By: Jeric Yurkanin
Moscow Pennsylvania– Well, here we are—it’s playoff time!
The North Pocono Junior Trojans C-Team welcomed Delaware Valley to the mountain for its first playoff game after a bye week. These teams had already played a thriller during the regular season, when North Pocono edged the Warriors, 7–6. The Trojans finished the regular season undefeated, and now they were ready to keep their season alive.
I arrived around 10:45 a.m. with a Dunkin’ sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich and my morning coffee. The C-Team was already on the field, warming up. It was about 45 degrees up on the mountain, but the sky was clear. By kickoff, the temperature had climbed to around 50, and the sun was shining bright. You couldn’t ask for better weather for playoff football.
North Pocono fans came ready to support their team. Some wore red Trojans sweatshirts; others bundled up in heavy coats and blankets. The sun was shining so brightly that one parent and a few fans brought pop-up tents for shade. By 11:45, only a few fans were in the stands on the away side, but the Trojans’ supporters were ready. During the game, fans held up encouraging signs for their favorite players.
That’s North Pocono football: a community that loves its kids, its players, and its teams. There’s no better place to be in NEPA on a playoff day.
The game was delayed a few minutes while the officials waited for the chain crew to get into place. Then the teams were ready—and the playoff battle was on.
North Pocono received the opening kickoff, and Daniel Romanko got right to work. On the first play, he carried the ball six yards from the Trojans’ 45 to the Delaware Valley 49. He added three more yards on the next play, but a false start pushed North Pocono back five yards.
Nate Bowers picked up two yards on third-and-six, bringing up fourth down. Delaware Valley needed a stop. Bowers dropped back, looked downfield, and found No. 14 Joseph Richards, who hauled in the pass and picked up 20 yards for a huge first down. Bowers and Richards were already showing how dangerous they could be together.
John Cellini ran for four yards on the next play. A couple of plays later, with the ball at the eight-yard line, Romanko found room and sprinted into the end zone. With 2:37 left in the first quarter, North Pocono led 6–0. The conversion was no good, but the Trojans had the first points of the afternoon.
The North Pocono defense came out ready to make a statement. Delaware Valley began its next possession at the Trojans’ 47, but after four plays, the Warriors had gained only four yards. Turnover on downs.
North Pocono’s next drive was slowed by a holding penalty, making it first-and-17. The Trojans couldn’t move the chains, and Delaware Valley’s defense came up with the stop it needed.
But the Warriors couldn’t find a way through North Pocono’s defense either. After five plays, Delaware Valley turned the ball over on downs. The Trojans took over, and Nate Fryc ran for eight yards from the Delaware Valley 42. Romanko followed with a four-yard gain, and Richards was stopped for a one-yard loss.
Then Bowers took over. He broke loose for 13 yards on third-and-four, bringing North Pocono to the 24-yard line. He was becoming the playmaker the Trojans needed. With the ball at the 11, Bowers carried it into the end zone for another touchdown.
North Pocono led 12–0 with 1:34 left in the half. Delaware Valley tried to move quickly, but the Trojans’ defense kept making it difficult to earn a first down. North Pocono ran two plays in the final seconds, including one called back for a false start, and the teams headed to halftime.
Delaware Valley received the second-half kickoff and started at its own 39. Five plays—and another false start—later, the Trojans’ defense had shut the Warriors down again. Turnover on downs.
North Pocono struggled to get a first down on its next possession, and Delaware Valley came away with an interception. At last, the Warriors found a little life. Maverick Elliott gained two yards, and Dakota Elliott added three. D. Elliott was stopped for a two-yard loss, but Maverick Elliott found a hole and burst through for a 32-yard run, taking the ball to the North Pocono 37 with 6:45 left in the game.
Delaware Valley kept pushing, but a holding penalty helped stall the drive. The Trojans’ defense stood firm and forced another turnover on downs. The Warriors had picked up just one first down all game.
North Pocono took over at its own 32. Romanko ran for eight yards, and Cellini followed with an eight-yard gain to move the chains. Cellini added three more yards, then Romanko picked up seven to bring the ball to the Delaware Valley 43.
A holding penalty pushed the Trojans back to their own 47, leaving them with third-and-11 and a big play to make. Who better to call on than the speedy Bowers?
He hit the middle, found a hole in the offensive line, and took off. Fifty-three yards later, he was in the end zone. That kid has wheels. If you blinked, you might have missed him—he was flying down the field.
“Bowers had a great game and made some big plays when we needed them. But those plays don’t happen without the guys up front doing their jobs. Our offensive line did a great job blocking and creating opportunities, and Bowers took advantage of them. It’s a perfect example of what can happen when all 11 players execute their assignments and work together,” North Pocono head coach Matthew Cellini said.
The Trojans’ defense was just as impressive. North Pocono’s defensive backs—Romanko and Bowers at cornerback—helped limit Delaware Valley’s opportunities. John Cellini, Knox Shotto, Richards, and Mason English anchored the linebacking corps, while Austin Coalson and Andrew Cole pressured from the defensive ends. Caleb Marquez and Andrew Hunt held the middle at defensive tackle.
It was a complete team effort from a defense that kept the Warriors searching for answers all afternoon.
“Defensively, we focused on playing disciplined football, tackling well, and making sure everyone understood their responsibilities. We stressed getting to the football, limiting big plays, and making Delaware Valley earn every yard. Our kids responded with a physical, team-oriented effort. Once again, it came down to fundamentals and execution. Everyone did their job, and that collective effort made the difference,” Cellini said.
North Pocono led 18–0 before Delaware Valley answered with a 49-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 18–6. The Trojans got the ball back, ran a few more plays, and then the final whistle sounded.
“I was really proud of how our kids came out and competed. All week, we emphasized the fundamentals: blocking, tackling, and executing our assignments. The kids bought into the game plan and played together as a team. We had some great individual performances, but ultimately, it was everyone’s collective effort, discipline, and execution that sealed the victory,” Cellini said.
The North Pocono Junior Trojans C-Team had done it. They shut down the Warriors, came through with the big plays, and earned an 18–6 playoff victory. The undefeated season continues—and the Trojans are moving on!
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