TUNKHANNOCK – The touchdown looked almost too easy.
Dylan Lukachko ran right up the middle for 12 yards, giving Pittston Area at least one touchdown in each quarter and a 25-point lead with just 11:06 to go in Friday night’s Wyoming Valley Conference Class 4A Division football game.
The Patriots had every reason to believe they were closing in on their second win in three games, but they could not make it out of town with their lead intact.
Tunkhannock combined scoring drives of 85, 84 and 73 yards with taking advantage of an on-side kick to score four touchdowns in a span of 8:03 on the way to a stunning, 35-32 victory.
The comeback started with two touchdowns in 31 seconds to put the Tigers within striking distance at 32-21 with 8:37 remaining.
It continued because of two clutch fourth-down plays by Jack Chilson.
Chilson’s 18-yard pass to Riley Jones on fourth-and-10 from his 16 kept Tunkhannock’s third scoring drive of the comeback moving.
After that drive produced a 23-yard Chilson touchdown run, Pittston Area went to the air on six of eight plays while trying to regain the momentum.
Mike Nocito’s 38-yard pass to Andrew Krawczyk on the first play after Tunkhannock’s touchdown put the Patriots in Tigers territory.
On fourth-and-seven from the 27 with 2:19 left, Chilson came up from his free safety position to provide the hit that jarred the ball loose for an incompletion on what would have been a Pittston Area first down.
Getting the ball back then gave the Tigers enough time and reduced the distance they needed to travel for the winning score.
Chilson hit three quick passes for 69 yards, then found Jake Frisco with the 7-yard touchdown on third-and-goal with 1:05 remaining.
Two plays later, Ty Konen’s interception locked up the win.
“We played a horrible three quarters of football,” Tunkhannock coach Mike Marabell said. “To fight throw that mess and come back, I’m so proud.”
The Tunkhannock comeback spoiled huge offensive games for Nocito and Krawczyk.
Nocito passed for 332 yards. His three touchdown passes – two to Krawczyk and one to Brennan Higgins – created a a 20-7 halftime lead. Nocito then ran 11 yards for the only score of the third quarter.
Krawczyk caught 10 passes for 157 yards.
Nocito and Krawczyk connected for touchdowns of 14 and 42 yards to complete scoring drives of 76 and 74 yards on Pittston Area’s first two possessions.
Higgins got behind the defense on a post pattern for a 35-yard touchdown, but the Patriots also had drives stall after reaching the Tigers 21 and 22 during the second quarter.
