Wyoming Valley Conference divisional races could be interesting

The Wyoming Valley Conference football season starts Friday night with all teams having the goal of capturing a District 2 championship. But there are two WVC divisional titles also up for grabs.

Dallas has won two consecutive Division 1 championships. Wyoming Area had done the same in Division 2. Neither team has lost a divisional game since 2022.

However, Dallas and Wyoming Area were hit hard by graduation, making a three-peat an uncertainty.

Here’s a look at how the divisional could shake out, with last season’s divisional and overall records in parenthesis:

Division 1: Dallas’ graduation losses hit particularly hard at the skill positions. The Mountaineers (5-0, 8-4) will learn a lot about themselves on Friday night in a tough non-conference game at District 4’s Jersey Shore.

Wilkes-Barre Area (3-2, 6-6) has been building toward this season, with a strong senior class leading the Wolfpack. They won four of their last six games in 2024.

Crestwood (3-2, 5-6) has a solid core returning, but the Comets need to avoid the injury bug that has seemed to show up the past few years.

Hazleton Area (3-2, 5-6) has a new coach in Scott Sacco, who will need to get more production out of the offense. The Cougars scored seven or fewer points five time last season.

Pittston Area (1-4, 2-9) also had a new coach in former Honesdale mentor Paul Russick, a Pittston Area alum. The Patriots lost close games against Crestwood, Dallas and Hazleton Area last season.

Wyoming Valley West (0-5, 0-11) hasn’t won a divisional game since the WVC went to two divisions in 2022. The Spartans struggled to score last season as their highest points total came in a 54-14 loss to Crestwood.

Predicted finish: 1. Wilkes-Barre Area; 2. Dallas; 3. Crestwood; 4. Hazleton Area; 5. Pittston Area; 6. Wyoming Valley West.

Division 2: The division appears to be a three-horse race.

Wyoming Area (5-0, 11-2) lost a ton of talent at the skill spots and in the trenches to graduation. However, some backups last season saw varsity action, so the Warriors could repeat as division champs.

Lake-Lehman (4-1, 6-5) lost some key players to graduation, but returns enough veterans to make a push for the division crown.

Berwick (3-2, 4-7) was 0-4 in 2024 before a changing things up on offense. The result was a solid finish that could propel the Dawgs into the contender category.

Tunkhannock (1-4, 3-7) hopes to see progress in its third year under coach Pat Keating, who found success running the Wyoming Valley West program. However, the Tigers probably aren’t ready to contend for the division.

Hanover Area (1-4, 2-8) was extremely young last season and a year of experience could translate into improvement. If the Hawkeyes continue to approve, they could be a divisional contender in 2026.

Nanticoke Area (1-4, 1-9) has a new coach in former King’s College standout Damon Saxon. The Trojans will have a lot of new starters plus a new system to learn.

Predicted finish: 1. Wyoming Area; 2. Berwick; 3. Lake-Lehman; 4. Tunkhannock; 5. Hanover Area; 6. Nanticoke Area.

FIVE TO WATCH

There are many standouts in the WVC, but here are five to keep an eye on:

• Jake Howe, QB, Wilkes-Barre Area: The senior is a rare four-year starter at the most important position. A two-time Times Leader All-WVC selection, Howe has passed for over 4,000 yards and can make all the throws, but his numbers might go down this year as WBA tries to be more balanced.

• Luke Kopetchny, WR, Wyoming Area: Kopetchny set the school record for receiving yards in a game as a sophomore with 262 in last year’s season opener against Crestwood. The All-WVC selection wastes no time heading upfield after a catch. There’s a chance he can see time at quarterback as well.

• Lucas LoPresto, WR/DB, Pittston Area: LoPresto enters his junior year a two-time All-WVC selection. He excels on offense, defense and special teams, where he had two return TDs in 2024.

• Jaden Shedlock, QB, Crestwood: There’s no doubt Shedlock is the best running quarterback in the WVC. He had 436 yards in three games in 2024 when his season was cut short for a second time by an injury. If he stays healthy, he’ll be among the Division 1 rushing leaders.

• Ty’Meere Wilkerson, RB, Berwick: Wilkerson switched from receiver to running back after four games and rushed for 1,357 of his 1,366 yards, including a school single-game record of 366. The All-WVC selection looks like a power back at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, but also had speed and moves.