Pittston Area’s Parker Bolesta (2) takes down Dallas Area QB Gerry Groom (10) for a loss.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Robby Barbieri (4-white) hauls in a pass for extra yardage with Jake Delguadio (4-blue) defending.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Mountaineer David Girman (16) gets a fingertip on the pass attempt to Pittston Area’s Jake Delgaudio (4) to bust up the play.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Dallas Area running back Parker Bolesta (2) peeks through a gap two score a two-yard touchdown against Pittston Area.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Sophomore Zach Paczewski (3) breaks free from Pittston Area’s Gino Triboski (14) for a 89-yard touchdown reception for the Mountaineers.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
DALLAS TWP. – The opportunities were there in the first half for Pittston Area to perhaps reverse the regular-season outcome with Dallas.
Once they evaporated Friday night, so did any chance of an upset.
Dallas stopped Pittston Area twice in the red zone in the first half and then scored two touchdowns 34 seconds apart in the third quarter, turning a close game into a 35-12 victory in a District 2 Class 4A football quarterfinal.
“We did a great job,” Dallas coach Rich Mannello said of the red zone stops. “We seem to be playing pretty fast on defense, which is good.”
The Mountaineers opened the game with a nine-play, 59-yard drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by Parker Bolesta, who went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season during the possession.
After two empty possessions, Dallas struck quickly on third-and-five from its 11. Quarterback Jackson Wydra hit receiver Zach Paczewski in stride near midfield. Paczewski slipped out of a last-ditch tackle attempt to score and put the Mountaineers up 14-0 with 5:53 left in the second quarter.
Pittston Area (3-8) didn’t fold.
The Patriots simply didn’t capitalize on two chances to tighten up the score.
Pittston Area moved the ball to the Dallas 15, with quarterback Drew DeLucca hitting tight end Adam Shovlin for 15 yards and running back Drew Menendez for 13 more. Three passes from the 15 were incomplete and the Patriots turned the ball over on downs.
The Patriots forced a punt and regained possession with 53 seconds left in the half. They moved to the Dallas 11 with DeLucca hitting on two more passes. A spike stopped the clocked with 10 ticks remaining.
After an illegal shift penalty pushed the ball back to the 16, DeLucca’s run ended up a yard shot as time expired.
“That’s the game right there,” Mannello said. “It’s 14-7, (they have momentum and get the ball in the second half.”
Pittston Area put together a couple long scoring drives later in the game, but by that time, Dallas was in control.
“We were down there twice,” Pittston Area coach Nick Barbieri said, “but we gave up too many big plays tonight. I thought we controlled the run until the end. Then, it kind of got away from us. We controlled the run well in the first half, but gave up big plays.”
The game turned quickly in Dallas’ favor in the third quarter. Wydra thew into traffic over the middle to wideout Joe Peters, who ran right past a few defenders to complete the 60-yard touchdown reception at 6:20. Paczewski intercepted a halfback option pass on Pittston Area’s next play, leading to a 20-yard blast up the middle to the end zone by Bolesta at 5:46.
Pittston Area sandwiched 1-yard touchdown runs by DeLucca and Adam Lazar around a 24-yard Bolesta run in the fourth quarter.
By the numbers
Pittston Area led in first downs, 15-13, and rushing yards, 148-119. Dallas led in passing yards, 261-121, and total offense, 380-269. … Dallas overcame being penalized more than twice as often as Pittston Area, with nine infractions covering 65 yards. … Drew DeLucca was 14-for-22 for 121 yards passing for the Patriots, who got five catches for 53 yards from Robby Barbieri. … Jackson Wydra was 10-for-15 for 261 yards passing for Pittston Area. Zach Paczewski caught four passes for 132 yards.
