DUNMORE – Dunmore’s players are fast. Dunmore players are physically strong. Dunmore players are intense.
Driven by a relentless desire to win, the Bucks are overpowering opponents.
On Friday, second-ranked Dunmore steamrolled No. 5 Honesdale, 63-11, to remain District 2’s undefeated team. The Bucks put on a show featuring explosive offensive plays and punishing defensive hits.
“I can’t say how thankful I am to be a part of this team,” Dunmore senior Weston Yannone said. “I am just doing my job. I can’t do my job without my linemen who have been outstanding all season. XE (Xavier Burke) is having an incredible season at fullback as my lead blocker. The receivers are blocking downfield.
“We are playing as a family, and right now we have been unstoppable.”
Dunmore (8-0 overall, 3-0 in Division II) scored more than 60 points for the fourth time this season. The Bucks average a staggering 56.1 points per game and are winning by an average of 52.3 points.
Yannone is one of Pennsylvania’s fastest high school athletes. A PIAA silver-medal winner in the 110-meter hurdles, the speedster was on full display against the Hornets (6-2, 2-1).
On his team’s first play, after falling behind 3-0 on an Alex Valerio field goal, Yannone sprinted through a massive hole on the left side of his offensive line, then cut and weaved to a 68-yard touchdown.
He added a 41-yard burst, a 24-yard touchdown run, and a 1-yard score. In the first half, he finished with 187 yards on seven carries and three scores. He did not play in the second half with the Bucks holding a 42-3 lead.
“We have dedicated ourselves all offseason since we lost last season,” Yannone said, referencing a 27-7 loss to Lakeland in the District 2 Class 2A final. “We have speed. Our track season was amazing. We were up at 5:30 in the morning every day lifting, and we do as much as we can, and it is showing out on the field.”
Xavier Burke is also a track star and a hurdler. He is a powerful 6-foot-1, 215-pound athlete and returning All-Region linebacker. That combination of speed and size makes him a force running in between the tackles. He had 37 rushing yards and a 16-yard touchdown, caught a screen pass that went for a 24-yard touchdown, and returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown.
Jake Costanzo is also a PIAA medal winner in track and field. A 6-3, 195-pound senior, he ran state-ranked times in the 400 and 200 last season. He is a big-play receiver who hauled in a 53-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the third quarter, pushing the Bucks’ lead to 49-3.
“It’s great because we have a very explosive offense,” Costanzo said. “We have a lot of guys who can score at any moment. We had a fire lit under us coming in because people are saying that we aren’t playing good teams. Honesdale is a great team, and we came out and got a big win.”
Dunmore’s defense demolished Honesdale’s offense that scored 50 or more points four times this season.
In addition to Burke’s interception return for a touchdown, Josh Dudick, also a state-medal winner in track and field, and Eli Dougherty also had interceptions.
“Our defense works great because everyone is doing their jobs,” Burke said. “Everyone is in the gaps, and when they get the ball on offense and go against our defense, there is nowhere to go. Everyone is in on the tackles.”
Ethyn Durst, a 6-5, 250-pound senior, Dougherty, and Jack Donahoe had fumble recoveries.
Dunmore’s swarming defense limited LFC Division II rushing leader Gabe Duda to 46 yards on 13 carries. He gained 23 yards on one second-quarter carry.
“We have a standard that we play up to,” Durst said. “We believe we are the best defense in the state. We have been working on it since January.”
Dunmore’s players’ commitment carries over when the underclassmen enter the game. They are held to a high standard, being encouraged to run on and off the field by the starters.
Josef Wolff scored on a 30-yard third-quarter run, and Carter Coyle added a 30-yard touchdown sprint in the fourth for the Bucks.
Dunmore totaled seven plays of 20 or more yards. The Bucks averaged 19.1 yards per play.