75 Years Strong: UNICO Football Classic Moves to Wilkes-Barre Area for Milestone Matchup
By: Justin Bradley | SportzWire | May 10, 2026 | Photo courtesy Justin Focus
The UNICO Football Classic is celebrating a major milestone in 2026 and doing it from a new venue.
The 75th edition of the annual all-star showcase will kick off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, with Wilkes-Barre Area hosting this year’s game. The event has traditionally been played at Wyoming Area, making the move another layer of intrigue for one of northeastern Pennsylvania’s longest-running football traditions.
The annual UNICO banquet will also have a new home this year, moving to Mohegan Pennsylvania for a 6 p.m. gathering on Tuesday, May 26.
The two Wyoming Valley Conference coaches that will lead this year’s squads:
Wilkes-Barre Area head coach Ciro Cinti will guide the Miners, while 2nd year Pittston Area head coach Paul Russick will coach the Pioneers in the milestone matchup.
As always, the rosters feature a deep collection of senior talent from across the Wyoming Valley, bringing together standout playmakers, linemen, defenders, and specialists for one final high school football stage. The event has long served as both a celebration of local football and a final opportunity for athletes to represent their schools alongside former rivals turned teammates.
Seventy-five years later, the tradition remains one of the area’s signature football events now entering a new chapter at Wilkes-Barre Area.
PIONEERS ROSTER
Crestwood
- Giovanni Barna — WR/DB
- Ben Deroza — OL/DL
- Tyler Herbert — FB/LB
- Jayden Shedlock — QB
Dallas
- Jake Bryk — OL/DL
- Tray Cheskiewitz — LS
- Logan Geskey — SE/DB
- Sam Kelley — RB/Slot/DB
- Tim Moore — DE
- Alex Seymor — OL/DL
- Colton Van Orden — TE/OLB
- Nico Wilk — FB/LB
Hazleton Area
- Connor Bacon — OLB
- Logan Gennaro — WR/DB
- Sam Heller — LB
- Ashton Karlick — RB
- Joel Vasquez — DL
- Jake Zapotocky — C
Lake-Lehman
- Landin Bardo — WR/DB
- Trent Gaus — OL/DL
- Robert Gregor — OL/DL
- Jaydon Skipalis — LB/RB
Pittston Area
- Cole Baldwin — K/P
- Stephen Barnic — WR/DB
- Malcolm Blackshear — WR/DB
- Aiden Brody — RB/DB
- Nico Cielo — OL/DL
- Matt D’Aiello — DL
- Billy Dessoye — WR/DB
- Paulie Ferentino — QB
- Brain Hankey — C/OLB
- Brandon Lockett — OL/DL
- Victor Narsavage — RB/LB
- Zak Ridgley — RB/OLB
- Brody Spindler — RB/LB
- Kayen Walker — OL/DL
- Gunner Zaledonis — OL/DL
Wyoming Seminary
- Aaron Kutney — OL/DL
Wyoming Valley West
- Liam Corbett — DE/OL
- Will Hebda — LB/FB
- Sydair Johnson — OL/DL
- Chase Meyers — DB/WR/ATH
- John Richards — WR
- Preston Sninsky — WR/DB
MINERS ROSTER
Berwick
- Alex Estrella — FS/WR
- Matt Gordner — OL/DL
- JJ Leonard — DL/OL
- Caleb May — CB/WR
- Skyler Nevel — DE/TE
- Ashton Smith — ATH/DE/LB
- Everett Snyder — FB/DL
- Ty’Meere Wilkerson — RB
Hanover Area
- Jayden Cruz — OLB/CB/RB
- Matthew Curry — OL/DL
- Chance Hall — K/P
- Al-Amin Keshinro — OL/DL
- Aiden Safriwe — TE/OLB/DE
Holy Redeemer
- Anthony Falcon — RB/DL
- Cole Lisowski — OL/DL
- Kyle Ly — OL/DE
- Nathan Orlando — RB/LB
- Chase Swoboda — OL/DL
Nanticoke Area
- Jaden Fonduer — WR/DB/RB
- Joshua Guzsak — OL/DL
- John Repanski — TE/LB
Tunkhannock
- Adyn Anderson — OL/DL
- Colin Gregory — WR/DB
- Andrew Lupinski — WR/DB
- Randall Paxton — TE/LB
- Caden Simmers — FB/LB
- Cooper Thomas — OL/DL
- Jayden Thomas — OL/FB/LB
Wilkes-Barre Area
- Gene Ardo — LB/FB
- Kevon Creech — WR/DB
- Treyvon Gembitski — WR/DB
- Ny’Meire Guidroz — DL/OL
- Jake Howe — QB
- Jordan Kieselowsky — WR/OLB
- Jaedyn Sanchez — K/P
- Davon Underwood — RB/DB
Wyoming Area
- Nick Ciampi — RB/DB
- Max Getzie — OL/DL
- Trustin Johnson — RB/DB
- Tyler LaNunziata — DL/OL
- Donovan Miller — LB
- Cayden Reynolds — DL/OL
- Jamari Yates — RB/LB
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