Pittston Area’s Matt D’Aiello is about to bring down Crestwood running back Jake Jeckell as teammates Deondre Miller (3) and Antonio Lombardo (5) close in to assist.
Tom Robinson | For Sunday Dispatch
WRIGHT TWP. — One of the biggest questions hovering around the Pittston Area football team as it prepared to move into the second half of its schedule was whether the Patriots could withstand a second straight grueling contest.
Lucas LoPresto made sure the Patriots never had to directly answer that inquiry.
The junior all-purpose threat scored four touchdowns in less than 15 minutes while helping the Patriots race to a 33-point, second-quarter lead on the way to the Mercy Rule and a shortened night for the starting unit in a 47-14, Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 rout of host Crestwood.
While Crestwood was building a 44-0, first-quarter lead and coasting in from there last week, Pittston Area was frantically rallying and eventually winning in overtime at Dallas.
First-year Patriots coach Paul Russick said he was pleased with the attitude his players brought to the new week when they arrived at Monday’s practice.
“We just practiced hard,” LoPresto said. “An emotional win, usually teams don’t play well after that, but we just trusted the coaches and we played together.”
Both teams entered the night on three-game overall winning streaks. Crestwood had outscored opponents 153-28 during that time.
Pittston Area stopped that momentum cold with a 40-point first half.
Crestwood was beginning its Division 1 schedule and therefore was the only team other than Pittston Area without a loss in the division.
The Patriots are now 3-0 in the division and one win away from clinching at least a first-place tie. They are also 5-1 overall for the first time since 2003.
“This is our time,” LoPresto said. “If we want to make a good run, this is the team. We just need to work hard every work.
“We’re pretty confident. We’re playing good football right now.”
LoPresto is the best example of that.
All he did Friday night was catch six passes, turn four carries into 97 yards and three touchdowns, strip the ball away on a sack then pick it up and return it 37 yards for a touchdown, make four other tackles and break up a pass. He even returned a punt for a touchdown only to have it negated by a penalty for a hold on the opposite sideline.
“We knew coming up here was going to be a challenge,” Russick said. “I couldn’t be more excited for our kids with the way that we started. There’s no layover from a week ago. As a program that hasn’t really won a heckuva lot, that is a worry in the back of your head.
“It’s good to have Lucas LoPresto on our side as well as the rest of the cast that helped tonight.”
Brody Spindler, coming off his monster, two-way effort against Dallas, stopped the opening dri2ve with an interception that he returned 18 yards into Crestwood territory.
Spindler plowed his way to a fourth-and-three conversion, then served as the lead blocker as LoPresto cruised into the end zone from 7 yards out on the next play.
LoPresto made it 14-0 at the quarter when he took a Wildcat formation snap, faked a handoff and sprinted up the middle for an 80-yard touchdown.
“I don’t think they’re designed to break away, but when I get the chance, it goes well,” LoPresto said.
LoPresto scored again on a 6-yard run.
After his punt return touchdown was called back, Spindler broke off a 31-yard touchdown run to make it 27-0 before the midway point in the second quarter.
Just over a minute later, LoPresto added to the lead with his defensive touchdown.
“We’ve just been working on that during defense at practice, just punching the ball, ripping it out,” he said. “I just got it and ran.
“ … The energy on our bench was pretty high after that.”
Jaden Shedlock got Crestwood on the board with a 12-yard run, but Pittston Area responded before halftime.
Paulie Ferentino engineered a drive that packed 13 snaps – 10 official plays and three others that resulted in penalties – into 2:24. He hit John Jadus in a crowd near the goal line for an 11-yard touchdown with 12.2 seconds left in the half.
Freshman Kayden Bailey ran 35 yards for the touchdown that invoked the running clock with 3:44 left in the third quarter.
BY THE NUMBERS
Pittston Area’s Lucas LoPresto has scored this year on a kick return, punt return, interception return, fumble return, run and pass reception along with throwing a touchdown pass. He leads WVC Division 1 players with 14 touchdowns overall. … The Patriots outrushed the Comets 272-178, including 225-92 through three quarters. … LoPresto was 4-for-97 rushing, Brody Spindler was 11-for-75 and Kayden Bailey was 10-for-73 … Aiden Brody had five tackles and three assists while Deondre Miller, Santino Capitano and Victor Narsavage all had four tackles and two assists; LoPresto had four tackles and one assist; and Brody Spindler had three tackles and five assists. … The Patriots defense produced four sacks and only allowed one completion of more than 12 yards. … Capitano was in on three stops on kick coverage, including a solo tackle at the 10 on a kickoff.
UP NEXT
Pittston Area (3-0, 5-1) completes its series of facing the three toughest division opponents in success when it hosts Wilkes-Barre Area (1-1, 4-2) Friday. The Wolfpack was regarded as the preseason favorite in the division and lost to Dallas on a last-second field goal a week before the Patriots beat the Mountaineers in overtime. Wilkes-Barre Area defeated Hazleton Area 35-21 Friday night. Jake Howe went 20-for-27 passing with 204 yards and two touchdowns.
