After receiving a pass in the flat from Pittston Area QB Matt Walter, Lucas Lopresto (1) eludes one Wilkes-Barre Area tackle to gain extra yards. 
                                 Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

After receiving a pass in the flat from Pittston Area QB Matt Walter, Lucas Lopresto (1) eludes one Wilkes-Barre Area tackle to gain extra yards.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

<p>Patriots’ QB Matt Walters (4) scores on the back and block of Pittston Area lineman Sam Hankey (79) for a touchdown. </p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</p>

Patriots’ QB Matt Walters (4) scores on the back and block of Pittston Area lineman Sam Hankey (79) for a touchdown.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

<p>Wolfpack junior Davon Underwood (26) scampers around the right side against Pittston Area Friday night. </p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</p>

Wolfpack junior Davon Underwood (26) scampers around the right side against Pittston Area Friday night.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

<p>Wilkes-Barre Area’s Davon Underwood (26) appears to be in the grasp of Patriot CJ Pietrzak (26) before breaking away for a Wolfpack touchdown. </p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</p>

Wilkes-Barre Area’s Davon Underwood (26) appears to be in the grasp of Patriot CJ Pietrzak (26) before breaking away for a Wolfpack touchdown.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

<p>Wolfpack freshman Rajon Watson (17) receives a pass from QB Jake Howe against Pittston Area for a long gain.</p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader</p>

Wolfpack freshman Rajon Watson (17) receives a pass from QB Jake Howe against Pittston Area for a long gain.

Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

PLAINS TWP. — The first quarter on Friday night looked like the continuation of last week’s game for Wilkes-Barre Area.

The Wolfpack were down 10 points. The offense generated just a single yard. The defense couldn’t stop the run.

Then, with some help from Pittston Area, the Wolfpack broke out of their slump and was able to give coach Ciro Cinti his 100th career victory with a 21-10 win in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 game.

Wilkes-Barre Area (1-2 in the division, 3-4 overall) entered off a terrible offensive performance in a 26-0 loss to Hazleton Area. The Wolfpack didn’t get a first down until the fourth quarter and were held to 45 yards in that game.

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“Last week was a real debacle,” Cinti said. “It was a horror show, it’s the best way I could put it. I know our kids are much better than the way they played.

“We had a hard week of practice and the kids responded.”

Not initially.

Pittston Area (1-3, 2-5) used running back CJ Pietrzak and quarterback Matt Walter to eat up more than half of the first quarter with its ground game. The drive bogged down inside the Wilkes-Barre Area 10 and the Patriots settled for a 25-yard field goal by Gavin Wolfe.

The Wolfpack went three-and-out on its next possession which included two dropped passes. The Patriots scored seven plays later when Walters plowed in from a yard out for a 10-0 advantage.

Pittston Area, though, helped Wilkes-Barre Area’s sluggish offense gain some traction.

Wilkes-Barre Area used a couple Pittston Area penalties — one for a late hit and another for unsportsmanlike conduct — to score its first touchdown in six quarters.

Running back Davon Underwood finished off the 45-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run which featured a nifty spin move a few yards from the end zone at 10:24 of the second quarter.

Pittston Area sputtered offensively in the second half.

“Week in week out, we have to eliminate mistakes and that’s on me as a head coach,” Patriots coach Joe DeLucca said. “We’ve got to take care of business, though, and we’re not right now.”

WBA gained the lead at 5:29 of the third quarter as Howe rifled a pass to Underwood sprinting down the middle of the field for a 29-yard touchdown.

The Wolfpack increased its lead to 21-10 two minutes later on a 75-yard catch-and-run by receiver Rajon Watson.

Pittston Area’s comeback attempt was hampered by the loss of Walter, who took a hard hit early in the fourth quarter and didn’t return. The Patriots moved no farther than the WBA 35-yard line in their four second-half possessions.

BY THE NUMBERS

Pittston Area outgained Wilkes-Barre Area 137-51 in the first half, but the Wolfpack had a 224-53 advantage in the second half for a 275-190 lead in the game. … Pittston Area led in first downs 13-11 and rushing yards 166-110. … The Patriots were penalized nine times for 78 yards, compared to the Wolfpack at eight times for 110 yards. … CJ Pietrzak carried 23 times for 96 yards for the Patriots. Quarterback Matt Walter added 63 yards on 15 carries, but the Patriots were limited to 24 yards through the air.

UP NEXT

Pittston Area (1-3 in division, 2-5 overall) is at Hazleton Area (2-1, 4-3) Friday night in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 game. Hazleton Area had a four-game winning streak broken Friday in a 28-2 loss at Crestwood. The Wolfpack have struggled offensively, with the second-lowest point total in the division of 16.4 points per game overall, but have allowed the fewest at 15.9.