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PSU preview: Running backs in the spotlight for Lions, Aztecs

Hanover Area can’t hold back Riverside

CLINTON TWP. &#8212; Lackawanna Trail was faced with a fourth-and-7 play from the Meyers 45-yard line with less than five minutes left in the first half, trailing by 14 points.Instead of trying to pin the Mohawks deep, Lions coach Steve Jervis called a fake punt and Anthony Berrios rushed seven yards for a first down.On the next play, Trail&#8217;s Tyler Baltrusaitis rushed 38 yards for a touchdown. The Lions scored the next 12 points of the game to defeat Meyers, 24-20, in a non-league game Friday night at Lions Pride Stadium.&#8220;This is the first game where we really had some true leadership,&#8221; Jervis said. &#8220;Our defense really turned it around in the second half to pitch a shutout against a very good football team.&#8221;Meyers struck first when Jason Marston, who accounted for 179 yards on 15 carries, ran 68 yards for a touchdown with 10:48 left in the first quarter.Lackawanna Trail responded with a nine-play, 54-yard drive capped by a 3-yard touchdown run from James Gillespie.Marston quickly put the Mohawks back in the lead when he used a spin move to break free for a 47-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining in the first quarter.On the Mohawks next possession, Fahbian Biggs capped a 12-play, 93-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to give Meyers a 20-6 lead with 8:26 left in the second quarter.Lackawanna Trail (1-3) cut the deficit to two points on their second possession of the second half when Rocco Pacini scored on a 2-yard run. Lions freshman quarterback Nathan Rolka completed three passes for 61 yards on the drive.&#8220;Offensively, we were able to control the clock and get a lot of guys involved,&#8221; Jervis said.After defensive lineman Shawn Jones recovered a fumble in the Mohawks backfield, the Lions cashed in on the turnover when Berrios scored on a 4-yard run to give Lackawanna Trail a 24-20 lead with 5:30 remaining in the game.Meyers (3-1) advanced the ball to the Trail 6-yard line after an 18-yard pass from Willie Wallace to Raheem Twyman, but a fumble by Biggs at the 1-yard line on the next play ended the Mohawks&#8217; comeback attempt.&#8220;Our luck ran out,&#8221; Meyers coach Jeff Labatch said. &#8220;The mistakes we&#8217;ve been making all year came back to bite us. We have to regroup and refocus with our league schedule coming up.&#8221;Lackawanna Trail 24, Meyers 20Meyers`13`7`0`0`&#8212;`20Lackawanna Trail`6`6`0`12`&#8212;`24First quarterM &#8212; Jason Marston 68 run (Tyler Schneikart kick failed), 10:48L &#8212; James Gillespie 3 run (2-point conversion failed), 5:25M &#8212; Marston 47 run (Schneikart kick), 5:00Second quarterM &#8212; Fahbian Biggs 1 run (Schneikart kick), 8:21L &#8212; Tyler Baltrusaitis 38 run (2-point conversion failed), 4:41Third quarterNo scoringFourth quarterL &#8212; Rocco Pacini 2 run (2-point conversion failed), 10:39L &#8212; Anthony Berrios 4 run (2-point conversation failed), 5:30Team statistics`Mey`LTFirst downs`12`11Rushes-yards`36-252`40-165Passing yards`87`74Total yards`339`239Passing`6-7-0`5-13-0Sacked-yards lost`1-14`0-0Punts-avg.`1-26.0`2-30.5Fumbles-lost`3-3`1-0Penalties-yards`8-55`5-35INDIVIDUAL STATISTICSRUSHING &#8212; MEY, Jason Marston 15-179, Fahbian Biggs 15-60, Raheem Twyman 1-7, Josh Schiowitz 1-6, Omar Kelly 1-2, Team 1-(-2), Willie Wallace 2 (-8). LT, Tyler Baltrusaitis 9-76, Rocco Pacini 10-39, Thomas Huffsmith 12-35, Anthony Berrios 4-20, James Gillespie 1-3, Team 4- (-8)PASSING &#8212; MEY, Wallace 6-7-0-87. LT, Nathan Rolka 5-13-0-74.RECEIVING &#8212; MEY, Twyman 4-84, Biggs 2-3. LT, Huffsmith 1-25, Baltrusaitis 1-21, Matt Bergey 1-15, Steven Scioscia 1-9, Gillespie 1-4.INTERCEPTIONS &#8212; MEY, None. LT, None.MISSED FGs &#8212; MEY, None. LT, None.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Robert Tomkavagertomkavage@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Rob Tomkavage at 570-704-3941 or on Twitter @rtomkavage.</shirttailMeta></div>

Lackawanna Trail finishes strong to defeat Meyers