DUNMORE — After some indecision about playing this season, Kaylix Douglas returned to Lackawanna Trail’s lineup with a new number, new energy and a vengeance.
Back in action for only two weeks, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior defensive end and tackle dominated on both sides of the ball, and the Lions powered to a third straight win.
With Douglas recording four sacks and two tackles for loss, Lackawanna Trail rolled to a 48-6 win over Holy Cross on Saturday in a Lackawanna Football Conference Division III game.
Lackawanna Trail (3-5 overall, 3-0 Division III), the three-time reigning division champion, will host Carbondale Area (5-3, 3-0) on Friday.
“I feel great getting back to playing with the team,” Douglas said. “They are great people to be around. We have come together now.”
Lackawanna Trail, which lost its first five games of the season, has played with pride.
Against Holy Cross, the defense had seven total sacks, with Cooper Castellano, freshman Chase Stanton and senior Joey Wasilewski having one sack each. Holy Cross ran 30 plays for 25 total yards and had only two first downs.
On offense, the Lions ran the ball successfully.
Carter Edwards had 133 yards rushing on nine carries and a touchdown; Riley Borruso had 86 yards and two touchdowns; and as a team, the Lions finished with 293 yards rushing.
“I have a feeling that we have come together and are working as one cohesive unit now,” Lackawanna Trail senior lineman Anthony Paolucci said. “It took time. We communicate better and understand our assignments.
“More importantly, we are starting to play more physical.”
Timmy Richmond had a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown, and quarterback Lucas Filipek threw for 74 yards and two touchdowns as Lackawanna Trail had more than 400 yards of offense.
Lackawanna Trail jumped out to a 7-0 lead after Edwards broke through for a 58-yard run that led to a 2-yard score by Borruso.
In the second quarter, with the defense suffocating the Holy Cross offense, the Lions played the entire 12 minutes inside the 50. Edwards capped a drive with a 4-yard run, Richmond caught a 19-yard touchdown pass, Borruso had a 1-yard score and Richmond added a 1-yard touchdown for a 35-0 lead that kicked in the running clock for the second half.
“Honestly, we are working together,” Richmond said. “We played fantastic. We showed that we are playing so much better.”
After Douglas had a tackle for loss and a sack on the opening possession of the second half, Filipek hit Joey Thomas for a 10-yard touchdown, increasing the lead to 42-0.
“I just came out and tried to be as aggressive as I could be,” Douglas said. “Tony (Paolucci) did a great job. We just had a great game.”
Naim Ortiz got Holy Cross on the board with a 75-yard kickoff return.
Lackawanna Trail finished its scoring after freshman Lucas Brunner hit freshman Pierce Carpenter for 38 yards, and Brunner finished the drive with a 2-yard run.