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WVC Football: Mountaineers fend off Pittston Area comeback to remain unbeaten

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Berwick dominates Wyoming Valley West

<p>WEST PITTSTON &#8212; Wyoming Area had to overcome a dozen penalties, early issues with finding any consistency blocking Nanticoke&#8217;s defensive front and late problems with leg cramps for players who were pushed deep into the game for the first time this season.</p><p>When they were done, however, the Warriors remained unbeaten and still had not allowed an opponent to come closer than four touchdowns.</p><p>Wyoming Area used consecutive scoring drives to open the second half to take control, then two Dominic DeLuca touchdowns in the final 4:39 to put away a 35-7 victory over visiting Nanticoke Friday night at Anthony &#8220;Jake&#8221; Sobeski Stadium.</p><p>After not managing a first down during the second quarter, the Warriors ripped off six straight runs of at least seven yards to begin the second half.</p><p>It did not take long for them to open a 7-0 halftime lead to 21-0.</p><p>&#8220;Nanticoke came in, played hard, stayed in the game and game themselves an opportunity,&#8221; Warriors coach Randy Spencer said.</p><p>Wyoming Area built up offensive momentum as the second half progressed and overcame a 34-yard touchdown scramble by Colby Butczynski when DeLuca scored late on 26- and 4-yard runs.</p><p>&#8220;Adversity can come in many ways,&#8221; Spencer said. &#8220;Tonight, it came in some penalties. We certainly have to address that and clean those things up.</p><p>&#8220;We just didn&#8217;t block as effectively as we had up front. It was different guys, different plays, but not playing our &#8216;A&#8217; game up front.&#8221;</p><p>Nanticoke held Wyoming Area to four first downs, 76 yards total offense and 10:03 of possession time in the first half.</p><p>Those numbers swelled to 12 first downs, 233 yards and 17:10 of possession when the ground game started churning in the second half.</p><p>The Warriors scored in three plays and 1:15 after taking the second-half kickoff. Corey Mruk ran 37 yards for the second and a 14-0 lead.</p><p>Wyoming Area then moved 73 yards in 10 plays. Runs of 14 yards by Mruk, then nine and 13 yards by Leo Harris led to Darren Rodney&#8217;s 13-yard run with 3:22 remaining in the third quarter.</p><p>The Warriors threw the Trojans for 18 losses totaling 60 yards, but Butczynski also got away from pressure to scramble for gains of 46 and 44 yards before taking off on his 34-yard touchdown run on a third-and-seven play with 1:14 left in the third quarter. He overcame three sacks to finish with 111 yards rushing on 12 carries.</p><p>Wyoming Area picked up the early field position advantage by throwing Nanticoke for losses of three, seven and nine yards to begin the game.</p><p>Nick Elko, a 265-yard freshman fullback, ran 26 yards, then scored from the 1 on the next play late in the first quarter for the only points of the half.</p><p>Nanticoke (2-2) could not convert from inside the 10 and stopped Wyoming Area once to keep the game low scoring to that point.</p><p>Wyoming Area, which won its first three games under the Mercy Rule, has outscored its opponents, 180-28.</p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><ins><strong>Wyoming Area 35, Nanticoke 7</strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>Nanticoke`0`0`7`0 &#8212; 7 </strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>Wyoming Area`7`0`14`14 &#8212; 35</strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>First quarter</strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>WA &#8211; Nick Elko 1 run (Aleah Kranson kick), 1:45</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>Second quarter</strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>None</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>Third quarter</strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>WA &#8211; Corey Mruk 37 run (Kranson kick), 10:45</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>WA &#8211; Darren Rodney 13 run (Kranson kick), 3:22</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>N &#8211; Colby Butczynski 34 run (Riley Klepadlo kick), 1:14</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>Fourth quarter</strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>WA &#8211; Dominic DeLuca 26 run (Kranson kick), 4:39</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>WA &#8211; DeLuca 4 run (Kranson kick), 1:09</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>Team statistics`N`WA</strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>First downs`8`16</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>Rushes-yards`36-102`39-267</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>Passing yards`30`42</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>Total yards`132`309</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>Passing`3-6-0`3-8-0</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>Sacked-yards lost`3-25`2-14</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>Punts-avg.`3-25.7`3-35.0</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>Fumbles-lost`2-1`0-0</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins>Penalties-yards`3-15`12-71</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS</strong></ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>RUSHING</strong> &#8212; NANT, Colby Butczynski 12-111, Colin Kashatus 1-6, Kyle Bobeck 2-3, Team 2-minus 3, Darren Boseman 1-minus 4, Joe Ammons 12-minus 5, Keanu Ammons 6-minus 6. WA, Dominic DeLuca 11-82, Corey Mruk 9-67, Nick Elko 6-54, Leo Haros 6-33, Darren Rodney 6-33, F.J. Braccini 1-minus 2.</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>PASSING</strong> &#8212; NANT, Butczynski 2-5-0-30, Devland Heffron 1-1-0-0. WA, DeLuca 3-8-0-42.</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>RECEIVING</strong> &#8212; NANT, Dylan Szchowski 2-30, Boseman 1-0. WA, Brian Williams 2-31, Jake Busch 1-6.</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>INTERCEPTIONS</strong> &#8212; None.</ins></p><p class="x_MsoNormal"><ins><strong>MISSED FIELD GOALS &#8211; </strong>Nant, Riley Klepadlo 25. WA, None.</ins></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Area quarterback Dominic DeLuca turns for a hand-off against Nanticoke Area Friday night in West Pittston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wyoming Area quarterback Dominic DeLuca turns for a hand-off against Nanticoke Area Friday night in West Pittston. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Area running back Nick Elko rumbles 26 yards to the Nanticoke Area 1-yard line Friday night in West Pittston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wyoming Area running back Nick Elko rumbles 26 yards to the Nanticoke Area 1-yard line Friday night in West Pittston. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area quarterback Colby Butcynski looks to pass against the Wyoming Area defense Friday night in West Pittston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_4.jpg</photo2><caption2>Nanticoke Area quarterback Colby Butcynski looks to pass against the Wyoming Area defense Friday night in West Pittston. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nanticoke Area wide receiver Dylan Szchowski runs the ball after a catch against Wyoming Area Friday night in West Pittston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_5.jpg</photo3><caption3>Nanticoke Area wide receiver Dylan Szchowski runs the ball after a catch against Wyoming Area Friday night in West Pittston. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Area running back Corey Mruk tries to escape the grasp of Nanticoke Area linebacker Seth Pelton in WVC football action Friday night in West Pittston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/web1_TTL091518HSF-Nanticoke-WyoArea_2.jpg</photo4><caption4>Wyoming Area running back Corey Mruk tries to escape the grasp of Nanticoke Area linebacker Seth Pelton in WVC football action Friday night in West Pittston. </caption4><photoCredit4>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Robinson</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @TLSports</p></shirttailMeta></div>

WVC football: Imperfect win keeps perfect record alive for Wyoming Area