PECKVILLE — Mando Sallavanti and Cooper Califano lead a highly decorated group of five Old Forge players that will take the field together one more time Wednesday night as members of the County team that will take on the City in the 82nd annual Dream Game at John Henzes/Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Scranton Lions Club sponsors the game for recent graduates of the Lackawanna Football Conference.
Mike Cantarella, Jaret Horn and Christian Mitchell join Sallavanti and Califano. They were part of a talented class that led Old Forge to the most successful three-year stretch in school history.
The Blue Devils won three LFC Division 3 and District 2 Class A titles on the way to the state playoffs in their sophomore through senior seasons. They went to overtime of the state Class A final before falling in 2013 and made it back to the state semifinals last season.
Sallavanti, at linebacker, and Califano, at tailback, were named first-team Class A all-state by the Pennsylvania Football News while also making major contributions on the other side of the ball.
The team’s leader with 10 sacks, 41 total tackles for losses and nearly 12 tackles per game, Sallavanti was named LFC Division 3 Defensive Player of the Year and all-District 2 linebacker by NPFSports.com. He was also a first-team division all-star tight end.
Califano ran for more than 1,545 yards and 28 touchdowns, including 261 yards and six touchdowns in the 51-7 state quarterfinal rout of Wyncote Bishop McDevitt. He was first-team Division 3 at tailback and second-team at linebacker.
Cantarella, a 270-pounder, was an all-District 2 offensive lineman and the LFC Division 3 Lineman of the Year, according to NPFSports.com. He was a two-way, first-team division choice in the line.
Horn was a first-team division all-star at wide receiver and kicker. He led the team in receiving and also started at defensive back.
Mitchell, a second-team division all-star defensive lineman, also played center.
Old Forge has the most players in the game out of any of the 10 schools that make up the County roster.
