Lakeland’s Rocco Spataro carries the ball during the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Lakeland’s David Naniewicz tries to clear Dunmore’s Jacob Costanzo during the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Lakeland’s Dylan Loomis tries to stop Dunmore’s Weston Yannone during the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Lakeland’s David Naniewicz pass the ball to teammate Caden Cuozzo during the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Dunmore’s Weston Yannone (9) and Jacob Costanzo (15)close in on Lakeland’s David Naniewicz during the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Lakeland’s Jackson Pochas (1) celebrates with teammate Rocco Spataro (3) after Spataro scored a touchdown during the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Lakeland’s David Naniewicz high fives Dunmore’s Weston Yannone as the clock winds down in the fourth quarter of the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Players celebrate as Head Coach David Piwowarczyk holds up Lakeland’s new plaque after defeating Dunmore in the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Dunmore’s Josh Budick holds back Lakeland’s Gavin Roberts as Dunmore’s Weston Yannone carries the ball during the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Lakeland’s Rocco Spataro carries the ball during the District 2 Class 2A Championship at Lakeland High School in Scott on Friday, Nov. 07, 2025. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
SCOTT TWP. — Only one thing could dampen Lakeland winning a District 2 championship and that was the sight of David Naniewicz laying on the ground.
Late in the third quarter, the senior quarterback was tackled for a 3-yard loss. He remained down for several minutes while trainers tended to him before he limped to the sideline with an ankle injury. He returned for the Chiefs’ next offensive series, then sat out the rest of the way except for taking a pair of kneel-downs that finished off a 27-7 win over Dunmore in the Class 2A final on a windy and rainy Friday night at Lakeland Stadium.
“It was a read play and I decided to keep the ball,” Naniewicz said. “There was nothing there and I got hit. I tried to give myself up and my ankle went the wrong way.
“I wasn’t 100%. But it’s my senior year, district championship game. I didn’t want to let my boys down. I came back in for them.”
Prior to the injury, Naniewicz ran for two touchdowns and passed for a third in the first half. He finished with 79 yards on 13 carries and passed for 86 yards.
Coupled with a strong defensive effort that didn’t allow Dunmore to gain any momentum, top-seeded Lakeland (11-1) captured its ninth District 2 title overall (seventh in Class 2A) and advances to the PIAA playoffs next week against the winner of the District 1-12 Subregional final between Bristol and Lansdale Catholic. That game is Saturday morning at 11.
“It was a little scary,” Lakeland coach David Piwowarczyk said of Naniewicz’s injury. “David’s played great, not just this game but the whole year. Thankfully, he’s healthy and everything is good. We held him out as precautionary at the end. He’s going to be fine.”
Naniewicz echoed his coach’s sentiment.
“I’ll rehab it up pretty good this week. I plan on playing next week,” he said.
Lakeland took control from the outset. Dunmore was forced to punt on the opening possession and, when a Chiefs player busted through the line, punter Josh Dudick had to run to avoid his kick being blocked. He was stopped shy of the first down and the Chiefs took over at the Bucks 31. Eight plays later, Naniewicz scored on a 1-yard run and Nicholas Janosky’s kick made it 7-0 with 6:45 left in the first quarter.
Third-seeded Dunmore (8-4) responded with a drive to the Lakeland 20. But on fourth-and-2, quarterback Weston Yannone was sacked for a 10-yard loss by Luke McFarland.
That set up Lakeland for a six-play, 70-yard drive with Naniewicz covering the final 38 for the touchdown run. Janosky’s kick made it 14-0 with 11:19 left in the second quarter.
The Bucks appeared to get on the scoreboard late in the quarter when Yannone scrambled for a 71-yard touchdown. However, the play was called back by a holding penalty. Dunmore wound up punting and the 20-yard kick into the wind gave Lakeland the ball at the Bucks 45 with one minute left before halftime. Naniewicz hit Jackson Pochas for 31 yards, then threw a pass to Gavin Roberts out of the backfield. Roberts tip-toed along the sideline for the 14-yard touchdown that gave the Chiefs a 21-0 lead.
“They played well and we didn’t execute the way we needed to and couldn’t get the stops that we needed to,” Dunmore head coach Kevin McHale said. “I’m proud of our kids, they gave a great effort. But it just wasn’t in the cards tonight. Lakeland made the plays and executed in spots that we needed to.”
Defensively, Lakeland kept the potent Dunmore running game, as well as the slippery and elusive Yannone, in check. The Bucks finished with 165 yards on the ground, led by Yannone’s 87 on 19 carries — 73 of which came in the fourth quarter with the outcome in hand.
“We watched a ton of film this week and just came out and did our job,” said sophomore Dylan Loomis, who finished with seven tackles (6 solo, 1 assist), one sack and one quarterback pressure. “The guys up front played their blocks well. Me and Caden (Cuozzo) played our gaps. And the DBs played great and didn’t give them (many) yards in the passing game. I thought that was really good.”
Piwowarczyk said the Lakeland offense couldn’t have done it without the defense.
“It’s all set up by our defense,” he said. “Our defensive coaches did a great job with the game plan and the scouting. The offense is just very confident. We run our system and tonight, they did it pretty flawlessly in the first half.”
Following a scoreless third quarter, Rocco Spataro — who relieved Naniewicz at quarterback — ran 43 yards for a touchdown to make it 27-0 with 8:16 left in the fourth. It came one play after a Chase Rosenkrans interception and 22-yard return.
With 3:31 remaining, Dunmore avoided the shutout with a 15-play, 83-yard drive that Ryan Mecca capped with a 5-yard touchdown run. Johnley Jean added the extra point.
The seeds for this district championship were planted last year following Lakeland’s loss to Riverside in the district semifinals.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Naniewicz said. “We’ve had this goal since last year, on the bus ride back from Riverside. We said it right then and there. To finally accomplish that goal after months of hard work and grinding and blood, sweat and tears, man, it’s a special feeling.”