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WVC Football Week 10 At A Glance

<p>Before you get all misty eyed, the Backyard Brawl on Saturday afternoon might not to the final time GAR and Meyers meet on the football field.</p><p>Before you get all excited, the chances of them playing again after Saturday is as remote as hitting that $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot earlier this week.</p><p>So a rivalry that began in 1931 is almost certainly coming to an end starting at 3:30 p.m. at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium. If you don&#8217;t have a ticket, you&#8217;re out of luck. The game is sold out. All 3,000 tickets are gone.</p><p>Let&#8217;s get the silliness of second game between the Wilkes-Barre city rivals this season out of the way.</p><p>Meyers (6-3) is in the District 2 Class 3A playoffs. GAR (1-8) is likely to secure the eighth and final spot in the D2-3A field. So GAR would have to defeat either three-time D2-3A defending champ Scranton Prep (8-1) or Wyoming Area (9-0), which defeated the Grenadiers 41-7 in Week 5, in the quarterfinals for any hope of that happening.</p><p>OK, maybe not Mega Millions odds, but a GAR win over either would be one of the biggest upset in District 2 football history. Plus, despite playing 86 times, GAR and Meyers have never met in the postseason.</p><p>Instead, GAR will try to get the final punch in the Backyard Brawl, which Meyers holds a 44-41-1 lead. The two schools will merge their sports programs with Coughlin, which finishes up with Berwick on Friday, for the 2019-20 school year. The new team will be the Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack.</p><p>That will have to wait as both teams try to rebound from lackluster performances Week 9.</p><p>GAR looked lethargic in a 35-0 loss Saturday night to Nanticoke Area. The offense totalled 49 yards and the running game hasn&#8217;t done much since Week 2 when the Grenadiers posted their only win, 43-0 over winless Holy Redeemer. The defense surrendered over 300 yards rushing for a third time.</p><p>Yet, GAR seemed to be over the poor showing.</p><p>&#8220;We had our second great day of practice,&#8221; GAR coach Paul Wiedlich Jr. said Tuesday. &#8220;I think it was one of our better practices of the year. I think that&#8217;s because our young kids are maturing a bit. They learned a lot from the season, especially on Saturday night they learned a ton. This means the world to these kids, the last game, it means the world to the staff. We&#8217;re part of the history. Unfortunately, we&#8217;re the closing part of the history.&#8221;</p><p>Meyers learned something as well in its ninth game, a rare Thursday night matchup with Redeemer. The Mohawks were held scoreless in the first half against the Royals, who came into the game allowing nearly 40 points per game. Meyers won 38-0, but it took two defensive touchdowns and a punt return TD to final pull away.</p><p>&#8220;Hopefully, it was a wake-up call. That no matter what the team&#8217;s record is, they come to play,&#8221; Meyers Jeff Labatch said. &#8220;And this more than any other game. Redeemer was ready and prepared. They had a good game plan, and GAR is going to be the same way.</p><p>&#8220;And you add the extra effect of being the rivalry in the last year, it&#8217;s going to be a battle.&#8221;</p><p>The battle was skipped us once, when a massive Thanksgiving snowstorm wiped out the 1971 grudge match.</p><p>Wiedlich and Labatch have an added perspective on the Brawl. Both played in it. Wiedlich was a GAR lineman from 1988-1990. Labatch played quarterback and free safety for Meyers from 1991-1993.</p><p>Back then, Wiedlich and his parents, both Meyers graduates, took a lot heat from the neighbors since they lived just inside the GAR boundaries from Meyers. He attended Dodson Elementary with some classmates who would eventually go to Meyers and become adversaries on the football field.</p><p>&#8220;I graduated in 1991 and you see certain people and they look at you because they know they beat you,&#8221; Wiedlich said. &#8220;Every time I see the one guy, Mike Toney, he&#8217;s a UPS driver, he&#8217;s sure to get that dig in because you carry that for the rest of your life.&#8221;</p><p>Wiedlich and the Grenadiers were victorious in 1988 and 1989, but lost 14-12 in his senior year. Labatch never tasted defeat as a Meyers player as the Mohawks beat their rivals all three times. He is 2-1 as a coach against the Grenadiers.</p><p>&#8220;I remember the buildup to it,&#8221; Labatch said. &#8220;There were presenters coming in, there were speakers from the alumni. Stories from the past and the Thanksgiving games were always brought up. &#8230; Again, throw out the records. It didn&#8217;t matter if you were 9-0 or 1-8 or winless. It was still going to be a battle.&#8221;</p><p>There has been plenty of hoopla leading up to Saturday game, but both coaches hope their teams can focus on the 48 minutes on the football field. That, above all else, will decide the victor.</p><p>&#8220;You have to stay focused on the game and not all the other stuff that&#8217;s going on,&#8221; Labatch said. &#8220;It&#8217;s getting a lot of attention. You have the tailgate going on Saturday, and we have our regular stuff that we do during the week. It&#8217;s a lot &#8212; pep rallies, bonfires, all that kind of stuff.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_GARFB-CoachPaulWiedlich.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wiedlich </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_GARFB-CoachPaulWiedlich.jpg</photo0><caption0>Wiedlich </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_MeyersFB-CoachJeffLabatch.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Labatch </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_MeyersFB-CoachJeffLabatch.jpg</photo1><caption1>Labatch </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618Meyers2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Meyers will meet rival GAR in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618Meyers2.jpg</photo2><caption2>Meyers will meet rival GAR in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618Meyers3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Meyers will meet rival GAR in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618Meyers3.jpg</photo3><caption3>Meyers will meet rival GAR in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618Meyers1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Meyers will meet rival GAR in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618Meyers1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Meyers will meet rival GAR in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618GAR1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">GAR will meet rival Meyers in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618GAR1.jpg</photo5><caption5>GAR will meet rival Meyers in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </caption5><photoCredit5>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit5></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618GAR2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">GAR will meet rival Meyers in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo6>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618GAR2.jpg</photo6><caption6>GAR will meet rival Meyers in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </caption6><photoCredit6>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit6></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618GAR3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">GAR will meet rival Meyers in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo7>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618GAR3-1.jpg</photo7><caption7>GAR will meet rival Meyers in the Backyard Brawl on Saturday, in what will likely be the last meeting between the two programs. </caption7><photoCredit7>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit7></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618GAR3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">GAR football players drill during practice Thursday. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo8>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102618GAR3.jpg</photo8><caption8>GAR football players drill during practice Thursday. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader</caption8><photoCredit8>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit8></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>City rivals GAR, Meyers to play for likely final time</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By John Erzar</p><p>jerzar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>TIMES LEADER DISTRICT 2 TOP 10 RANKINGS</strong></p><p>District 4&#8217;s Williamsport is included in the rankings since it plays in the Wyoming Valley Conference and qualifies for the district playoffs through District 2. Last week&#8217;s ranking in parentheses.</p><p><strong>1. (1) Valley View (9-0)</strong>`Finishes off regular season with North Pocono</p><p><strong>2. (2) Scranton Prep (8-1)</strong>`Steamrolled a very solid Lakeland team 44-12</p><p><strong>3. (3) Wyoming Area (9-0)</strong>`Rival Pittston Area stands in way of perfect season</p><p><strong>4. (4) Dallas (8-1)</strong>`Showed a lot of mettle beating Berwick at Crispin Field</p><p><strong>5. (5) Berwick (7-2)</strong>`Turned over the ball four times in 13-10 loss to Dallas</p><p><strong>6. (6) Lackawanna Trail (8-1)</strong>`Will likely host D2-A title game in Week 11</p><p><strong>7. (9) Dunmore (7-2)</strong>`Gutted out 9-0 victory over good Western Wayne team</p><p><strong>8. (8) Old Forge (7-2)</strong>`Got spot in D2-A title game with three straight wins</p><p><strong>9. (NR) Delaware Valley (6-3)</strong>`Has outscored last three opponents 107-7</p><p><strong>10. (NR) Wallenpaupack (6-3)</strong>`Has won six of its last seven games</p><p><strong>Dropped out:</strong> Lakeland (6-3); Lake-Lehman (6-3)</p><p><strong>Given Consideration:</strong> Lakeland (6-3); Lake-Lehman (6-3); Meyers (6-3); North Pocono (6-3); West Scranton (6-3)</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar</p></shirttailMeta></div>

WVC football Week 9 preview: GAR, Meyers to meet in final Backyard Brawl