It?s just one week away from Wyoming Area?s big match up with the Berwick
Bulldogs at Crispin Field, but the Warriors didn?t let that distract them from
their game with the Pocono Mountain East Cardinals.
Wyoming Area used a balance running game and 2 quick scores in the 3rd
quarter to put away the Cardinals 27-7 in front of another packed house of
Wyoming Area fans in West Pittston. Ryan McDonnell lead the Warrior ground
attack with 126 yards rushing including the game?s opening touchdown. Pat
Mackin, Tyler Serbin, and Tyler Saville rounded out a ground game that
decimated the Cardinal defense all night.
The Warriors opened up the game with an impressive drive down the field
started by a Matt Finn 30 yard kickoff return. The drive continued with 3
more first downs capped off by a McDonnell 12 yard touchdown run just 3:27
into the Friday night battle. The Warriors missed the extra point to put the
game at 6-0 WA. Pocono Mountain East then got their first chance with the
ball but after 2 first downs were forced to punt it away.
It took the Warriors just 5 plays on their next possession which started on
the Cardinal 45 yard line. It was highlighted by a 15 yard Dustin Barrett
catch from Warrior quarterback Justin Pointkowski who passed for 103 yards on
the day. That put the home team ahead 12-0 after a 2 point conversion came up
short.
Play went back and forth in the second quarter without any scoring. The
Warriors threatened late in the half though when Kyle Shymanski missed a 34
yard field goal barely wide to keep the game at 12-0 going into the locker
room.
The second half didn?t start nearly as smoothly as the first did for the
Warriors. Just 6 plays into the second half the Cardinals made it a game
again with a 51 yard touchdown run only 2:11 into the 2nd half. With the
extra point the score was now 12-7 Wyoming Area.
The Warriors showed their determination as they went 72 yards down the field,
including a 55 yard run by McDonnell and capped off by an 8 yard Tyler Saville
run for their third touchdown of the game. Ryan McDonnell caught a 3 yard
pass for the 2 point conversion to make the score 20-7 Warriors with 5:38 left
in the third quarter.
That wasn?t it for Wyoming Area though as they recovered the kickoff on the
next possession and went 30 yards ended by Saville?s second touchdown of the
quarter on a 2 yard run to put the Warriors up 27-7 with the Shymanski kick
just 1:16 after their last touchdown.
The fourth quarter was the fastest one of the game as the Warriors ate the
clock up giving the Cardinals just two possessions in the last quarter in
which the defense continued to hold strong.
With the win the Warriors move to 2-0 on the season and the Cardinals fall to
0-2 with the defeat. Next week the Warriors go to take on the state ranked
Berwick Bulldogs in what proves to be their toughest game of the season.