Just two weeks into the Wyoming Valley Conference field hockey slate, Pittston Area and Wyoming Area have each put themselves in position to make a run toward the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association District 2 championships.

Both teams earned wins this week to help their causes as the middle of the season begins to ware on.

Pittston Area copped its first Division 1 win with a 4-3 decision over host Delaware Valley on Monday. There, Julia Stella scored the game-winner midway through the second half. The Warriors, however, didn’t have as much luck early in the week.

Wyoming Area took a hard loss, 8-1, on Monday against Crestwood. The team quickly rebounded with two more wins later in the week to solidify themselves as a contender in Division 2.

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Pittston Area is currently in fourth place in the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 with a 1-3-1 mark. Coughlin leads the division at 6-0. Wyoming Area remains 1.5 games behind Lake-Lehman in Division 3. The Warriors sit at 4-2, while Lake-Lehman is 6-0.

That would leave Pittston Area in a tight race for the final Class AAA District 2 tournament slot. The top four teams in Division 1 will play for the title. For Wyoming Area in Class AA, the Warriors must finish in first place in the division or have one of the next five best records to get to the championships.

That’s a long way off. The District 2 tournament will not start until Tuesday, Oct. 27. For both teams, however, every game and every stroke counts. The District 2 finals will be Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Wyoming Area 7

Nanticoke 0

Bree Bednarski tallied five goals, Jillian Spak had two of her own and both Madison Mulhern and Emilie Wanko recorded two assists as Wyoming Area cruised past Nanticoke Area. The Warriors recorded 23 shots on goal during the game.

Nanticoke Area goalie Janna Trotter made 17 saves during the game.

Hazleton Area 7

Pittston Area 4

Victoria Middleton scored four goals and Kara Sanford added two goals and two assists as Hazleton Area held on to defeat Pittston Area on Thursday.

Pittston Area’s late comeback was led by goals from Molly Walsh, Abbie Vaxmonsky and Nina Cierelli. Paige Danko also scored in the first half for Pittston Area, but Hazleton’s offense would prove to be too much.

Wyoming Area 2

Meyers 1

Bree Bednarski scored both goals for the Warriors, including the game-winner with 2:19 left in regulation on a set-up by Jillian Spak on Wednesday.

Katie Wolfgang picked up the win in the cage for the Warriors. Wyoming Area outshot Meyers 14-4. Morgan Brink had the lone goal for the Mohawks.

Pittston Area 4

Delaware Valley 3

Julia Stella scored the game-winning goal for Pittston Area at 9:18 in the second half for Pittston Area on Monday.

She was assisted on the play by Ali Dunn, who finished with two assists on the day. Paige Danko finished with a goal and an assist. Alana Platukus and Molly Walsh scored for Pittston Area as well.

Delaware Valley outshot the Patriots 15-9, but Pittston Area made the most of its chances.

Crestwood 8

Wyoming Area 1

Wyoming Area’s Bree Bednarski scored the team’s lone goal, after trailing 8-0, in an 8-1 loss to Crestwood on Monday.

Bednarski’s tally came from Jillian Spak with 10 minutes to play in the game. Katie Wolfgang led Wyoming Area with 11 saves on 19 Crestwood shots. Wyoming Area was outshot 19-6.

Wyoming Area hosts Northwest on Monday, while Pittston Area travels to Honesdale on Tuesday. The Warriors travel to Dallas on Wednesday.

Crestwood’s Kathryn Karpinski, left, tries to steal the ball from Wyoming Area’s Jillian Spak in Monday’s game at Atlas Field.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_dispatch1.jpg.optimal.jpgCrestwood’s Kathryn Karpinski, left, tries to steal the ball from Wyoming Area’s Jillian Spak in Monday’s game at Atlas Field. Sean Mckeag | Sunday Dispatch

Crestwood’s Hunter Pitman, right, defends the ball against Wyoming Areas’s Madison Mulhern in Monday’s game at Atlas Field.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_dispatch2.jpg.optimal.jpgCrestwood’s Hunter Pitman, right, defends the ball against Wyoming Areas’s Madison Mulhern in Monday’s game at Atlas Field. Sean Mckeag | Sunday Dispatch

Pittston Area’s Haley Norwillo, right, works against Hazleton Area’s Grace Greco Thursday in Hughestown.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_PAfieldhockey3.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Haley Norwillo, right, works against Hazleton Area’s Grace Greco Thursday in Hughestown. Nick Wagner | Sunday Dispatch

Pittston Area’s Ali Dunn, left, battles against Hazleton Area’s Victoria Middleton Thursday in Hughestown.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_PAfieldhockey1.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Ali Dunn, left, battles against Hazleton Area’s Victoria Middleton Thursday in Hughestown. Nick Wagner | Sunday Dispatch

Pittston Area’s Julia Stella battles a Hazleton Area defender on Thursday in Hughestwon.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_PAfieldhockey2.jpg.optimal.jpgPittston Area’s Julia Stella battles a Hazleton Area defender on Thursday in Hughestwon. Nick Wagner | Sunday Dispatch
PA cops first division win, Warriors rebound after tough loss

By Nick Wagner

nwagner@timesleader.com

Reach Nick Wagner at 570-602-0178 or on Twitter @Dispatch_Nick