Wyoming Area scored the game’s final four goals Friday night to defeat Pittston Area, 6-2, in the Blue-Gold Game matching rivals in a Northeastern Pennsylvania High School Hockey League game at the Revolution Ice Centre.
Matthew Romanowski scored the game’s first goal, unassisted, and assisted on the final two to lead the Wyoming Area offense.
Matthew Benton made 21 saves to get the win in goal.
Pittston Area forced two ties in the game, which included a combined 55 minutes in penalties.
Krisjin Bilwin tied the game nine seconds after Romanowski scored, but Patrick Musinski put Wyoming Area back on top just 20 seconds after that.
The 2-1 lead carried into the second period before Ryan Viteritti tied the game for Pittston Area.
Jake Kellerher put Wyoming Area ahead to stay later in the second period.
C.J. Rome scored on the power play, then Jacob Switzer and Joseph Katarsky converted Romanowski’s assists in the third period.
Connor Spudis, Alex Hawk and Nick Perry had Wyoming Area’s other assists.
Marc Malvizzi had an assist for Pittston Area.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Pittston Area 62
GAR 58
Matt McGlynn drilled three 3-pointers and made both of his foul shots while scoring 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter Thursday night, leading a comeback for a Pittston Area victory.
The Patriots trailed, 39-34, in the Wyoming Valley Conference crossover game before scoring 28 points in the fourth quarter when they went 11-for-12 from the line.
Keemar Woodruff was 7-for-8 in the fourth and finished with 13 points.
Naseem Guillaume, who finished with 14 points, and Andrew Krawczyk each scored five in the fourth quarter.
Will Johnson led GAR with 31 points.
“We had a really good effort,” Pittston Area coach Alan Kiesinger said. “We had three guys in double figures and defensively, I thought we did a good job as well.
“It’s very difficult to guard the Johnson kid. He did have 31, but overall I thought we made the game difficult on them and on him. I thought he had a difficult 31.”
By winning twice in the last three games, Pittston Area moved back into position to qualify for the District 2 playoffs.
The Patriots are 3-8 in the WVC and 4-13 overall, leaving them seventh in the nine-team race for eight Class 5A playoff berths.
Pittston Area went through the week without senior center Brian Miller, who was out with an illness. Miller had scored 22 points in the Jan. 26 win over Tunkhannock.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tunkhannock 51
Wyoming Area 46
Becca Avery scored 14 of her 20 points in the second half Friday night when Tunkhannock rallied to pull off the WVC Division 2 upset.
Sarah Holweg had seven of her 17 points and Cassidy Orzel had nine of her 15 in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough for Wyoming Area after Tunkhannock took the lead with a 16-8 third quarter.
Wyoming Area dropped to 9-4 in the WVC, tied for fourth in Division 2, and 14-4 overall.
Crestwood 47
Pittston Area 42
Julia Makowski hit 12 out of 17 foul shots, led a fourth-quarter comeback and finished with 22 points to lead Crestwood to the win.
Makowski had nine of her points in the fourth quarter when she was 5-for-6 on foul shots.
The Lady Comets were 17-for-27, including 8-for-12 in the fourth quarter.
Pittston Area was 9-for-11, making its only two fourth-quarter attempts.
Alexa Noone scored 26 points in the loss, making three of her four 3-pointers in the first half. Leah Hodick added 11.
Pittston Area is 5-7 in the WVC, tied for fourth in Division 1, and 8-9 overall.
Crestwood 51
Holy Redeemer 48
Alexa Noone scored 20 points and Leah Hodick led a third-quarter comeback that allowed Pittston Area to hand Holy Redeemer its first WVC loss, knocking the Royals out of a tie for first place in Division 2 with Wednesday’s crossover win.
Noone hit four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points.
Hodick had 10 of her 16 points in the third quarter when Pittston Area outscored Holy Redeemer, 20-5, to erase an eight-point halftime deficit and take a 38-31 lead.
“It was absolutely the best we played all year,” Pittston Area coach Kathy Healey said. “We took care of the ball. Before the game, we discussed a goal of what we wanted to have for turnovers for the game.
“Some of the girls came to me and said, ‘coach, I didn’t have one turnover’. It was something we were really conscious of and it’s something that’s been our Achilles’ heel all year.”
Healey credited Brooklyn Pedana, a junior back-up guard, with some of that ballhandling and Lily Savoy, a sophomore reserve, with providing a defensive boost.
Hazleton Area 67
Wyoming Area 59
Hazleton Area opened a 12-point lead after one quarter and got double figures scoring from four players on the way to Wednesday’s WVC crossover win.
Sarah Holweg had 15 points to lead the Lady Warriors.
Cassidy Orzel scored eight of her 13 in the second quarter when Wyoming Area cut a 15-3 deficit to 31-26.
Holweg had eight points in the third quarter when Wyoming Area moved within 49-46.
GIRLS SWIMMING
Pittston Area 91
Tunkhannock 76
Juliet Lawler won the 100-yard backstroke and Pittston Area used its depth to post the WVC victory Wednesday.
WRESTLING
Pittston Area 42
Kutztown 28
Brandon Lopez (113) and Ryan Lombardo (132) had pins Jan. 27 when Pittston Area took advantage of five forfeits in the non-league win.
Coal Cracker Tournament
Justin Joseph reached the 182-pound championship match of the Jan. 26-27 tournament at Panther Valley.
Joseph was pinned in the final and settled for second place.
Damon Barhight finished seventh at 285.
Wyoming Area 54
Elk Lake 8
Damon Barhight (285), Charlie Banashefski (145), Corey Mruk (182) and Jaryn Polit-Moran (195) had pins in Thursday’s non-league win.
Barhight won in 36 seconds and Mruk also finished his bout in the first period.
