(Photo by SAS Imagery)
By Tom Robinson, NEPAFootball.com
PLAINS – The running game of the Pioneers and the passing attack of the Miners, led by game Most Valuable Player Jake Howe, created an extremely even contest in the 75th annual UNICO All-Star Game.
The teams were separated by just one yard in total offense and were even on the scoreboard.
The tie was never broken as the officiating crew made the decision to halt the contest with 1:52 remaining.
Officials stopped play after penalties were called on two of the game’s final four plays. Earlier, action had been interrupted for several minutes, with 1:49 left in the third quarter, when an altercation broke out on the sideline following a kickoff return and a player from each team was ejected from a game that had been going smoothly to that point.
Howe made the most of his time on his home field.
The game was for graduating players of Wyoming Valley Conference programs, but there was an issue for the most prolific passer in conference history.
Howe, who is headed to play on the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II level at Lock Haven University and was an NPF All-District quarterback last season, began his sports day by playing for Wilkes-Barre in the District 2 Class 6A baseball championship game. He arrived at the stadium during introductions and did not make it on to the field until after the game started.
None of that stopped Howe.
After completing just two of his first nine pass attempts, he went 6-for-7 the rest of the way, including a 61-yard pass to Kevon Creech for the tying score late in the third quarter.
Howe finished 8-for-16 for 131 yards with all the completions coming to Wolfpack teammates. Creech caught five passes for 89 yards while Jordan Kieselowsky caught three for 42 yards.
“It took me a little while,” Howe said. “I was a little rusty. I haven’t been throwing a football.
“ … It helps to be throwing to guys you’ve played with before.”
That approach was a natural for the Miners team, coached by Wilkes-Barre’s Ciro Cinti and also including players from Berwick, Hanover Area, Holy Redeemer, Nanticoke, Tunkhannock and Wyoming Area.
Pittston Area coach Paul Russick also had no trouble coming up with a game plan for the Pioneers squad that included his players as well as those from Crestwood, Dallas, Hazleton Area, Lake-Lehman, Wyoming Seminary and Wyoming Valley West.
The Pioneers never completed a pass while giving the ball steadily to power runners Jayden Skipalis from Lake-Lehman and Brody Spindler from Pittston Area while mixing in the speed of Logan Geskey from Dallas.
“I looked at the roster we had in our hand and we had like 12 or 13 linemen,” Russick said. “I said, ‘well, they’re all going to play and we’re going to just give it to the two big backs.’
“Nobody could tackle Brody during the season and Skipalis was impressive.”
Photo by SBS PhotographySkipalis carried 11 times for 101 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown run two plays before the Howe-to-Creech connection.
Geskey added 44 yards on nine carries while Spindler had 42 yards and the other touchdown on 12 carries.
The two drives that gave the Pionners a pair of leads featured 23 runs and just one pass while taking a combined 18:40 off the clock.
Spindler scored the first touchdown on a 4-yard run in the second quarter.
Trustin Johnson of Wyoming Area answered for the Miners on a drive that featured Howe completing four straight passes for 45 yards. Howe hit Kieselowsky for 23 yards to the 2 and, after a timeout, Johnson scored on the next play, 24 seconds before halftime.
Victor Narsavage from Pittston Area led the Pioneers defense with five tackles and an assist.
Gene Ardo from Wilkes-Barre Area led the Miners defense with four tackles, including one for a two-yard loss, and two assists.
