12/21/24

SCRANTON, Pa. -- As we approach the end of 2024, Lackawanna College Athletics is reflecting on the top moments from the 2024 athletics calendar, and revealing them one day at a time between now and the new year! 

Today's top event comes to us from the men's soccer!

#11: Danny Berg Returns To The Soccer Sidelines
The Lackawanna College men's soccer program had been experiencing unprecedented success on the field over the last two years, but turnover at the coaching position threatened to upend the 2024 campaign for the Falcons. That's where the Good Guy To Know stepped in to help out.

In early August 2024, Athletics Administrator and Director of Operations and Fundraising Danny Berg was named the interim head coach for the men's soccer team, marking his return to the Lackawanna College soccer sidelines after a ten year absence.

In another life, Danny was the first head coach for the Lackawanna College women's soccer program, spending a decade as the leader of the Falcons until resigning in 2015 to take an administrative role with the athletics department. Berg remained in coaching, eventually jumping back in to coach Valley View HS boy's and girl's soccer, turning the Cougars into perrennial Lackawanna League powers before resigning with Valley View. Berg serves as the Director of Operations and Fundraising for the athletics department at Lackawanna College, coordinating the travel schedules and arrangements for all the varsity sports, as well as the facility operations at the Lackawanna College Student Union. Berg also identifies avenues for the department to raise money to support the student-athletes at Lackawanna College.

So, needless to say, "The Good Guy to Know" had a relatively full dance card when he agreed to become the interim head men's soccer coach just a month before the season was set to start. Tasked with getting the group of seven returners ready for action, along with several new pieces, in just a few short weeks, Berg enlisted the help of assistant coach Micah Woodard, along with former Lackawanna softball player and current fellow in the athletics department, Kira Ryan, to get the Falcons ready to roll for the season.

So, the Falcons went from potentially not having a season, to playing a competitive ten-game schedule and finishing 4-6-0 on the year, which included winning three of their final four regular season contests. Berg's Falcons struggled initially, dropping their first three contests by a combined 18-4 margin, but they rounded into shape soon after that. The Falcons got a much-needed boost from a 4-2 victory over Northampton CC at home on October 5th, then, after a loss to Harcum, they knocked off Bucks County CC by a 2-1 margin on October 12th. The Falcons finished with clean sheets in two of their last three matches in the regular season, knocking off Morris by 9-0 on the road, then wrapping up the regular season with a 3-0 road victory at Penn State Scranton. Lackawanna's season came to a close on November 1st in the Region XIX DII semi-finals, dropping an 8-0 decision to eventual Region XIX champion Mercer County CC. It was the second straight season the Falcons fell in the Region XIX DII playoffs. 

Lackawanna had an All-Region XIX selection in midfielder/defender Ermir Hoti (Gjakova, Kosovo). Hoti led the Falcons in 2023 with ten goals and four assists from his spot in the midfield, but spent this year further at the back to try to help shore up the defense. He still finished with a goal and three assists, the goal coming on a curling free kick against Union College. Hoti and his teammate Guillermo Ramírez (Valencia, Venezuela) were named to the first-team All-EPAC squad this past season. Ramírez was the 2023 Region XIX DII Player of the Year and battled through a rough 2024 to put up a goal and an assist from his midfield spot.

Sophomore forward Sebastian Carmona (Scranton, PA) finished the year with a team-high six goals and four assists, ending up with 15 goals in his Lackawanna College career. First-year player Nahuel Minis (Old Forge, PA) had a standout season in his attacking midfield role, scoring five goals for the Falcons in 2024. 

Berg's presence on the sideline helped stabilize a shaky situation and gave Lackawanna its best chance at playing a meaningful season in 2024. It helped set the Falcons up for what they hope will be a successful 2025, and put building blocks in place to continue to grow the program in the right direction.

Top 14 Moments Of 2024 For Lackawanna College Athletics  
14) Women's Basketball Knocks Off Harcum College
13) Women's Soccer Returns To The Postseason
12) John Fox Comes Home For Wrestling
11) Danny Berg Returns To The Soccer Sidelines
10) ???
9) ???
8) ???
7) ???
6) ???
5) ???
4) ???
3) ???
2) ???
1) ???