WEST PITTSTON — Wyoming Area got key players back and the Warriors bounced back.
Coming off its first loss of the season, Wyoming Area scored on all eight possessions in which it attempted to do so, running over visiting Lakeland 56-6 in a non-league matchup of teams that entered the night with winning records.
Wyoming Area (3-1) opened a 42-0 lead at halftime and was threatening again when it went into victory formation with two minutes remaining.
“I was just happy with the energy that the kids brought back into this football game after a hard-fought game last week,” Warriors coach Randy Spencer said of the 34-23 loss to unbeaten Western Wayne. “Not playing as clean as we would have liked to and coming up on the short end of that one, just really happy with the way the team bounced back.
“Effort and energy from everybody from the beginning to the end and in all aspects.”
The Warriors defense carried a shutout into the final six minutes.
The special teams contributed by recovering two fumbles on kickoffs in the first 12:20, helping to send the team to a quick, 28-0 lead.
Lidge Kellum carried 13 times for 208 yards and two touchdowns while quarterback Anthony DeLucca accounted for three touchdowns. DeLucca was finished before halftime and Kellum was done at the break.
All-state end Josh Mruk played for the first time this season and had two of the team’s five sacks in the first half. Fullback/linebacker Michael Crane played for the first time since the opener and was a key blocker in the 459-yard ground game, along with carrying three times for 35 yards and making four tackles.
“Last week really gave me the extra push I needed to get back,” Mruk said. “It was a tough one to watch, but I’m back.”
Mruk was also one of the key blockers for a ground game that produced 290 yards on 25 first-half carries.
The Warriors not only did not punt or turn the ball over — they never even got to fourth down. They picked up 155 of their yards while going 8-for-8 in third-down situations.
“From an execution standpoint, we were keeping the chains moving with some big conversions and contributions from everybody,” Spencer said. “That’s really what we were looking for and we’re really excited to see that.”
Kellum ran 40 yards for the first score, then added a 68-yard touchdown on the first play of the 28-point second quarter.
DeLucca passed 5 yards to Luke Kopetchny for a first-quarter touchdown, then scored on a 1-yard sneak in the second quarter. Jack Gravine made a great catch for a 19-yard touchdown from DeLucca for a 35-0 lead with 4:50 left in the half.
Nick Ciampi took over as the second of four Wyoming Area quarterbacks and ran five times for 38 yards on the next drive, which he capped with a 4-yard touchdown for a 42-0 halftime lead.
Oliver Bolin ran 6 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and quarterback Brady Jones ran 16 yards for the last score on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Wyoming Area 56, Lakeland 6
Lakeland`0`0`0`6 — 6
Wyoming Area`14`28`7`7 — 56
First quarter
WA – Lidge Kellum 40 run (Nick Ciampi kick), 6:35
WA – Luke Kopetchny 5 pass from Anthony DeLucca (Ciampi kick), 4:03
Second quarter
WA – Kellum 68 run (kick failed), 11:46
WA – DeLucca 1 run (Kellum run), 9:44
WA – Jack Gravine 19 pass from DeLucca (Ciampi kick), 4:50
WA – Ciampi 4 run (Ciampi kick), 0:45.8
Third quarter
WA – Oliver Bolin 6 run (Ciampi kick), 8:26
Fourth quarter
WA – Brady Jones 16 run (Ciampi kick), 11:54
L – Jackson Pochas 43 run (kick failed), 5:05
Team Statistics`L`WA
First downs`10`23
Rushes-yards`29-132`44-459
Passing yards`2`44
Total yards`134`503
Passing`1-5-1`5-9-0
Sacked-yards lost`5-29`1-5
Punts-avg.`4-41.5`0-0.0
Fumbles-lost`2-2`2-0
Penalties-yards`3-25`5-55
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — L, Pochas 5-60, Caden Cuozzo 9-52, Calvin Gumbs-Jacobs 4-10, David Naniewicz 9-10, Skylar Widzon 2-0. WA, Kellum 13-208, Trustin Johnson 3-55, Jamari Yates 5-41, Jones 5-38, Michael Crane 3-35, Ciampi 4-33, Bolin 4-28, Rocco Siani 2-18, Nicholas Kondroski 1-9, DeLucca 2-minus 4, Team 2-minus 2.
PASSING — L, Naniewicz 1-5-1-2. WA, DeLucca 5-8-0-44; Ciampi 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING – L, Chris Chmiola 1-2. WA, Gravine 2-24, Kevin Wiedl 1-10, Kopetchny 1-5, Kellum 1-5.
INTERCEPTIONS — L, None. WA, Kopetchny 1-minus 1.
MISSED FIELD GOALS – None.
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