This team of talented students represented Dunmore at WVIA’s Scholastic Scrimmage on October 19. Students shown here are, from left: Geanna Kirchner, Megan Gilhooley, Savannah Lockwood, and Maura Michalczyk. Shown in back: William O’Malley, advisor, and Margaret Jimmie.
Stay tuned to find out when you can view the competition later this year.
By Steve Svetovich
He can do it all. That’s Dunmore senior Danny Pigga who has scored 16 touchdowns this season in a multi-faceted role as a running back, wide receiver, and punt and kick returner.
Son of Danny and Lacey Pigga, the senior stalwart scored three touchdowns in Dunmore’s 47-21 win over Honesdale Friday, Oct. 20. It was the Bucks fifth straight win as Dunmore moved to a 7-2 overall record.
Danny ran 76 yards for a touchdown, breaking a tie with 9:31 left in the third quarter, and sparking the win.
The shifty senior’s three touchdowns either tied the contest or gave Dunmore a lead. Dunmore senior quarterback Tommy Bowen fired two touchdown passes, one on an 11-yard pass to Pigga with 16 seconds left in the first half and the other on a 63-yard toss to Dom DeSando with 3:18 left in the third quarter.
Danny’s 7-yard run tied the game after the extra point kick, 7-7, with 8:34 left in the first half. His 11-yard touchdown catch from Bowen put the Bucks ahead, 14-7, after the extra point kick.
Pigga scrambled 76 yards for a touchdown with 9:21 left in the third quarter giving Dunmore a 21-14 lead after the extra point kick.
The senior standout rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. He also had four receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown.
The four-year Dunmore football player has a 3.0 academic average. His favorite academic subject is economics.
Pigga has 914 rushing yards, with a prolific average of over 13 yards per run after just nine games this season. He has 22 catches for 296 yards.
He has scored touchdowns on runs, receptions and long kickoff and punt returns this season.
He is a major threat to score every time he touches the football.
His favorite position? “I like them all,” he said. “Wherever I get the ball more.”
Pigga, who played two years of basketball at Dunmore, wants to play college football.
But right now he is focusing on the task at hand.
“I want to go to a state championship this year,” he said. “We expect this team to make a strong run to the state title.”
Being a versatile performer on the gridiron is something he strives for. “It all comes from the weight room,” he said. “You need to push yourself in the off-season to be the best.”
The confident senior said he learned a lot from his parents and Dunmore football coach Kevin McHale.
“My parents tell me to keep my cool on the field and play my game. They tell me to be me.
“Coach McHale tells me to work hard in the off-season and good things will happen. Working hard makes you a better player.”
He talked about what it takes to excel as a running back and as a punt and kick returner in high school football.
“You need to see the small holes and read your blockers well.”
The hard working, multi talented senior talked about his future goals.
“First of all, I want to win a state championship this season,” he said. “Then I want to play college football and win a championship there too. I did not choose a college yet, but do want to play college football.”
Pigga also excels as a cornerback on the Dunmore defense.
He likes listening to music in his spare time. Cabinet is his favorite local band. “I was on stage with them once when I was about 12,” he said. “My mom knows them. I love their music.”
A football die-hard in every way, the speedy senior said he is enjoying his years at Dunmore.
“I’ve had a lot of good times at Dunmore. Our school has great spirit, especially when it comes to football. There are a lot of fun activities related to football. I’ve made lots of great friends. A bonfire and pep rally we had the night before a football game recently went over big with the entire Dunmore community. I love playing football for Dunmore. We’re going after a state title. That’s the goal.”
Editor’s Note: At the Friday, Oct. 27, football game against West Scranton at Dunmore, the Bucks rolled up 310 yards on the ground behind a tough offensive line led by Nathan Reuther in beating the Invaders 42-19, for its first Lackawanna Football Conference Division II title since 2017. Pigga led the way with 98 rushing yards on 10 carries and scored his 17th touchdown this season on a 78-yard kick return. He also went over the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the season.
By Steve Svetovich
Congratulations to the newest members of the Northeastern Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame inducted last month at Fiorelli’s, Peckville…The new Hall of Fame members include Mike Zanghi, Lauren Carra, Gabrielle Giordano, Joseph Runco, Joe Baciotti, Mike Cerra, George Howanitz, Dr. Michael Ciccotti and Al Callejas, Jr….Larry Gabriel, Jr. received the media award…Paul “Red” Brower received the service award…Dunmore’s Bob Walsh is president of the Northeastern Chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame…Mid Valley product Jerry Valonis is vice president…Judy Igoe Carr is secretary…Dunmore’s Tom “Doc” Dougherty is treasurer…Other members of the executive committee include Dunmore’s Rich Revta, Jerry Dempsey, John Davies, Terry Greene and Chris Thomas…Former WBRE Eyewitness News Sports Director Phil Schoener was toastmaster for the induction ceremony…Carra, Giordano and Callejas, Jr. all have Dunmore ties, with Carra as a basketball standout at Dunmore, Giordano as a basketball and softball star at Holy Cross and Callejas, Jr. as a basketball stalwart at Bishop O’Hara…Scranton Prep and Duke University basketball legend Steve Vacendak honored in Community Tribute to him last month at La Buona Vita, Dunmore…Former Seton Hall and NBA basketball coach and analyst P.J. Carlesimo in town from his west coast home for Vacendak tribute…Vacendak and Carlesimo are only former Scranton Prep basketball players to have numbers retired…Northeastern Chapter of PA Hall of Fame president Bob Walsh, former Bishop O’Hara and West Scranton basketball coach Jack Lyons, former Dunmore basketball coach Canio Cianci, former Bishop O’Hara and University of Scranton basketball standout Todd Bailey, Dunmore, among those who attended Vacendak tribute…Nick DeSando, father of Dunmore senior football standout Dom DeSando, spearheaded efforts of local businesses and parents of players to hold recent bonfire/pep rally at St. Anthony’s Park, Dunmore, night before recent football game…Dunmore senior back/receiver/punt and kick returner Danny Pigga has 16 touchdowns at press time while averaging over 13 yards per carry on ground…Dunmore senior Dom DeSando has eight touchdowns at press time, plays four varsity sports and is class president…Local musician Doug Smith held nice event last month at La Buona Vita, Dunmore, in celebration of life of late local musician and artist Art Kreinberg…Dunmore’s Fran Burne, Jimmy Buckley, Bobby Ventre, Marko Marcinko, Pat Marcinko among local musicians in attendance…Former Scranton Mayor Jimmy Connors also attended the event…Do you remember Dunmore’s Daiqwon Buckley rushing for 381 yards and five touchdowns in Dunmore’s 41-13 win over Mid Valley 10 years ago?…Congratulations to Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy in his fifth World Series and becoming first skipper to win three league championship series with three different teams…Baseball world hoping Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker, 74, comes back for one more season in legendary career…Torey Lovullo led Arizona Diamonbacks into World Series despite only 84 regular season wins as wild card playoff entry…Danny Pigga had three touchdowns, including one on 76-yard run, in Dunmore’s 47-21 win over Honesdale…Dunmore senior quarterback Tommy Bowen threw two touchdowns passes, one for 11 yards to Pigga and another for 63 yards to senior Dom DeSando…Conor Toole scored three goals in opening 21 minutes to lead Dunmore to 7-2 soccer win over West Scranton…Tommy Clark and Krisley Jean added two goals each…Condolences to family of Tim Earley, Sr., former Dunmore football and basketball player and Princeton University football player who died last month at 67…Allie Dempsey had 26 assists, 11 digs and eight points, Lauren Henry had 22 points and Tristan Canavan had 19 kills and three blocks to lead Dunmore over Abington Heights in girls volleyball match…Sienna Delfina had 20 digs for Dunmore…Leena Conte had 16 digs…Amanda Dempsey and Abbey Earley each had six kills for Dunmore…Dorothy Hoffner died in her sleep in Chicago at 104 just days after becoming oldest person to ever jump from a plane with skydive..,West Scranton Teener League baseball player Brennan Snyder, 13, grandson of recently retired Scranton School District Paraeducator Judy Lowry Vitris, is an up and coming student-athlete…Brennan excelled in fall baseball recently at Battaglia Field, West Scranton, and also is an outstanding wrestler and baseball player at Delaware Valley Middle School where he is an honor student with a 4.01 academic average in the gifted program…Brennan also spearheaded a clothing drive, volunteers at Saint Anne’s Novena and has big heart for volunteering and helping the less fortunate…Dunmore’s Guy Valvano, former Sunday Scrantonian sports editor, celebrated 95th birthday last month…Former Scranton Tribune and Sunday Scrantonian photographer Bobby Ventre, currently residing in Ohio, in Dunmore last month to attend celebration of life for his late musician friend Art Kreinberg..,Ventre also performed at Crotti’s on Ash…Local singer/musician/song writer Alyssa Lazar, who appeared this year on “The Voice,” will be performing on cruise ship for next several months…Tommy Clark had hat trick giving him seven games this season with at least three goals in Dunmore’s 4-2 soccer win over Western Wayne…Congratulations to University of Scranton field hockey coach Colleen Moyer who notched 200th career win…Congratulations to University of Scranton soccer coach Colleen Pivirotto for 200th career win…Natalya Musio and Liza Froncek each scored unassisted goals in Holy Cross girls soccer win over Elk Lake, 2-0…Jake Costanzo scored three touchdowns on runs of one and 19 yards and 72-yard kickoff return in Dunmore freshman/junior high football win over Western Wayne, 60-32…Colin Coulthard scored on 3-yard run…Luke Franek scored two touchdowns on a 30-yard touchdown reception from Brady McCormick and 30-yard interception return…Jake Donahue scored on 2-yard run…Nick Germano scored on 13-yard fumble recovery return…Do you remember Sam Gockley?…Whatever became of Jason Grimsley?…