Pittston Area at Mid Valley

Recap

MID VALLEY 32, PITTSTON AREA 0

By Tom Robinson

THROOP – Jakob Lesher scored five touchdowns and was one of the leaders of a defense that shut out Pittston Area, 32-0, in Friday’s Opening Night game.

Lesher scored two of his touchdowns on defense, returning interceptions 56 and 16 yards for scores.

The Spartans limited the Patriots to 26 yards rushing and 75 yards total offense. They did not yield a first down between Pittston Area’s second possession and the Patriots picking up just their third first down of the game in the final minute – a span of more than 35 minutes.

Kaleb Parry had four first-half tackles, including a sack, another for a loss and a stop for no gain. Gavin Rapoch also had a sack.

Mid Valley knocked Pittston Area off the ball on the opening drive. Lesher carried nine straight times for 87 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown.

“All the build-up and all the intensity and emotions we had, we’re tired of hitting each other,” said Lesher, who ran for nearly 1,500 yards last season. “We really wanted to let it out on someone else.

“You could see the movement of the line. They did their job. I tried to do mine. You could see that’s what the first drive was all about, the intensity that we bring.”

Pittston Area tightened up its defense from there, holding Mid Valley without a first down for the rest of the half, but Lesher’s 56-yard interception return with 3:36 left in the second quarter made it 14-0 at halftime.

“All three levels of the D just stepped up,” Mid Valley coach Stan Yanoski said. “And, of course, Jakob being one of the best players around, he does what he does.”

Brett Yanoski, the coach’s son, hit five straight passes for 121 yards and a touchdown during an eight-minute stretch of the second half in which the Spartans added two more touchdowns.

Lesher finished with 156 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries and caught two passes for 77 yards, including a 70-yarder from Yanoski.

The game marked the head football coaching debut of Pittston Area’s Joe DeLucca.

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Quarter

MV – Jakob Lesher 8-yd run (Richard Lupcho kick) – Mid Valley 7-0

2nd quarter

MV – Lesher 56-yd interception return (Lupcho kick) – Mid Valley 14-0

3rd quarter

MV – Lesher 6-yd run (Kick failed) – Mid Valley 20-0

4th quarter

MV – Lesher 70-yd pass from Brett Yanoski (Run failed) – Mid Valley 26-0

MV – Lesher 16-yd interception return (Run failed) – Mid Valley 32-0