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Many years ago there was a Wyoming Valley Conference girls basketball team that was ranked seventh in the state in the preseason.

The coach’s response when told of this: “We might not win seven games.”

For the record, the team won eight games that season. But it goes to show that state rankings — for any sport — shouldn’t be taken as gospel truth.

Shortly after Lake-Lehman pummeled state-ranked Old Forge 42-13 — and anyone who describes it otherwise obviously didn’t see the game — Black Knights coach Jerry Gilsky wondered if his team did enough to break into the Class 2A state rankings.

Apparently not. Lehman remained an honorable mention in the Pennsylvania Football News rankings and a team-to-watch in the Harrisburg Patriot-News rankings.

Meanwhile, Old Forge, which had to rally to defeat GAR and Lakeland, dropped from seventh in Class A to ninth in the Patriots-News rankings. PFN moved the Blue Devils from sixth to the honorable mention category, a shift more fitting for what transpired last Friday night.

Perhaps the drop should have been farther considering Lehman’s top two offensive threats — running backs Joey Vigil and Nick Eury — were on the field together for only six of 50 offensive plays due to injuries. Plus, Old Forge’s first touchdown was more of a result of shoddy Lehman tackling than anything else. The second score came when a Blue Devil recovered a horrific punt snap in the end zone.

But do the people who do state rankings — and there are several versions floating around the Internet — know those facts? Very doubtful. The state is too big with too many teams for every game on every weekend to be analyzed with precision.

Three District 2 programs — Berwick, Dunmore and Old Forge — often break into the state rankings. Sometimes it’s based on merit; sometimes because of reputation. All three have either won or played for state championships. Reputation means a lot and can skew perception. Berwick, like Old Forge, showed flaws this season yet popped into some state rankings in Class 3A. Then the Dawgs disappeared with a 34-6 loss to Wyoming Valley West.

This doesn’t mean state rankings are nonsense. They have value and are fairly accurate. But they are extremely difficult to get correct.

TYING A WORSE

Wyoming Valley West’s 34-6 victory over Berwick tied for the worst loss the Dawgs have suffered since coach George Curry returned in 2012. The other 28-point loss was 42-14 to Archbishop Wood in the 2013 PIAA Class 3A state playoffs.

Berwick is 36-7 since Curry returned with the losses coming to Valley West (3), Crestwood (2), Abington Heights (1) and Archbishop Wood (1).

CAMPBELL HITS ROUGH SPOT

Former Berwick coach Gary Campbell Jr. has done well since returning to Wahconah Regional, the Massachusetts school he left to coach Berwick from 2006-2011. Doing well until the past two weeks.

Wahconah followed up a 32-28 loss to Hadley with a 43-21 setback to Taconic last Friday. According to iberkshire.com, it was the first time since Campbell came back to Wahconah that the team lost consecutive games.

SUPER SUB

Lake-Lehman has two outstanding backs in Nick Eury and Joey Vigil. But due to injuries, the duo were on the field for just six of 50 offensive plays.

In stepped sophomore Trey Borger, who rushed 12 times for 89 yards. Coach Jerry Gilsky has mentioned Borger’s ability several times and with Eury and Vigil gone after this season he will have a prominent role in 2016.

BACK ON THE FIELD

Anybody who followed WVC boys basketball knows who Meyers’ Omar Kelly is. As a freshman last season, Kelly was considered one of the top defenders on the varsity level. But Kelly was also a standout on the freshmen football team according to reports.

Kelly made his first appearance last Friday against Lackawanna Trail after missing the first three games with an injury. He’s someone to keep an eye on in the future.

WAYBACK MACHINE

Vincent Todd returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Dallas last Friday, marking the first time a Crusader returned a kickoff for a touchdown in a regular-season game since 2011. Russell Monroe had a 76-yard TD return that year.

Todd’s return is officially listed as a 95-yard return, but he only ran the last 90. Chris Wright took the kickoff, ran five yards and then handed off to Todd.

100 AND 100

There was a rarity the past two weeks in the WVC. Wyoming Valley West’s Sean Judge returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown against Pittston Area in Week 3. GAR’s Dajon Rush did the same last Friday against Northwest.

STREAK GONE

Old Forge won 13 consecutive games against WVC opponents until being wiped out 42-13 by Lake-Lehman last Friday.

The WVC team to defeat the Blue Devils was GAR, which won 9-8 in Week 2 of the 2010 season.

BACK TO REALITY

Three weeks ago, Meadville defeated DuBois 107-90. Since then, things have settled down for both teams.

Meadville has defeated Bradford 57-14 and lost to Erie Strong Vincent 48-43. DuBois has lost 56-21 to Conneaut and 63-13 to Erie Cathedral Prep.

Imagine giving up 56 and 63 points on consecutive weekends and consider it a better defensive effort than in Week. 2.

Lake-Lehman’s Joey Vigil (25) gets a block from lineman Chris Traver (79) as he follows Trey Borger (11) down the field on the way to a 65-yard touchdown against Old Forge last Friday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_Lake-Lehman-Old-Forge-ftbl-3.jpg.optimal.jpgLake-Lehman’s Joey Vigil (25) gets a block from lineman Chris Traver (79) as he follows Trey Borger (11) down the field on the way to a 65-yard touchdown against Old Forge last Friday. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

By John Erzar

[email protected]

Hanover Area to honor Alex Kopacz

Hanover Area will dedicate the football fieldhouse at Hanover Memorial Stadium in honor of former head football coach Alex Kopacz prior to Friday’s game with Northwest.

The fieldhouse dedication will take place at 6 p.m. Former players, friends and fans are welcomed to attend. Kickoff for the game is 7 p.m. Players from the 1990 Class 2A state championship team will also be honored.

Kopacz, a 1967 Hanover Area graduate, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2012. He was the head football coach for the Hawks from 1982 to 1996, and compiled a record of 102-70-2, including a Class 2A state championship in 1990, a state runner-up finish in 1991, five Wyoming Valley Conference titles, four Eastern Conference titles and one District 2 title.

Kopacz is a five-time WVC Coach of the Year and the 1990 Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association Class 2A Coach of the Year, as well as the 1991 Associated Press Pennsylvania Small School Coach of the Year.

Kopacz is currently retired with his wife, Christine, in Venice, Florida. They are the parents to two sons and grandparents of five.

After the football game, former players are invited for a get-together with Kopacz at Major League Sports Bar on Main Street in Sugar Notch. For more information, contact Grant S. Palfey at [email protected]

Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar