High school football is a rigidly structured sport. Everything is planned out precisely during the week, culminating in a game on Friday night.
Other sports, not so much. Playing dates fluctuate. Inclement weather interferes. Even school activities can shift games around.
Not football … unless the weather is extremely bad on a Friday night or a team has its routine altered for another reason.
Wyoming Area and Scranton Prep had their schedules go askew thanks to getting first-round byes last Friday in the District 2 Class 3A playoffs. Both received an extra week to prepare and, more importantly, heal from a grueling process that started back with double sessions in August.
“If everyone was healthy the routine would have been more of a consideration,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “We don’t have anything significant, but I think it was good for us. We had some nicks and bumps that made it good to get some rest for the kids.”
As for Prep, the four-time defending D2-3A champion Cavaliers had to wipe away the stigma of a 2-2 start. After a Week 8 victory over Pittston Area that was part of a current six-game winning streak, coach Terry Gallagher said he wasn’t troubled with the perception Prep wasn’t a quality team.
“We’re not concerned with what people think,” said Gallagher, whose team hosts Western Wayne in a D2-3A semifinal game between two Lackawanna Conference squads.
Here’s a look at the four games involving Wyoming Valley Conference teams.
Lake-Lehman (8-3) at Wyoming Area (9-1)
D2-3A Semifinals
7 p.m. today
Lake-Lehman had the lead and the momentum at halftime the last time the Black Knights played Wyoming Area. The Warriors were not used to either of those happening to them.
Everything changed in the second half of that Week 6 matchup. A key turnover led to the second of three rushing touchdowns by Wyoming Area running back Darren Rodney. The Warrior defense clamped down after surrendering two long TD passes in the first half, limiting Lehman to 86 yards after giving up 259 in the first two quarters.
Lehman’s 24-14 halftime advantage flipped to a 35-30 Wyoming Area victory, with Lehman’s only second-half score coming with 24 seconds left.
“Overall, I loved the way my kids played,” Lehman coach Jerry Gilsky said. “We’re better than what we were then. You look at us on paper and I think we’re getting better every week.”
The game was Wyoming Area’s first test of the season. Since then, the Warriors have had exams vs. Dunmore and perennial state power Southern Columbia, with the latter resulting in a 42-0 loss. So, the team — led by do-it-all quarterback Dominic DeLuca — has been seasoned. However, it’s also been off two weeks after earning a quarterfinals bye.
Lehman’s other two losses were to Western Wayne to start the regular season and to Dallas to end it. The offense has grown quite a bit and expanded its repertoire thanks to a breakout season by quarterback Ethan Adams. He has plenty of speed and talent at his disposal in the skill positions.
The offense was on display last Friday in a 42-12 quarterfinals blowout of Lakeland, a team Lehman defeated by 12 points in Week 2. Versatile skill guy Ryan Eiden hauled in three touchdown passes as the Black Knights seized control by halftime.
Lehman will be on grass for only the second time this season and the first time since a Week 3 game at Hanover Area. Gilsky, though, doesn’t see that as an issue since his team often practices on grass when their turf field is occupied by soccer or field hockey.
Berwick (9-2) at Valley View (10-1)
D2-4A Semifinals
7 p.m. today
Berwick was nearly a victim of one of the biggest upsets in District 2 football history, escaping with a 21-9 victory over Tunkhannock in the D2-4A quarterfinals.
“Were we looking ahead? Probably,” Berwick coach Carmen DeFrancesco said. “We came out flat. But we won the game.”
Barely.
The defense bailed out the offense, which scored just two TDs and turned over the ball six times. Safety Teagan Wilk sealed the game with an interception return for a touchdown with 6:35 to play. Defensive lineman Eric Montross came up with a sack that resulted in a safety and knocked out Tunkhannock 2,000-yard passer Jack Chilson for the rest of the game.
Tunkhannock didn’t move the ball well, but there were some uncharacteristic drops by Tiger receivers.
“Now that it’s upon us, we have to right the wrong that happened five weeks ago,” DeFrancesco said. “But if we play (against Valley View) the way we played (against Tunkhannock), it’s not going to happen for us.”
Nor will it happen if the Dawgs play like they did in the latter portion of their 35-28 loss to two-time defending D2-4A champion Valley View in Week 6. They led 28-14 in the waning minutes of the third quarter only to have Valley View quarterback Janaasah Boone throw three touchdowns in the final 14 minutes.
While Berwick shutdown Valley View’s running game, Boone finished with five touchdown passes on an 8-of-17 throwing night.
Crestwood (7-4) at Dallas (11-0)
D2-4A Semifinals
7 p.m. today
Crestwood has won the same amount of games as it did the past two seasons combined. The caveat is that only one victory — a 28-27 overtime win vs. Wilkes-Barre Area to start the season — came against an opponent with a winning record.
Still, Crestwood has improved plenty since a 42-0 loss to Dallas in Week 2. The Comets went to Williamsport and defeated the then-healthy Millionaires 15-14. They shut down Tunkhannock’s strong aerial attack in a 42-16 victory. Then last Friday, they held North Pocono to 123 yards in a 34-0 D2-4A semifinal win.
Crestwood leaned toward the run early on, riding the legs of 1,000-yard back Ryan Miller. The Comets, though, have thrown better as the season progressed and first-year quarterback Ryan Petrosky gained experience.
However, the Crestwood offense had just 100 yards in the previous meeting with Dallas while the run defense was gouged for a season-high 383 yards.
Dallas steamrolled yet another opponent in last Friday’s quarterfinals, trouncing Abington Heights 56-14. The backfield duo of running back Lenny Kelley (10-110, 2 TDs) and fullback Danny Meuser (7-119, 4 TDs) put up Bo Jackson Tecmo Bowl stats. The two did the same the first time the Mountaineers played Crestwood, combining for 299 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.
Dallas’ offense has been so strong throughout the season that the defense can get overlooked. Linebackers Kelley and Meuser and defensive linemen Taylor Bolesta and Xander Shaner lead a unit that hasn’t allowed more than 15 points in a game. And in that game — a 56-15 win over Pittston Area — one of the touchdowns was a long run against the backups with under a minute remaining.
Wilkes-Barre Area (7-4) at Delaware Valley (10-1)
District 2 Class 6A Championship
7 p.m. today
It would be difficult to find a high school program in the country that had to endure what WBA has in the program’s first year.
Coach Ciro Cinti had to mold players from three different high schools who attend classes at four different buildings into a cohesive unit. (Coughlin high school students are split in two. The seniors and juniors use the main school; the sophomores and freshmen are at the Mackin building about a mile away).
It all culminated in a 41-12 semifinal victory over Scranton and now a 75-mile bus ride to Delaware Valley for the championship game against an opponent which posted a 54-20 victory over the Wolfpack in Week 4.
“Hey, watch what you ask for, you might just get it,” Cinti said. “These kids are playing for a district title. You tell me that 10 months ago or 11 months ago, a lot of people would have said I’m crazy. We’re there and we’re playing.
“These kids believe in themselves. That was one of the goals, to play a home game and win a district game. It’s great.”
Talee Swinney, who attends Meyers, teamed with GAR student Kam Taylor to form a strong one-two punch at the quarterback spot. An injury sidelined Taylor against Scranton, but Swinney came up big with an 8-for-8 passing night for three touchdowns. He covered the entire school district with TD throws to receivers Nino Cinti (Coughlin) and Malachi Williams (GAR) and tight end Malik Robinson (Meyers).
DelVal’s victory over WBA was part of a 10-game winning streak. The Warriors lost their opener 13-0 to Pennridge, which ended up winning just one more game.
The defense has been incredible the past five games, with Harlem Cook’s 81-yard interception return for a touchdown swinging the momentum in a 48-6 semifinal win vs. Williamsport last Friday. DelVal has outscored its last five opponents 232-6, and WBA was the only team to score over 13 points against the Warriors all season.
DelVal’s offense runs through senior running back Josh Balcarcel. Balcarcel is only 5-foot-6 and 162 pounds, but runs hard and low and has excellent cutting ability. He carved up WBA for 220 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries.
Quarteback Zach Scillia was also a problem the last time the team met. He threw two touchdowns and ran six times for 123 yards and a score.
