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Hazleton Uses Big Plays Defensively To Stop Wilkes-Barre 20-7.

Tagged under: District 2, Gameday Hub, News

| September 17, 2022

Hazleton Area head coach Dennis Buchman said ”our defense was absolutely phenomenal” and that statement is as accurate as it gets, The Cougars made big defensive plays in the fourth quarter and held Wilkes Barre to just 7 points and 125 rushing yards.

The Cougars would get on the board on their opening drive following a Wolfpack punt. The Cougars would receive the ball from the 27-yard line, and from there on out the Cougars would go on a 10-minute 17-play drive that ended in a score. When with 34 seconds left in the quarter Tyler Wolfe would connect with Running Back Matthew Buchman in the flat for a 9-yard touchdown pass to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead as the extra point was no good.

The Wolfpack responded back with its only score of the game by going on a 14-play 65-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Freshman quarterback Jake Howe, to give the Wolfpack a 7-6 lead with 7:17 left in the half.

Hazleton would quickly regain the lead back when coach Buchman’s spread offense went to work. Quarterback Tyler Wolfe who threw for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns would hit both Matthew Buchman and Matthew Cusatis to set up the Cougars inside the 10-yard line. The drive would be capped off when running back Connor Kundrat would take it in from 4 yards out to give the Cougars a 13-6 lead, Wolfe would connect with Ryan Maytas for the 2-point conversion to give the Cougars a 14-7 lead with 3:01 left in the half.

The Cougar’s defense that played tremendous all night long got the biggest stop of the night when on fourth and 1 from the Cougars’ 15, Hazleton would stuff the QB sneak forcing a turnover on downs. Good defense would turn into good offense as the Cougars would march 85 yards downfield to get their third score of the game. That score came at hands-on Tight end Zander Coleman as on play action Tyler Wolfe would connect with Coleman for a 6-yard touchdown pass to give the Cougars a 20-7 lead with 5:41 left in the game.

That defense made big plays till the last minute. On the Wolfpack’s last drive off the game Linebacker, Ryan Maytas had a big tackle for a loss and linebacker Zander Coleman had a big pass deflection on fourth down to force a turnover.


Hazleton (4-0) will be at West Scranton (1-3), While Wilkes Barre (2-2) will play host to Berwick (2-2)

 

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