H.S. Football: Wyoming Area rebounds with decisive win over Hanover Area

WEST PITTSTON — In the aftermath of Wyoming Area’s first loss of the season, and first divisional defeat in three years, the Warriors made sure to finish their scoring drives Friday night.

When necessary, the Warriors did it over and over.

Wyoming Area had touchdowns called back on consecutive second-quarter plays only to score – and make it count – again two plays later on the way to a 49-14 romp over visiting Hanover Area in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 football game Friday night.

With Nick Ciampi, Jack Gravine and Luke Kopetchny all producing in an attack that piled up 470 yards of total offense, Wyoming Area was forced to punt just once in each half. The Warriors also had possessions end when time ran out in each half, but they still had time to score seven touchdowns.

Ciampi scored on his first and last carries of the night while running for 186 yards on just 12 attempts.

“Nick is just getting stronger and stronger,” Warriors coach Randy Spencer said. “He’s staying healthy, which is important, and he’s giving us great play on both sides of the ball.

“His playmaking, coupled with Jack using both his arm and legs, and a Josh Mruk on the outside and Trustin Johnson, we’ve got weapons and it’s just great to see those guys playing at the high level that they are able to.”

Gravine turned four completions and 10 attempts passing into 137 yards and three touchdowns while also running for 102 yards and a score.

Kopetchny scored on both of his official receptions, caught a pass for a two-point conversion and also intercepted a pass to set up one of his own scores.

The Warriors, who lost to Berwick in last week’s meeting of unbeaten teams, are 2-1 in the division and 6-1 overall. The Hawkeyes, who had shut out three of their previous four opponents, fell to 1-2 and 3-4.

Wyoming Area needed just five plays and 2:21 to open the scoring.

Gravine hit Josh Mruk with a pass. When Hanover Area’s Dawin Downey poked the ball loose 43 yards down field, it did not create a turnover, instead it became a chance for Ciampi to scoop up the ball and advance it 11 more yards.

Ciampi then went around right end on third-and-12 for a 24-yard touchdown.

Kopetchny intercepted a pass late in the first quarter and the Warriors went 88 yards in six plays for a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Kopetchny scored the first of two straight touchdowns on a 43-yard pass from Gravine.

Mruk intercepted two plays later.

Touchdown runs of 31 yards by Ciampi and 41 yards by Gravine were wiped out by penalty.

The Warriors went from third-and-24 to converting on fourth-and-four when Kopetchny took a short pass and maneuvered through the Hanover Area secondary for a 21-yard touchdown.

Trustin Johnson had three runs for 37 yards to lead to Gravine’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Mruk for a 28-0 lead three minutes before halftime.

Hanover Area answered, scoring on two outstanding catches by Deacon Eisenbach. The first went for just four yards and a first down when Eisenbach made a diving, one-handed grab. The Hawkeyes scored from the 33 when Eisenbach won a battle in the air near the goal line.

The teams combined for four touchdowns in less than five minutes of the third quarter, sending the final 16-plus minutes of the contest into Mercy Rule conditions.

Gravine ran 21 yards, Trustin Johnson ran 1 yard and Ciampi raced 55 yards for the Wyoming Area third-quarter touchdowns.

Eisenbach had another catch for 38 yards to convert a third down, one play before Dewayne Downey scored Hanover Area’s second touchdown covered the final 10 yards.

Wyoming Area 49, Hanover Area 14