NANTICOKE — Wyoming Area’s offense provided the big plays in the first quarter, then the defense and special teams stepped up in the second quarter as the Warriors rode a complete game performance to a 60-7 defeat of Nanticoke in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 game Friday night at Frank Chicknosky Stadium.
Wyoming Area finished 4-1 in the division, improved to 8-1 overall, continued its march toward a District 2 Class 3A semifinal home game and carried momentum into next week’s showdown with Pittston Area.
“Our goals tonight were to come out and play a clean football game and execute at a high level and give our guys playmaking opportunities,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “Our momentum is important going into the last week of the regular season with a big rivalry game and also then going forward into the playoffs.”
If it was momentum the Warriors were seeking, they certainly found it early in the contest.
Trustin Johnson punched home an early touchdown, turning Wyoming Area’s first possession into a 7-0 lead after just two plays. Quarterback Jack Gravine dropped a long pass into the hands of a streaking Luke Kopetchny, who was ruled down at Nanticoke’s 1. Kopetchny’s next catch would be for far less yardage, though with much more effect.
On the following possession, after Johnson picked up 50 yards on a pair of carries, the Warriors were again a yard away. Looking at first-and-goal, Gravine took the snap and lofted a ball toward the back of the end zone. Kopetchny, blanketed by a Trojans defender, reached up and over before falling backward and somehow completing the one-handed catch in bounds, holding the ball up and away from his defender for the 14-0 lead.
“He’s got a very special skill set and it’s always great to see when he’s able to put that on display,” Spencer said of Kopetchny. “At the same time, he’s one of those guys that’s a team-first guy and wants to do whatever he can to help his team be successful.”
Gravine connected with Kopetchny on the next drive on a quick-hitting pass that Kopetchny took into traffic and broke away from, weaving into the end zone for his second score. The 33-yard touchdown made it 21-0 with 4:23 left in the first quarter.
From there, Wyoming Area’s defense took over.
Johnson intercepted, leading to Nick Ciampi’s 28-yard touchdown for a 28-0 lead after one quarter.
Ricky Rowles blocked a punt and Hudson Sharpe intercepted two passes, all leading to touchdowns and a 48-0 halftime lead.
Gravine ran 6 yards for a touchdown before Nicholas Kondrosky ran for touchdowns of 2 and 31 yards.
Jonah Guzman broke a 61-yard run early in the third quarter to deny Wyoming Area its fourth shutout.
Dominic Bartell ran 34 yards for a third-quarter Wyoming Area touchdown and Jamari Yates scored from 45 in the fourth.
By the numbers
Freshman Jordan Rosario led the Wyoming Area defense with eight tackles, including four for losses, and three assists. Jamari Yates was the second-leading tackler with four tackles and three assists and was the leading rusher with 89 yards on six carries. … Jack Gravine was 4-for-5 passing for 87 yards with all the catches made by Luke Kopetchny.
