Wyoming Area junior Shawn Pawloski (11) clears the ball upfield for the Warriors at Pittston Area.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Pittston Area’s Jacob Granahan, right, aids his goalie Kaden Rowan (1) block a shot by Wyoming Area’s Kendall Heck (20) in second half action.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Warrior senior Thad Erzar (26) dribbles the ball upfield with the Patriots’ Jacob Granahan defending.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Sean Burke (28) congratulates his Wyoming Area teammate sophomore Kendall Heck after he scored the first goal against Pittston Area at the Primary Center in Hughestown, on Sept. 28.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
HUGHESTOWN – Kendall Heck spotted Liam Burke breaking free just seconds into the second half.
The ensuing breakaway helped break open Monday’s non-league meeting of boys soccer rivals.
Burke scored a hat trick and Heck also had a hand in three goals, leading the way as Wyoming Area posted a 7-3 road win at Pittston Area Monday.
The Warriors were already well in control, in front 3-0 at halftime.
Any hopes of Pittston Area making things interesting disappeared when Burke scored 29 seconds into the half and Christian Manganiello made it 5-0 less than a minute later.
“At halftime, I told the boys, like I do all the time, ‘it’s 0-0; It’s a new game, a new half, match the intensity that we showed in the first half and keep pushing ahead,” Wyoming Area coach Rick Branco said.
When they did, the Warriors also moved further ahead on the scoreboard.
“We were playing our way – possess the ball, work it around and the game will open up,” Branco said. “We came out fired up. We were moving the ball around, Liam made a great run, Kendall found him and he finished up very well.”
Burke was a big part of Wyoming Area’s dominance in the game. The freshman continued to show that he can handle playing against bigger and, in most cases, older competition.
“He’s very strong on the ball individually,” Branco said. “Even though he’s the smallest guy on the field, he makes up for it with what he can do with the ball at his feet and he makes up for it with different runs off the ball.
“He finds good space and he doesn’t play with any fear. He’s not afraid to play against the bigger kids and use his skills. His skill is the equalizer for him. He’s very quick. He’s very sharp. He’s doing very well for us.”
Burke scored the team’s third goal, converting a penalty kick with 2:50 left in the half.
“I wasn’t very nervous taking the PK,” said Burke, an experienced travel soccer player who has only missed on a penalty kick once in game action. “I had confidence I was going to score.”
Heck, a sophomore who scored again late, and Anthony Nelson had scored earlier in the half.
After Josh Noone scored the first of his two goals for Pittston Area to break the shutout, Burke restored the five-goal lead midway through the second half off a Dylan Kostik cross.
Riley Gearhardt and Braidon Kostik also had assists for Wyoming Area.
Matt Jasienski scored the last Pittston Area goal. Adam Musto assisted on Noone’s second goal.
Wyoming Area leads the 12-team District 2 Class 2A playoff points race with a 6-1 overall record. The Warriors are 3-1 for second in Division 2 of the Wyoming Valley Conference.
Crestwood 6, Pittston Area 0
Nick Ruggieri scored twice as defending champion Crestwood remained unbeaten by dominating host Pittston Area in Thursday’s WVC Division 1 game.
Lochlan Messner made 20 saves for Pittston Area, which fell to 1-4 in the division and 2-6 overall.
Wilkes-Barre Area 7, Pittston Area 1
Pittston Area lost at home for the second straight day when it dropped Tuesday’s WVC Division 1 game.
Wyoming Area 1, Dallas 0
Dylan Kostik’s unassisted goal in the second half Sept. 26 lifted Wyoming Area to the non-league road win.
The Warriors outshot the Mountaineers and Adam Wisnewski made four saves in the shutout.
Pittston Area 2, Berwick 1
Pittston Area defeated host Berwick Sept. 25 in a WVC Division 1 game.
