Crestwood at Pittston Area

Recap

CRESTWOOD 21, PITTSTON AREA 14

By Tom Robinson

YATESVILLE – Senior running back/tight end/linebacker Lincoln Bibla was a physical force on both sides of the ball Friday night while helping Crestwood pull out a 21-14, Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 victory at Pittston Area’s Charley Trippi Stadium.

Crestwood shook off a Pittston Area comeback from a 14-0 deficit to pull out the win on Bibla’s 6-yard touchdown run with 3:15 remaining.

Bibla, who carried just twice in the first five games, ran 11 times for 72 yards. He also scored the game’s first touchdown on a 1-yard, fourth-down run less than five minutes into the game.

On defense, Bibla made three tackles for a loss, including a sack, and assisted on another.

“When things are close, you give it to your best guy and trust it,” said Crestwood coach Ryan Arcangeli, who turned to Bibla in the backfield following the loss of leading rusher Jaden Shedlock to a season-ending injury. “Right now, he’s a bruiser.

“He’s doing a great job for us. He’s a humble guy and I’m just real happy for Lincoln.”

Crestwood held the ball for nearly 34 of the game’s 48 minutes by going 6-for-11 on third-down conversions and 2-for-3 on fourth-down conversions. Bibla handled the two fourth-down situations and two third-down conversions, including one on the game-winning drive.

“He was an absolute animal,” Pittston Area coach Joe DeLucca said. “ … He was wreaking havoc on us. He’s definitely a special ballplayer.”

Crestwood opened the game with nine straight runs to cover 77 yards and culminate in Bibla’s first touchdown. Jake Jeckell went 59 yards on third-and-one for the big play of the drive.

Jack Rodgers, who took over at quarterback for Shedlock, hit three passes on the next scoring drive to cover 52 yards in nine plays. Rodgers found Bibla for 10 and 19 yards, then hit Colin Lazo for a 7-yard touchdown 1:18 before halftime.

Lucas Lopresto brought Pittston Area back in a hurry.

On the ensuing kickoff, Lopresto got to the right sideline then outsprinted defenders for a 95-yard touchdown.

Lopresto caught a 41-yard pass to Matt Walter to set up a tying, 17-yard touchdown pass by the same combination with 4:35 left in the third quarter.

The defense set up Pittston Area at its 44 and 40 on the next two possessions, but the Patriots could not move the ball.

Crestwood then went 60 yards in eight plays for the winning scorer. Bibla dragged defenders on a 23-yard run on third-and-four before scoring the game-winner.

Matt Urban’s pass rush, helped force an interception by Rodgers with 2:11 remaining.

Bibla ran 12 yards for the only first down the Comets needed to run out the clock.

The game opened divisional play for Crestwood, which got back to .500 overall. The three losses came against opponents with combined records of 16-2.

Crestwood (3-3 overall, 1-0) hosts Hazleton Area Friday night in a meeting between two of the three teams with unbeaten divisional records.

Pittston Area (2-4, 1-2) will go to Wilkes-Barre.

SCORING SUMMARY 

1st Quarter

CRE – Lincoln Bibla 1-yd run (Ethan Zabroski kick) – Crestwood 7-0

2nd Quarter

CRE – Colin Lazo 7-yd pass from Jack Rodgers (Zabroski kick) – Crestwood 14-0

PA – Lucas Lopresto 95-yd kickoff return (Gavin Wolfe kick) – Crestwood 14-7

3rd Quarter

PA – Lopresto 17-yd pass from Matt Walter (Wolfe kick) – Tied 14-14

4th Quarter

PA – Bibla 6-yd run (Zabroski kick) – Crestwood 21-14