Metro
Delaware Valley scored five times in the first half on the way to a 38-15 victory over visiting Pittston Area in a District 2 Class 5A football semifinal Friday night.
It was the third straight season that the Patriots opened the playoffs against the Warriors. Delaware Valley beat Pittston Area on the way to a district title the previous two years and used the latest win to earn a championship game matchup at top-seeded Abington Heights next weekend.
Pittston Area ended the season with a 2-9 record.
Justin Estevez ran 2 yards for the first score with 7:55 left in the first quarter, completing an 11-play, 70-yard drive after receiving the opening kickoff.
Mike Iuzzolino ran 20 yards for a touchdown and 14-0 lead with 3:19 left in the quarter.
Reagan Decker, who finished 5-for-5 on extra points, added a 40-yard field goal 12 seconds into the second quarter.
Iuzzolino ran 14 yards for a touchdown midway through the quarter.
Pasquale Venetucci returned a blocked field goal attempt 70 yards to the 1 where Estevez scored his second touchdown.
The game reached the Mercy Rule with 9:18 left in the third quarter when Olsommer threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to James Dabney for a 38-0 lead. The touchdown was set up by an Estevez interception which put the Warriors at the Patriots 22.
Santino Capitano ran 69 yards for Pittston Area’s first score. Lucas Lopresto caught the two-point conversion pass.
Paulie Ferentino then passed 23 yards to Billy Dessoye for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
BY THE NUMBERS
Delaware Valley has outscored Pittston Area 121-22 in the three straight season-ending matchups. The Warriors have outscored the Patriots 94-0 in the first halves of those games. … The 38 points scored by Delaware Valley were the most allowed by Pittston Area this season. … The Patriots end the season on a seven-game losing streak.
