Honesdale, Wallenpaupack Area and Western Wayne football teams feature talented tailbacks

REGION — Week 1 of the Lackawanna Football Conference campaign is now just days away and all three local teams are deep into final preparations for Opening Night.

Honesdale, Wallenpaupack Area and Western Wayne will each face a unique challenge on Friday when league action officially kicks-off at 7 p.m.

The Hornets and Buckhorns square off in the latest renewal of one of the area’s fiercest rivalries. Meanwhile, the Wildcats will travel to Lake Lehman for a non-conference battle with the Black Knights.

Not surprisingly, all three head coaches have built their offensive attacks around a bruising ground game that will feature a talented tailback.

More: Honesdale, Western Wayne and Wallenpaupack Area football teams solid in scrimmages

Also by Kevin Edwards: Western Wayne football team prepares in earnest for 2023 LFC campaign

Mason Avery of Honesdale, Paupack’s Dylan Podrazil and Josh Vinton of Western Wayne are each poised to be among this year’s elite runners in the entire LFC.

Let’s take a moment to meet these hard-working young men and get a feel for what drives them on the football field…

Hornet ground game: Meet Mason Avery

Mason Avery made a dazzling debut when he arrived on the varsity scene at Honesdale as a sophomore.

A multi-sport standout who also excels on the wrestling mat, Avery stepped in at tailback last fall and had an immediate impact.

Avery earned a couple of early season carries, but it wasn’t until Week 4 versus Lackawanna Trail that he started hitting his stride. He rushed for 58 yards in this one including a 19-yard TD scamper.

The explosive tailback was at his best during a three-game stretch late in the year, running for 112 yards against West Scranton, 159 versus Mid Valley and 140 in a heartbreaking loss at Dunmore.

Avery finished up the 2022 campaign with a team-best 616 yards rushing. He also scored five touchdowns, good for second on the squad.

“Mason is a rugged running back with an exciting combination of speed and power,” Coach Russick said. “He is eager to learn new plays and be an exciting part of the offensive scheme every week.

“It will be exciting to watch him develop as he not only runs outside, but can also hammer the ball between the tackles in short yardage situations.”

Avery has worked extremely hard during the offseason and is champing at the bit for Friday's Opening Night battle with archrival Paupack.

"I'm very excited," Mason said. "I can't wait to get the season started. One personal goal I'm setting for myself is to rush for at least 1,000 yards. For the team, we're shooting for a 7-3 record and the playoffs."

Buckhorn tradition: Meet Dylan Podrazil

Wallenpaupack Area has fielded football teams for a half-century.

Over the course of that time, the Buckhorns have become known for playing a tough, bruising, physical style … especially on offense. It’s a “run-first” philosophy that prioritizes establishing a potent ground game and dictating tempo in the trenches.

Dr. Mark Watson is unapologetic about it.

“Hey, only three things can happen when you throw the ball and two of them are bad,” he said with a laugh. “Call me old-fashioned but I prefer 3 or 4 yards and a cloud of dust.”

Paupack’s longtime head coach prides himself on developing an intimidating O-Line and a powerful backfield. Not surprisingly, he’s mentored a long list of 1,000-yard rushers.

The latest in that line of talented tailbacks is Dylan Podrazil. A senior who broke into Paupack’s starting line-up last fall, Podrazil ran for nearly 400 yards and five touchdowns in 2022.

Podrazil is already penciled in as this year’s starter and he looked good during Saturday’s scrimmage at Crestwood … a fact that has his veteran mentor giddy with anticipation for Week 1 of the LFC campaign.

“Dylan reminds me of Joe DeFebo and Pat Ingulli the way he hits the hole,” Dr. Watson said. “He worked hard this year to increase his strength and size. If Dylan can stay healthy he will be one of the top running backs in the league this year.”

For his part, Podrazil is excited for Friday night when the Bucks travel to Lake Lehman for their non-conference opener.

“We definitely have a tough schedule again this year,” Dylan said. “But I really think we can finish above .500 and make the playoffs. The main thing is that we just stick together and play better than last year.”

Podrazil worked hard for yardage as a junior, running predominantly between the tackles. While it was mostly slow going early on, that experience paid dividends late in the season.

In fact, Podrazil’s top two performances came in Paupack’s final two games. He powered his way to 104 yards and two touchdowns versus Dallas, then added 77 yards and and another TD against Scranton High School.

From an individual standpoint, Podrazil is gunning for a 1,000-yard season, which would be the realization of a childhood dream.

“I grew up playing football,” Dylan said. “I’ve pretty much had a ball in my hands my whole life. I started out playing quarterback and receiver, but then I settled in at tailback and I’ve been there ever since.”

Wildcat rushing attack: Meet Josh Vinton

At the start of the 2022 season, Western Wayne’s Josh Vinton had the good fortune to sit back and watch one of the region’s truly elite athletes.

Last fall, Luke Janiszewski was a senior coming off a brilliant junior campaign. He’d rushed for nearly 900 yards and was poised for a monster varsity finale.

Janiszewski more than lived up to all the hype, amassing more than 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns in just seven games. Sadly, though, what might have been a record-breaking season ended tragically with a knee injury against Lakeland.

That injury thrust Vinton right into the limelight, and he wasted no time embracing the opportunity.

Vinton dazzled during the season’s final four weeks, piling up an eye-popping 958 yards. He also demonstrated a nose for the end zone, scoring 13 touchdowns.

It’s exactly those kinds of numbers that has rookie head coach Shane Grodack genuinely excited for the prospect of a full season with Vinton in a starring role.

“Josh is a third year varsity player who’s gotten a lot of game experience on both sides of the ball,” Coach Grodack said. “He has an excellent work ethic and will be a big part of the offensive scheme this season.

“In addition to all the intangibles, Josh is a versatile running back who excels in the zone and our power running scheme.”

A multi-sport standout Vinton is also a highly intelligent young man who carries a 96 average in the classroom. Hence, he has a great deal to offer as a Wildcat leader this fall.

“I can’t wait to to get this season started!” Josh exclaimed. “I’m excited. I'm amped. I can’t wait to get back under those Friday night lights.

“I’m more than ready. We’ve come together so much as a team in the last couple weeks. It’s gonna be hard for anyone to stop us from bringing home that championship this year.”

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Local Lackawanna Football Conference teams feature talented tailbacks