Trojans Take Care of Business: North Pocono Rolls Past Carbondale
By: Steven Abbatiello | SportzWire | November 7, 2026 | Photo courtesy Javier Silva
North Pocono continued to make its presence felt on the football field, putting together a dominant performance against Carbondale, earning a convincing 42-7 victory. After an opening drive that saw the Chargers move the ball but ultimately come up empty, the Trojans settled in and took control on both sides of the football.
Carbondale won the toss and elected to receive, but North Pocono's defense quickly made its presence known. After moving the ball across midfield, the Chargers faced a fourth-down situation and attempted to keep the drive alive through the air. The pass was incomplete, giving the Trojans possession at their own 34-yard line, North Pocono wasted little time taking advantage.
Cole West helped spark the offense with a series of strong runs, moving the chains and keeping the Carbondale defense on its heels. A pass to West moved the Trojans into Charger territory, and another 22-yard run brought the ball down to the 13-yard line. Chase Zimmerman finished the drive with a touchdown run, and Shane Youngblood added the extra point to give North Pocono a 7-0 lead.
The Trojans' defense continued to make life difficult for Carbondale. After forcing a punt, North Pocono put together another promising drive. However, a fumble inside the Carbondale red zone resulted in a Charger recovery in the end zone, ending the scoring opportunity.
North Pocono would get another chance, and this time the defense created the opportunity. Carbondale quarterback Caedon Voglino fumbled, and the Trojans recovered at the Carbondale 37-yard line. Jayden Taylor delivered a huge 34-yard run to set up the scoring opportunity. Henry Wolff punched in the next touchdown, extending the Trojans' lead to 13-0, after the two-point conversion was unsuccessful.
Carbondale answered with its best offensive possession of the half. A combination of runs moved the Chargers down the field, including a big gain by Voglino. Eventually, Mason Voglino carried the ball down to the one-yard line, and Carbondale punched it in on the next play. The extra point was good, cutting the North Pocono lead to 13-7 with 1:42 remaining in the half.
In their two-minute offense, West returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield, and a pass to Wolff moved North Pocono down to the Carbondale 30-yard line. A penalty pushed the Trojans back, but Gavin Swartz answered with a 12-yard catch and run before West made another key reception to move the ball to the 20-yard line. After a short run by Wolff, North Pocono connected with Tate Bowen for a 15-yard touchdown reception. West added the two-point conversion with just 31 seconds remaining in the half, giving North Pocono a halftime score of 21-7.
Second Half Fireworks
The second half belonged entirely to the Trojans. West opened the second-half fireworks in spectacular fashion, returning the kickoff 89-yards for a touchdown. Youngblood's extra point was good, pushing the lead to 28-7 with 11:46 remaining in the third quarter.
The defense quickly followed with another statement. Michael Bell brought down the Carbondale quarterback for a sack, forcing the Chargers into a difficult third-and-14 situation. An incomplete pass on the next play forced another punt. North Pocono took over and continued to roll. Wolff carried the ball down to the seven-yard line, setting up Ethan Baluo for the touchdown. The extra point made it 35-7 with 9:21 remaining in the third.
Carbondale struggled to find answers against the Trojans' defense. North Pocono continued applying pressure, including another quarterback takedown by Nate Gola that helped stall the Chargers' next possession. The Trojans' offense wasn't slowing down either. After taking over at the 40-yard line, North Pocono put together another productive drive behind runs from Wolff and Baluo. Will Eisley finished the possession with a 16-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 42-7 with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter.
With a commanding lead, the Trojans continued to control the clock and the football. North Pocono's defense kept Carbondale off the scoreboard the rest of the way, while the offense continued moving the chains. Baluo and Cousar contributed key runs late in the game before the Trojans closed things out by taking a knee.
Final Score: North Pocono 42, Carbondale 7
Looking Ahead: Trojans Set Their Sights on another District 2 Class 4A Championship
The Trojans will return home to face a familiar opponent, the Valley View Cougars, with a spot in the district championship game on the line. This is the time of year when every play matters, every possession counts, and there is little room for mistakes. North Pocono will look to carry the momentum from its dominant performance against Carbondale into this semifinal matchup. With the offense finding its rhythm, the defense making big plays, and special teams contributing when called upon, the Trojans have plenty of reasons to be confident, but Valley View presents another challenge, and the Trojans will need to bring their best football for four quarters.
The stakes are higher, the season is on the line, and the road to a district championship runs through North Pocono. It's playoff football, and the Trojans are ready for the challenge!
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