WILKES-BARRE — Josh Goodwin ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns Friday night as GAR outlasted Pittston Area, 26-19, in a lengthy game between Wyoming Valley Conference teams at Memorial Stadium.
GAR seemed to lose momentum during a 58-minute lightning delay in the last minute of the first quarter. The game was halted for nearly 20 minutes more after the second-half kickoff to treat GAR’s Gerson Peralta, who appeared to suffer a serious injury to his lower left leg on the play. The game started before 7 p.m. and ended at 10:35.
GAR scored on consecutive offensive plays in the first quarter for a 12-0 lead.
Pittston Area got off a short punt at the end of its first possession and the Grenadiers went 42 yards in eight plays.
Tashawn Qualls kept on an option for a 10-yard touchdown to give GAR 6-0 lead with 5:13 left in the first quarter.
The Grenadiers forced another punt and Josh Goodwin sprinted 64 yards off left tackle on the next play for the 12-point lead.
Following the delay, GAR did not have a point, first down or yard for the remainder of the first half.
That allowed the Patriots to close the halftime deficit to 12-6 on the first of three Walter Coles-to-Rich Wallace touchdown passes, a 9-yarder with 10:41 left in the second quarter.
Peralta was hurt on a 32-yard return into Pittston Area territory. His teammates took it from there, covering 48 yards in nine plays. The only pass of the drive produced the touchdown when Qualls hit Malachai Williams on third-and-goal from the 10. The same combination produced the two-pointer and 20-6 lead with 7:31 left in the third quarter.
Pittston Area attempted a comeback, sandwiching two more touchdown passes around Goodwin’s second touchdown.
Coles hit Wallace on a 76-yard touchdown in the middle of the third quarter and an 8-yarder midway through the fourth.
Goodwin’s 7-yard run came on the first play after a partially blocked punt.
After the last Coles-to-Wallace touchdown, GAR ran the final 5:21 off the clock by converting a pair of third downs.
Pittston Area had three offensive players surpass 100 yards. Coles went 10-for-22 for 181 yards. Wallace caught 4 passes for 102 yards. Keemar Woodruff carried 16 times for 117 yards.
After the last Coles-to-Wallace touchdown, GAR ran the final 5:21 off the clock by converting a pair of third downs.
Pittston Area had three offensive players surpass 100 yards. Coles went 10-for-22 for 181 yards. Wallace caught 4 passes for 102 yards. Keemar Woodruff carried 16 times for 117 yards.
GAR improved to 2-3. Pittston Area dropped to 1-4.
GAR 26, Pittston Area 19
Pittston Area`0`6`0`7`—`19
GAR`12`0`14`0`—`26
First quarter
GAR – Tashawn Qualls 10 run (pass failed), 5:13
GAR – Josh Goodwin 64 run (run failed), 2:07
Second quarter
PA – Rich Wallace 9 pass from Walter Coles (kick blocked), 10:41
Third quarter
GAR – Malachai Williams 10 pass from Qualls (Williams pass from Qualls), 7:31
PA – Wallace 76 pass from Qualls (kick blocked), 5:13
GAR – Goodwin 7 run (pass failed), 1:10
Fourth quarter
PA – Wallace 8 pass from Coles (Mike Mikitish kick), 5:20
Team statistics`PA`GAR
First downs`10`11
Rushes-yards`30-130`44-184
Passing yards`181`22
Total yards`311`206
Passing`10-22-0`2-3-0
Sacked-yards lost`1-10`1-4
Punts-avg.`3-24.7`4-28.3
Fumbles-lost`0-0`1-0
Penalties-yards`8-49`1-5
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — PA, Keemar Woodruff 16-117, Trevor Tigue 8-12, Tyler Ferlick 1-3, Dylan Spurlin 2-0, Walter Coles 3-minus 2. GAR, Goodwin 23-134, Mike Drozda 8-31, Qualls 11-26, Austin Yelland 1-1, Team 1-minus 8.
PASSING — PA, Coles 10-22-0-181. GAR – Qualls 2-3-0-22.
RECEIVING — PA, Wallace 4-102-3, Woodruff 3-40, Krawczyk 3-39. GAR – Anthony Hoopingarner 1-12, Williams 1-10.
