The 2022 Pittston Area Cheer Squad. Front row, left to right: Dreah Docto, Samantha Wynder, Cara Mia Hogan, Syndey Macarelli, Danielle Whitman, Gianna Slodysko, Asha Heckstall, Megan Armitage, Ryleigh Malampy. Second row: Judea Leak, Patricia Koppenhaver, Lana Posluszny, Cheyenne Slater, Avery Wynder, Allie Brody, Sierra Walling, Julia Pesotine, Jacy VanOsdol, Vanessa Maslowski, Alexandria Mortimer. Third row: Giada Teixeira-Sowden, Lia Taylor, Gia Caprari, Arrea Swartwood, Addison Horensky, Anna Hankey, Victoria Winter, Allie Lazar, Dana Kistler.
                                 Submitted photo

The 2022 Pittston Area Cheer Squad. Front row, left to right: Dreah Docto, Samantha Wynder, Cara Mia Hogan, Syndey Macarelli, Danielle Whitman, Gianna Slodysko, Asha Heckstall, Megan Armitage, Ryleigh Malampy. Second row: Judea Leak, Patricia Koppenhaver, Lana Posluszny, Cheyenne Slater, Avery Wynder, Allie Brody, Sierra Walling, Julia Pesotine, Jacy VanOsdol, Vanessa Maslowski, Alexandria Mortimer. Third row: Giada Teixeira-Sowden, Lia Taylor, Gia Caprari, Arrea Swartwood, Addison Horensky, Anna Hankey, Victoria Winter, Allie Lazar, Dana Kistler.

Submitted photo

<p>Submitted photo</p>

Submitted photo

There have been positive steps – the end of a losing streak and competitive stretches against Class 6A opponents – but the Pittston Area football season has again been marked by its share of frustration.

After going winless in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Patriots took a 2-6 record into this weekend in their last preparation before traveling across the river to play rival Wyoming Area in the regular-season finale.

“It’s getting to the point now where we’re tired of being in games,” Patriots coach Nick Barbieri said after Week Seven home-field loss to Dallas. “We want to start winning games.

“These moral victories don’t really count for anything. We’ve played well against some teams, but we just can’t get over the hump.”

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Injury issues, including losing quarterback/linebacker Jimmy Spindler in the opener, have complicated matters.

Drew DeLucca has taken over at quarterback and hit better than 50 percent of his passes (62-for-122) for 759 yards.

Kevin Lockett is the top receiver with 19 catches for 393 yards and three touchdowns.

Harry Pugliese has developed into the leading rusher with 506 yards and nine touchdowns and is also second on the team with 15 catches.

Gino Triboski and Adam Shovlin have 13 catches and Robby Barbieri 12 as DeLucca has been effective in spreading the ball around.

A look back at the Pittston Area season, heading into the Patriots’ next-to-last, regular-season game against Crestwood. The story on that game can be found in the sports section of this edition of the Sunday Dispatch.

At North Pocono, 37-0 Loss

North Pocono intercepted five passes, took away a fumble and held Pittston Area to 98 yards total offense on Opening Night.

Will Soma threw for two touchdowns and ran for another while the Trojans were breaking the game open with 27 second-quarter points.

If the Patriots make the District 2 Class 4A playoffs, it could mean a return trip to North Pocono.

Tunkhannock, 36-13 Loss

DeLucca and Lockett started building a connection through the air during the loss in the home opener.

DeLucca went 13-for-23 for 203 yards with Lockett catching five for 130. Their touchdown passes of 49 and 10 yards had the Patriots within 15-13 at halftime before Tunkhannock broke away in the Wyoming Valley Conference Class 4A Division game.

Wyoming Valley West, 16-13 Win

Pittston Area contained the Wyoming Valley Conference’s most punishing running threat, keeping the Patriots in the game until DeLucca hit Lockett with the game-winning, 16-yard touchdown with 4:20 remaining.

Isaiah Cobb was coming off a 253-yard game for Wyoming Valley West when Pittston Area held him to 105 yards on 32 carries, none of which went for more than eight yards.

The victory broke a nine-game, Pittston Area losing streak dating back to late in the 2019 season.

Pugliese ran 23 yards for a touchdown and was part of the defensive effort from his linebacker position.

The Patriots picked up a safety on a low punt snap by the Spartans and gained field position off the ensuing free kick. They drove 56 yards for the winning score, which came when DeLucca started scrambling to buy time on a third-and-six play.

Hazleton Area, 21-14 Loss

Playing on the road against a Class 6A team that had won five of its last six games heading into this weekend, Pittston Area was tied until Tyler Wolfe threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Connor Shamany with 28 seconds left.

DeLucca went 12-for-17 for 115 yards passing and Pugliese ran for the two touchdowns that erased a 14-0 halftime deficit. The second touchdown tied the game with 3:59 left.

At Wilkes-Barre, 35-21 Loss

Wilkes-Barre Area scored on its first two drives and led throughout while getting a big game from fullback Howie Shimer, who carried 15 times for 185 yards and two touchdowns.

With DeLucca out with an injury, the Patriots fell behind, 21-0, at halftime. They moved within 14 three times in the second half.

Nanticoke, 21-0 Win

Pugliese ran for three touchdowns and the Pittston Area defense came up with a shutout on Homecoming.

Robby Barbieri’s fourth-down interception spoiled a Nanticoke drive that had covered 84 yards.

Pugliese ran for 143 yards, including 132 on eight carries in the first half when he broke a 77-yard touchdown.

DeLucca returned to go 10-for-21 for 158 yards passing.

Dallas, 28-6 Loss

Dallas held Pittston Area to four first downs while using its defense and special teams to score on an interception return and set up scoring “drives” of 22, 31 and 35 yards.

Pittston Area drove for a 2-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run by David Sudo to get within, 21-6, but a penalty and failed on-side kick set up Dallas at the 35.

At Berwick, 34-7 Loss

Berwick limited Pittston Area to six first downs and 131 yards total offense, 51 of which came on a Pugliese touchdown run to make it 21-7 with 8;34 left in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs controlled the ball with 274 rushing yards in the WVC Class 4A Division game.