Pittston Area at Wallenpaupack

Recap

PALMYRA TWP. – Pittston Area escaped an upset bit by host Wallenpaupack with the help of a blocked extra point by John Jadus late in the third quarter of Friday night’s non-league game.

The Patriots, who lead the race for the top seed in the District 2 Class 5A playoffs, won their seventh straight to improve to 8-1 for the first time since 1982.

Wallenpaupack (3-6) made sure it was not easy.

The Buckhorns led early and the teams were tied, 7-7, at halftime.

Pittston Area overcame four penalties to move 67 yards in 18 plays and 10:18 to begin the second half. Lucas LoPresto’s 4-yard touchdown and Cole Baldwin’s second extra point gave the Patriots a 14-7 lead.

In a game that otherwise featured a series of lengthy possessions, Wallenpaupack struck back on the next play.

Mason Gonzalez got behind the defense to pull in an 85-yard touchdown pass from Jake Rafferty with 1:19 left in the third quarter.

Jadus, a 6-foot-3 junior, then got up high in the middle of the line to bat down the potential tying extra point.

Wallenpaupack reached the Pittston Area 20 before being stopped on downs and Pittston Area used three first-down runs, two by Brody Spindler and one by Jude Ferentino, to run the final 5:02 off the clock.

Spindler had the chance to score on a 40-yard run, but instead sat down at the 19 to assure the Patriots could kneel down and end the game on the next play.

His running was also a big factor in both Pittston Area scoring drives.

Izael Rodriguez took a reverse 29 yards to cap the game-opening possession and give Wallenpaupack a 7-0 lead.

Spindler then carried eight times for 46 yards in Pittston Area’s 13-play, 7½ minute scoring drive. He carried 10 times for 39 more yards while setting up LoPresto’s winning score and finished with 140 yards on 27 carries.

“You have to put the ball in the hands of Brody Spindler and Lucas LoPresto there,” Pittston Area coach Paul Russick said. “We felt good up front. We just had to continue to find ways to get the big guys the ball.”

LoPresto had 54 yards on 10 carries.

The game was as evenly played as the score indicated.

At halftime, both teams had seven first downs and Wallenpaupack had a 12-yard advantage in total offense. The Buckhorns wound up with 272 yards, one more than the Patriots.

Pittston Area heads to Wyoming Area Friday for the 61^st meeting between the rivals, who are both 8-1.

Wallenpaupack (1-4 in the division, 3-6 overall) goes to Valley View (2-3, 5-4) to play a Lackawanna Football Conference Division 1 game Friday in the regular-season finale.

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER

WAL – Izael Rodriguez 29-yd run (C.J. Doty kick) – Wallenpaupack 7-0

PA – Brody Spindler 2-yd run (Cole Baldwin kick) – Tied 7-7

2ND QUARTER

None

3RD QUARTER

PA – Lucas Lo Presto 4-yd run (Baldwin kick) – Pittston Area 14-7

WAL – Mason Gonzalez 85-yd pass from Jake Rafferty  (Kick failed) – Pittston Area 14-13

4TH QUARTER

None