Tag Archives: jack Henzes

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

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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.

bucksThat 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.

Holy Name Society Hosts 60th Annual Communion Breakfast

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S.S. Anthony and Rocco Parish Holy Name Society, Dunmore held its 60th annual Communion Breakfast recently at La Buona Vita. The day began with 8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church celebrated by the Reverend David P. Cappelloni, pastor. Music was provided by the parish choir under the direction of Joseph Moffitt.

John Marichak, Superintendent of Dunmore School District was principal speaker . Toastmaster was Attorney Bruce Coyer. Jack Henzes, Dunmore High School Football Coach, was presented with society’s Pio Ferrario Christian Witness Award by Father Cappelloni.

The breakfast is a yearly tradition of the Holy Name Society in the parish, drawing a large attendance. Paris Alunni, Holy Name president, gave opening remarks. Father Cappelloni offered invocation and benediction. The breakfast committee members were Rick Sabato, general chairman;  Dennis Lalley and Jim Colangelo, cochairmen; Michael Colangelo, raffle, and Paris Alunni.

 

DHS Graduate Receives National Basketball Awards at Binghamton

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Athlete of the Month - John RinaldiBy Steve Svetovich

Dunmore High School graduate John Rinaldi has made the most of his academic-athletic career at Binghamton University where he will graduate this May with a bachelor of science degree in marketing/finance.

And to cap it all off he recently received word that he is the first Binghamton University basketball player chosen for the NCAA National Honor Society and be named to the American East All Academic team.

“It was an honor to hear about all this,” he said, “because my parents always made me work hard at school. They were always on top of me about my grades. It shows that hard work really does pay off.”

Son of Mark and Annie Rinaldi, Dunmore, John is a 2013 Dunmore High School graduate. He played four years of football and basketball at Dunmore. He earned All League status in both sports as a junior and senior. He was a 1,000 points plus career scorer in basketball and was a key member of two district title football teams.

He also played one year of baseball and was a member of the track team for two years. He set records for the high jump and long jump and also participated in the triple jump. He earned a district title for the high jump twice. He was All League twice and All Regional once for track and field.

The scholar-athlete has an impressive 3.6 grade point average at Binghamton University where he is a member of the student advisory committee and four-year member of the basketball team.

Tony Lacertosa was his basketball coach at Dunmore High School. “I played several positions for him,” Rinaldi said. “We learned how to win from him. We had a successful team.”

Like hundreds of other student-athletes, Rinaldi learned many life lessons from Dunmore veteran football coach Jack Henzes. “He is a legend there. Everything you hear about him is true. You have to experience it. We won two district championships under him. He teaches you life lessons and how to be a better person. I experienced it first hand from him.”

Rinaldi said his parents are always strong influences in his life. “They always tell me to work hard in school and in sports. They tell me to play hard and get good grades. They are sticklers for good grades.”

The senior stalwart talked about what it takes to be successful in college basketball. “It’s all about playing hard all the time and taking nothing for granted.”

The dean’s list student said he has enjoyed his four years at Binghamton University. “I like the school environment here and I’m very happy with my college choice. It’s been an amazing four years and it flew by really fast. The basketball experience here has been great.

“It’s going to be a little weird when this is all over. I am going to miss college. I am hoping to get a good job and possibly go to graduate school in the future. It’s been great here.”