WEST PITTSTON — Wyoming Area head coach Randy Spencer couldn’t have asked for a better start to the high school football season.
Before the sun even set on Jake Sobeski Stadium on Friday night, Spencer’s Warriors were well on their way to a 56-13 victory over Mid Valley with what was a nearly perfect first quarter of football.
“We came out and I thought we did exceptionally well on both sides of the ball,” Spencer said. “Special teams executed at a high level. And I’m very happy with our young – in terms of experience – offensive line came together and played.
The Warriors (1-0) were in control from the start.
After recovering Mid Valley’s opening kickoff at their own 47 yard line, Wyoming Area marched 53 yards in seven plays for the opening score and a 7-0 lead.
Quarterback Dominic DeLuca did much of the work with his feet. On the second play of the drive, DeLuca rushed around the left side of the Warriors’ offensive line for 22 yards for a first and 10 at the Mid Valley 27. Three plays later he went around the left side again, running through two defenders at the goal line to score from 14 yards out.
Mid Valley went three and out on its first possession of the game and gave the Warriors the ball back at Spartans’ 45 after a punt.
This time, it took just six plays for Wyoming Area to find the end zone. Corey Mruk had runs of 13 and 9 yards to move the Warriors inside the Spartans 20 yard line. DeLuca then found Brian Williams in the back corner of the endzone from 19 yards out to put Wyoming Area up 14-0.
After another three and out by Wyoming Area, Williams gave Wyoming Area a three-score lead with a zig-zagging 59-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
“I was supposed to take it left,” Williams said of the score. “I saw no room there, so I took it up the middle, busted out right and then just out ran everybody.”
DeLuca would add another rushing touchdown before the first quarter was over, scoring from 22 yards out, and the Warriors led 28-0 with 40 seconds still left in the first quarter.
The Warrior defense got in on the scoring in the second quarter.
After Mruk made it 35-0 with a 16-yard touchdown run with 8:10 left in the half, Jacob Williams picked off at Patrick Ferke pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown and a 42-0 lead with 7:02 left in the half.
Brian Williams added another touchdown on a 1-yard end around with just 1:13 left in the half as the Warrior defense continued to baffle the Spartans.
Mid Valley didn’t get its first first down of the game until there was just 20 seconds left in the first half.
Richie Hyzinski scored the Warriors’ final touchdown to make it 56-o with 4:38 left in the third quarter before Mid Valley added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Wyoming Area 56, Mid Valley 13
Mid Valley`0`0`0`13 — 13
Wyoming Area`28`21`7`0 — 56
First quarter
WA – Dominic DeLuca 9 run (Josh Cumbo kick)
WA – Brian Williams 19 pass from DeLuca (Stanley Moderski kick)
WA – Brian Williams 59 punt return (Cumbo kick)
WA – DeLuca 22 run (Moderski kick)
Second quarter
WA – Corey Mruk 23 run (Cumbo kick)
WA – Jacob Williams 30 interception return (Moderski kick)
WA – Brian Williams 1 run (Cumbo kick)
Third quarter
WA – Richie Hyzinski 9 run (Sydney Kruszka)
Fourth quarter
MV — Jacob Manson 2 run (kick failed)
MV – Marc Perrone 1 run (Kick dood)
Team statistics`MV`WA
First downs`7`13
Rushes-yards`33-136`27-229
Passing yards`0`23
Total yards`136`252
Passing`2-4-0`0-4-0
Sacked-yards lost`1-10`0-0
Punts-avg.`5-27`1-23
Fumbles-lost`0-0`1-0
Penalties-yards`4-30`6-26
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — MV, Sebastian Brudnicki 6-(-8), Cristian Gonzalez 4-(-2), Zachary Rebar 2-23, Patrick Ferke 1-9, Aaron Killino 3-0, Joe Killino 10-65, Marc Perrone 6-32, Darnell Calloway 3-17. WA, DeLuca 5-58, Corey Mruk 8-62, Dillon Williams 1-2, Darrem Rodney 5-37, Colby Gashi 1-18, Brian Williams 2-13, Jacob Williams 1-3, Jerrel Chepalonis 1-2, Richie Hyzinski 3-34.
PASSING — MV, Patrick Ferke 0-4-0-1. WA, DeLucca 2-4-1-0
RECEIVING — WA, Brian Williams 2-23
INTERCEPTIONS — WA, Jacob Williams 1-30
MISSED FGs — None.
