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Wilkes-Barre Area uses strong second half to defeat Pittston Area

Tagged under: District 2, Gameday Hub, News, pfn

| October 5, 2024

It certainly looked to be a good matchup on paper as the Pittston Area Patriots made the short trip down River Street to face the Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack. Both teams entered at 2-4, Pittston coming off a tough loss against Crestwood and Wilkes-Barre reeling a bit from a shutout loss to Hazleton. Prior to the game there was an alumni celebration for the Coughlin, G.A.R. and Meyers past greats, and it was homecoming for the Wolfpack. With such a packed agenda, we were hoping for a good game.

We weren’t disappointed.

Wilkes-Barre Area QB Jake Howe shook off some early inconsistency to throw for 2 TD’s in the 2nd half as the Wolfpack came from behind to defeat Pittston Area 21-10. RB Davon Underwood had 2 TD’s and WR Rajon Watson had a receiving TD.

Pittston won the toss and elected to receive and started their first drive at their own 38. The Patriot ground game got underway immediately as QB Matt Walter and RB C.J. Pietrzak alternated runs and drove down deep into Wolfpack territory. Walter had 4 runs totaling 26 yards and Pietrzak chipped in with 7 runs totaling 29 yards. When Walter was stopped for a loss to make it 4th-and-goal from the 8, K Gavin Wolfe came on and nailed a 25-yard FG to make it 3-0 for the Patriots with 5:34 left in the 1st quarter.

After a penalty on the ensuing kick return, Wilkes-Barre had to start at their own 16. The Patriots pass rush was on point right away and forced 3 straight incompletions from Wilkes-Barre QB Jake Howe. The Wolfpack punted it away but it was a very short punt that gave the Patriots the ball back at the Wilkes-Barre 35. The Wolfpack defense appeared to have read the playbook though, as they stopped Pietrzak for no gain on 2 straight plays, then a holding penalty on 3rd down pushed Pittston back to the 48. On 3rd-and-22 from there, Walter dropped back and hit WR Lucas LoPresto who came down the right sideline for a nice gain that was short of the 1st down. Unfortunately, a Wolfpack personal foul penalty was enforced after the play and the result was 1st-and-10 Patriots at the Wolfpack 15. Walter then ran it twice for a total of 12 yards and it was 1st-and-goal at the 3. An illegal formation penalty pushed the Patriots back to the 8, but then OL Brody Spindler lined up at FB and ran it for 6 yards down to the 2. On the very next play, Walter cashed in on the keeper from 2 yards out to give Pittston Area a 10-0 lead with 16 seconds left in the 1st quarter.

As the 1st quarter ended and the 2nd quarter got underway, Wilkes-Barre Area had gotten a great kick return to the Patriot 45. On a 3rd-and-9 from the 44, Howe had a nice run that was stopped short of a 1st down, but a personal foul on the Patriots gave the Wolfpack new life and a 1st down at the 21. Howe ran it for 1, then RB Davon Underwood got involved and had a nice run that was also aided by another personal foul penalty that made it 1st-and-goal at the 8. On the very next play, Underwood struck paydirt on a winding 8-yard run that made it 10-7 Pittston with 10;24 left in the half.

Pittston then began a lengthy drive at their own 30. Walter ran it for 4, then Pietrzak struck for 6 yards and a 1st down. On the next play Walter threw a nice screen to the left that connected with WR Steven Barnic for 6 yards. Walter then had a nice run negated by a holding penalty that made it 2nd-at-15 at the 36, and a false start on the next play pushed Pittston back to the 31. The 2nd down pass was incomplete, as was the 3rd down pass but a critical roughing the passer penalty gave the Patriots a fresh start and a 1st down at the 46. Pietrzak had 2 runs totaling 12 yards down to the Wolfpack 42, and then Spindler ran it for a yard but was injured on the play and would not return. On the next play, Walter’s pass to LoPresto was incomplete but a pass interference penalty again gave the Patriots another 1st down, this time at the 26. Unfortunately, the drive stalled at the 21 when the 4th down pass fell incomplete and it was a turnover on downs.

Taking over at their own 21, Wilkes-Barre had new life and a chance to score before halftime. Howe hit WR Treyvon Gembitski for a quick 5-yard gain and a late hit penalty on the Patriots made it 1st-and-10 at the 41. On the next play, Howe was under pressure and scrambled away for 8 yards, but on the next play WR Jordan Kieselowsky was hit in the backfield for a 2 yard loss. Howe then went back to Gembitski for a 13-yard gain and a 1st down at the Pittston 40. Unfortunately, the Wolfpack lost yardage from here as a holding penalty pushed them back to the 50 and forced a punt. That punt, however, was a beauty that was downed at the 1 by Wilkes-Barre. Pittston had to push the pile forward on 2 straight runs by Walter to run out the clock and go to halftime with a 10-7 lead.

Wilkes-Barre Area took the 2nd half kickoff at their own 20 but it was a quick 3-and-out. Pittston Area got good field position at the Wolfpack 49 to start their next drive, and it was back to the ground game. Walter and Pietrzak alternated runs again — Walter with 3 runs for 6 yards and Pietrzak had 2 runs for 7 yards. Unfortunately, the 4th down pass fell incomplete and it was a turnover on downs.

Starting at their own 35, the Wolfpack decided to switch things up a bit. On a 1st-and-10 from the Patriot 49, Kieselowsky took the snap and threw a lateral to Howe who then turned around and pitched it backwards to a streaking Underwood who weaved through traffic for a big 18-yard gain and a 1st-and-10 at the Patriot 30. 2 straight runs netted only 1 yard and the 3rd down pass fell incomplete. The Wolfpack went for it on 4th down, and Howe hit Underwood in the flat for a 29-yard catch and run for the score. With 5:29 left in the 3rd quarter, Wilkes-Barre Area took a 14-10 lead.

Pittston started their next drive at their own 32 but it was a 3-and-out and they punted it away. Wilkes-Barre Area started their next drive at their own 25 and it only took 1 play, as Howe threw a screen pass to WR Rajon Watson who then streaked around the left end and ran untouched down the sideline for a 75-yard score that gave the Wolfpack a 21-10 lead with 3:34 left in the 3rd quarter.

Both teams traded 3-and-outs as the 3rd quarter gave way to the 4th quarter. On their 1st drive of the final quarter, Pittston started at their own 26. On the first play, Walter ran a keeper up the middle but was injured on the play and did not return. QB Paulie Ferentino entered the game, and it was Pietrzak carrying the load as he ran it 7 straight times totaling 25 yards. Unfortunately his last carry was stopped for no gain on a 4th-and -1 from the Wolfpack 41, and it was another turnover on downs for Pittston. Wilkes-Barre took over at their own 41 and drained the clock to seal the win.

After the game it was announced that this was Head Coach Ciro Cinti’s 100th career win, and during a loud post-game celebration he was heard telling his team “We never gave up, and that’s what matters.”

Wilkes-Barre Area improved to 3-4 and heads into “The Battle of the Bridge” next Saturday at Wyoming Valley West. Pittston Area fell to 2-5 and will look to right the ship next Friday night at Hazleton Area.

Check out the photo gallery from the game, courtesy of Sherryl Samuel:  PHOTO GALLERY

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