Dallas gets first win with victory at Wilkes-Barre Area
Tagged under: District 2, Gameday Hub, News, pfn
John Kotsko | September 13, 2025
If you went to a Dallas Mountaineer practice this past week, one could think the team was 3-0 and not looking for their first win of the season. The Mountaineers Brandon Miller kicked a 22 yard field goal with 4 seconds left to break a tie. Logan Geskey had a touchdown catch, a fumble recovery for an offensive touchdown and an interception as Dallas survived a Wilkes-Barre comeback attempt to get a 24-21 victory over Wilkes-Barre Area for their first win of the season. “You can’t get to this without doing what these kids do every single day when they enter our clubhouse and this is all them. They just buy in, believe in the process and know that it takes time.” Said Mountaineers head coach Rich Mannello.
The Mountaineers received the opening kickoff and went three and out. The Dallas defense then got an interception by Tyce Mason on third down. First play after the interception, Talan Geskey found his brother Logan Geskey for a 38 yard score to make it 7-0 Mountaineers with 9:08 remaining in the first quarter.
Wilkes-Barre Area drove down the field all the way to the Dallas four yard line. However, a fumble and recovery by Dallas stalled the Wolf Pack drive. Starting at their own four yard line, freshman running back Mark Saracinaj took the bulk of the carries as the Mountaineers drove down the field. Dallas fumbled the ball into the end zone but Logan Geskey recovered it in the end zone to make it 14-0 Mountaineers with 1:07 remaining in the first quarter.
Wilkes-Barre Area started at their own 11. The Wolf Pack got several big plays during the drive from quarterback Jake Howe and junior running back Khalil Smith. The drive took up almost a third of the second quarter as Smith ended the drive with a five yard touchdown run to cut the Dallas lead to 14-7.
The Mountaineers got the ball back and looked like they went three and out but a too many men penalty on WBA got the ball to midfield for a fourth and four. They ran a fake punt got five yards to the Wilkes-Barre Area 46. A holding penalty by the Wolf Pack got the ball to the 32 yard line. On a third and 8, Talan Geskey found Sam Kelley for a 27 yard catch to get the ball to the three yard line. Next play, Saracinaj scored from three yards out to make it 21-7 Dallas with 1:59 remaining in the second quarter.
Wilkes-Barre Area looked to score before halftime but Logan Geskey got an interception on the second play of the drive. The Mountaineers used up the reminder of the clock and lined up for a 46 yard field goal attempt and it ended up just short as we went to halftime. The Wolf Pack received the second half kickoff and drove down the field ending with Jake Howe finding Gino Dalessandro for a 12 yard score to make it 21-14 Mountaineers with 8:25 remaining in the second quarter. Dallas drove down the field but faced a fourth and 8 at the Wilkes-Barre Area 30 yard line. The Mountaineers ended up short of the line to gain and the Wolf Pack took over.
Wilkes-Barre Area tied the game up as they went on a nine play drive ending with Howe finding Jordan Kieselowsky for a 33 yard touchdown to tie the game up at 21 with 30 seconds left. The fourth quarter had three three and outs until late in the quarter. Wilkes-Barre Area got the ball at the Dallas 41 yard line with a great punt return by Treyvon Gembitski. The Wolf Pack faced a fourth and 1 at the Mountaineer 20 yard line and the Dallas defense came up big as they stopped the run.
The Mountaineers took over with 4:05 left at their own 20. Talan Geskey found Logan Geskey to get into Wilkes-Barre Area territory. They got the ball all the way to the five yard line and Brandon Miller kicked a 22 yard field goal with four seconds left to make it 24-21 Dallas. The Wolf Pack’s final attempt was intercepted by Trevor Slavinski as time expired as the Mountaineers got their first win of the 2025 season with a 24-21 victory at Wilkes-Barre Area. The Wolf Pack go to 2-2 and travel to West Scranton next week. Dallas plays Pittston Area at home next week.
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