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Hazleton Runs Away Late, Beats Berwick

Tagged under: District 2, Gameday Hub, News

| September 14, 2024

Believe it or not, Week 4 of the High School Football Season in Pennsylvania is underway. Hazleton traveled to Crispin Field in Berwick and got the best of the dawgs.

The Hazleton Cougars are one of the largest schools in the State of Pennsylvania but have yet to succeed consistently on the gridiron. They started their season with 2 losses, albeit to top-notch teams. In week one, Hazleton lost to perennial power Nazareth. Then, in Week 2, they fell to a stout Williamsport Millionaire team that is turning heads this year. Safe to say, Hazleton was better than their 0-2 record stated. Last week they took down West Scranton 13-3 to earn their first win. Although it is just one win, momentum is not something to take lightly. After a dominant defensive showing a week ago, Hazleton backed it up again with another stellar performance.

Berwick sits at 0-3, which is rare, uncharted territory for the storied program. Gone are the days of State Championships, in are the days of struggle. Berwick entered this game not scoring a single offensive point since the first quarter of the opening week. There are clear holes that need to be patched, but the main gash is fixing the stagnant offense. Berwick did find the endzone today but came up short, again.

Both defenses came into this matchup with relatively good numbers. Berwick’s defense did allow 35 last week to Lackawanna Trail, but the unit has allowed much less than a year ago. Hazleton allowed all but 3 points last week in their win, and just 23 the game prior. The great defenses coupled with poor offensive play, had the opening quarter scoreless.

The score would stay 0-0 until Gavin Galutia of Berwick took a run right up the gut and gave Berwick their 3rd lead of the season.

Things were looking up for Berwick. The defense was pitching a shutout late into the first half, and the offense finally found the endzone. It was looking like a halftime lead for Berwick, but as Lee Corso would say, not so fast.

Austin Wilson made his first mark on the contest with a scramble for a score late into the first half, and the game was tied at the half.

The game would come down to one simple question: Who will come out of the 2nd half looking better? The answer was evident, and it was Hazleton.

After a Berwick field goal, Hazleton separated the margin and ran away with the game. After Berwick missed a field goal later, Austin Wilson and Hazleton got the ball back and scored, in one play. Wilson took a QB run over 80 yards right through the Berwick defense.

Hazleton’s offense got them the lead, the defense allowed them to keep it. Not too long after the Wilson TD scamper, Hazleton picked off Berwick and took it to the crib, Cougars led 20-10.

Austin Wilson was not finished though. He took yet another run to the house and the final score saw Hazleton with a 27-10 win.

For the Bulldogs, they still can’t get into the win column. A once giant in Pennsylvania High School Football has been shrunk to a middling, struggling program. Throughout 4 games, Berwick has scored 14 offensive points. Averaging less than 5 points a game will not win any game. Once again, self-inflicted wounds hurt the Bulldogs. They had multiple drops, penalties, and missed tackles that ultimately ended up in them losing. Berwick is home next week against Hanover at 7 PM.

Many would have written off the Hazleton Cougars after the first two weeks, but they stayed together. They showed resiliency in this game in the way they responded down 10-7. Hazleton Head Coach Dennis Buchman said, ” We understand what everyone says about us, nobody gives us a chance. We have some great kids, we are exactly that, resilient. We’re from Hazleton, we take great pride in our area.” Hazleton gets to 2-2 and will be home against Wyoming Valley West Friday night at 7.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH HAZLETON HC DENNIS BUCHMAN

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
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