Lackawanna Football Conference will have new look for next two-year cycle – Scranton Times-Tribune

With three teams still alive in the PIAA playoffs, the Lackawanna Interscholastic Athletic Association finalized a new alignment in the Lackawanna Football Conference for the next two-year cycle.

West Scranton, which will compete as a Class 6A program in 2026 and 2027, moves up from Division II to Division I. Riverside, which went 8-2 as a member of Division III in the last two years, moves up to Division II. Montrose returns as an official member and will compete in Division III.

The principals for LIAA schools approved the proposal from athletic directors at a business meeting Wednesday.

“The athletic directors and principals in the Lackawanna League do an outstanding job with communicating with each other,” LIAA president Paul Gregorski said. “They do their best to fulfill the needs of the individual schools while also doing what is in the best interest of the league as a whole.”

With West Scranton moving up, the number of schools in Division I increases to eight. That includes this year’s champion and District 2 Class 4A champion, North Pocono, and District 2 Class 3A champion Scranton Prep, both of which are playing Friday in the PIAA quarterfinals.

District 2 Class 5A champion Delaware Valley, Abington Heights, Valley View, Scranton, and Wallenpaupack are also in Division I.

That format will create a seven-game conference schedule with three weeks open to schedule nonleague games or crossovers within the LFC.

“Certainly, it will be challenging, but as a program and as competitors, you want to be faced with more difficult challenges because that is what brings out the best in you,” West Scranton coach Jake Manetti said. “This is an external circumstance, and is something that is out of our control. We have to focus on doing the work to keep our program improving.”

West Scranton, which had a record of 6-44 since 2021, did show signs of a brighter future when its freshman football team won a championship this fall.

“That was a positive for us and was really important to get our feet on the ground and reestablished participation in the program,” Manetti said. “We are a Class 6A school in enrollment, but if you look at our sport participation, we aren’t at that level, so we are going to have to increase that participation and keep building the program.”

Division II and Division III are comprised of six teams in each, which provides for five LFC games.

In Division II, Riverside joins 2025 champion Lakeland, Dunmore, Western Wayne, Mid Valley, and Honesdale. The Vikings finished as runner-up to Lackawanna Trail in 2024 and 2025 in Division III, won the District 2 Class 2A championship, and had an overall record of 21-5 in the last two seasons.

Riverside also played Division II members Lakeland and Dunmore in each of the last two seasons.

“We have had some success, and some people move up,” Riverside athletic director Dan Digwood said.  “It is fair to be where we are at.”

Lackawanna Trail, which went undefeated and won the last two Division III titles, plays Friday as the District 2 Class 1A champion against District 12 champion Belmont Charter. The Lions will remain in Division III, along with Carbondale Area, Old Forge, Holy Cross, Susquehanna and Montrose.

Montrose returns after competing as an independent. Last season, the Meteors played Holy Cross, Susquehanna and Carbondale Area as part of their 2023 and 2024 schedules.

The Meteors have also opened up the head coaching position, according to principal Terrence Whelan, who said in an email that “we have decided to open up the position with the program’s long-term direction in mind. … Coach (George) Petrak may reapply for the position, but if not, we want to thank him for all of his time and efforts that he has given to Montrose Football.”

The next phase in preparation for the next cycle will be formulating a schedule.

“From here, now with the divisions finalized, the athletic directors will work to create a division schedule with teams that have already scheduled games outside of District 2,” Gregorski said. “This alignment allows teams to do those things and offers the flexibility to crossover and play some nondivisional games against LFC opponents and continue with crossover games against WVC opponents, which we would like to continue to do as well, and maintain rivalries, which is also very important.”

LFC realignment (2026-27)

Division I: Scranton (Class 6A), West Scranton (Class 6A), Abington Heights (Class 5A), Delaware Valley (Class 5A), North Pocono (Class 4A), Valley View (Class 4A), Wallenpaupack (Class 4A), Scranton Prep (Class 3A).

Division II: Honesdale (Class 4A), Mid Valley (Class 3A), Western Wayne (Class 3A), Dunmore (Class 2A), Lakeland (Class 2A), Riverside (Class 2A).

Division III: Carbondale Area (Class 4A), Montrose (Class 3A), Susquehanna (Class 2A), Holy Cross (Class 1A), Lackawanna Trail (Class 1A), Old Forge (Class 1A).