Holy Cross Crusaders

Hanover Area exploded for 393 total yards and three interceptions while Dewayne Downey and Deacon Eisenbach each scored twice, powering the Hawkeyes to a 47-0 win over Holy Cross. The Hawkeyes host Old Forge in Week 4, while the Crusaders travel to Carbondale.

The District 2 preseason coaches’ poll has arrived, and the message is clear: this isn’t one person’s opinion, it’s the collective voice of coaches across the region weighing in on who’s ready to bring the heat. Delaware Valley leads the Big School rankings, while Scranton Prep tops the Small Schools, both programs seen as steady systems built for long runs. Backed by the insight of those who know the game best, these rankings act like a finely tuned HVAC unit balanced, efficient, and powerful. Thanks to sponsor Kleinbauer Mechanical, family owned and operated, for reminding us that whether it’s football or HVAC, reliability and honest work always rise to the top.

Legacy Under the Lights: 91st Dream Game Media Day Unites Past and Future of NEPA Football VALLEY VIEW — The scent of summer grass and the echo of cleats on concrete set the stage under the bleachers of Valley View’s football stadium, where dozens of the region’s top high school football players gathered for the 91st Annual Dream Game Media Day. It was more than a press event. It was a reunion, a farewell, a coming-of-age story all in one. Hosted by longtime broadcaster Tony Sibila and Honesdale’s new head coach George Howanitz, Media Day was filled with stories from players on the cusp of adulthood and from coaches whose roots run deep in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s football soil. “It’s like a family reunion,” Howanitz said. “There’s history in every name on the roster.”

DUNMORE, Pa. — Holy Cross secured the District 2 Class 1A softball championship on Thursday with a decisive 8–1 victory over Old Forge, powered by a five-run explosion in the fifth inning.

The rosters for the 91st Annual Dream Game have been released, featuring standout senior athletes from across the region. Representing the City team under head coach Jake Manetti (West Scranton) are top talents like Treyvon Dickey (Scranton Prep), Gabe Franek (Dunmore), and Drew Kiesendahl (Wallenpaupack). On the County side, head coach Mike Schuback (Old Forge) leads a loaded roster highlighted by Zach Cwalinski (Valley View), Richie Kostoff (Riverside), and Mason Avery (Honesdale). The game is scheduled for July 23 at John Henzes Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Cohen Orlandini’s go-ahead single in the seventh capped off a gritty comeback by Elk Lake, who battled back from a two-run deficit to eliminate Holy Cross 4-3 in Saturday’s playoff matchup.

Lila Kolcharno and Claire Helring powered a 14-run first inning as Holy Cross steamrolled Susquehanna 16-0 in the District 2 Single-A semifinal.

Championship tension. Extra-inning chaos. One perfect swing. Peyton Graboske’s go-ahead double in the 10th sealed the deal, as Holy Cross claimed a 7-5 win over Mid Valley and the Lackawanna League D2 crown in one of the season’s most thrilling softball duels.

With the rain falling and tension rising, Holy Cross found their closer. On her birthday, Jules Galella delivered the ultimate gift — a two-out, walk-off single to cap a wild seventh inning and hand the Crusaders a thrilling 7-6 win over Mid Valley under the lights at Magis Field.

League clinched. No-hitter thrown. Message sent. Mid Valley rolled past Holy Cross 11-0 behind Nick Mills' two-way domination to secure the Lackawanna League title in convincing fashion.

Claire Helring delivered a standout performance at the plate, driving in four runs on three hits to power Holy Cross past Hazleton Area, 16-7, on Thursday, May 1. Helring launched a two-run homer to left in the seventh, tripled in the third to score one, and singled in the first to drive in another, capping off a dominant offensive showing.

Holy Cross unloaded with 15 hits, including a grand slam from Mia Galella and a three-run homer from Jules Galella, as they rolled to a 15-0 win over Old Forge in just three innings.

Ava Schmidt struck out 15 and scattered just three hits in a dominant shutout performance as Holy Cross blanked Dunmore 6-0 at home Tuesday. Megan Hassaj blasted a two-run homer and Jules Galella had two hits and two steals to power the Crusader offense.

Mia Galella etched her name into Holy Cross history with her 100th hit, while the Crusaders piled on early runs and leaned on Ava Schmidt’s complete-game effort to secure a solid 8-4 road win over Old Forge.

“Limits exist only in the mind.” For Matt Marcinek, these aren’t just words—they’re a way of life. Born with cerebral palsy, Matt could’ve let the world define him by his condition. Instead, he forged a path no one saw coming. Through sweat, science, and sheer will, he became a respected grappling coach, a mental performance expert, and the founder of No Limits Grappling Academy—Scranton’s powerhouse of No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu. His journey isn’t just about martial arts. It’s about refusing to be boxed in. About transforming pain into purpose. About proving that greatness isn’t reserved for the lucky or the able-bodied—it’s earned by those who keep showing up, even when it’s hard. In every class he teaches, every student he guides, and every story of struggle he helps rewrite, Matt’s message rings loud and clear: You are not your limitations. You are your mindset.