Crestwood’s Ryan Petrosky (3) pulls down a 12-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter Friday night as Wyoming Area’s Adam Sigman (88) defends.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Leo Haros (22) breaks a few tackles before running behind Crestwood’s Marcus Vieney (5) for a 31-yard touchdown in the first quarter Friday night.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Crestwood’s Jimmy Hawley (42) nearly scores a touchdown against Wyoming Area before stepping out of bounds at the 3-yard line in the third quarter Friday night. He scored on the next play.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Vincenzo Giambra (30) bulls his way over Crestwood’s Julian McCure for a 6-yard touchdown late in the second quarter Friday night.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Crestwood’s Cole Kakalecik (52) played a pivotal roll in the game against Wyoming Area by blocking an extra point kick in the second quarter. Crestwood was victorious over the Warriors 14-13.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
WRIGHT TWP. — Crestwood’s Jimmy Hawley didn’t seem like a candidate to give his team an offensive jump-start in the second half Friday.
After all, the senior running back rushed once in the first two quarters and was stuffed for no gain.
Yet when the third quarter started, Hawley was the guy.
Hawley rushed nine times on Crestwood’s 11-play drive on its first possession of the third quarter, including for a 3-yard touchdown which enabled the Comets to defeat Wyoming Area 14-13 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 game.
Crestwood improved to 4-0 in the division and 5-0 overall. Wyoming Area fell to 2-1 in the division and 3-2 overall.
“We made too many mistakes,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “Some were unforced errors. Give Crestwood credit. They came out, they were physical and they ran the ball at us and did what they needed to do.”
Hawley finished with 97 yards on 21 carries, slamming himself into the Wyoming Area defensive line and emerging more often than not with yardage.
“We decided at halftime we wanted to get back to our basics with pro twins,” Hawley said. “And coach told me it was going to be my kind of half and he gave me the ball.
“My offensive line was just opening the holes. I could see everything clear. I could get downhill. I couldn’t do anything without my O-line.”
Hawley used a double-team block by tackle Aidan Jardine and tight end Logan Arnold and then some muscle — banging off three tacklers into the end zone from three yards out at 6:20 of the third quarter. Kicker Ethan Shudak nailed the extra point for the 14-13 lead.
“He’s a senior who earlier this year had a tremendous loss. He lost his dad,” Crestwood coach Ryan Arcangeli said. “He wants this season more than any of our other guys. Again, one gut punch after another and that’s the heart of a champion, No. 42. I’m so proud of him and I know his dad is looking down on him and is so proud of him.”
Crestwood had just one first down in the first half, with it coming on a 74-yard run by quarterback Noah Schultz. Four plays later, Schultz connected on a 12-yard TD pass to Ryan Petrosky on a fourth-and-goal to tie the score 7-7 at 3:36 of the first quarter. Petrosky is the Comets’ starting quarterback but played receiver after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury.
Wyoming Area put together an 11-play scoring drive late in the second quarter, taking a 13-7 lead on a 6-yard run by Vincenzo Giambra. Crestwood sophomore Cole Kakalecik, though, busted through the line to block the extra point.
“That’s a sophomore who has started 15, 16 games for us,” Arcangeli said of Kakalecik, who made his presence known at linebacker throughout the game. “He went nuts when he blocked that and I said ‘That’s going to be the difference.’”
Wyoming Area scored its first touchdown on a 31-yard run by Leo Haros at 6:56 of the first quarter that was set up by a 16-yard interception return by Jake Williams.
The Warriors, though, never moved deeper than the Crestwood 42-yard line in the second half. Both times penalties pushed the ball backward, including two in a row which resulted in a first-and-33 situation.
“We’re obviously disappointed with the mental mistakes and not having a strong finish,” Spencer said.
Things don’t get any easier for Wyoming Area next week as the Warriors host Lake-Lehman, which brings an unbeaten record into Saturday afternoon’s game against winless Holy Redeemer. Crestwood’s game with Hanover Area next week is already postponed because of two positive COVID-19 tests within Hanover Area’s athletic programs.
Crestwood 14, Wyoming Area 13
Wyoming Area`7`6`0`0 — 13
Crestwood`7`0`7`0 — 14
First quarter
WA — Leo Haros 31 run (Jayden Rusyn kick), 6:56
CRE — Ryan Petrosky 12 pass from Noah Schultz (Ethan Shudak kick), 3:36
Second quarter
WA — Vincenzo Giambra 6 run (kick blocked), 2:54
Third quarter
CRE — Jimmy Hawley 3 run (Shudak kick), 6:20
Team statistics`WA`CRE
First downs`13`11
Rushes-yards`34-149`38-191
Passing yards`39`22
Total yards`188`213
Passing`5-13-0`2-8-1
Sacked-yards lost`0-0`2-14
Punts-avg.`4-31`4-33.3
Fumbles-lost`1-1`0-0
Penalties-yards`4-33`5-55
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — WA, Drew Mruk 4-11, Haros 14-71, Jake Williams 4-10, Giambra 11-50, Richie Hizynski 1-7. Crestwood, Kaleb Benjamin 4-4, Schultz 8-88, Hawley 21-97, Nick Kruezer 1-5, Brendan Dennis 1-1, team 3-(minus-4).
PASSING — WA, Williams 5-12-0-39, Haros 0-1-0-0. Crestwood, Dennis 0-1-1-0, Schultz 2-7-0-22.
RECEIVING — WA, Blaise Sokach-Minnick 1-4, Rusyn 2-14, Rocco Pizano 1-13, Adam Sigman 1-8. Crestwood, Petrosky 1-12, Brenden DeMarzo 1-10.
INTERCEPTIONS — WA, Williams 1-16.
MISSED FGs — none.
