Wyoming Area Aaron Crossley leaps over the the last two Tunkhannock defenders for one of his four rushing downs Friday night.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Joe Marranca (36) runs through the final two Tunkhannock defenders for a 30-yard touchdown in the second quarter Friday night.
Tunkhannock’s Colin Madan (14) jumps over the Wyoming Area’s Garrett Pocceschi (1) for a 14-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter Friday night.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Joe Marranca crosses the goal line on a 16-yard TD catch in the first quarter Friday night.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area’s Michael Crane (23) gets hauled down from behind by Tunkhannock’s Joey Ross during Friday’s season opener for both teams.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
WEST PITTSTON — Every time Tunkhannock would get within striking distance Friday night, Wyoming Area running back Aaron Crossley would strike back.
Crossley’s final of three long touchdown runs — a 65-yarder with 2:02 remaining — made certain there wouldn’t been another Tunkhannock rally attempt.
In all, Crossley ran for 352 yards and four touchdowns while also throwing a touchdown pass as the Warriors opened the season with a 48-28 victory over Tunkhannock in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 game.
“What an outstanding job,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “He’s worked so hard. I think he’s shown over the last year coming off his sophomore year what he did in wrestling. He did a great job competing there. What he did in track finishing eighth in the state (in the 100) in 2A.
“I think we saw that dynamic ability on some plays tonight.”
Crossley was part of a timeshare at running back last season and never carried the ball more than 12 times in a game. On Friday night, he rushed 25 times for his 352 yards. He had 156 in the first quarter alone as he scored on a 51-yard run on Wyoming Area’s first play from scrimmage and on an 82-yard run to close out the period.
Crossley also threw a 16-yard TD pass to Joe Marranca to give Wyoming Area a 21-6 lead going into the second quarter.
“The hard work I put in in the off-season and with everybody graduating I just kind of expected it,” Crossley said. “It was pretty exciting going in I’d get a bunch of carries. But the O-line block so tremendously, it was crazy.”
The first half was pretty crazy as well. Tunkhannock quarterback Ben Chilson threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first half. His 77-yarder straight down the middle to Joey Ross moved the Tigers within 28-20 with 5:17 until halftime.
Crossley, though, struck again with a 17-yard TD run to give Wyoming Area a 35-20 lead at halftime.
The third quarter was surprisingly quiet and scoreless. The fourth quarter wasn’t as Marranca scored on a 3-yard run to start the period to bump Wyoming Area’s lead to 41-20. Tunkhannock wasn’t done as Chilson hooked up with Colin Madan for a 5-yard TD with 3:03 left to play. The duo also converted a two-point conversion pass to cut the deficit to 41-28.
The Tigers then sold out completely to stop the run. It worked on first down as Crossley was stopped for no gain. It didn’t on second down as Crossley busted up the gut for his 65-yard score.
Wyoming Area fell just shy of 500 yards of offense. That was the good. The bad was the secondary was burned on occasion as Chilson connected on 15-of-28 passes for 216 yards. A breakdown in kick coverage resulted in Tunkhannock’s Garrett Yuhas setting up the Tigers’ first score with a 62-yard return.
Wyoming Area 48, Tunkhannock 28
Tunkhannock`6`14`0`8 — 28
Wyoming Area`21`14`0`13 — 48
First quarter
WA — Aaron Crossley 51 run (Liam Burke kick), 10:23
WA — Joe Marranca 16 pass from Crossley (Burke kick), 3:20
TUN — Jeb Stephens 3 pass from Ben Chilson (kick blocked), 0:37
WA — Crossley 82 run (Burke kick), 0:15
Second quarter
TUN — Colin Madan 14 pass from Chilson (pass failed), 8:51
WA — Marranca 30 run (Burke kick), 6:56
TUN — Joey Ross 77 pass from Chilson (Garrett Yuhas from Chilson), 5:17
WA — Crossley 17 run (Burke kick), 0:44
Fourth quarter
WA — Marranca 3 run (run failed), 11:55
TUN — Madan 5 pass from Chilson (Madan from Chilson), 3:03
WA — Crossley 65 run (Burke kick), 2:08
Team statistics`TUN`WA
First downs`13`16
Rushes-yards`32-90`47-451
Passing yards`216`40
Total yards`306`491
Passing`15-28-0`4-6-0
Sacked-yards lost`2-8`0-0
Punts-avg.`3-29.7`1-35
Fumbles-lost`3-0`5-1
Penalties-yards`5-25`5-35
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Tunkhannock, Tenzen Lewis 13-47, Yuhas 6-17, Chilson 8-10, Caden Simmers 3-10, Evan Montross 3-6. Wyo. Area, Crossley 25-352, Garrett Pocceschi 1-2, Michael Crane 9-44, Marranca 5-42, Damian Lefkoski 4-9, Lidge Kellum 2-2.
PASSING — Tunkhannock, Chilson 15-28-0-216. Wyo. Area, Lefkoski 2-4-0-20, Crossley 2-4-0-20.
RECEIVING — Tunkhannock, Yuhas 3-16, Stephens 4-27, Madan 5-65, Joey Ross 3-108. Wyo. Area, Marranca 1-16, Justin Francis 1-16, Pocceschi 1-4, Kevin Wiedel 1-4.
INTERCEPTIONS — none.
MISSED FGs — none.
