2022 TIMES-TRIBUNE ALL-REGION FOOTBALL - DEFENSE
Dec. 11—DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LACOTA DIPPRE
DL/Tight End — Lakeland — Senior
Height: 6-4. Weight: 240.
Helped Lakeland win the District 2 Class 2A and Lackawanna Football Conference Division II championships. ... Had 61 tackles, 22 for loss, 11 sacks, three interceptions with one returned for a 75-yard touchdown, and two fumble recoveries this season. ... Had an LFC-best 62 receptions, 920 yards and 12 touchdowns, 12 carries for 109 yards and five touchdowns, 137 kickoff return yards and averaged 39.2 yards per punt. ... Finished career with 148 total tackles, 49 tackles for loss and 20 1/2 sacks in three seasons as a starter and had 113 receptions, 1,494 yards and 16 touchdowns and 18 total touchdowns. ... Committed to attend The College of the Holy Cross. ... Second All-Region selection.
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NICO BOSSI
DL — Abington Heights — Senior
Height: 6-3. Weight: 225.
Helped Abington Heights to the District 2 Class 5A playoffs. ... Had 101 tackles, 10 for loss, three sacks, and five passes defended. ... Had five games with double-digit tackles. ... Contributed 17 receptions, 253 yards and four touchdowns. ... Finished career with 143 tackles, 24 for loss, nine sacks, and 26 receptions, 379 yards and seven touchdowns. ... Committed to Brown University.
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JACOB MARTINEZ
DL — Scranton — Senior
Height: 5-9. Weight: 250.
Led Scranton to the District 2 Class 5A championship game. ... Had 86 total tackles, 14 for loss. 10 sacks and a fumble recovery this season. ... Had a season-high 13 tackles against Delaware Valley and had 10 against Abington Heights in the postseason. ... Finished career with 151 total tackles, 28 for loss and 15 sacks.
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NATE SWINGLE
DL — Western Wayne — Senior
Height: 5-9. Weight: 215.
Helped lead Western Wayne to the District 2 Class 3A championship game. ... Had 74 total tackles with eight for loss and four quarterback hurries. ... Had a season-high 10 tackles in a win over Carbondale Area and a loss to North Pocono. ... Finished career with 134 tackles with 12 for loss and 2 1/2 sacks.
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MICK O'MALLEY
Linebacker — Scranton Prep — Senior
Height: 6-1. Weight: 215.
Led Scranton Prep to the District 2 Class 3A championship. ... Had a team-high 124 total tackles with five tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, an interception return for a touchdown for the Cavaliers. ... Had 211 total tackles with eight for loss, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in last two seasons as a starter.
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JUSTIN KALITSNIK
Linebacker — Delaware Valley — Junior
Height: 6-2. Weight: 195.
Helped Delaware Valley to the District 2 Class 5A championship. ... Had 143 total tackles which included eight games with 10 or more this season. ... Also contributed 136 yards receiving and 45 yards rushing. ... Three-year starter has 299 total tackles, two sacks and an interception in 32 games played. ... Second All-Region selection.
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TY LAFAVE
Linebacker — North Pocono — Senior
Height: 6-1. Weight: 225.
Helped North Pocono reach the District 2 Class 4A playoffs. ... Had 73 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and five passes broken up. ... Also contributed 14 receptions, 182 yards and two touchdowns. ... Had 158 total tackles, 16 for loss, four sacks, three forced fumbles and three recoveries in the last two seasons. ... Second All-Region selection.
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NICHOLAS DONVITO
Linebacker — Dunmore — Junior
Height: 5-10. Weight: 200.
Helped lead Dunmore to the District 2 Class 2A championship game. ... Led the team with 100 total tackles that included 24 solo tackles and 76 assisted tackles. Also had 14 tackles for loss, four interceptions including one in the district championship game, four fumble recoveries, 3 1/2 sacks, two extra-point kick blocks and two forced fumbles.
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AJ KUCHARSKI
Linebacker — Valley View — Senior
Height:6-1. Weight: 175.
Helped lead Valley View to the District 2 Class 4A championship final and Lackawanna Football Conference Division I championship. ... Had 48 total tackles with 20 for loss, four sacks and six passes defended. ... Had a season-high three sacks against Scranton. ... Finished with 87 total tackles with 23 for loss and five sacks in 26 varsity games.
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RYDER MACHADO
Secondary — Delaware Valley — Junior
Height: 6-1. Weight: 170.
Helped lead Delaware Valley to the District 2 Class 5A championship. ... Had 96 total tackles with six interceptions for 163 return yards, 11 passes defended and a blocked extra point. ... Had season-high 16 tackles against Downingtown East. ... Has 181 total tackles and 11 interceptions in 24 starts.
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MICHAEL BLAINE
Secondary — North Pocono — Senior
Height: 6-2. Weight: 190.
Helped lead North Pocono to the District 2 Class 4A playoffs. ... Had 74 total tackles with 45 solo and four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. ... Also contributed 1,213 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. ... Had 136 total tackles and eight passes defended in the last two seasons.
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BILLY MALONEY
Secondary — Scranton — Junior
Height: 5-9. Weight: 160.
Led Scranton to the District 2 Class 5A final. ... Had 65 tackles, six interceptions and 11 passes defended this season, which included a season-high 10 tackles in the district final against Delaware Valley. ... Also contributed 1,451 yards passing, 19 touchdowns, 912 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. ... Has 116 total tackles, eight interceptions and 15 passes defended in his 23 games played.
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CASEY HOLZMAN
Secondary — Old Forge — Senior
Height 5-9. Weight: 175.
Led Old Forge to the Lackawanna Football Conference Division III title. ... Had 55 tackles, nine for loss, one sack, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions. ... Also contributed 34 receptions, 568 yards and nine touchdowns, and had 243 yards rushing and a touchdown. ... Finished career with 144 tackles, 17 for loss and seven interceptions as a four-year starter.
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MAX KIMMEL
Athlete — Lackawanna Trail — Sophomore
Height: 6-3. Weight: 180.
Led Lackawanna Trail to the District 2 Class 1A championship. ... Had 39 total tackles, one fumble recovery, two passes broken up, four interceptions and two blocked field goals this season. ... Also contributed 36 carries, 310 yards, two touchdowns, and eight receptions, 218 yards and four touchdowns.
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DONATO STEPNEY
Secondary — Scranton — Senior
Height: 5-11. Weight: 183.
Helped Scranton reach the District 2 Class 5A final. ... Had 63 total tackles, two interceptions and 14 passes defended this season which included 10 tackles against Wyoming Valley West. ... Also contributed 31 receptions, 586 yards and 10 touchdowns and 67 yards rushing. ... Finished his career with 129 total tackles, five interceptions and 32 passes defended in his 33 games played.
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COACH OF THE YEAR
GEORGE HOWANITZ
Valley View
Guided the Cougars to the Lackawanna Football Conference Division I championship and the District 2 Class 4A championship game in his final season as head coach. ... Valley View won 10 games for the fifth time in the last six seasons. ... Finished 16-year career with a record of 116-68.
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Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @sportsTT on Twitter
