Wyoming Area’s Aaron Crossley dives into the end zone for a Warrior touchdown against Nanticoke Area.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Warrior running back, Aaron Crossley (5) gets to the outside for a long gain against the Trojans of Nanticoke.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Nanticoke Area’s Treston Allen (3) indicates a touchdown as teammate Seth Raymer scores for the Trojans against Wyoming Area at Sobeski Field, West Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
WEST PITTSTON – Anthony Delucca stepped away from football for two years.
Delucca’s return to the sport he missed is paying off both personally and for the unbeaten Wyoming Area Warriors.
With Nanticoke combining its size and a commitment to defending the ground game, it was the difference in the air attacks that allowed Wyoming Area to post a 35-13, Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 victory on Military Appreciation Night at Anthony “Jake” Sobeski Stadium.
Delucca, who had stuck to basketball and baseball for his freshman and sophomore years, decided to try football again. He won the starting quarterback job, running a 40-point-per-game offense that he led Friday night with his best effort of the season.
“Most definitely, I’m happy about it,” Delucca said. “I just kind of missed it with the love for the game that I have. I watch football every Saturday and Sunday.
“I saw the team the past few years and I thought I could help the team out with my abilities.”
Delucca was already giving the Warriors a complement to Lehigh commit Aaron Crossley, who has run for more than 100 yards in 13 out of 15 games the past two seasons.
When Nanticoke’s physical defensive front held Crossley to 31 yards for the first 31 minutes Friday night, Delucca took center stage.
The junior quarterback completed five of his six passes, producing 104 yards and three touchdowns.
Delucca made up his mind last winter and started working with Wyoming Area receivers for a week between basketball and baseball seasons. When baseball ended, he set out to win the job he had on the junior high team as an eighth-grader.
“I’m always confident in myself and my abilities,” said Delucca, who is completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for nearly 12 yards per attempt.
Nanticoke forced Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer to turn to those abilities.
“There were 9½, 10 guys in the box and they did a good job,” Spencer said. “We made some plays down the field that were the difference for us. Anthony Delucca made some nice throws.”
Kevin Wiedl pulled the ball away from a defender in the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Delucca hit his longest pass of the season, finding Lidge Kellum in stride deep down the middle for a 49-yard score midway through the second quarter. A rollout and short pass to Michael Crane produced an 18-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.
“The big plays are key,” Delucca said. “When you can get that running game going off the big plays and vice versa, it’s great to be a two-dimensional football team.”
Delucca’s first two touchdown passes gave Wyoming Area a 21-0 halftime lead.
Crossley, who had run 16 yards around left end for the first touchdown, got going after Nanticoke scored on its first drive of the second half.
Carrying on all but one play, Crossley moved the ball down the field in less than two minutes, running for six, seven, 10 and 26 yards to set up his own 5-yard touchdown for a 28-6 lead.
Nanticoke got 3-yard touchdown runs from Seth Raymer in the third quarter and Treston Allen in the fourth.
Wyoming Area leads the division at 2-0. Nanticoke is 0-1 in the division and 1-3 overall.
BY THE NUMBERS
Nanticoke had a 30:26-17:34 advantage in time of possession, but that did not matter when Wyoming Area scored first-half touchdowns in two plays from the Trojans 14, one play from the 22 and one play from the 49. … The teams were even in first downs and Wyoming Area’s advantage in rushing yards was just 157-146. … Aaron Crossley finished with 104 yards on 16 carries. … Wyoming Area overcame 10 penalties for 79 yards. … Jacob Gustitus and Skyler Pierce had six tackles each to lead the Warriors defensive. Gustitus made one tackle for a loss and assisted on five more tackles. Pierce also rushed the passer into two incompletions and assisted two tackles.
UP NEXT
Wyoming Area (2-0 in division, 4-0 overall) is at Hanover Area (0-2, 1-3) Friday night. The Hawkeyes have scored just one touchdown in each game while dropping three straight since routing Holy Cross, 51-20, in the opener. They finished Friday without their head coach, Jason Majiros, for health reasons, and their top two quarterbacks. Scott Majiros, the coach’s brother, is running the team.
