley Jean whose uniform number was retired...Paige Ancherani and Jackson Harding named Homecoming Queen and King at Dunmore High School...Dunmore all-purpose senior Weston Yannone named Times-Tribune Offensive Player of Week in Week 8...Teammate Xavier Burke named Defensive Player of Week for same week ..Yannone named NPF Football Prime Player of Week for Week 8 after rushing for 187 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries in Dunmore’s win over Honesdale...

Congratulations to Dunmore cross country runner Olivia O’Brien named second-team Lackawanna all-star... Congratulations to former Dunmore Lady Bucks basketball standout Kayleigh Semion officially inducted into NEPA Chapter of PA Sports Hall of Fame last month...West Scranton community mourning passing last month of Bob “Whitey” White who died suddenly from heart attack at 65 after recent retirement as Colts bus driver. Whitey was beloved and devoted family man who gave his time to West Scranton community as volunteer coach in various youth baseball leagues over a couple decades...

How about Brew Crew of Milwaukee winning World Series in five games over Tampa Bay Rays?... It marked Milwaukee Brewers first world championship ever and first trip to World Series in 44 years when Harvey’s Wallbangers lost in seven games to speedy St. Louis Cardinals managed by late Whitey Herzog, the White Rat... Brew Crew plays old style baseball under manager Pat Murphy making contact, hitting hard singles, bunting, stealing, running bases well and forcing errors... Brew Crew living proof that launch angles, exit velocity and upper cut swings for fences are for computer nerds...And they won it for late Bob Ueker...Brew Crew fans were loud and clear even at The Trop in Tampa Bay...Brew Crew victory parade in Milwaukee featured four Hall of Fame members from 82 team - Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Ted Simmons and Rollie Fingers who all spoke .. Congratulations to Brewers catcher William Contreras named World Series MVP... And how about 9...Names you will not forget ..Only Yelich, team captain, was previously a household name...Cheers for lowest payroll teams making their mark playing old school baseball...Lebron James at 41 and in 24th year fitting in nicely with Philly teammates... Lebron hit go-ahead winning shot in 76ers recent win over Knicks, scored 20 points and added nine rebounds and nine assists in win... NFL community and fans mourning passing of legendary Mike Ditka at 86...The tough-skinned Ditka made his mark as player, coach, in TV commercials and as NFL football analyst - excelling at all...He once coached Super Bowl winning Chicago Bears team that lost only one game all season...Do you remember Denny Pryle?...Whatever became of Moose Haas?...