North Pocono Football
North Pocono Football 1997 Season
Head coach Anthony Donato. After a win over Honesdale, North Pocono was briefly in the District 2 Class AAA field. The PIAA Board of Appeals then voted 3-2 to reverse Berwick’s expulsion, and the Trojans were out.
Anthony Donato was the coach. The Times Leader calls him Tony Donato.
A Sept. 9, 2017, Times-Tribune lookback, in the items from 20 years earlier, has Andrew Magnotta throwing three touchdown passes in a 47-8 win over Lakeland in September 1997.
A Sept. 16, 2017, lookback, in the items from 20 years earlier, has Tom Hughes catching an 18-yard touchdown pass with 52 seconds left as West Scranton won 14-7 in September 1997.
A Nov. 11, 2017, lookback, in the items from 20 years earlier, has Andrew Magnotta with five interceptions in a 21-13 win over Honesdale in November 1997.
The Nov. 6, 1997, Times Leader says the Trojans thought that Friday win over Honesdale had ended the season. A District 2 committee then put Berwick out, ordered the Bulldogs to forfeit eight wins, and put North Pocono in the Class AAA field. The PIAA Board of Appeals voted 3-2 to reverse that decision, on lineman Gus Felder’s semester eligibility, and North Pocono was out. Captains Andrew Magnotta, the quarterback and free safety, Kevin Johnson, a tight end and defensive end, and Nick Butler, a guard and defensive tackle, had stayed on the practice field while the appeal was open.
Notable games
Lakeland · W 47-8
September 1997. Andrew Magnotta threw three touchdown passes.
West Scranton · won 14-7
September 1997. Tom Hughes caught an 18-yard touchdown pass with 52 seconds left. West Scranton 14-7.
Honesdale · W 21-13
November 1997. Andrew Magnotta had five interceptions. The Times Leader says the team took that Friday win as the end of the season, then was briefly in the District 2 Class AAA field.