Jake Jeckell (21) scampers 49-yards deep into Pittston Area territory for Crestwood.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area’s Lucas Lopresto returns a Crestwood kickoff 95-yards for a Patriot touchdown narrowing the gap to 14 - 7.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area’s Gerry Groom (10) tackles Comet Jake Jeckell (21) for a two-yard loss in the backfield.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
The Comets’ Jake Jeckell leaps over the Patriots’ Malkolm Blackshear (9) for extra yardage gain Friday night at Trippi Stadium.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Gio Barna (2) hauls in a 31-yard reception before being upended by Pittston Area’s Lucas Lopresto (1).
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Crestwood’s Jack Rodgers (12) appears to score but it was determined his right foot was out at the two-yard line against Pittston Area.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
YATESVILLE — The Pittston Area football team has proved some points in the past two weeks, even if the Patriots ultimately did not produce enough points to come away victorious.
Pittston Area overcame a 14-point deficit for the second straight Friday night, only to fall short again, this time in a 21-14 loss to visiting Crestwood at Charley Trippi Stadium.
The losses, both of which came in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 games, came in spirited battles with the two teams that captured championships in the past two seasons while Pittston Area was rebuilding down on the Division 2 level.
“I like the way our guys on the line battled on both sides of the ball all night,” first-year Patriots coach Joe DeLucca said. “ … I’m very proud of the way our kids battled. We’re fighting for four quarters. We just have to take that next step.”
Pittston Area’s defense held up against the challenge of 55 running plays by the punishing, Crestwood single-wing attack. After allowing 111 yards on 15 runs in the first quarter, the Patriots yielded just 97 yards on 44 carries (2.2 per attempt) the rest of the way.
Crestwood led 14-0 late in the second quarter and Pittston Area had run just eight offensive plays to that point.
Lucas Lopresto brought the Patriots back in a hurry.
After Jack Rodgers found Colin Lazo with a 7-yard touchdown pass for Crestwood 1:18 before halftime, Lopresto returned the ensuing kickoff. Lopresto won a race down the right sideline for a 95-yard touchdown.
Quarterback Matt Walter got the ball to Lopresto two more times on the second Pittston Area possession of the third quarter, allowing the Patriots to tie the game.
The drive started with a 41-yard completion deep down the right side and ended on a brilliant play by both.
Walter was chased out of the pocket and running hard to his left on the third-and-11 play. He had some open space in front of him, but chose to zip a pass between two defenders in the end zone where Lopresto made a sliding catch for a 17-yard touchdown.
Collin Smith and Gunnar Zaledonis forced a fumble that Walter recovered at the Pittston Area 44. The defense then forced a punt.
The offense, however, was unable to move either time.
Crestwood then drove 60 yards for the winning score. Bibla ran 23 yards on third-and-four. He then scored from the 6 with 3:15 left.
The touchdown run was the second of the game for Bibla, who carried 11 times for 68 yards after running the ball just twice in the first five games. The first score came from the 1 on fourth-and-goal to end the game’s first drive.
With quarterback and leading rusher Jaden Shedlock lost for the season, the Comets needed other options on offense.
“We really liked our two-tight end set,” Crestwood coach Ryan Arcangeli said. “At this point, with so many injuries, you just find your best guy.
“You just give it to your best guy and trust it. He’s a bruiser.”
The game was the division opener for Crestwood, which is 3-3 overall. The three losses came to teams with combined records of 16-2.
BY THE NUMBERS
Creestwood led in time of possession, 33:54-14:06, including 19:07-4:53 in the first half. … Crestwood’s Jake Jeckell was the game’s leading rusher with the help of a 59-yard run. He finished with 89 yards on 21 carries. Aside from the long run, which set up the first touchdown, Jeckell averaged just 1.5 per carry and the Comets produced just 2.8 overall. … Pittston Area managed only 25 rushing yards on 16 carries and 96 yards total offense on 27 plays. … Lucas Lopresto had four catches for 61 yards to lead the Pittston Area offense. … Gerry Groom made 11 tackles for the Patriots, including three for losses and one for no gain.
UP NEXT
Pittston Area travels to Wilkes-Barre Area Friday night for a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 meeting of teams that are 2-4 overall. The Patriots are 1-2 in the division while the Wolfpack is 0-2. Wilkes-Barre had been averaging 27 points per game behind the explosive combination of quarterback Jake Howe, receiver Treyvon Gembitski and running back Davon Underwood, but it could not move the ball Friday in a 26-0 loss at Hazleton Area.
