Dec 9, 2014 4 min read

Jack Henzes has witnessed first-hand how high school football has changed over the past 50 years. The first Scranton-area coach to win a football state title, Henzes has been leading Dunmore’s program since 1971.

Henzes learned the game from his father, John Henzes, a legendary coach who once held the state record for career wins. Jack Henzes went on to play at George Washington University before embarking on a historic 43-year coaching career at Dunmore. He led the Bucks to the PIAA Class A title in 1989, and finished as runner-up in 2007 and 2012.

Much has changed since Henzes was hired as head coach in 1970.

“When I first started coaching, you didn’t see all the wideouts you have today,” Henzes joked. “You have to deal with that, so we have to have people on the field who aren’t as big as they were in the past. You have to have athletes on the field. You learn to adjust.”

Henzes and Dunmore (14-1), the District 2 champion, will see plenty of wide receivers Saturday when it faces South Fayette (15-0) at Hersheypark Stadium with the PIAA Class AA championship on the line. Kickoff is noon.

As a member of the Lackawanna Football Conference, Dunmore faces mostly power-running teams during the regular season. Throwing the football is an afterthought for teams in District 2.

Henzes adopted a run-first mentality when he became the Bucks’ head coach and the program’s success speaks volumes.

Dunmore, which has won 14 straight games, has rushed for 3,640 yards. The Bucks average 323.8 rushing yards per game and have five players with at least 400 yards. They have 65 rushing touchdowns.

Senior quarterback Eric DeLuccie has thrown only 81 passes – 269 fewer than South Fayette quarterback Brett Brumbaugh, who needs 334 yards to break the state’s single-season passing record.

Though South Fayette’s defense allows only 3.6 yards per carry and has forced 49 turnovers, Henzes plans to stick to the script.

“We’re not going to change much,” Henzes said. “These are the things that have taken us to this present time. Even the last game, we moved the ball 80 yards in six minutes. We haven’t seen a team that runs to the football and uses their hands defensively as well as South Fayette.”

Sophomore tailback Colin Holmes leads Dunmore with 1,592 yards and 23 touchdowns, and senior Sal Marchese, who is questionable for Saturday’s game with a high ankle sprain, has 1,272 yards and 19 touchdowns.

With a large offensive line featuring seniors Tim and Dan Drewes – 6-2, 280-pound twins – the Bucks aren’t shy about running directly at opposing defenses.

South Fayette head coach Joe Rossi said he could not begin to describe the level of respect he has for Henzes, who began coaching at Dunmore four years before Rossi was born. Rossi compared Dunmore to South Park, the Lions’ Century Conference rival, which also has a big offensive line paving the way for a strong running game.

“They are well-coached. They know what they do,” Rossi said of Dunmore. “They don’t make mistakes, they feed off your mistakes. It’s similar to us and that’s why they are successful. They are huge up front. Their running backs are big and strong. They let you know where the ball is going. You just have to stop it.”

Dunmore has succeeded by controlling time of possession while running in a power-I formation with two tight ends and a stingy defense.

In their first 11 wins, the Bucks allowed 11.9 point per game. Facing more pass-oriented offenses the past three games, Dunmore has allowed 22 points per game. The only spread offense Henzes’ team faced was in the season-opener when Dunmore lost to Scranton Prep, 26-0.

Though the combination of Brumbaugh and Lions junior running back Hunter Hayes has Henzes concerned, his game plan relies on his offensive line standing tall against South Fayette’s defense.

“They really get their hands into you,” Henzes said. “You really have to sustain your blocks because they come off the ball extremely well they run to the football. Their speed is outstanding. It’s probably the best we’ve seen all year.”

Dunmore

Location: Dunmore, in Lackawanna County, 4 miles northeast of Scranton.

Nickname: Bucks

Record: 14-1

State championships: 1, Class A in 1989

Last time in PIAA final: 2007, Class AA

Famous alumni: Tim Ruddy, Miami Dolphins’ 2nd-round draft choice out of Notre Dame in 1994, played 10 seasons in NFL; Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers; Paul W. Richards, former NASA astronaut, on Space Shuttle mission in 2001.