| @ SPORTS Sunday, November 24, 2013 THE DALLAS POST Sunday, November 24, 2013 Lake-Lehman football team wins first district championship since 199/ TOM ROBINSON For The Dallas Post The Lake-Lehman Black Knights received confirma- tion that they would have to proceed without start- ing outside linebacker Josh Winters just as the foot- ball playoffs were about to begin. The number 23 that Winters wore all season could still be seen on the black turf at Edward Edwards Stadium in both rounds of the District 2 Class AA play- offs when Lake-Lehman won its first championship since 1997 to advance into the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tourna- ment. Winters suffered a serious knee injury in a win over Hanover Area in the next- to-last game of the regular season. After missing the regular-season finale against Dallas, Winters received official word that he would not be able to return this season. When the Black Knights took the field to open the District 2 playoffs, fellow senior Dustin Jones traded in his number 35 to wear 23 for the night. Jones ran for three touchdowns and a two- point conversion in a 350 win over Susquehanna. “We found out that Friday what the results were,” Lake- Lehman coach Jerry Gilsky BILL TARUTIS | FOR THE DALLAS POST Lake-Lehman head coach Jerry Gilsky celebrates with his team Black Knights are D-2 champs Lake-Lehman fullback Dustin Jones is all smiles as the Black after defeating Lakeland, 37-2,1 to win the District 2 Class 2A PIAA District 2 gold medals wait to be awarded to the Lake-Lehman Knights dominate the Lakeland Chiefs. said. “He’s one of our senior captains. Dustin wanted to wear his jersey for the game because of how hard our kids worked together as a group.” The Black Knights took an 11-game winning streak into Friday night's state tourna- ment opener against District 11 champion Catasauqua. They won Wyoming Valley Conference Class AA-A Division and District 2 Class AA titles along the way, despite having just six seniors on a 31-player roster. When Lake-Lehman defeated Lakeland, 37-21, in the district final Nov. 15, another of those seniors was wearing Winters’ jer- sey. This time, wide receiv- er/defensive back Bobby Wright replaced his number 4 with 23. While Jones and Wright took care of keeping Winters’ number on the field, others were responsible for adjust- ing Lake-Lehman’s defense to make up for absence. After the defense strug- gled, particularly against the pass, in a 48-41 victory over Dallas, the Black Knights excelled in the district play- offs. Gilsky used different combinations, but primarily went with Jimmy Stuart as an additional safety, switch- ing from three defensive backs to four in a new align- ment without Winters on the field. It was not the first time Gilsky had to improvise. Before the season even start ed, the Black Knights lost offensive tackle Mason Little and defenseman back Jacob Yaple, a pair of projected starters, for the entire year with knee injuries. Once again, Lake-Lehman has remained strong after altering plans. “Our kids had to step up their play,” Gilsky said. “You can’t just put kids in posi- tions they're not ready for.” The Black Knights have still been tough against the run. Susquehanna got more than half of its 145 yards rushing in the fourth quarter championship. Si ssc Black Knights. re Lake-Lehman quarterback Antonio Ferrari looks to throw against Lake-Lehman's Chris Rosencrans looks at his District 2 gold medal Lakeland in the District 2 Class 2A championship game. of a game that was decided while Lakeland managed just 82 yards on 29 carries. The pass defense showed needed improvement. In two district games, opponents were 14-for-39 for 205 yards and three interceptions. The only touchdown pass came with less than a second remaining in the Lakeland game. Although Lakeland pro- duced 21 points in the dis- trict final, one touchdown came on its final play while facing a 37-13 deficit and during the awards ceremony. district final. The 250-pound fullback carried 38 times for 311 yards and four touchdowns. “Against Lakeland, we another came on a kickoff were taking advantage of a return. The latest big game by few things up front,” Gilsky said. “They were rolling Jones, who is approaching their corners up to take away the 4,000-yard rushing mark for his career, kept Lake- Lehman in command of the (the outside), so I said fine, ‘we’ll run it right at them’. “Our other. guys comple- ment Dusty, too. But, if something’s working for us, we don’t get away from it. It’s like picking at a scab. We'll just keep on picking at you.” Brady Butler added 59 yards and a touchdown on nine carries to help a 417- yard ground game and Mike Symion kicked a 24-yard field goal to open the scoring. Schulman, Grossman combine for winning goal Back Mountain residents lift Seminary to state field hockey title TOM ROBINSON For The Dallas Post Rebecca Schulman received the pass as she broke into the circle in the clear. Schulman tried to quick- ly get off a reverse chip shot in an attempt to break a tie late in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic ~~ Athletic Association Class AA field hockey championship game. When Schulman was unable to pull off the diffi- cult shot on the move, she did not panic. She gained control of the ball as she moved left, turned and sent it to the far post. Gabby Grossman was headed to the spot where she could redirect the pass into the cage with three minutes remain and lit Wyoming Seminary to its sixth state champi- onship with a 2-1 victory over Crestwood pn Nov. 16 at the Zephyr Sports Complex in Whitehall. “Rebecca Schulman had the ball on the wing and was dribbling it,” Grossman said. “We've been working on it all year and I knew she has a great hit. “I knew what my job was, which was to get in and go for the tip. I cut in right when I saw her hit it.” The two Shavertown residents combined on the play that decided the state championship, completing a season in which players from the Back Mountain were prominent in helping Wyoming Seminary to the state championship. “I was going for the reverse chip. I thought I could make that, but I missed so I got the ball, turned it around, took a quick shot and Gabby Grossman was right there on the post, right where youre supposed to be,” said Schulman, who origi- nally received the pass from Morgan Malone. “She tipped it right in. It was perfect execution. I'm so proud of her.” Schulman scored the first goal to help Wyoming Seminary recover after Crestwood moved in front early in the second half. The Blue Knights avenged losses in the regular season and the District 2 cham- pionship game and ended a 39-game winning streak by Crestwood, the defend- ing state champion, to win their third state title in four years. “It was a great win,” Schulman said. “It was so exciting winning and finally beating Crestwood and ending their winning streak. It’s a great feeling.” PETE G. WILCOX FILE PHOTO | THE TIMES LEADER Gabby Grossman scored the winning goal to life Wyoming Seminary to a state field hockey title. a FRED ADAMS FILE PHOTO | THE TIMES LEADEr Rebecca Schulman played a vital role in the success of the Wyoming Seminary field hockey team this year. Mallory Lefkowitz and Malone combined for more than half of the Wyoming Seminary goals during the season, but were shut out in the final. “Scoring was our issue,” Wyoming Seminary coach Karen Klassner said. “They concentrated on tak- ing Mal and Morgan out of our game. We needed other kids to step up for us to win the game. And they did, Grossman and Schulman really stepped up.” Half of Wyoming Seminary’s starting field players are Back Mountain residents. Schulman and Grossman were joined by Alexis Quick, also from Shavertown, and Isabella Del Priore and Molly Turner from Dallas. Quick was the team’s third-leading scorer with seven goals and seven assists. The junior forward was selected as a second- team Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1-AA all-star. AIMEE DILGER FILE PHOTO | THE TIMES LEADER Alexis Quick played an important role on the Wyoming Seminary field hockey team this year. AIMEE DILGER FILE PHOTO | THE TIMES LEADER Crestwood’s Maury Cronauer and Wyoming Seminary’s Molly Turner battle for the ball. Turner and her Lady Blue Knights team- a mates won a state title this year. Schulman, a senior for- ward, tied Quick for third on the team in goals and picked up her first assist on the state-title winning goal. Grossman, a sophomore forward, was sixth on the team with six goals and three assists. Del Priore, a junior defender, made a key defensive save with eight minutes remaining and the state final tied, 1-1. Turner, a senior who played both midfielder and defense, was another sec- ond-team division all-star. Katie Stemrich, a junior defender from Sweet Valley, was one of the team’s key reserves. Other Back Mountain players on the team were freshman forward Carly Clemente and freshman forward/back Payton McCormick from Dallas, unior forward/midfield- er Corinne Conyngham and freshman forward Sarah Schulman from Shavertown. SPORTS BRIEFS UNICO WALK SET | FOR NOV. 30 The first-ever Unico | Charity 5K Run/ | Walk will be held on Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Lake-Lehman High School grounds prior to the Unico football game. Sign-ups begin at 1 p.m. and the run begins at 2 p.m. Entry fee of $20 includes a t-shirt and game tick ets. pzaires will be awarded for top male and female finishers. Register at glshep284@verizon. net. For more infor- mation, call 570-885- 4706.
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