North Pocono at Pittston Area

Recap

NORTH POCONO 34, PITTSTON AREA 21

In an entertaining interleague tilt in Yatesville, highly regarded North Pocono moved to 2-0 via a 34-21 victory over a resilient Pittston Area squad that suffered its first loss of the season. North Pocono was once again paced by the heroics of sophomore receiver/defensive back, Cole West, who scored two touchdowns and intercepted a Paulie Ferentino pass to end a late Patriot drive.

Though West will have the headlines, the Trojans got their first two touchdowns from quarterback, Cole Zimmerman. The Trojans were without the services of halfback Joe Briskie who suffered an injury early in the football game. On the first Trojan scoring drive, one that was entirely on the ground, Zimmerman skirted for 10 yards and the score. The extra point made it 7-0 in favor of North Pocono with less than a minute remaining in the opening stanza.

North Pocono’s next drives covered 80 yards. Chewing up minutes from the second quarter clock, Zimmerman bullied over from 2 yards away. With half of the second quarter expired, the Trojans led 14-0.

Pittston Area used some theatrics of their own to score just before the end of the half. Facing a 3^rd and 22 in Trojan territory, quarterback Paulie Ferentino found John Jadus for the required 23 yards and a first down. Brody Spindler then burrowed in from 3 yards out to get the Patriots on the scoreboard before halftime. North Pocono went to intermission holding a tenuous 14-7 lead, though the Trojans had doubled Pittston Area’s yardage output in the first half.

The Trojans struck quickly to extend their advantage as they took possession of the ball to begin the third quarter. Zimmerman hit Cole West on a short pass play that the standout receiver parlayed into a 71-yard scoring play. West’s electrifying run restored the North Pocono lead to two scores at 21-7 with 11:07 remaining in the third quarter.

Pittston Area immediately chopped that lead in half. Paulie Ferentino found favorite receiver Steve Barnic behind the North Pocono secondary for a 26-yard strike, cutting the Trojan advantage to just 21-14 with 7:15 left to play in the third stanza.

But the Trojans and West were not yet finished in the third quarter of the contest. Running from the Wildcat formation, West skipped 49 yards for his second score of the evening. Though the extra point was unsuccessful, the Trojan lead had mounted to 27-14 with less than two minutes to play in an extremely eventful third period of play.

Pittston Area had more life left in them. Using a 35-yard scamper by Ferentino to set them up deep in the North Pocono end, Pittston Area went to Brody Spindler once again. The Patriot back got his second touchdown of the evening from one yard out. This made the score 27-21 with plenty of time left as the clock still showed 10:18 left to play in the ball game.

Again, it was West who answered for North Pocono. Once again from the Wildcat, West took off on a 28-yard jaunt to give the Trojans some breathing room. With 7:12 left to play in the football game, North Pocono had extended their advantage to 34-21. West then intercepted a Ferentino pass, ending a Patriot threat and giving the Trojans their second victory of the season.

The still unbeaten Trojans will return home to face winless Wyoming Valley West next week in their third consecutive tilt against a Wyoming Valley Conference opponent. Pittston Area, more than game under the tutelage of new mentor Paul Russick will head to Nanticoke to face the 0-2 Trojans.

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER

NP — Chase Zimmerman 10-yd run (Shane Youngblood kick) – North Pocono 7-0

2ND QUARTER

NP — Zimmerman 2-yd run (Youngblood kick) – North Pocono 14-0

PA — Brody Spindler 2-yd run (Cole Baldwin kick) – North Pocono 14-7

3RD QUARTER

NP — Cole West 70-yd pass from Zimmerman (Youngblood kick) – North Pocono 21-7

PA — Stephen Barnic 26-yd pass from Paulie Ferentino (Baldwin kick) – North Pocono 21-14

NP — West 49-yd run (Kick failed) – North Pocono 27-14

4TH QUARTER

PA — Spindler 1-yd run (Baldwin kick) – North Pocono 27-21

NP — West 28-yd run (Youngblood kick) – North Pocono 34-21