The Lackawanna Football Conference continues to shine on the statewide stage, with three standout seniors earning late additions to the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star games. These players, fresh off remarkable seasons, will showcase their talents in Mechanicsburg this May.
Headlining the additions is Lackawanna Trail's Isaac Ryon, the reigning Times-Tribune Offensive Player of the Year. Ryon, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back, delivered a historic senior campaign, rushing for an LIAA-record 2,876 yards and 49 touchdowns on 201 carries. His 54 total touchdowns and 354 points also set conference records. A Pennsylvania Football Writers Class 1A Player of the Year, Ryon etched his name in school lore with a 370-yard rushing performance against Riverside, while also topping 300 yards against Mid Valley and Tri-Valley. He finishes his career with a school-record 4,969 rushing yards, ranking ninth in LIAA history.
Joining Ryon on the East roster for the Small-School game is teammate Colin Owens, a versatile linebacker and guard. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Misericordia commit anchored a Lions defense that captured LFC Division III and District 2 Class 1A championships. Owens finished second on the team with 78 tackles, including five for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Ryon and Owens replace Scranton Prep's Will McPartland and Lakeland's Weston Loomis, who withdrew from the game. They'll team up with fellow Lions linebacker Tyler Jervis, Lakeland quarterback David Naniewicz, Berwick defensive lineman JJ Leonard, and Wyoming Area lineman Max Getzie on the East roster. Former Western Wayne coach Shane Grodack and Hanover Area coach Eric Richardson will serve as assistant coaches.
In the Large-School game, Wallenpaupack linebacker Logan Caruso has been added to the East roster. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound senior recorded 68 tackles and an interception, helping the Buckhorns claim an Eastern Conference Class 4A playoff title over Honesdale. He'll represent District 2 alongside North Pocono's 6-foot-8, 315-pound lineman Dylan Caster and Dallas coach Rich Mannello, an East assistant.
The East-West Small-School game kicks off at 12 p.m. on May 17, followed by the Large-School game at 5 p.m., both at Cumberland Valley High School's Chapman Field in Mechanicsburg. Looking ahead, Dunmore coach Kevin McHale has been selected as an assistant coach for the 2027 PSFCA East-West Small-School game.
In other local football news, New England Patriots tight end CJ Dippre—a Lakeland graduate and former all-state player—will host a free youth football camp on June 23 at Riverfront Sports Complex in Scranton. Open to youths ages 8 to 13, the camp runs from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., offering a unique opportunity to learn from an NFL standout who started for two seasons at Maryland.