Jermyn, PA — HONESDALE 41, LAKELAND 40 At Chapman Lake, in perhaps the wildest Lackawanna Football Conference game of the year, Honesdale broke a 4-game losing streak by outlasting Lakeland 41-40. The Hornets got the festivities underway on their opening drive. In just three minutes, Honesdale moved the football 82 yards. Senior tailback Mason Avery scored his first touchdown of the evening by covering the final 45 yards on a dead sprint down the left sideline to put the Hornets ahead 7-0. After forcing a Lakeland punt, Gabe Duda picked up a bouncing ball at his own 30-yard line and bounced 69 yards for another Honesdale touchdown. The Hornets led 14-0 with 7:20 remaining in the opening quarter. The Chiefs managed to crack the scoring column prior to the end of the first period as talented quarterback David Naniewicz found Gavin Roberts in the end zone on a 5-yard scoring toss to cut the Hornet lead in half at 14-7 with 3:12 remaining in the opening stanza. Early in the second quarter, Honesdale starting signal caller Aiden Collins appeared to injure an ankle, and did not return to the contest. He was ably replaced by sophomore Abe Bryant. On their next possession, Roberts pitched to Avery who sped 67 yards through the secondary for his second score of the ballgame. The Hornets led 21-7 with 8:15 left before halftime. On their ensuing possession, the Chiefs utilized the running talents of quarterback Naniewicz. The rangy junior sprinted around right end and loped 43 yards for the score, once again slicing the Honesdale lead to 7 points at 21-14. Bryant made his presence felt to the Lakeland defense on the very next possession when he connected with Avery from 32 yards to give the Hornet back his third tally and Honesdale reinstated their lead to 14 at 28-14 with just 2:49 left in the second period. Not to be denied, the Chiefs mounted a drive that ended with Naniewicz scoring again, this time from 7 yards away with just seconds remaining before intermission. The teams headed to the locker room after a wild first half with Honesdale leading 28-21. The Chiefs quickly took the lead by scoring the only two touchdowns of the third quarter, the first on a 75-yard kickoff return and the second on a Naniewicz pass to Gavin Roberts who took the short toss 45 yards to the end zone. After a missed extra point, the quarter ended with the homestanding Chiefs up 34-28. The Hornets were able to tie the football game on Avery’s fourth score of the night. The senior reached the end zone once again on a 12-yard burst. The extra point was missed and the score was tied at 34 with 4:51 left in the contest. Honesdale capitalized on a Lakeland turnover to score their final touchdown of the football game. Roberts acquitted himself admirably once again by hitting Conlan Keast on a 76-yard catch and run with just 2:12 left. The Hornets led 41-34 and kicked the ball off to Lakeland. With just 30 seconds remaining, Naniewicz rifled his second scoring pass of the night, this time to favorite target Chase Rosenkrans from 30 yards away. The Chiefs decided to go for two points, but a Naniewicz pass was broken up in the end zone. The Hornets recovered the Chiefs last-gasp onside kick and ran out the final time to end an incredibly entertaining contest with a 41-40 victory. Honesdale (3-4 overall, 1-2) will travel to Nanticoke in an interleague matchup next week. Lakeland (2-5, 0-2) will visit unbeaten Western Wayne. SCORING SUMMARY 1st Quarter HON – Mason Avery 45-yd run (Trace Bibbers kick) – Honesdale 7-0 HON – Gabe Duda 69-yd punt return (Bibbers kick) – Honesdale 14-0 LAK – Gavin Roberts 5-yd pass from David Naniewicz (Ryan Bianchi kick) – Honesdale 14-7 2nd Quarter HON – Avery 67-yd run (Bibbers kick) – Honesdale 21-7 LAK – Naniewicz 43-yd run (Bianchi kick) – Honesdale 21-14 HON – Avery 32-yd pass from Abe Bryant (Bibbers kick) – Honesdale 28-14 LAK – Naniewicz 7-yd run (Bianchi kick) – Honesdale 28-21 3rd Quarter LAK – Roberts 7-yd pass from Naniewicz (Bianchi kick) – Tied 28-28 LAK – Roberts 45-yd pass from Naniewicz (Kick failed) – Lakeland 34-28 4th Quarter HON – Avery 12-yd run (Try failed) – Tied 34-34 HON – Conlan Keast 76-yd pass from Bryant (Bibbers kick) – Honesdale 41-34 LAK – Chase Rosenkrans 30-yd pass from Naniewicz (Pass failed) – Honesdale 41-40