WEST PITTSTON — The Wyoming Area’s offense picked up exactly where it left off the week before by scoring more than 40 points for the second straight week to down Coughlin 42-14.

The Crusaders (0-2) struggled offensively in the first half and turned the ball over three times which helped lead to 21 points by the Warriors (2-0).

In the 21 points, junior quarterback Dominic DeLuca threw touchdowns to junior running back FJ Braccini and a seven yard touchdown to junior wide receiver Brian Williams.

Junior running back Corey Mruk scored the first touchdown off the Coughlin turnover on a one yard run.

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Other scores by the Warriors included a 20-yard touchdown pass by DeLuca to Williams, and a 24-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Dimitri Depietro.

Warriors head coach Randy Spencer was thrilled with how DeLuca has matured as a player.

“His experience last year was invaluable and I think he’s right where he’d like to be and we need him to be,” Spencer said. “As a player, as a leader, for him to come and execute at that level speaks volumes.”

When the Warriors took a 42-0 lead before the end of the first half, Spencer began pulling starters, including DeLuca who finished the day 4-for-6 for 53 yards and four touchdowns.

Spencer said the team’s past experience with injuries lead him to make that decision.

“We’ve dealt with injuries in the early part of the season — some minor and some a little more significant,” he said. “I think you always have to be looking at situations and where could be a situation where somebody that’s a first group guy doesn’t take a senseless injury in those situations. So, that’s all we were looking to manage there.”

Despite DeLuca’s arm leading the way in scoring, the Warriors ran the ball for over 200 yards behind nine different ball carriers.

Spencer credited the offensive line for that feat.

“I think we came off the ball with that group,” he said. “It’s not just five guys, it’s about seven or eight guys and our fullbacks and tight ends are in that mix. We came off, blocked real well, our backs carried the ball well, and it’s really a credit to the whole group and it was great to see them execute.”

After halftime, it looked like the Crusaders had life as the team scored 14 unanswered points, first on a 14-yard run by junior wide receiver Rafael McCoy and then on a three yard run by senior running back Jervone Young.

Both scores came off Wyoming Area turnovers.

“Anytime you’re running a game or managing a game as a coach, you want it to go to plan and when you start getting some turnovers you just have to be prepared to readjust and do what you need to do,” Spencer said. “We were hopeful at that point to not have anybody in a situation where they could be hurt.

“Coughlin kept playing football, and credit to them and they have to do, and then we just have to respond to that situation. You want your young guys to step up and be able to make plays. Later on, I think we settled in and we were able to finish the game.”

DeLuca
https://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_WyomingAreaFB-DominicDeLuca-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDeLuca

By Jimmy Fisher

jfisher@timesleader.com

NUMBERS GAME

Dominic DeLuca didn’t even finish the first half, but he threw for four touchdowns on four completions… The Warriors overall ran for over 200 yards behind nine different ball carriers, with Corey Mruk leading the charge with 63 yards and one score… Defensively, the Warriors gave up only nine first downs on the day, including only two in the first half.

Reach Jimmy Fisher at 570-704-3972 or on Twitter @SD_JimmyFisher