Annual UNICO football classic set for Saturday, June 1

WEST PITTSTON — The annual UNICO All-State Football Classic is set for 7 p.m. Saturday , June 1, at Wyoming Area’s stadium in West Pittston.

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5.

Derek Zambino is the UNICO chapter president, Jamie Anzalone is game chairman, and Randy Spencer is the Sponsor’s Award winner,

The game features the top seniors from the Wyoming Valley Conference plus local prep school Wyoming Seminary. Proceeds go to local charities.

The players banquet will be conducted at 6 p.m. Wednesday , May 29, at Fox Hill Country Club, Exeter. Sponsors award winner Randy Spencer of Wyoming Area is one of a few local coaches who has taken a Wyoming Valley team to a state championship

More than 5,000 local Wyoming Valley football players have played in the UNICO game since its inception.

UNICO is the largest Italian American organization in the United States. The Wilkes-Barre Chapter dedicates revenues derived from this game to local Wyoming Valley charities — 75% of the revenues are directed to charities or agencies associated with mental health, and 25% to general charities.

The Wilkes-Barre Chapter of UNICO has averaged in excess of $30,000 per year in donations to the various charities which benefit the local community.

History of UNICO game

According to information supplied by the Bill and Jamie Anzalone and UNICO, the UNICO All-Star Charitable Football Game started in December 1951.

The game has been played continuously since that date, honoring all-star seniors from each of the schools participating in the Wyoming Valley Conference.

The game was cancelled the year of the 1972 Agnes Flood, although the team was selected and recognized without a game.

Additionally, in 1974 the game was played twice when the UNICO game was played, followed by an All-Star team of UNICO playing an All-Star team of the members of the Dream Game in Lackawanna County.

Anzalone Law Offices, LLC has been the general sponsor of the game since 2016, underwriting all the expenses associated with the game and the Miss UNICO pageant.

Wyoming Area’s Randy Spencer will coach the Pioneers. New Pittston Area coach Joe DeLucca will coach the Miners.

The following players were selected to play in the game.

Pioneers

Berwick: Liam Carroll, OL/DL/LB; Jimmy DeAndrea, LB; Josh Kishbaugh, CB; Ethan Lear, QB; Harrison Snyder, DE/TE; Tyler Winter; RB.

Lake-Lehman: Jakob Daum, WR/OLB; Jacob McHenry, OL/DL; Justin Pudimott, RB/LB; Bayne Raspen, FB/TE/LB/DE; Brayden Savage, OL/DL.

Tunkhannock: Brody Gregory, OL/DL; Austin Holiday, WR/DB; Evan Montross, FB/LB; Joey Ross, OFF UTL/DB; Logan Ross, RB/LB.

Wyoming Area: Luke Barhight, FB/DE/LS; Liam Burke, K; Aaron Crossley, RB/LB; Jacob Gustitus, OL/DL; James Hizynski, TE/DE; Jayden Jones, OL/DL; Jacob Krulick, C; Skyler Pierce, DE/WR; Sam Rau, DL/OL; Nick Scalzo, NG; Anthony VanAuken, OL.

Wyoming Seminary: Joey English, WR/DB.

Wyoming Valley West: Tajae Albritton, WR/DB; Isaiah Cobb, RB/LB; Dajaun Edwards, OL; Jacoy Grant, OL/DL; Nasir Hall, OL/DL; Ty Makarewicz, WR/ DB; Bronx Maldonado, LB/DL; Zubair Sharif, TE/LB; Eliot Thomas, DL/OL; Maki Wells, WR/DB; Lucaz Zdancewicz, UTL.

Miners

Crestwood: James Barrett, K/P/RB; Mason Girton, LB; Logan Rolles, RB/LB; Matt Sklarosky, WR/DB; Jason Swank, WR/DB.

Dallas: Nick Farrell, TE/OLB; AJ Fife, OG/LB; Emmitt Moore, OL; Brady Rosencrans, OT/DE; Lucas Tirpak, DB/WR.

Hanover Area: Ezequiel Hernaiz-OL/DL; Jayden Shortz-RB/LB.

Hazleton Area: Robert Anderson, OL/DL; Brayan Calcano, OL/DL; Zander Coleman, TE/ILB; Brady Mizenko, RB/OLB; Peter Youngcourt, OL/DL.

Holy Redeemer: Owen Boshek, DL; Ryan Garvin, RB/LB; Luke Hajkowski, DL/OL; DJ McDermott, WR/LB.

Nanticoke Area: Steve Armstrong, FB/LB; Zack Fox, RB/DB; Jaidyn Johnson, TE/DE; Mike Park, OL/DL; Seth Raymer, TE/DE; Gavin Turak, WR/DB; Ryan Wiaterowski, OL/DL.

Pittston Area: Ciaran Bilbow, TE/DE/LB; Drew DeLucca, QB/DB; AJ Scalpi, DL/OL.

Wilkes-Barre Area: DJ Battle, DE; Connor Chapple, C/DT; Bobby Delescavage, DE/TE; Gio Gonzalez, OT/DT; Jovan Goodwin, WR/DB; Max Gregor, DE/OLB; Connor Kelly, LB/RB; Evan Laybourn-Boddie, WR/DB; Ariel Lopez, WR/DB; Howie Shiner, RB/LB.