Coaches Poll Shakeup: Valley View Soars From No 7 to No 1 After Wild Week 1 in District 2 Big Schools

By: SportzWire | Sportzwire | August 27, 2025

Coaches Poll Shakeup: Valley View Rockets To No. 1 After Week 1

The opening week of football in District 2 brought drama, upsets, and a massive shakeup in the Big School Coaches Poll. Preseason No. 1 Delaware Valley fell hard, Valley View surged from seventh to first, and several other contenders shuffled positions in a chaotic start to the season.

Valley View’s Statement

The Cougars came into the season ranked seventh, but they wasted no time proving they belong at the top. A gritty 14-10 win over Scranton Prep in a rivalry showdown, highlighted by a second-half defensive shutout, sent Valley View soaring to No. 1 in the Week 1 poll.

Delaware Valley Slips After Tough Opener

The Warriors opened the year ranked first, but a long trip to face McKeesport ended in a 51-24 defeat. While the setback knocks them into second, Delaware Valley’s challenging schedule is nothing new, and they’ll look to regroup quickly as the season progresses.

North Pocono and Abington Heights Steady

Both teams showed why they started near the top. North Pocono, ranked third in the preseason, backed it up with a 56-0 demolition of Nanticoke, featuring seven different touchdown scorers. Abington Heights, meanwhile, earned a strong 21-13 road win over East Stroudsburg South, keeping them firmly inside the top three conversation.

Crestwood and Pittston Area Trending Up

Crestwood proved competitive in a narrow 24-21 loss to Wyoming Area, enough to climb to eighth in the Week 1 rankings. Pittston Area opened the Paul Russick era in style, shocking Mid Valley 46-9 behind two-touchdown outings from both Lucas LoPresto and Stephen Barnic, pushing the Patriots into seventh.

Wilkes-Barre Area and Dallas Slide

Wilkes-Barre Area struggled in the second half against Whitehall, falling 38-14 while giving up over 200 yards on the ground. Dallas also dropped after falling 27-7 to Jersey Shore, as Bulldogs quarterback Nolen Pauling accounted for four touchdowns.

West Scranton Earns Recognition

The Invaders broke through for their first win since October 2023, beating Old Forge 20-7. Kaz Colbert’s game-changing pick six helped West Scranton enter the rankings at No. 9.

Hazleton Holds On

Hazleton Area faced one of the toughest tests in the state in Nazareth, led by Auburn commit Peyton Falzone, and fell 46-7. Despite the loss, Hazleton remained in the top 10, rounding out the Week 1 poll.

Preseason vs Week 1 Coaches Poll

Preseason Top 10

1. Delaware Valley

2. Abington Heights

3. North Pocono

4. Wilkes-Barre Area

5. Dallas

6. Crestwood

7. Valley View

8. Scranton

9. Pittston Area

10. Hazleton

Week 1 Top 10

1. Valley View

2. Delaware Valley

3. Abington Heights

4. North Pocono

5. Dallas

6. Wilkes-Barre Area

7. Pittston Area

8. Crestwood

9. West Scranton

10. Hazleton

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