Note: Tuesday, July 30, marked the official start of the local high school football season as players and coaches from across the Lackawanna Football Conference gathered at the Regal Room for Media Day 2024. This is the fourth in a series of stories covering that event and previewing the upcoming campaign.
OLYPHANT — Lakeland football fans found themselves in very unfamiliar territory last fall.
One of the region's most consistently dominant teams over the past three decades, the Chiefs spiraled to a 1-9 record in Lackawanna Football Conference action in 2023.
Youth, inexperience, injuries and key losses to graduation combined to leave coach Dave Piwowarczyk and his staff shaking their heads in disbelief.
“That's never happening again,” Piwowarczyk said bluntly at Media Day 2024. “It was a horrendous year, but I think we learned a lot from it. I'm definitely looking for us to get back in the groove this season and remind everybody exactly what Lakeland football is traditionally all about.”
The Chiefs are just two years removed from a stretch that saw them go 26-4, win a district title and earn an invitation to the PIAA state tournament.
Those kinds of results are what Lakeland fans have come to expect of a program that boasts Suburban Conference, Big 11 and LFC championships on its all-time resume.
And according to Piwowarczyk, getting back into the title hunt is a distinct possibility.
“We have very good numbers this year,” he said. “The kids really bought into our off-season program, so that's definitely great to see. If we have a couple of young kids step up and if our seniors rise to the challenge, we're going to be very competitive.”
Veteran leaders
Two of those returning starters accompanied their veteran coach to this year's LFC Media Day
Chris Chmiola is a senior who plays a big role on offense and defense. One of the team's most versatile athletes, Chmiola will see action at inside linebacker, running back and receiver.
“Chris is by far our best senior leader,” Piwowarczyk said. “He always gets the kids fired up. Chris is really good about making sure his teammates are doing the right things and he holds them accountable, which is great to see.”
Chmiola rushed for a team-best 428 yards and three touchdowns last fall. He also contributed to the aerial game, catching 20 passes for another 146 yards. He even completed six passes for 100 yards and one more TD.
For his part, Chmiola is all about setting a good example for the younger players on the team.
“I bring a lot of energy to the field and they just feed off it,” Chmiola said. “I love everything about being on the football field. I'm really expecting us to go out there and compete this year. We all have high expectations, especially after last year.”
David Naniewicz will be entering his second season as the starting quarterback. Last fall as a sophomore, he threw for nearly 900 yards and six touchdowns. He also completed 60 percent of his passes over the last five games.
“I'm looking for David to take that next big step forward in our offense,” said Piwowarczyk. "He's done a ton of work and I'm excited to see what he can do.”
Naniewicz hopes he and his teammates can quickly make fans forget about what happened in 2023.
“The biggest thing I want to see is for us as a team to keep grinding and never go 1-9 ever again,” he said. “Our chemistry is great this year. We're looking to get back to playing traditional Lakeland football.”
On the schedule
Lakeland kicks-off its regular season slate Friday, Aug. 23. at home against longtime rival Carbondale.
They then hit the road for a rare Saturday afternoon game in Week 2 at Holy Cross. That contest is set for a 2 p.m. start at St. Anthony's Playground.
“There are a couple of really important games on our schedule,” he said. “Carbondale has been our main rival for a long time, but we also have Dunmore and Western Wayne, too.”
The Chiefs will host the Bucks on Friday, Sept. 27, then play the Wildcats on the road Friday, Oct. 11.
Keys to success
Lakeland fielded a young team last fall and those players took their lumps against bigger, more experienced opponents.
The good news is that the Chiefs return nine starters on each side of the ball, a fact that has Piwowarczyk expecting big things from this year's squad.
“We just have to put last year behind us and focus on this year,” he said. “We're definitely going to take things one day, one game at a time and be competitive every time we step on the field.”
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: How will Lakeland football rebound from a rare losing season?
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