Wayne-Pike Shrine Club set to host its 30th annual high school football extravaganza
INDIAN ORCHARD — The 2022 Lackawanna Football Conference season officially kicks-off this coming weekend.
And, when Honesdale and Wallenpaupack Area meet Friday night on the shores of The Big Lake, they’ll be center stage for one of the region’s longest running series.
This year’s game between the Hornets and Buckhorns will mark the 30th anniversary of the Shrine Bowl Classic. The contest is hosted each season by the Wayne-Pike Shrine Club and serves as the organization’s biggest fundraiser.
On Sunday afternoon, Shriners, coaches and school officials gathered at The Alpine in Indian Orchard for the traditional Kick-Off Dinner.
“Hard to believe that it’s been 30 years already,” said Noble John Burlein, a Shrine Club member who’s been involved with the game for nearly a quarter century.
“We’ve had some great games over the years and we’re really excited for this one. First and foremost, we want to raise money and awareness for the Shriners Hospitals in Philadelphia and Boston. That’s the main goal and the community has always been so great in supporting us.”
Opening kick-off for Friday night’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Paupack. A portion of the gate and all proceeds from the sale of souvenir programs go to the Shriners.
“We’re always grateful to the community and to the school districts,” said Noble Burlein. “We hope the weather cooperates and we get a big crowd so we can continue the work we do helping local families.”
Red & Black Attack
Honesdale is coming off a solid effort in its lone exhibition game, a Saturday morning encounter with Pittston Area.
According to Coach Paul Russick, the Hornets showed flashes of brilliance on both sides of the ball, setting the stage for what he hopes will be an exciting Week 1.
“The film reinforced what we saw during the game,” he said. “The kids really played hard on offense and defense. The effort was definitely there and we came through it without any injuries which is always one of our main goals.”
While every player on the roster contributed to the cause on Saturday, two in particular stood out: Zach Gledhill and CJ Hinton.
Gledhill is a junior and first year member of the varsity squad. Gledhill plays wideout and really opened some eyes offensively against the Patriots with several stellar catches.
“I hadn’t seen Zach at this level before, so I was really pleased,” Coach Russick said. “He competed well. Zach isn’t the biggest kid on the field, but he’s quick and has an excellent football IQ.”
Meanwhile, Hinton was every bit as impressive on the other side of the ball. CJ is a three year starter at middle linebacker, a team captain, and anchor of Honesdale’s defense.
“CJ is really showing some really great leadership both on and off the field,” Coach Russick said. “I’m excited about how he’s developed as a player over the last three years and what he’s capable of doing this season.”
Hinton enjoyed a stellar junior campaign. CJ was among the team leaders in tackles (78), sacks (4) and tackles for loss (7).
Battlin' Buckhorns
Paupack also played its lone scrimmage of the season this past weekend, hosting Crestwood on Saturday morning.
Dr. Mark Watson is entering his 17th year as head coach. His team is coming off a 4-6 showing in the LFC’s always rugged Division I. The Buckhorns will be young this season, once again relying on a physical ground game and bruising offensive line.
“I think we had a great scrimmage,” he said. “Crestwood is a very good team so it gave us a chance to see where we’re at right now. “We obviously have some things to clean up and a ton of work to put in before Friday night. But, I think we’ll be ready.”
According to Dr. Watson, there were several individual players who stepped up against the Comets on Saturday.
Tony Iannetta led the way defensively. A senior inside linebacker, Iannetta was consistent in both running and passing situations … a fact that bodes well for Paupack’s relatively inexperienced unit.
“Tony has a motor that never stops running,” Dr. Watson said. “He did a really nice job. Tony showed some real leadership out there. He was all over the field and that’s something I definitely like to see.”
Offensively, the entire Paupack staff was pleased to see the O-Line beginning to show signs of cohesion.
Specifically, the interior combination of Jake LaBelle (C), Jacob Gonzalez (LG), and Mike Fitzgerald (RG) blocked well in both the ground game and in passing downs.
“We have a few guys who played last year, but we also have a couple new guys,” Dr. Watson said. “I liked what I saw from all of them. I can see them really starting to gel and having a great season.”
A Bit of History
The Shrine Bowl Classic was first held back in 1992 and is now celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Over the course of the past three decades, Honesdale, Wallenpaupack Area, Western Wayne and Delaware Valley have competed in the annual event.
Last year’s contest featured Honesdale and Western Wayne at Skarkey Rosetti Memorial Stadium. This one was dominated by the Wildcats who rolled to a 42-0 victory.
Preparations for the 2022 game began months ago. Shrine Club officials have been pounding the pavement and working the phones in a concerted effort at spreading the word. All those efforts will once again culminate under the Friday Night Lights.
Men like Dick Osborne, Ken Dickinson, Ray Quiepo and Hap Balthaser were among the Shriners who were in on the ground floor. In fact, Balthaser was the Shrine Club president in 1992.
“It’s always been a great way to get the word out about what we do as an organization,” Noble Burlein said. “Sometimes I think people don’t realize what we can do and how we can help. Hopefully, the game helps with that.”
There are 22 Shriners Hospitals all across North America, including two in particular with which the local Shrine Club has frequent interactions: Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and the Pediatric Burn Unit in Boston.
Coach Russick is thrilled that his Hornets have been chosen once again to participate in this longstanding tradition. During the run-up to the game, the young skipper makes sure his players understand the significance of the group and its mission.
“The Shriners do such great work in the community and that’s something I always stress to the kids,” he said. “It’s important not just to be a good student and a good football player, but to give back to your community as well.”
Dr. Watson agrees whole-heartedly with his coaching colleague.
“It’s definitely an honor to be asked to play in this game,” he said. “I pray every year that the Shriners pick us to be a part of it. I’m a big believer in everything this organization stands for.”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Lackawanna football set for 30th Shrine Bowl Classic
