WEST PITTSTON — Winning a high school football state title is an extremely rare occurrence and between the Pittston Area and Wyoming Area, it’s never happened in over 50-years of the districts’ existence – until now.
Wyoming Area Warriors achieved the nearly impossible achievement on December 7 by defeating Western Pennsylvania’s Central Valley High School for the PIAA 3A championship at Hersheypark Stadium.
Restaurateur Joe Agolino has been an avid fan of local sports all of his life, in particular, Wyoming Area sports. Agolino, now 74, has traveled near and far to watch the Warriors play football and Hershey was no different.
After the two-hour drive, Agolino realized he couldn’t physically get into the stadium, he decided to listen to the game from his car.
When the Warriors took the title, he wanted to do something very special for the team, coaches and even cheerleaders; he hosted a dinner in their honor at his West Pittston restaurant, Agolino’s on Sunday, December 22.
“It just came on me and I thought about doing other years, but you have to remember, we were never state champions, this means something to me,” Agolino said. “Plus the support I get from the customers, which is a part of this, means something. I’m learning more and more to give back.”
Dante Bovani, Jr., a West Pittston businessman and father of senior guard on the team, Dante III, was at the restaurant when the team had dinner.
“I watched the game about 35-times and the excitement hasn’t stopped since the game was played,” Bovani said. “I don’t think it really sank in on what they did. I know they talk about it, but this is huge. He’ll (Bovani, III) will never forget anything like this, ever; it will stay with him for the rest of his life.”
Agolino treated the team, coaches and cheerleaders to a past appetizer, chicken entrée, beverages and a large sheet cake congratulating the team.
Derek Ambrosino, a senior defensive end/tight end, was on hand taking in the festivities.
“It’s been kind of hectic and I’m trying to take it all in with all these dinners and team and alumni sponsored events recognizing our accomplishment,” Ambrosino, a West Pittston resident, said.
“We’ve had a ton of community support all season but it’s magnified since we won the state championship.”
Ambrosino said he’d never forget the bus ride home on Route 11 to Sobeski Field, the Warriors home field, after the championship game, the medal ceremony and the generosity of the community like Joe Agolino.
“Coach said to take it all in,” Ambrosino said. “We’re never going to have an experience like this again in your life.”
