Dunmore Bucks look toward rebuilding year

Posted on September 4, 2024 by The Dunmorean

Members of the Dunmore High School Varsity team include, first row, from left: Patrick Kopacz (9), Aiden Hart (56), Trevon Bess (32), Bobby Hoban (6), Gabe Franek (8), Anthony Anelli (75), Jack McNeff (17), Izaiah Parker (24), Bren Novorosky (27), and Eric Reesey (28). Second row, same order: Aiden Mulholland (68), Cayden Reynolds (10), Chris Kornetka (4), Bobby Santarsiero (60), Thomas Fazio (51), Ryan Mecca (23), Kaylon Purdy (20), Zekhi Haynes (50), Noah Kineg (47), Joseph Tur (64), and Cayden Fritz (99). Third row: Jake Costanzo (15), Jack McHale (88), Eli Dougherty (36), Logan Miller (85), Matthew Mislinski (92), Carter Davies (77), Josh Dudick (41), Luke Franek (80), Jackson Harding (5), Xavier Burke (46), Brayden Shigo (63), Lorenzo Leo (73), Ethyn Durst (78), and Christian Mills (42). Fourth row: Jake Donahoe (35), Will Bonin (34), Brandon Mecca (29), Will Haun (52), Josef Wolff (48), Brady McCormick (49), Michael Dempsey Jr., (76), Patrick Dickel (58), and Aiden Zilaitis (82). Back row, coaches from left: Assistant Coach Michael Barrett with sons Patrick and Ryan; Volunteer Coach Cory Frick, Volunteer Coach Rocco LaCapra, Assistant Coach/Junior High Head Football Coach Mark Finan Jr., Volunteer Coach Josh Sawka, Head Football Coach Kevin McHale with his son Colin; Administrative Assistant Robert Grady, Strength and Conditioning Coach Al Miller. and Assistant Coach Damon Bowen. Not pictured: Zaeem Rosario (90) and Strength and Conditioning Coach Tommy Drewes. (Photo by Rich Banick)

By Steve Svetovich

The Dunmore Bucks football team finished with a 12-3 record en route to the PIAA Class 2A semifinal last season, but this looks like a rebuilding year with most of those starters lost to graduation.

Dunmore won the District 2 Class 2A championship for the 13th time last season. Dunmore also had a District 2 Class 1A title in 2012 and an Eastern Conference A championship in 1985. Dunmore won the PIAA Class A title in 1989 and earned eight Big 11 titles.

Anthony Anelli, a 5-11, 200-pound offensive lineman, and Gabe Francek, a back who rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns, are the only returning offensive starters for veteran coach Kevin McHale.

Anelli, the only starter back on a dominant offensive line, will anchor a group that includes Carter Davies, Ethyn Durst, Lorenzo Leo, and Bobby Santarsiero. The Bucks will miss graduate Nathan Reuther who received the Hookey Reap Award as the best offensive lineman in Lackawanna County.

The Bucks are also replacing several starters on defense.

Francek had 29 tackles and an interception last year. Jack McNeff had 37 tackles, two interceptions and five broken up passes. Bobby Hoban had 12 tackles in the secondary.

The highly talented Trevon Bass totaled 35 tackles, five for a loss, from his defensive end position last season. Xavier Burke had 32 tackles and two sacks from his linebacker position last year. Both are expected to play big roles defensively this season.

Lackawanna Football Conference Division II all-star kicker Eric Reesey returns this season. He made 41 of 45 extra points last season.

“Our expectations are to get a little better every day,” said coach McHale. “We are young and we are going to make mistakes, but if we can get a little better each day, we can be a very good team by the end of the year.

“Jack McNeff will be the starting quarterback. Jack has been a great leader for us in the off season and through summer practices. He can play at a high level on both sides of the ball and worked very hard to put himself in that position.

“We are excited for our running game. We lost some playmakers from last year, but have kids looking forward to stepping into those roles. We have some nice speed in the backfield.

“We will replace the majority of our defense, but have a determined group that are fighting for positions.”

McNeff, a senior, replaces four-year starter Tommy Bowen, as the starting Dunmore quarterback. He will also start at defensive back.

Other key returning players include senior offensive and defensive lineman Anelli, senior running back/defensive back Franek who replaces all-state Danny Pigga as the primary back, senior running back/defensive back Izaiah Parker who rushed for 104 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown, senior kicker Reesey, senior defensive end Bess who is the only returning starter on the defensive line, junior running back Ryan Mecca who rushed for 209 yards on 24 carries and sophomore fullback/ linebacker Xavier Burke who is expected to be the primary linebacker in place of all-state selection Nick Donvito.

Coach McHale said Brayden Shigo is expected to play a key role on both the offensive and defensive lines.

Reesey and Patrick Kopacz were competing for the starting punter job in preseason workouts.

Dunmore assistant coaches are Michael Barrett, Damon Bowen, Leonard Burke, Michael Burke, Cory Frick, Rocco LaCapra, Jack Miles, Al Miller, Michael Muracco, Josh Sawka, Nick Shoemaker and Mark Finan, Jr. McHale is in his sixth season as Dunmore Bucks head football coach after serving as an assistant under the legendary late Jack Henzes. McHale has a 35-23 career record entering this season.

Dunmore lost to Riverside, 16-3, in this season’s first game played on Friday, August 23, at Riverside.

Senior members of the Dunmore Bucks varsity team are, first row, from left; Aiden Hart, Bren Novorosky, Gabe Franek, and Patrick Kopacz. Second row, same order: Eric Reesey, Izaiah Parker, Jack McNeff, Anthony Anelli, Bobby Hoban, and Trevon Bess. (Photo by Rich Banick)

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Dunmore freshman team (Junior High) are pictured, first row, from left: Carter Coyle, Jack Henry, Conner Sample, Kodi Jordan, Drew Haun, Logan Neal, Joe Manger, Landen White, Aaron Mecca and Jacob Ortiz. Second row, same order: Anthony Cordaro, Nick Rought, Noah Rought, Jack Roswell, Ian Fong, Kaiden Jefferson, Beau Golden, Janiel Rivera, Kevin Batzel and Gabriel Vullo. Third row: Assistant Coach Josh Sawka and Head Coach Mark Finan Jr. Not shown: Assistant coaches Michael Muracco and Nick Shoemaker. (Photo by Rich Banick)

Members of the Dunmore High School Marching Band include, front row, from left; Drum majors Aidan Walsh and Loren Spudic. Second row: Emilia Gabello, Juan Doan and Savanna Sherman. Third row: Matthew Kirchnerk, Corey Condon, Danielle DiPietro, Izzy Rought, John Silvia and Adam Jones. Fourth row: Rhys Otto, Krithika Krishnan, Evan McDonnell, Ally Polster, Ashlynn Blackwell, Grace Heil, James McCrea and Egan Haikes. Fifth row: Madilyn Keating, Miles Stevenson, Ryan McMynne, Jordan Braathen, Ryan Amendalaro, Nathan McDonnell, Will Healey, Zoey Schlitter, Gabby Spillar, Sascha Novak, Kellie Bidwell, Luke Kalinowski.(Photo by Rich Banick)

Dunmore Coach Kevin McHale Feels Good About Team

Posted on August 25, 2021 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

Dunmore graduated plenty of seniors from last year’s football team, but head football coach Kevin McHale feels very good about this year’s team.

McHale said between 35 to 40 kids are expected to be on this year’s roster.

Thomas Bowen will return as the Dunmore quarterback in his sophomore season after starting as a freshman.

McHale, a 1996 Dunmore graduate, played four years of football under retired legendary Dunmore coach Jack Henzes. He was an assistant coach under Henzes for several years before becoming the head Dunmore coach when the football icon retired.

McHale is a 2000 graduate of Moravian College in Bethlehem where he received a bachelor of science degree in social sciences. He received his teaching certificate from Marywood University in 2002.

Photo courtesy Rich Banick Photography ©

Married to the former Shelley Higgins, a Dunmore graduate, the couple has two children: Jack, 12, and Colin, 9.

McHale led Dunmore to the District 2 Class 2A championship last year when the Bucks finished 3-2 in the COVID-19 shortened football season. The Bucks lost to Bishop McDevitt in the first round of the state playoffs.

“We graduated a lot of seniors,” said coach McHale. “We are very excited about having Bowen back at quarterback. He did a great job as a freshman. It’s not easy to be a freshman starting quarterback. He worked extremely hard in the off season to better himself. He worked hard in the weight room, with conditioning and by studying a lot of film.

“He is now bigger, stronger, faster, smarter.”

Other key offensive players include senior linemen Austin Brislin, a three year starter; Jake Cicerini, a two way starter who is recovering from an ACL injury; Danny Schmidt, the center; Luciano Calderone, Joe Marzzacco and Blake Schultz who is injured now, sophomore wide receivers Dom DeSando, Danny Pigga and Lorenzo Mitchell and junior running backs Cal Talutto and Josh Malone.

The defense includes senior defensive backs Vinnie Bonavoglia, Liam Crowley, Cameron Reyes and Kieran Reyes, junior linebacker Patrick Pucilowski, senior linebacker Zeake Rosario and sophomore linebackers Nick Donvito and Jake Hickey.

The defensive line includes Brislin, junior Evan Makowski, junior Andrew Fazio, sophomore Braden Ruther and sophomore Nathan Ruther.

Junior Max Hunt is expected to be the kicker. Junior Nick Pearro and sophomores Rogan Dougherty and Sean Gallagher are in competition for the punting duties.

Cicerini, who is recovering from the ACL injury, is expected to make a big impact at right offensive tackle and left defensive tackle. McHale called him a kid with great character, very coachable and an outstanding teammate. Cicerini, 6-3, 260 pounds, has battled a series of injuries to his right knee throughout his middle and high school football career, but keeps battling back.

The assistant coaches under McHale are Mike Barrett, Michael Ehnot, Michael Perry, Damon Bowen, Michael Gardier and Colin Holmes. All of the assistant coaches with the exception of Bowen played football at Dunmore.

Michael McDonnell is the head freshman football coach.

“We are really excited about this coming season,” coach McHale said. “The kids have really prepared themselves for the season. We like where we are at now. Our goal is to win every game, win the district title and then go as far as we can.

“Our schedule is tough. There are no easy games. We are ready to reach our full potential as a football team.”

District 2 Champion Dunmore Stomps Over Riverside

Posted on November 3, 2020 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

A potent running attack led by Cristian Buckley and Karl Kincel powered Dunmore to a 57-15 win over Riverside, Friday, October 30, at home.

The win gave the Bucks a final 3-2 regular season record under second year head football coach Kevin McHale. A district title and trip to the state playoffs was secured the following day.

Lackawanna Trail’s 34-19 loss to Old Forge, Saturday, October 31, elevated Dunmore to District 2 Class 2A champion and a state playoff game for the Bucks.

Buckley, quick, explosive and shifty, rambled for 208 yards on 18 carries, including a 66-yard touchdown burst with 29 seconds left in the first half to break a 15-15 tie. It was the talented senior’s third game over 200 yards rushing and moved his season total to over 1,000 yards on the ground in only five games. Buckley, hoping to play college football on the Division I level, has over 3,000 career rushing yards at Dunmore.

Fullback Kincel added to the brutal running attack with 101 yards rushing, including two touchdowns. He scored a touchdown on a 68-yard sprint in the second quarter and added another tally on a four-yard burst in the third quarter.

“Riverside is a good football team with an excellent quarterback,” said Dunmore head coach McHale. “We got off to a slow start, but gained some momentum in the second quarter.

“From that point on we played well in all three phases, offense, defense, special teams.

“We are very proud that our kids have been able to capture our seventh straight District 2 championship.”

The Bucks totaled 338 yards on the ground behind a dominant offensive line.

Dunmore rallied from an early 15-0 deficit to score 57 unanswered points.

Riverside senior quarterback Johnny Gilchrist hit freshman Reese Gaughan with a 12-yard touchdown pass with 8:08 left in the first quarter. The extra point kick gave Riverside an early 7-0 lead over Dunmore.

A two-yard Gilchrist touchdown plunge followed by a two-point conversion on a pass play gave Riverside a 15-0 lead with 10:11 left in the second quarter.

Gilchrist completed 20-of-37 passes for 350 yards, 263 in the first half, for Riverside.

Trailing 15-0, Dunmore scored its first touchdown with 9:08 left in the second quarter on a Thomas Bowen one-yard plunge. Peyton Badyrka booted the extra point.

With the Vikings up 15-7, Riverside was about to force a Dunmore punt with just over four minutes left in the half. However, a roughing the punter penalty against the Vikings, gave Dunmore a break and a first down.

Kincel took advantage by breaking a tackle and scampering to the left sideline for a 68-yard touchdown run. Buckley then ran into the end zone for the two-point conversion and the game was tied, 15-15, with 4:05 left in the first half.

Senior standout Buckley bolted for his 66-yard go-ahead touchdown run with 29 seconds left in the first half. The two-point conversion run failed, but the Bucks had a 21-15 lead at the half.

A Bowen one-yard run followed by Buckley’s two-point conversion run gave Dunmore a 29-15 lead with 10:33 left in the third quarter.

Danny Pigga’s 14-yard bolt followed by Badyrka’s extra point kick gave the Bucks a 36-15 lead with 5:59 left in the third quarter.

Kincel’s four-yard burst followed by Badyrka’s PAT gave Dunmore a 43-15 lead with 2:12 left in the third quarter.

A David Reilly 65-yard interception return followed by Badyrka’s extra point kick gave Dunmore a 50-15 lead with 11:45 left in the fourth quarter.

Liam Crolly’s 22-yard gallop followed by the always reiiable Badyrka’s extra point kick gave the Bucks a 57-15 advantage with 2:46 left in the contest.

The Bucks defense tightened up in the second half against Riverside stalwart signal caller Gilchrist. Bucks senior Dom Temperino, always clutch, sacked Gilchrist twice and Kincel added another forcing a desperation throw leading to Reilly’s 65-yard touchdown dash on his interception return.

Kincel, a tough two-way performer, showed no effects from a hand injury he suffered early in the season.