Dallas Football team gears up for State Championship
DALLAS, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The Dallas High School Football Team is gearing up for a big game Thursday night as they compete for the AAAA (Quad A) PIAA State Football Championship at Cumberland Valley High School.
28/22 News was live outside the Dallas Mountaineers stadium while the team was inside getting a school send-off with a pumped-up pep rally for the excitement of the big game.
Although it was all quiet outside the school at the Dallas Mountaineers home stadium where the team has been practicing and preparing all season. Now the Mountaineers are coming out of an undefeated 15-0 season and the last time they made it to the state championship was in 2019 where they lost.
“You know it’s catching lightning in a bottle and we told them let’s put a lid on that and hold on to it for as long as we can,” said Coach Rich Mannello, Dallas Football Team.
Coach Mannello says his team is like a family and they’re ready to take on the game together.
“They’re ready to go. This bunch doesn’t get rattled, they just keep going and they prepare and they know that they prepared the right way and we’ll get off the bus ready to play,” added Coach Mannello.
The school and the local community came out Thursday to show support.
“It was like really fun to see how much everyone cared about this and how many people came to just show their support for the football team,” said Kyleigh Richmond, a Dallas cheerleader.
Family members came out in droves to support their Dallas Mountaineers Football team.
“It’s just unbelievable. It’s just, I have been in tears for a week now this is just an unbelievable feeling,” said Christy Vanorden, a Dallas Football mom.
“You knew the group of kids was special. They’ve been playing football together since they were 78 years old and it’s just great to see the work finally coming together and everything fall into place the way it has this season,” added Chris Tirpak, Dallas Football dad.
The Dallas Football Team hasn’t won a state championship since 1993, so they’re hoping all of their hard work on the gridiron this season will earn them a AAAA State Championship.
Now that it’s been 30 years in 2023, they’re back for redemption.
28/22 News will be live at the Championship game at Cumberland Valley High School, Thursday at 7:00 p.m. when Dallas takes on Aliquippa.
“As far as like the staff you couldn’t ask for a better group of coaches, a better group of parents, a better group of young men,” Donna Zapoticky, Dallas Football mom.
“This group of kids, they’re amazing. When you hear Coach Mannello talk about how they stick together, they do. Heart and hustle a hundred percent,” said Colleen Phillips, Dallas Football mom.
28/22 News will have all the details on the game in sports tonight at 11:00 p.m.
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