Feb. 23—Several Lackawanna Football Conference players were selected to play in a pair of all-star football games this spring.
Riverside quarterback Johnny Gilchrist, Lakeland defensive lineman Cross Douglas and Western Wayne linebacker Zane Janiszewski made the East roster for the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Small School East-West game.
Western Wayne coach Randy Wolff and Lakeland coach David Piwowarczyk will be assistants for head coach Mike Farr of Schuylkill Haven.
Delaware Valley linebacker Jason Henderson and Honesdale defensive lineman Sam Deron were selected to the Big School game while Scranton coach Steve Shumbres is an assistant for East coach Joe Heinrich.
The games are scheduled for May 30 at Landis Field in Dauphin County. The Small School (classes 1A, 2A, 3A) is at noon; the Big School (classes 4A, 5A, 6A) is at 5 p.m.
Gilchrist had a record-setting senior season and earned a spot on the Pennsylvania Football Writers Class 2A All-State Team. He is the LIAA’s all-time leader in career passing yards with 7,462 and finished second in career touchdowns with 84.
In his senior year, Gilchrist completed 200 of 363 passes for 2,446 yards and 20 touchdowns in 10 games. His season-best effort came when he threw for 387 yards against Lackawanna Trail.
Douglas, who is committed to Millersville University, had 36 tackles with nine for loss and 1.5 sacks, and recently earned the Hookey Reap Award as the top defensive lineman in Lackawanna County after leading Lakeland to the District 2 Class 3A championship. He started in all four seasons with the Chiefs and finished with 138 tackles with 34 for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Janiszewski, the Times-Tribune Offensive Player of the Year who is headed to Bloomsburg University, made the all-star game at linebacker. This year’s Fiore Cesare Award winner finished his career with
296 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions.
Wolff guided Western Wayne to a share of the LFC Division II title with Valley View and Scranton Prep, while Piwowarczyk led Lakeland to the LFC Division III crown and the District 2 Class 3A title while earning The Times-Tribune Coach of the Year award.
Henderson, a PFW Class 6A all-state player, is the two-time Times-Tribune Defensive Player of the Year and is headed to Old Dominion University. He had 102 tackles, including 52 solo, in seven games and finished his career with
592 tackles, 218 solo, 14 sacks, three interceptions and 11 passes defended.
Deron, a 6-4, 275-pound defensive end, had 45 tackles with five for loss and three sacks.
Shumbres has a record of 9-18 in three seasons and was the 2019 Times-Tribune Coach of the Year.
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