WEST PITTSTON – Sophomore Jacob Williams led another dominant effort by the Wyoming Area defense during a 56-7 Wyoming Valley Conference Class 3A football romp over visiting Hanover Area Oct. 19.
Williams made a team-high five tackles, assisted another and intercepted a pass. He returned his interception inside the Hanover Area 20, only to have all but 10 yards of the return wiped out by penalty, but the turnover still led to a Warriors touchdown.
Wyoming Area opened a 49-0 lead at halftime in the Homecoming Game, holding an opponent scoreless in the first half for the seventh time in nine games, all wins.
During the first half, the Warriors limited Hanover Area to two yards rushing, three first downs and 3-for-12 passing. Wyoming Area held its opponents in Weeks Seven through Nine to a total of 55 rushing yards.
Corey Mruk had four tackles, including two for losses, and an assist.
Dante Bovani also made a pair of tackles for losses.
Wyoming Area could see Hanover Area again when the District 2 Class 3A playoffs open next week.
The Warriors used their own version of 7-on-7 football to drill the Hawkeyes in the regular-season meeting.
The Warriors scored seven touchdowns on seven first-half possessions while opening the 49-point halftime lead in their Homecoming Game.
Dominic DeLuca accounted for four touchdowns and Mruk ran for the other three during the half.
Brian Williams pulled in two touchdown passes and Dimitri DePietro the other while producing the 49-0 halftime lead.
DeLuca also ran for a touchdown, covering 14 yards for the first score.
Mruk carried 17 times for 127 yards. DeLuca hit six of 12 passes for 137.
Then, after leading a 35-point, second-quarter onslaught, each sat out the second half.
“Hanover Area made it difficult in the box there,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “They challenged our running game and I thought we responded on the edge, made a couple plays in space, hit a few pass plays and did what we needed to do initially.”
Leo Haros set up two scores with a 27-yard punt return and a 36-yard return of Thomas Wycoski’s blocked field goal.
Manny Saldana scored on a 14-yard run for Hanover Area in the third quarter and 120-pound sophomore Adam Signan pulled in a 9-yard touchdown pass from Blaise Sokach-Minnick, the third quarterback Wyoming Area used, midway through the fourth.
Pittston Area 14
Crestwood 7
WRIGHT TWP. – Pittston Area spoiled Greg Myers’ final home game as Crestwood coach in the Oct. 19 game, holding the Comets on downs with 2:27 remaining to produce the WVC Class 4A Division win.
The Patriots (4-5) scored two touchdowns in the second half after struggling through a first half in which they were out-gained by more than 100 yards and turned the ball over three times.
Quarterback Mike Nocito recovered to make three big plays in the second half. First, the junior hit Andrew Krawczyk for a 19-yard TD strike after scrambling around. Then, he somehow found Tony Gorey in the back of the end zone for the two-point conversion for an 8-7 lead with 3:00 left in the third.
In the fourth quarter, Nocito and Krawczyk connected again, this time for 30 yards and a 14-7 lead.
“He made a great play on the first touchdown, and the two-point conversion was a ridiculous play, and a great throw to Andrew for the second touchdown,” Pittston Area coach Nick Barbieri said. “He came back. He bounced back. He’s still a young kid learning. He’ll get better and as he gets better, we’ll get better.”
The Patriots defense allowed just two fourth-quarter first downs and got an interception from Krawczyk at the 5 while protecting the lead.
“Defensively, I thought we played well except for the one breakdown in coverage,” Barbieri said.
The defense did not allow any points after the three turnovers in the first half.
