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Sauter scores 6 times as Western Wayne tramples Meyers in district football

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Muddy conditions can’t stop Nanticoke Area from claiming Eastern Conference title

<p>HAZLETON &#8212; Despite the miserable, non-stop rain throughout the ball game, the Hazleton Area Cougars persevered and scored early and often to dominate the visiting Williamsport Millionaires 47-13 Friday night in a District 2/4 Class 6A semifinal game.</p><p>Hazleton Area (6-5) will play at Delaware Valley (8-3) at 7 p.m. Friday for the subregional title. The game will also be the D2-6A championship game. The winner advances to the state playoffs.</p><p>Entering tonight&#8217;s contest, both teams were on opposite trajectories heading into the postseason. Hazleton Area came into the game on a three-game winning streak after starting the season 2-5. Meanwhile, Williamsport began the season 5-2, including a high-scoring shootout victory over Hazleton Area 64-63 in Week 4, but limped in on a three-game losing streak as injuries gutted the offense.</p><p>Hazleton Area wasted no time with its scoring barrage as the Cougars scored an opening-drive touchdown just over a minute and a half into the game. Senior quarterback Sparky Wolk connected with fellow standout senior Damon Horton on a 59-yard screen pass to give the Cougars the early 7-0 advantage.</p><p>Then less than five minutes later, Horton would be heard from again in a big way, as he took it to the house on a lightning quick 75-yard touchdown run with 5:58 left in the first quarter to up the lead to 13-0. The Cougars scored one more time in the opening quarter, this time Wolk hooked up with another fellow senior Jacob Hunsinger on a 55-yard deep pass for the touchdown and a 20-0 advantage.</p><p>After the Cougars raced out to a 26-0 lead with a 19-yard overpowering touchdown run by Horton with just 4:20 left in the first half of play, Williamsport showed some life before heading into the locker room.</p><p>After numerous struggles throughout the night both offensively and defensively in the harsh, wet conditions, the Millionaires finally sustained a successful scoring drive, culminating in a 16-yard scoring strike with just 12 seconds before the close of the half, when freshman signal caller Dallas Griess found sophomore wideout Braedon Mazzante on a highlight reel diving touchdown catch to cut the deficit to 26-7 at the break.</p><p>Williamsport continued to build some comeback momentum when it went on a lengthy offensive drive to start the second half. The Millionaires cut the deficit to 26-13 after Griess found Mazzante once again in the end zone, this time for a 9-yard touchdown pass with 8:17 left in the third stanza. However, the comeback stalled out.</p><p>Hazleton Area came roaring right back with 6:27 left in the third quarter when Horton, who scored five touchdowns, four on the ground and one through the air, hit paydirt once again, this time on a 6-yard touchdown run to cap another impressive Cougars scoring drive and up the lead to 33-13.</p><p>In the fourth quarter, the Cougars scored two more touchdowns, both coming off of key turnovers that would doom any potential Williamsport late-game comeback.</p><p>The first one came after junior Matt Fisher intercepted a pass and took it to the house for a touchdown that would be called back because of a block in the back penalty. However, Horton scored his final touchdown of the night on a 7-yard rush to up the lead to 40-13 with just 5:26 left in regulation.</p><p>Hazleton Area&#8217;s final touchdown of the night would come from Kevin Meluskey, who recovered a Williamsport fumble and then finished off the Cougars&#8217; drive by barreling into the end zone from 2-yards out with just 1:32 left in the game. </p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Williamsport quarterback Dallas Griess watches the ball bounce away after fumbling it as Hazleton&#8217;s Seth Hunsinger tackles him. Williamsport recovered the ball on the play but lost the game, 47-13. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_wil_haz1_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Williamsport quarterback Dallas Griess watches the ball bounce away after fumbling it as Hazleton&#8217;s Seth Hunsinger tackles him. Williamsport recovered the ball on the play but lost the game, 47-13. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_wil_haz3b_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hazleton running back Damon Horton high steps into the end zone to score the fourth Cougar touchdown in the second quarter in a D2/4 Class 6A playoff game against Williamsport on Friday night. Hazleton won 47-13. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_wil_haz3b_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1>Hazleton running back Damon Horton high steps into the end zone to score the fourth Cougar touchdown in the second quarter in a D2/4 Class 6A playoff game against Williamsport on Friday night. Hazleton won 47-13. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_wil_haz5_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hazleton tight end Jacob Hunsinger pulls in a pass from quarterback Sparky Wolk in front of Williamsport defensive back Aykeem Cowan-Connelly that was good for a touchdown. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_wil_haz5_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Hazleton tight end Jacob Hunsinger pulls in a pass from quarterback Sparky Wolk in front of Williamsport defensive back Aykeem Cowan-Connelly that was good for a touchdown. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ross Turetsky</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>

H.S. Football: Hazleton Area routs Williamsport