Barbieri
Early injuries altered Pittston Area’s plans for the 2021 season, but also helped get some of this season’s key players valuable experience.
“We ended up with injuries in the first game with two of our key players,” said Pittston Area coach Nick Barbieri, who was forced to change quarterbacks and main ballcarriers just as the season was starting. “It took us a little while to get some kids into those positions and start to play a little bit better than we did at the beginning of the year.”
After a winless COVID-shortened 2020 season and losses in the first two games, Pittston Area finished up at 3-8.
With its top three receivers and the runaway team leaders in rushing and passing returning, along with three starting linemen, the Patriots enter the season with an experienced lineup.
“I think we’re in as good a spot as we’ve been in in years,” Barbieri said.
ON OFFENSE
Drew DeLucca was the backup quarterback and Harry Pugliese was a secondary option running the ball when the 2021 season opened and immediately they were pressed into situations where they became offensive leaders.
DeLucca hit better than half his passes while throwing for more than 1,000 yards.
“He progressed very well for a sophomore in his first varsity season,” Barbieri said. “His first few games were tough, but I thought he put in a good season and we expect even bigger things.
“We’re giving him a little more responsibility this year. We’re giving him the opportunity to make some calls at the line of scrimmage. That makes our playbook a little more open.”
Pugliese was the team’s leading rusher and finished second in receptions.
Along with Pugliese catching the ball out of the backfield, DeLucca has a deep group of receivers to throw to, including wideouts Kevin Lockett and Robby Barbieri, who finished 1-2 on the team in receiving yards last season.
Lockett’s 566 regular-season receiving yards were fourth-best in the entire Wyoming Valley Conference and his seven touchdown receptions ranked third.
“We have some good targets,” coach Barbieri said. “Lockett and Rob from last year played quite a bit. Lockett had a great year last year, so we expect him to get some attention.”
Seniors Josh Pierre and A.J. Ranieli had strong summers.
“We feel like we have four very good wideouts,” Barbieri said.
That may become five.
Barbieri is seeing potential in another senior, Anthony Cencetti, a starter on successful basketball and baseball teams, who is in his first season of varsity football.
Adding to those options is David Sudo, who led the team in rushing as a fullback in 2020 but was one of the early casualties last season. He’s now playing a variation of the tight end position.
“It will probably be a little bit of an H-back situation where he is going to move around and use his lead-blocking skills,” Barbieri said. “Losing him last year was a big blow on both sides of the ball.”
Drew Menendez, who took over at fullback last season, returns.
Center Ryan Hintze, left guard Nick Sciandra and left tackle Jake Mills are the returning starters up front.
After thinking that Nick Cianfichi, a freshman starter at tackle last season, was unavailable all year, coach Barbieri said Cianfichi may eventually be able to help. He is trying to come back from a serious knee injury.
Meanwhile, freshmen Brody Spindler and Gunnar Zaldonis are battling for that tackle spot and Jaidin Morgans is ready at guard.
ON DEFENSE
The Patriots are experienced in the secondary.
Barbieri and Pugliese are back as the safeties. Lockett returns at cornerback where he could be joined by Ciran Bilbow or Pierre.
Menendez returns at inside linebacker and Sudo is back at defensive tackle where he made a big impact two years ago as a sophomore.
Morgans, Spindler and Charles Sciandra are candidates for the two end spots in the 3-4 defense.
A.J. Scialpi or Kyle Breymeier will join Menendez inside while the new outside linebackers will come from a group that includes A.J. Grieco, Hintze, Xzayvier Blackshear and Chris Pietrzak.
OUTLOOK
Pittston Area is positioned to continue the upward climb that began last year, particularly if it can avoid having to overhaul the lineup early in a second straight season.
“We’ve got a lot of skill kids coming back and we have three of our five linemen coming back, so we feel confident,” Nick Barbieri said. “The issue is going to be, ‘Can we stay healthy?’ We’re not super deep.
“We have about 44 on our roster, so we have to stay healthy.”
