It is an early start to Week 9 in the Lackawanna Football Conference.

Thursday night football returns when Scranton visits Abington Heights at 7 p.m. at the high school athletic complex. It is a Division I game between two teams headed for their respective District 2 playoffs, but on different paths.

Abington Heights (6-2 overall, 3-2) won two straight games since suffering back-to-back losses in Weeks 5 and 6 to Division I leader North Pocono and Delaware Valley. Scranton (2-6, 0-4) lost three consecutive games after winning The Bell Game over West Scranton.

Despite having to play without injured starting quarterback Nick Bradley for the last three weeks, Abington Heights (6-2, .668) rallied and is second in the District 2 Class 5A power rating standings behind Pittston Area (7-1, .703). Noah Kayal, who had started at wide receiver, completed 31 of 58 passes for 405 yards and two touchdowns and has a passer rating of 116.6.

Gavin Anders is one of the best two-way players in the LFC. He leads Division I in receptions with 52 for 818 yards and six touchdowns. He is already the program’s all-time leader in career receptions with 119. He is in pursuit of the career receiving yards record, as well. He has 1,676. Corey Perkins has the school record with 1,699 yards from 2017 to 2019.

On defense, Anders has 63 total tackles with 49 solo stops and two interceptions. He has 260 tackles and seven interceptions in his career.

Abington Heights also moves the ball on the ground. Jayden Anglin is second in the division with 852 yards rushing, and has seven touchdowns.

The Comets average 342.3 yards per game and are ranked second in the division on defense, giving up 265.8 yards per game.

Scranton (2-6, .403) is an automatic qualifier for the District 2 Class 6A playoffs. The Knights are trying to weather a storm of injuries.

Brody Coyle moved from quarterback to wide receiver. Chris Manning played at quarterback last week in a 37-14 loss to North Pocono. He completed nine of 22 passes for 93 yards. Connor Thomas, who was fighting an illness last week, played quarterback against Wallenpaupack.

Nate Duffy scored two touchdowns late in the game last week against North Pocono. Ian McAndrew had four receptions for 28 yards.

Scranton averages 233.8 total yards and gives up an average of 311.5 yards per game.

D2 playoff picture

With the confusion regarding the number of qualifiers for the District 2 Class 3A playoff field being cleared up, teams can now focus on qualifying in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Berwick (8-0, .778) and Wyoming Area (7-1, .728) clinched two of the four available spots in the field.

There is a logjam of three teams with 4-4 records with varying power ratings. Scranton Prep (4-4, .521) benefits from a strong schedule and is in third place with games against Jersey Shore and unbeaten North Pocono ahead.

Lake-Lehman (4-4, .491) and Hanover Area (4-4, .483) play on Friday at Eddie Edwards Stadium.

Mid Valley (3-5, .451) is in sixth place this week and plays its final home game of the season Friday against Western Wayne. Carbondale Area (4-4, .441) plays at Susquehanna (0-8) on Saturday and at Old Forge (2-6) in Week 10.

Lackawanna Trail (7-1, .662) has a big lead on Tri-Valley (6-2, .531) for the No. 1 seed in the District 2-11 Class 1A subregional playoffs, in which four teams qualify regardless of district. Marian Catholic (5-3, .525) is third, and Nativity BVM (4-4, .388) is fourth. Both are from District 11.

Holy Cross (3-5, .364) and Old Forge (2-6, .268) are trying to stay alive, and both have challenging games in Week 9. Holy Cross is at Lackawanna Trail, and Old Forge is at Riverside.

In Class 2A, Lakeland (7-1, .686) and Riverside (7-1, .662) are fighting for the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage. Lakeland, which beat the Vikings in Week 3, plays at West Scranton (2-6), and Riverside hosts Old Forge in Week 9.

Whichever team falls to the No. 2 seed will be paired with Dunmore (5-3, .522), which secured no worse than the No. 3 seed. Lakeland beat the Bucks, 28-14, and Riverside opened the season with a 17-14 win in overtime.

Holy Redeemer (1-7, .202) is fourth, with Susquehanna (0-8, .189) chasing the final playoff berth and a trip to the No. 1 seed in the semifinals.

Undefeated North Pocono (8-0, .776) clinched the No. 1 seed for the Class 4A playoffs. Valley View (4-4, .575) plays at Wyoming Valley West (1-7) on Friday and is trying to stave off a push by Dallas (3-5, .548) for the No. 2 seed and a home game in the semifinals.

Crestwood (4-4, .490) is fourth, with Wallenpaupack (3-5, .473) and Honesdale (3-5, .386) threatening for the final playoff spot.

Pittston Area (7-1, .703) and Abington Heights (6-2, .668) are chasing the No. 1 seed in Class 5A. Delaware Valley (4-4, .583) locked down a playoff spot last week with its win over Valley View.

Wyoming Valley West (1-7, .339) and West Scranton (2-6, .313) seek the final place in the semifinals.

The District 2-4 Class 6A subregional playoffs need to determine seeding. Wilkes-Barre Area (5-3, .620), Williamsport (4-4, .524), the District 4 representative, Scranton (2-6, .403) and Hazleton Area (1-7, .358) make up the field.

LFC leaders

There are two weekends left in the LFC regular season. Teams and players continue to produce outstanding statistical numbers.

Here are the leaders in each division:

Division I: Delaware Valley racked up 466 total yards in a 41-0 win over Valley View. The Warriors have the top offense in the conference at 410.4 total yards per game. They will face the No. 1 defense this week at North Pocono, which gives up 195.0 yards per game.

Delaware Valley’s Mike Iuzzolino leads the division with 977 yards rushing and 14 total touchdowns for 84 points. Delaware Valley quarterback Colin McGarvey has 1,363 yards passing and 16 touchdowns. North Pocono’s Chase Zimmerman has the top passer rating at 219.0. Abington Heights senior Gavin Anders leads with 52 receptions for 818 yards. Delaware Valley’s Reagan Decker has 38 extra points and four field goals for 50 kicking points.

Division II: Lakeland leads in total offense at 367.4 yards per game, and Dunmore has the top defense at 166.0 yards per game.

Mid Valley’s Mason Vinansky is the leading rusher in the division with 850 yards. Lakeland quarterback David Naniewicz leads in passing yards with 1,218 and 11 touchdowns and a passer rating of 188.0. Mid Valley’s Nick Pinto leads with 30 receptions, and Lakeland’s Chase Rosenkrans leads with 534 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. Dunmore’s Ryan Mecca and quarterback Weston Yannone each have 10 touchdowns for 60 points. Lakeland’s Nicholas Janosky has 30 extra points and a field goal for 33 kicking points.

Division III: Lackawanna Trail leads in total offense with 372.5 yards per game. Riverside is the No. 1 defense at 221.5 total yards per game.

Isaac Ryon is coming off another outstanding game and leads the conference in rushing with 1,478 yards, yards per carry (13.2), rushing touchdowns (22), total touchdowns (27) and total points (177). Old Forge’s Robby Solfanelli has 1,332 yards passing. Riverside’s Brayden Rose leads in passing touchdowns with 13 and a passer rating of 155.0. Old Forge’s Chris Rasmus leads the division with 52 receptions for 685 yards and six receiving touchdowns. Riverside’s Santino D’Amico has 41 extra points and two field goals for 47 points.

 

 

 

SCRANTON (2-6) AT 6-ABINGTON HEIGHTS (6-2)

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Abington Heights HS Athletic Complex.

Last: Abington Heights, 42-21 (2024).

The buzz: Abington Heights leads the series, 22-13-1. The Comets are battling for the No. 2 seed and a home game for the District 2 Class 5A playoffs. Scranton will play in the District 2-4 Class 6A subregional playoffs.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

 

Scranton's Ian McAndrew.Scranton’s Ian McAndrew.

 

IAN McANDREW

Scranton, WR

He is a sophomore wide receiver who caught four passes for 28 yards last week against North Pocono. He has 74 yards rushing on four carries with a touchdown this season.

 

Abington Heights' Jayden Anglin.Abington Heights’ Jayden Anglin.

 

JAYDEN ANGLIN

Abington Heights, RB

He is coming off a big game against Wallenpaupack, where he had 178 yards rushing on 19 carries with two touchdowns. He has 852 yards on 139 carries with seven touchdowns this season.