WILKES-BARRE — Coughlin certainly wasn’t worried about time of possession in the first half. In the second half, however, the Crusaders showed they could run some clock.
Coughlin got a 71-yard touchdown from Vincent Todd on its first play from scrimmage, and used a 12-play, 7:40 drive that ended with Todd’s 35-yard touchdown run to seal the game in the fourth quarter.
The Crusaders rushed for 390 yards in a 42-21 win over Pittston Area in Wyoming Valley Conference Class 4A football action Friday night at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium.
Todd and Jake Cole combined for all of Coughlin’s rushing yards. Cole finished the game with 222 yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. Todd carried the ball 15 times for 168 yards, including his 35-yard scamper. The win improved Coughlin to 5-4, while Pittston Area dropped to 2-7.
The Patriots got another impressive game through the air from quarterback Walter Coles. The junior threw for 146 yards in the first half, including three touchdowns. The only thing that could stop the Patriots offense was halftime. After scoring 21 points in the first half, Coughlin held Pittston Area scoreless the rest of the way en route to the win.
The game was tied at 21 at the half, and the Crusaders took over from there.
The Crusaders forced a turnover on downs on Pittston Area’s initial possession of the second half. The Patriots drove the ball 60 yards before an incomplete pass handed the ball back to Coughlin.
Todd and the Crusaders took advantage.
Seven plays following the turnover on downs, Todd connected with Melvin Robinson, who made a juggling 68-yard touchdown catch-and-run to regain the lead. He finished with 95 yards passing on two completions.
Again, Pittston Area’s next possession looked promising.
Driving inside the Coughlin 35, an exchange from Coles to Keemar Woodruff ended up in the hands of Coughlin’s PJ Marinko. The fumble recovery set up Cole’s second touchdown, a 43-yard run.
After Pittston Area was forced to punt with 10 minutes to play, and down 14, Coughlin went back to Cole to finish off the game. The 7-minute drive saw four third-down conversions, and eventually ended in a 35-yard score from Todd with just two minutes remaining. Cole carried the ball 10 times on the final drive, gaining 37 yards.
The Patriots ran 18 plays in the first quarter, including Coles’ 4-yard touchdown to Rich Wallace, compared to Coughlin’s eight. However, Coles threw an interception in the end zone on the Patriots’ second possession.
Pittston Area scored 14 straight points in the second quarter. Kevin Krawczyk, who finished with 95 yards receiving, hauled in a 13-yard touchdown and Woodruff caught a 7-yard score. Coles finished with 207 yards on 19 of 24 passing.
Coughlin 42, Pittston Area 21
Pittston Area`7`14`0`0`—`21
Coughlin`14`7`7`14`—`42
First quarter
C — Vincent Todd 71 run (Michael Cinti kick), 11:39
PA — Rich Wallace 4 pass from Walter Coles (Mike Mikitish kick), 8:22
C — Jake Cole 65 run (Cinti kick), 1:15
Second quarter
PA — Kevin Krawczyk 13 pass from Coles (Mikitish kick), 9:35
PA — Keemar Woodruff 7 pass from Coles (Mikitish kick), 1:41
C — Cole 13 run (Cinti kick), 0:42
Third quarter
C — Melvin Robinson 68 pass from Todd (Cinti kick), 3:11
Fourth quarter
C — Cole 43 run (Cinti kick), 11:48
C — Todd 35 run (Cinti kick), 2:08
Team statistics`PA`COU
First downs`17`x
Rushes-yards`36-109`41-390
Passing yards`207`95
Total yards`316`485
Passing`19-24-1`2-2-0
Sacked-yards lost`2-12`1-9
Punts-avg.`2-34`1-30
Fumbles-lost`3-1`2-1
Penalties-yards`4-20`7-43
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — PA, Woodruff 14-60, Coles 16-28, Trevor Tigue 4-18, Bryan Giambra 2-3. Cole 26-222 3TD, Todd 15-168 TD.
PASSING — PA, Coles 19-24-207-1 3TD. C, Todd 2-2-95 TD.
RECEIVING — PA, Krawczyk 8-95 TD, Wallace 5-60 TD, Woodruff 6-44 TD. C, Robinson 2-95 TD,
INTERCEPTIONS — C, Jordan Austin 1-0.
MISSED FGs — None.
