The Funding Zone
 
SAFR: Safer Through Science
 

Wyoming Area runs down Scranton

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

| September 30, 2023

In a matchup that many looked to as a mid-season test for both teams, the Scranton Knights paid a visit to the Wyoming Area Warriors. Scranton arrived with a 4-1 record, fresh off of a big comeback win against North Pocono. Wyoming Area entered at 5-0 after defeating Hanover Area last Friday. In a big showdown like this, something had to give.

In this game, it was the give of the ball to Warrior RB Aaron Crossley.

The Warriors rode on the back of Crossley, who ran for 308 yards and scored 3 touchdowns in a big 35-19 win at Anthony “Jake” Sobeski Stadium in West Pittston.

The Knights received the opening kick and returned it to their own 44. QB Billy Maloney wasted no time and gained a quick 12 yards on the keeper into Warrior territory, but then lost a yard on the next play. A quick pass to WR Adrien Johns netted 6 yards but an incomplete pass stalled the Knights and gave them a 4th and 5 at the Wyoming Area 39 yard line. Scranton lined up to punt it away, but instead faked it as WR Chris Chandler took the snap and ran it for 19 yards and a big first down to the Warrior 20. 6 plays later, it was WR Memphis Shotto who capped the drive with a 1-yard TD run that gave Scranton the early 7-0 lead with 6:20 left in the 1st quarter.

The Warriors took over on their own 40 and responded very quickly. Senior RB Aaron Crossley ran it for 6 yards, then followed it up immediately with a 54-yard TD run to tie the score 7-7 with 5:35 left in the 1st quarter.

The second drive for the Knights started on their own 28, but didn’t amount to much as the Warrior defense made a statement. Big tackles by LB Michael Crane and DB Damian Lefkoski hurt the Knights early until they got a nice 14-yard reception by Chandler to move the sticks. Unfortunately, they could go no further after a Maloney pass was batted down by LB Josh Mruk and the Knights punted it away.

As the Warriors took over on their own 31 for their 2nd drive, it was Crossley again who gashed the Knights on 4 straight runs that totaled 49 yards. The Warriors were stunned on the next play as WR Nick Scalzo fumbled and the ball was recovered by Maloney for the Knights at their own 17. A nice catch and run by Chandler for 22 yards moved Scranton to their own 39 and a 2-yard keeper by Maloney would end the 1st quarter.

At the start of the 2nd quarter, the Knights then stumbled as a holding penalty negated a nice Maloney run. On the very next play Chandler fumbled on a reception that was recovered by DB Kevin Weidl for the Warriors at the Scranton 45. Wyoming Area again responded immediately, as RB Michael Crane took the snap and threw it to Mruk for a big 40-yard reception to the 5 yard line of the Knights. Crossley then ran for 4 yards and followed it up with a 1-yard TD run to make it 14-7 Warriors with 10:11 to go in the half.

Scranton refused to give up and began a sustained drive at their own 25. After Maloney lost 1 yard on a keeper, he hit Johns for 7 yards. Then on a 3rd and 4 from the Knight 31, Maloney scrambled to avoid the pass rush and as he extended the play he hit WR Memphis Shotto for a 12-yard gain and a 1st down. The Knights then used an 8-yard reverse by Chandler and a 4-yard keeper by Maloney as they drove into Warrior territory. A big 29-yard Maloney to WR Oliver Almonte reception drove the Knights to the Warrior 16 yard line, but 4 straight incomplete passes gave the Warriors the ball back.

Both teams then traded 3-and-out possessions, and ultimately the Warriors had an extended drive down to the Knight 35 yard line as the half expired. As they received the 2nd half kickoff, the Warriors had a 10-play drive that started at their own 43 and ended when QB Anthony Delucca hit Mruk for a 17-yard TD that made it 21-7 in favor of the Warriors with 7:24 left in the 3rd quarter. The Knights paid it right back however, as Maloney hit Chandler for a 12-yard gain to the 50 and then on the next play took the QB keeper 50 yards for the score. The 2-point conversion failed, and the score was 21-13 for the Warriors with 6:32 left in the 3rd quarter.

Wyoming Area began another long drive that consisted of 1 pass and 10 running plays. On the drive it was Crossley who gained 51 yards on 8 carries, but it was Delucca who hit paydirt on a 1-yard dive for the score that made it 28-13 Warriors with 1:00 left in the 3rd quarter.

Scranton again moved quickly downfield. After Almonte gained 6 yards on a nice reception, Maloney ran it for 46 yards down to the Warrior 10 yard line as the 3rd quarter ended. Maloney hit Almonte for an 8-yard gain to the Warrior 2, but a false start by the Knights on the next play pushed them back to the 7. Maloney then called his own number again and used the stretch play to run it in for the score that made it 28-19 Warriors with 11:31 left in the game.

A big stand by the Knight defense on the next series was critical, as they stopped Crossley for a 2-yard loss and forced 2 straight incomplete passes and a Warrior punt. The Knights took over at their own 29 and had 2 straight incomplete passes of their own. Maloney then ran it for 9 yards, but a critical 4th and 1 from their own 43 was stopped for no gain and gave the Warriors the ball back in great field position. They made the most of the situation, as Crossley ran for 14 yards and then again for 11 yards. He then scored his 3rd TD of the game, an 11-yard run that made it 35-19 with 8:03 to go in the game.

Scranton refused to give up, and started their next drive on their own 39. Shotto threw a pass to Almonte for 11 yards to midfield, then Maloney hit Shotto for 5 yards and then hit RB Reece Whitman for 21 yards to the Warrior 24 yard line. The drive stalled at the Warrior 13 however, as an incomplete pass turned the ball back over to the Warriors. Wyoming Area gained 2 more 1st downs and then kneeled it out to seal the 35-19 win.

Wyoming Area improved to 6-0 and will visit Holy Redeemer next Saturday. Scranton fell to 4-2 and will look to get back in the win column next Friday night as they visit Valley View.

Be sure to check out the photo gallery from the game, courtesy of Sherryl Samuel:  https://pafootballnews.com/pfn/scranton-at-wyoming-area-photo-gallery/

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
QwikCut
 
GoRout
 
Rainbow Lettering
 
x