Pittston Area season review

Pittston Area’s entire five-game Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 schedule was packed, in succession, into the middle of the team’s regular season.

The three toughest challenges among those games came in the fifth, sixth and seventh weeks.

The streak the Patriots put together while navigating that schedule allowed them to enter this weekend with one championship – the WVC Division 1 title – already in hand.

Pittston Area finished 5-0 in the division and was 7-1 overall going into Friday night’s game at Wallenpaupack.

A recap of the team’s first eight weeks:

Mid Valley, 46-9 win

Paul Russick’s debut as head coach at his alma mater provided an immediate sign that this could be a special season, reversing a 32-0 loss in last season’s opener.

Jude Ferentino ran for 114 yards and Paulie Ferentino needed just seven attempts to throw three touchdown passes for the Patriots.

Stephen Barnic caught two of the touchdown passes. Lucas LoPresto, who also had an 89-yard kickoff return for a score, had the other touchdown reception.

North Pocono, 34-21 Loss

The early-season meeting matched what are now the leaders of the two large-school divisions of the conferences in District 2.

North Pocono lost leading rusher Joe Briskie to injury early in the game, but both Cole West and Jayden Taylor ran for more than 100 yards.

West carried seven times for 111 yards and caught two passes for 80 yards. West scored three touchdowns and intercepted a pass late in the game.

The Patriots got to within 27-21 in the fourth quarter, but the Trojans answered immediately with the clinching scoring drive.

At Nanticoke, 48-13 Win

Pittston Area went deep into its roster on a night when it led 20-0 after one quarter an 41-0 at halftime.

Freshman Kayden Bailey broke out for 149 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries.

Wyoming Valley West, 64-20 Win

Pittston Area opened the WVC Division 1 schedule by producing the school’s highest ever scoring total for a game.

The passing combination of Paulie Ferentino-to-Lucas LoPresto made sure the Patriots were able to easily overcome falling behind on a Spartans touchdown on the opening kickoff.

Ferentino went 11-for-16 passing for 290 yards and five touchdowns. LoPresto caught seven passes for 188 yards and a touchdown and also returned a punt for a score.

Kayden Bailey chipped in with 109 yards and two touchdowns rushing on 15 carries.

At Dallas, 36-35 Win

The WVC Division 1 title was ultimately decided in a road comeback for an overtime win over the two-time defending champions, who are this year’s second-place team.

Brody Spindler moved from fullback to the feature running back spot and put together a huge effort that included sending the game into overtime and winning it there.

Dallas scored first in the 10-Yard Line Overtime Procedure, but Spindler ran for a touchdown on fourth down, then added the game-winning, two-point conversion run.

Spindler carried 33 times for 196 yards and was in on 13 tackles on defense.

Lucas LoPresto scored on a 20-yard reverse, produced an electrifying, 57-yard interception return for a touchdown, then threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Billy Dessoye to set up Spindler’s tying conversion run in the final five minutes to force overtime.

The Mountaineers had won 12 straight division games.

At Crestwood, 47-14 Win

Lucas LoPresto scored four touchdowns in less than 15 minutes to help Pittston Area open a 33-0 lead with 5:17 left in the half.

LoPresto ran for three scores, including an 80-yard sprint up the middle. He then forced a fumble that he scooped up and took 37 yards for a touchdown.

The Patriots overpowered a Crestwood team that had scored 153 points in the three-game winning streak it brought into the game.

Wilkes-Barre Area, 31-24 Win

Pittston Area opened a 24-3 halftime lead, then fought off a Wilkes-Barre Area comeback by running the final 7:27 off the clock.

Lucas LoPresto scored a defensive touchdown for the third straight week, ripping the ball away from a Wolfpack receiver and taking it 44 yards the other way for the touchdown.

Brody Spindler carried 28 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns before LoPresto joined him in the ground game that kept the ball away from Wilkes-Barre Area late.

Hazleton Area, 49-13 Win

Lucas LoPresto became Pittston Area’s all-time leader in two receiving categories as Pittston Area celebrated Senior Night by completing its Division 1 title run.

LoPresto caught 11 passes for 114 yards and also ran for touchdowns on his only two carries.

Paulie Ferentino completed 13 of 17 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown while Malkolm Blackshear provided a series of key defensive plays, including a goal-line interception, in the first half.

FRIDAY’S RESULT

For coverage of Friday night’s game at Wallenpaupack, please see the sports section of this edition.

The game coverage of JOHN ERZAR, SAM ZAVADA and JAY MONAHAN also contributed to this report.