Coughlin @ Berwick
(Friday, October 28th, WK 9)
Berwick sneaks by Coughlin 17-7
By Frank Kastreva, WVCD2.com
The W/B Coughlin Crusaders visited Crispin Memorial Field Friday night and gave Berwick all they could handle, at least in the first half. Berwick managed only 2 first downs in the 1st half, one of them due to a penalty by the Crusaders. Jr. K Zach Alley was the Dawgs' lone score in the 1st half with a 22 yard FG with 10:25 left in the 2nd quarter. At the time Berwick led 3-0, but that was about to change the next time the Crusaders got the ball. Coughlin would put together a 61 yard drive on 11 plays, capping the drive was So. WR Mike Smith with a 4 yard TD reception from SR QB James Depetro. The Crusaders would lead the Dawgs 7-3 at halftime and many were thinking WA all over again.
The Dawgs proved to rise to the challenge in the 2nd half, outscoring Coughlin 14-0. Sr. QB Tristan DiPippa led the way with 150 yards on 23 carries, most of them directly up the middle on the keeper. It seemed that the Berwick coaching staff found a wrinkle in the Crusaders' line during halftime, because DiPippa was gaining big chunks of yardage on a simple QB keeper up the middle. Berwick does use the QB quite a bit on the QB keeper, but most of the time its on the end-around. It could of been that Coughlin was so prepared to stop the QB on the corners that they forgot to defend the middle, who knows but the yardage was there for the taking in the 2nd half.
Berwick two 2nd half TD's came from Sr. Brant Quick, one a 3 yard dash capping a 14 play drive going 62 yards to start the 3rd quarter. The other came on a 13 yard reception from DiPippa on a 4th a goal with 2:25 left in the ballgame, with the final score Dawgs 17 Crusaders 7.
Berwick did not look sharp in the 1st half, but it turns out DiPippa only practiced for 1 hour under center this week. The scheduled QB and another player were released from the team, due to violation of school and team policy late in the week. Therefore the coaching staff had some quick work to do to get the team ready for a different game plan. A new game plane with DiPippa at QB, one who has not played much under center since the beginning of the season. This isn't any think new to DiPippa though, remember he was johnny on the spot last year when Force went down and tonight he really stepped up leading his team to victory.
Next Friday the Dawgs will travel to Hazleton Area to square off with the Cougars who downed E. Stroudsburg South 21-14 last night. Hazleton Area will come in 8-1, they have already clinched a quad A playoff berth with the win over ESS. Berwick on the other hand needs a win to advance, a loss and the most they could hope for is an Eastern Conference Playoff Berth.
Delaware Valley @ Abington Heights
(Saturday, October 29th, WK 9)
Abington Heights stands tall, downs Delaware Valley
By Frank Kastreva, WVCD2.com
If you have never been to "The Pit" in Clark Summit for high school football on a Saturday afternoon, your missing something special. If you are the opposing team, special isn't quite the word and winning there isn't quite the norm. Let's face it "The Pit" is a hard place to win a road game and this year its likely to see some playoff action. Abington Heights made that point a reality Saturday afternoon by defeating previously unbeaten Delaware Valley 21-6 in front of a standing room crowd and I do mean standing room. If you came looking for a seat to this one 10 minutes before game time, your seat was the ground, literally. Many fans were stacked up on the hill sitting on a blanket or leaning up against the trees that look down upon the gridiron.
This game was being talked about from day one in district 2, both teams were picked to challenge for the Lackawanna League division 1 title. Delaware Valley may of been the favorite at the beginning of the season, but after losing their standout Sr. RB Frankie Colletta to a broken ankle the task got much tougher.
Abington Heights on the other hand has stayed fairly healthy and has really jelled as a team, their team speed in phenomenal. Team speed is crucial in the playoffs, its really hard to try and coach against speed, you either have it or ya don't. Let me tell ya Abington Heights, they got it on both sides of the ball!
The Comets' defense was stellar today, a couple times it looked like Delaware Valley was going to bust a big play and all of a sudden "BOOM" an Abington Heights' player would be there.
Abington Heights jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half, with TD's by Sr. WR Mike Byrne and SR TE Frank Emmett. Byrne struck paydirt with 2:13 left in the 1st quarter on a 33 yard reception from SR QB Jeremy Jayne. Emmett found the gold zone with 10:40 left in the 2nd quarter on another strike from Jayne, this one a 22 yarder.
Abington Heights would take a 14-0 lead into the half, little did the Comets know but the winning TD was already scored 14 minutes and 47 seconds ago. Thanks in part to a blocked XP by the Comets' special teams in the 2nd half.
Scoring Del Val's lone TD looked to be Jr. RB Kenny Domzalski on a 3 yard scamper, BUT to the amazement of the Warriors' sideline no TD was signaled and the officials looked to be scuffling around to see who had the ball. Apparently there was a fumble, whether or not Domzalski got in before the fumble, was hard to see from the sideline. Never-the-less, the officials signaled Del Val ball and a TD it was. The Warriors looked like they might be climbing back in this one after the TD, but the blocked XP was huge for the Comets.
Abington Heights' final score would come from Sr. RB Devin Hewitt on a 3 yard scamper with 2:06 left in the game. The Comets had just about salted the win away, with the final score Heights 21 Del Val 6.
The Abington Heights football team is the real deal this season and playing a home game to start the playoffs would surely be beneficial to the Comets, there are not too many teams that could roll over Abington at home.
"Its nice to have team speed on both sides of the ball, especially defensively. We do have guys that could run to the football and we try to use that to our advantage", said Abington Heights head coach Joe Repshis following the big win.
Repshis was also asked whether or not his team is state championship caliber and like a true football coach he replied. "We take it one game at a time, it will be nice to enjoy this for the night and then its time to start thinking about West Scranton."
Week 9
(#1) Delaware Valley @ (#2) Abington Heights SAT 1 PM
(#3) Hazleton Area 21 E. Stroudsburg S. 14
Valley West 28 (#4) Wyoming Area 7
(#5) Berwick 17 Coughlin 7
(#9) West Scranton 41 (#6) Scranton 27
(#7) Hanover Area 14 Tunkhannock 7
(#8) North Pocono 35 Valley View 7
(#10) Lakeland 35 Dunmore 28
Bishop Hoban 33 Shenandoah Valley 3
Crestwood 23 GAR 17
Lake-Lehman 42 Nanticoke Area 0
Williamsport 27 Pittston Area 2
Bucktail 45 Bishop O'Reilly 6
Northwest 48 East Juniata 7
Scranton Prep 28 Carbondale 8
Honesdale 19 Wallenpaupack 12
Mid Valley 53 Riverside 26
Montrose 46 Western Wayne 8
Meyers @ Dallas SAT 1 PM
Columbia Mo. Vo-Tech @ Bishop Hafey SAT 1 PM
Wyoming Seminary @ Lawrenceville SAT 2 PM
Lackawanna Trail @ Susquehanna SAT 1 PM
Old Forge @ Bishop O'Hara SAT 1 PM
----------------------------------------------
(Note)- Conference record is posted first overall record is posted last.
2005 WVC/LL Standings
Wyoming Valley Conference
Division I
6-0 Hazleton Area 8-1
5-1 Berwick 7-2
4-2 Wyoming Area 7-2
3-2 Valley West 4-5
2-3 Tunkhannock 3-6
1-3 Coughlin 4-5
1-5 Williamsport 4-5
0-6 Pittston Area 1-8
Division II
6-0 Hanover Area 8-1
4-2 Meyers 6-3
4-2 Lake-Lehman 6-3
4-3 Crestwood 4-5
3-2 Dallas 5-4
2-4 Bishop Hoban 3-5
1-5 GAR 2-7
0-6 Nanticoke Area 2-7
Other Area Teams
Northwest 5-4
Wyoming Seminary 0-8
Bishop Hafey 2-7
Bishop O'Reilly 0-8
-----
The official District 2 rankings of WVCD2.com
These rankings are compiled by Frank Kastreva for entertainment purposes only. All questions or comments can be made to wvcgridironman@aol.com
2005 Week 9 Rankings
Wyoming Valley Conference
1.) Hazleton Area (8-1)
2.) Berwick (7-2)
3.) Wyoming Area (7-2)
4.) Hanover Area (8-1)
5.) Dallas (5-4)
6.) Valley West (4-5)
7.) Meyers (6-3)
8.) Lake-Lehman (6-3)
9.) Coughlin (4-5)
10.) Crestwood (4-5)
District 2 Overall
1.) Abington Heights (9-0)
2.) Hazleton Area (8-1)
3.) Delaware Valley (8-1)
4.) Berwick (7-2)
5.) West Scranton (7-2)
6.) Wyoming Area (7-2)
7.) Hanover Area (8-1)
8.) North Pocono (7-2)
9.) Lakeland (7-2)
10.) Dallas (5-4)
-------------------
Week 10 Football Schedule
(Note)- Rankings are district 2 overall according to WVCD2.com.
Wyoming Valley Conference
(#4) Berwick @ (#2) Hazleton Area FRI 7 PM
Pittston Area @ (#6) Wyoming Area FRI 7 PM
(#7) Hanover Area @ Nanticoke Area FRI 7 PM
(#10) Dallas @ Lake-Lehman FRI 7 PM
Bishop Hoban @ Williams Valley FRI 7 PM
Tunkhannock @ Crestwood FRI 7 PM
Meyers @ GAR FRI 7 PM
Williamsport @ Altoona FRI 7 PM
Valley West @ Coughlin SAT 7 PM
Other Area Teams
Bucktail @ Northwest FRI 7 PM
Bishop Hafey @ Carson Long SAT 1 PM
Bishop O'Reilly @ Lourdes Regional SAT 1 PM
Peddie School @ Wyoming Seminary SAT 1 PM
Lackawanna League
(#5) West Scranton @ (#1) Abington Heights SAT 1 PM
(#8) North Pocono @ (#3) Delaware Valley FRI 7 PM
(#9) Lakeland @ Carbondale FRI 7 PM
Honesdale @ Scranton FRI 7 PM
Lackawanna Trail @ Mid Valley FRI 7 PM
Montrose @ Dunmore FRI 7 PM
Old Forge @ Riverside FRI 7 PM
Wallenpaupack @ Valley View FRI 7 PM
Western Wayne @ Scranton Prep FRI 7 PM
Susquehanna @ Bishop O'Hara SAT 1 PM
-------------------
Kastreva's Picks
(Week 10)
Season Record 141-61
Berwick over Hazleton Area
Wyoming Area over Pittston Area
Hanover Area over Tunkhannock
Dallas over Lake-Lehman
Bishop Hoban over Williams Valley
Tunkhannock over Crestwood
Meyers over GAR
Altoona over Williamsport
Valley West over Coughlin
Northwest over Bucktail
Bishop Hafey over Carson Long
Lourdes Regional over Bishop O'Reilly
Wyoming Seminary over Peddie School
Abington Heights over West Scranton
Delaware Valley over North Pocono
Lakeland over Carbondale
Scranton over Honesdale
Lackawanna Trail over Mid Valley
Dunmore over Montrose
Old Forge over Riverside
Valley View over Wallenpaupack
Scranton Prep over Western Wayne
Bishop O'Hara over Susquehanna