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Our View: No matter your allegiance, cheer for Dallas, Wyoming Area

<p>Back in 2016, Dallas had 12 freshmen on the roster. They took some tremendous beatings that year on the way to a 2-9 record.</p><p>Eleven of them remain and now get to play for the pinnacle of high school football in their senior year &#8212; a state championship. That will happen starting at 7 p.m. today at Hersheypark Stadium as District 2 champion Dallas (15-0) takes on District 7 champion Thomas Jefferson (15-0) for the Class 4A crown.</p><p>Those seniors received mounds of credit for producing the best season in school history, but fifth-year coach Rich Mannello wanted to clarify something.</p><p>&#8220;This is the fifth year and every class that came before this one is responsible for what&#8217;s happening right now. We&#8217;ve got to get that straight,&#8221; Mannello said. &#8220;We are not where we&#8217;re at in this football season without every class that came before them. All starting with that first group with David Simpson, Cole (Dixon), Ryan Martin, that whole crew. They bought in &#8212; the weight room, the accountability, the work ethic. Every class after that contributed. They all had something to push the bar.</p><p>&#8220;But this group in ninth grade, they held true to the process and embraced the process and went through that grind in the weight room.&#8221;</p><p>Two examples will be on the line &#8212; seniors Josh Balara and Xander Shaner. Mannello remembers Balara losing his starting job as a freshman but regaining it by continued hard work. It&#8217;s paid off and he&#8217;ll play at Dartmouth next fall. Shaner needed two years on the varsity &#8212; and especially in the weight room &#8212; to finally break the starting lineup.</p><p>Quarterback Michael Starbuck didn&#8217;t crack the starting lineup until midway through his freshman season. Running back Lenny Kelley, who has rushed for over 2,600 yards this season, didn&#8217;t start until Week 9 as a freshman.</p><p>Others like linebacker Dylan Schuster, receivers/defensive backs Luke DelGaudio and Matt Maransky and tight end/defensive end Jack Farrell got tossed into the varsity battles as well in 2016.</p><p>Mannello restructured the program early on, moving freshmen to the varsity where they can play in junior varsity games. The junior high team is exclusively for seventh and eighth graders where they don&#8217;t have to compete with freshmen for playing time.</p><p>&#8220;The decision had to be triggered on how can we get the most kids playing football from minis through the varsity,&#8221; Mannello said. &#8220;How do we get them the most reps. Also in that discussion was how do I get my hands around the offensive linemen faster because the way football is being played most places now is sideways. So on the D-line you can get away with linebacker-type kids you can put on their hands.</p><p>&#8220;On the offensive line, you still need to knock people back. The technique part on the offensive line is a time thing. It&#8217;s reps and years.&#8221;</p><p>Dallas surprised some observers by knocking off four-time PIAA finalist Imhotep Charter 43-36 in the state quarterfinals. Now another state heavy hitter awaits.</p><p>Jefferson has three state titles under its belt. The Jaguars have won at least 11 games in 17 of their last 18 seasons, including this year. The program hasn&#8217;t had a losing season since going 2-8 in 1994.</p><p>Jefferson also has a future Ivy Leaguer on the line in Mac Duda, who will play at Princeton. Quarterback Shane Stump is a three-year starter who, like Starbuck, received a taste of varsity action as a freshman.</p><p>Daniel Deabner has made plays on both sides of the ball as a receiver and defensive back. He, Stump and linebacker James Martinis have offers from Division I Valparaiso.</p><p>The Jaguars dealt with a setback when starting running back DeRon VanBibber was lost for the season with a knee injury about midway through the campaign. Backup Dylan Mallozzi seized the opportunity and has rushed for over 150 yards five times, including 168 in last week&#8217;s 44-2 semifinal win against Lampeter-Strasburg.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Dallas seniors Xander Shaner (52), Michael Starbuck (7) and Josh Balara (76) were all thrown into the varsity fray as freshmen back in 2016. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_ttl091419DallasFball2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Dallas seniors Xander Shaner (52), Michael Starbuck (7) and Josh Balara (76) were all thrown into the varsity fray as freshmen back in 2016. </caption0><photoCredit0>Zachary Allen file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL113019Dallas-JerseyShoreFB_7-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Upon taking over as Dallas coach, Rich Mannello made it a main goal to &#8216;get the most kids playing football from minis through the varsity,&#8217; particularly on the offensive line. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL113019Dallas-JerseyShoreFB_7-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Upon taking over as Dallas coach, Rich Mannello made it a main goal to &#8216;get the most kids playing football from minis through the varsity,&#8217; particularly on the offensive line. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader  </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_wba_dal1_faa-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Matt Maransky will be among several seniors playing their final game for Dallas in the Class 4A state championship game Thursday against Thomas Jefferson. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_wba_dal1_faa-1-.jpg</photo2><caption2>Matt Maransky will be among several seniors playing their final game for Dallas in the Class 4A state championship game Thursday against Thomas Jefferson. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams file photo | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Dallas takes on Thomas Jefferson for state title</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By John Erzar</p><p>jerzar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>PIAA CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP</strong></p><p><strong>Dallas (15-0) vs. Thomas Jefferson (15-0)</strong></p><p><strong>7 p.m. Thursday, Hersheypark Stadium</strong></p><p><strong>TV:</strong> PCN</p><p><strong>Admission:</strong> $8 at the gate</p><p><strong>Last Meeting:</strong> never played </p><p><strong>Quick Fact: </strong>District 7 champion Thomas Jefferson won state championships in 2004, 2007 and 2008. Dallas won a state championship in 1993.</p></factboxMeta></div>

H.S. football: Dallas built its way to tonight’s PIAA Class 4A championship game