BY JOBY FAWCETT
Times Shamrock Writer

As one season ends, another is ready, even if it doesn’t begin until next year.

The LIAA released its matchups in the Lackawanna Football Conference for the 2014 and 2015 seasons, which includes nonleague games against the Wyoming Valley Conference.

“The committee put a lot of work into this and they deserve all the credit,” said outgoing LIAA president Jim Tallarico, who cited Dunmore athletic director Mark Rinaldi, Honesdale athletic director Chuck Alexander, Delaware Valley athletic director Al Holtzer and WVC representative Sandy McKay.

“The key for us and the committee was to keep a strong league while continuing to help programs that need it in football, while also maintaining our strong relationship with the schools from Wilkes-Barre. That relationship is stronger than it has ever been.”

Once again, the LFC will have a three-division format.

Programs in Division I remain the same, including Abington Heights, Delaware Valley, North Pocono, Scranton, Scranton Prep, Wallenpaupack, West Scranton and Valley View.

In Division II and Division III there are changes as Montrose moves up, trading places with Mid Valley.

Joining Montrose in Division II will be Dunmore, Honesdale, Lakeland, Riverside and Western Wayne.

And in Division III, Mid Valley moves in and joins Carbondale Area, Holy Cross, Lackawanna Trail, Old Forge and Susquehanna.

In addition to the working agreement with the WVC, there are several intriguing crossover games within the LFC that maintain some traditional rivalries. West Scranton will still play Riverside and Dunmore, Lakeland will play Valley View, Wallenpaupack will face Honesdale, Old Forge plays Riverside, Susquehanna will play Montrose.

There will also be some new matchups that will pique interest as Scranton Prep will play Dunmore, Mid Valley will open the season against Valley View, and Lackawanna Trail will renew rivalries with Riverside and Lakeland.
“We were able to maintain a lot of the rivalries,” Tallarico said. “That was important.”

Among the LFC-WVC crossovers, Scranton will play at Wyoming Valley West in Week 9 which will be a rematch of the District 2 Class AAAA championship game, Abington Heights will be at Crestwood in Week 2 in a battle of District 2 Class AAA playoff teams, Old Forge will be at Lake-Lehman in a clash of District 2 champions.

GAR and Meyers play four LFC opponents from Divisions II and III. Meyers hosts Montrose in Week 1, is at Susquehanna in Week 2, at Riverside in Week 3 and home against Lackawanna Trail in Week 4, while GAR opens at Old Forge in Week 1, at Holy Cross in Week 2, home against Carbondale Area in Week 3 and at Mid Valley in Week 5.

Wyoming Area and Tunkhannock have three games each against LFC Division I opponents, while Lake-Lehman plays three LFC Division III opponents.

Wyoming Area is at Scranton Prep in Week 2, home against North Pocono in Week 3 and at Wallenpaupack in Week 9. Tunkhannock is at Western Wayne in Week 2, home against Scranton Prep in Week 3 and at Honesdale in Week 5.
Lake-Lehman is home against Lackawanna Trail in Week 1, at Mid Valley in Week 2 and against Old Forge in Week 4.

Delaware Valley will start the season with a game in Florida.

“I wanted to be a part of it and lend a hand if I could,” said Tallarico, who will leave his position when he takes over as superintendent at Mid Valley on Jan. 2. “I think we have a solid schedule for the next two years.”

DIVISION II
Montrose – Class AA
Week 1 at Meyers
Week 2 Carbondale Area
Week 3 at Lackawanna Trail
Week 4 at Holy Cross
Week 5 Susquehanna
Week 6 at Lakeland
Week 7 Western Wayne
Week 8 Riverside
Week 9 Dunmore
Week 10 at Honesdale
DIVISION III
Susquehanna – Class AA
Week 1 at Nanticoke
Week 2 Meyers
Week 3 Holy Cross
Week 4 at Dunmore
Week 5 at Montrose
Week 6 at Holy Redeemer
Week 7 Mid Valley
Week 8 Lackawanna Trail
Week 9 at Carbondale Area
Week 10 Old Forge