Wyoming Area survives wild game against Wilkes-Barre Area

Tagged under: District 2, Gameday Hub, pfn

John Kotsko | September 4, 2021

For three quarters, it looked like Wyoming Area was going to take a victory on the road against Wilkes-Barre Area in convincing fashion after a third quarter where they had three big play touchdowns. However, the Wolf Pack had other ideas, with starting quarterback Javant McClary out with an injury in the second half, sophomore Mekhi Nelson would go under center and would score three rushing touchdowns to make the game interesting. The Warriors had several players out due to injuries, one of them would be top running back Drew Mruk. “The next guy had to step up this afternoon and our kids did a great job” Wyoming Area head coach Randy Spencer said.

After a scoreless first quarter, Warriors kicker Jayden Rusyn kicked a 26 yard field goal to make it 3-0 with 9:48 remaining in the second quarter. A Wilkes-Barre Area punt pinned Wyoming Area to their own 17 and on a third and 8, the Wolf Pack’s Anthony Nguyen tipped the ball into the hands of defensive lineman Ian Bednar picked it off and took it 13 yards into the end zone for a 7-3 WB lead with 6:12 in the second quarter.

An unsportsmanlike conduct on Wilkes-Barre Area gave the Warriors the ball at their own 43 yard line. Wyoming Area took advantage of the short field as Blaise Sokach-Minnick found Nico Sciandra for a 14 yard touchdown and a 10-7 lead with 1:02 to go in the first half. The Wolf Pack drove down the field highlighted by a 35 yard run by Howie Shiner to the WA 31 yard line with 26 seconds left. Wilkes-Barre Area got 18 yards on two plays to get a 30 yard attempt by Evan Corcoran with four seconds left and hit the uprights as we headed to halftime tied at 10.

The Warriors ended up having a big third quarter. Two plays into the opening drive of the second half, Sciandra went 79 yards to the house for a 17-10 Wyoming Area 51 seconds into the third quarter. After WA forced a WB punt, the Warriors would only go one play as Sokach-Minnick found John Morgan for a 65 yard score to make it 24-10 with 8:06 remaining in the third quarter. After both teams traded punts, Sokach-Minnich threw his third touchdown of the game as he found Rocco Pizano for an 81 yard touchdown pass and a 31-10 lead as we headed to the fourth quarter.

The Wolf Pack looked to make a comeback down three scores. It started with Mekhi Nelson going 35 yards for a touchdown to make it 31-17 with 10:24 remaining. Wilkes-Barre Area ended up recovering a kick that took a weird bounce and ended up being recovered by WBA’s Michael Andrzejewski at the Wyoming Area 23 yard line. One play later, Nelson scored his second touchdown of the game by going 23 yards to make it 31-24 10 seconds after their first score of the fourth quarter.

The defense of Wilkes-Barre Area forced a Wyoming Area punt and got great field after a punt that went to the Wyoming Area 38 yard line. The drive ended with Nelson scoring from five yards for his third touchdown of the game but the PAT ended going wide and the Warriors retained the lead at 31-30 with 5:57 remaining. First play of the Warriors possession, they would fumbled and the Wolf Pack’s Jace John ended up scooping up the fumble at the Wyoming Area 22 yard line.

Wilkes-Barre Area’s Howie Shiner got a 10 yard gain on second and 6 to get a first and goal at the eight yard line. Nelson ran for no gain on first down, then Shiner got four yards on second and goal. Nelson’s pass fell incomplete on third and goal. Corcoran lined up for a 21 yard field goal to give the Wolf Pack the lead but the snap would end up being botched and the Warriors ended up holding on defense. Wyoming Area would run out the clock as they survived a crazy contest 31-30.

Wolf Pack Head Coach Ciro Cinti on his team’s comeback attempt after being down 31-10 at the end of the third quarter. “Our kids have no quit in them. They keep playing and you can hang your head on that.” Wyoming Area plays at home against Nanticoke on Friday night and Wilkes-Barre Area travels to Dallas on Friday night.

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