Pittston Area hosts Berwick Friday
Wyoming Valley Conference football made its long-awaited and frequently doubted season debut Friday night, but Pittston Area was unable to take part.
The Patriots were impacted indirectly by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that had put the season in doubt and caused the openers to be played in virtually empty stadium.
Instead of opening the season this week with Holy Redeemer, the only WVC team that did not win a game in 2019, Pittston Area will wait an extra week and start out against Berwick, the program that has produced six titles in the early days of state championships and remains among the conference’s premier programs.
Holy Redeemer shut down its sports programs temporarily after a COVID-19 case was discovered in an individual who had been in the school building, leading to precautions being taken.
In stepped Hanover Area, the only team that already had to sit out the delayed Week 1 of the season. Its school board had decided against fall sports, then reversed its decision, but because of the late start the indecision caused, the Hawkeyes have only had enough required practices for a scrimmage, not a game.
Pittston Area replaced the Saturday game with Holy Redeemer with a morning scrimmage against Hanover Area.
That makes the opener Friday, Sept. 18 at home with Berwick.
The Bulldogs were 9-3 last season, losing in the District 2 Class 4A semifinals to Valley View, 14-13. Pittston Area had lost to Valley View, 48-7, in the quarterfinals to complete a 4-7 season.
Berwick won last year’s meeting, 46-0.
Led by ends Mason Laubach and Blaine Cleaver, the Berwick defense used its speed to create problems with its defense. Cleaver, who takes over at quarterback, has committed to play at Army West Point.
