Bucks’ 14 Wins Tied for Most in Football Team’s History

Posted on December 6, 2017 by The Dunmorean

Photo Credit: Rich Banick Photography

By Steve Svetovich

It was a season to remember in Bucktown.

Veteran football coach Jack Henzes led his Dunmore Bucks to 14 wins, tied for most in team history, before his team suffered its first lost of the season in the Class 2A semifinal against Southern Columbia, 56-19, Friday, December 1.

The Bucks had a couple leads in the first seven minutes of the contest before Southern Columbia reeled off 49 straight points. Southern Columbia is now headed to its 16th state championship game.

Senior running back Frank Damiano led Dunmore with 77 rushing yards, including a 65- yard touchdown run on a burst up the middle in the closing minutes. It was the final carry of his high school career.

The 14-win season was the fourth in Dunmore’s history. The 14-win unbeaten streak was the longest in team’s history, beating the 1985 Eastern Conference title team that finished 13-0.

Only the Valley View Cougars, which won 15 games in its state title run in 1992, won more games in a single season.

Dunmore quarterback Gavin Darcy and linemen Nick Shoemaker, Jerry Longo and Michael Muracco are all members of four straight District 2 championship teams, a run that began in 2014 for the Bucks.

Darcy hit Steve Borgia for a 15-yard touchdown pass on Dunmore’s first play against Southern Columbia giving the Bucks a 6-0 lead. The extra point kick attempt was blocked.

After Southern Columbia took a 7-6 lead, the Bucks came right back when Billy Donvito broke three tackles en route to a 16-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick gave Dunmore a 13-7 lead with 4:47 left in the first quarter.

bucks That was the final highlight for the Bucks until Damiano’s 65-yard touchdown burst with 6:20 left in the contest. The undefeated Southern Columbia team scored 49 unanswered points in the meantime. The Bucks finished the season 14-1.

Dunmore had moved its record to 14-0, with a 23-20 win over Ligonier Valley in the PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal at Hershey, Saturday, November 25. The win tied the school record for consecutive wins in a season.

Ligonier Valley had a 14-0 lead after the first quarter, but the Bucks came storming back.

Darcy completed 5-of-10 passes in the win, including a 22-yard touchdown toss to tight end Noah O’Malley in the second quarter. The touchdown and extra point kick tied the game, 14-14, with 7:50 left in the first half.

Damiano, who rushed for 53 yards on 10 carries, scored the Bucks first touchdown on a two-yard burst with 9:19 left in the second quarter.

Dunmore’s Kyle Harrity blocked a punt for a safety giving Dunmore a 16-14 lead five minutes into the third quarter. The play proved to be huge.

The Bucks then scored off the free kick, with Cristian Buckley cutting up the middle after a step to the right for a 24-yard touchdown scamper and a 23-14 lead after the extra point kick by Rinaldi, with 2:54 left in the third quarter. Buckley rushed for 54 yards on 12 carries in the win.

Ligonier Valley drove to the Dunmore five in the closing seconds, but choose to go for a touchdown rather than attempt to tie the game with a field goal on fourth down. A pass dropped incomplete and the Bucks had a 14th straight win.

Shoemaker had a key sack and Nate Fangio made a game saving tackle on Ligonier Valley’s final drive.

Dunmore defeated Newport, 35-6, in the first round of the District 2 Class 2A playoffs Friday, November 19. Damiano ran for two touchdowns and Darcy threw for another, a 59-yard touchdown pass to Fangio, in the win.

Buckley romped for 140 yards on 17 carries. Donvito added 74 rushing yards on 15 jaunts in the win.

The Bucks may have ended the season with a loss, but this group of players and coaches are only winners in the town of Dunmore.

Congratulations on a historic season, Dunmore Bucks.

Dream Game Benefits Lackawanna Blind Association

Posted on November 1, 2017 by The Dunmorean

Dream Game check

The Scranton Lions Club presented a check for $16,000 from the 83rd annual Lions Dream Game to Mary Lou Wascavich, Executive Director of the Lackawanna Blind Association. The money will be used to assist in funding client support services, prevention of blindness programs and the Visual Support Center.

Shown first row, from left: Ed Russo, Mary Claire Boylan, Mary Lou Wascavich, Executive Director LBA, and Bill Dempsey.

Second row: Dave Rudis, Karl Pfeiffenberger, president, and Dan Loftus.

Third row: John Mesko, Nick Parise, Bill Gnall, Joe Manley, and Kody Pasqualichio.

Bucks Remain Unbeaten and Capture Second Straight Division III Title

Posted on November 1, 2017 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

Gavin Darcy threw for 198 yards, fired three touchdown passes and ran for another leading the Dunmore Bucks to a 41-12 romp over Old Forge as the team earned its second straight Lackawanna Football Conference Division III title Friday, October 27.

Dunmore is now 10-0, including 9-0 in Division III.

Dunmore veteran coach Jack Henzes, who three years ago became the 16th high school coach in the country to achieve 400 career wins, will lead his team as the No. 1 seed in the District 3 Class 2A playoffs, where the Bucks will host Mid Valley.

The win was Dunmore’s 29th consecutive in the regular season and 43rd straight in the division. Darcy now has 21 touchdown passes for the season.

The loss was Old Forge’s first of the season. The Blue Devils will host defending champion Lackawanna Trail in the District 2 Class 1A final.

The Bucks only totaled three yards rushing in the first half, but held a commanding 27-6 lead mostly due to Darcy’s arm. He passed for 159 yards and threw all three of his touchdown passes in the first half. Darcy also scored on a one-yard plunge in the first half.

DHS Senior Nick Shoemaker is a tackle for the Dunmore Bucks.

Darcy’s first touchdown pass came on a 22-yard strike to Steve Borgia with 11:04 left in the first quarter.

The extra point kick by a Rinaldi made it 7-0.

Dunmore defensive stalwart Nick Shoemaker stopped the Blue Devils first scoring opportunity with a stop at the Dunmore seven-yard line with 8:31 left in the first quarter.

Still, Old Forge came right back when Tommy Souriyavong snared a seven-yard touchdown pass from freshman Dante Lucarelli with 3:39 left in the first quarter. The extra point try failed on a bad snap and Dunmore held a 7-6 lead.

The Bucks stopped an Old Forge drive on fourth down from the Dunmore 10 when Borgia swatted down a pass attempt.

Two plays later, Darcy connected with Nate Fangio on a 75-yard touchdown pass. Dunmore held a 13-6 lead with 9:41 left in the second quarter after the extra point kick failed.

The Blue Devils then moved the pigskin to the Bucks 38, but Greg McHale intercepted a pass and scampered 75 yards to the Old Forge one. Darcy then bolted in from the one for another tally. The Rinaldi extra point gave Dunmore a 20-6 lead with 3:33 left in the second quarter.

The hard-nosed Shoemaker and tough interior line stopped a fourth down quarterback sneak by Lucarelli at the Dunmore 45. Darcy then hit Borgia on a screen pass resulting in a 50-yard gain. He followed with another screen pass to Frank Damiano for a five-yard score with 15 seconds left in the second quarter. The Rinaldi extra point kick gave Dunmore a 27-6 lead.

Dunmore scored again on a 16-yard run by Damiano with 2:29 left in the third quarter. Rinaldi booted the extra point.

Dunmore’s Kyle Harrity romped up the middle for a 47-yard touchdown run with 10:46 left in the fourth quarter. Rinaldi kicked the extra point and Dunmore led 41-6.

Borgia, excelling on offense and defense, led Dunmore with three receptions for 102 yards, including his touchdown.

Harrity led the running game with 55 yards on just three carries, including his touchdown run.