Lions running game too much to handle for Meyers

WILKES-BARRE �?? The gameplan was simple. Lackawanna Trail coach, Steve Jervis, wanted his team to control the line of scrimmage and play fast up front against Meyers. The Lions did just that after overcoming a series of early penalties and a 7-0 deficit to beat the Mohawks 35-13 at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium. Trail outgained Meyers 428 to 251 in total offensive yards behind a steady balance of passing and a brutal smash-mouth run game.

�??We did a great job executing the offense against a good Meyers team tonight,�?� Jervis said. �??We do need to focus on a few things, like penalties, and stop shooting ourselves in the feet.�?�

The feet of the Lion running backs were in full motion combining for 241 yards on the ground. Senior running back Jeremy Greenley led all rushers with 142 yards on 12 carries and a pair of touchdowns.

�??We try to make it hard for teams to key on any one player,�?� said Jervis. �??We have a group of fast and talented backs and receivers.�?�

The receivers were on display moments after Parrish Bennett�??s 11-yard scoring run had Meyers staked to a 7-0 lead. Greenley snagged a pass down the middle of the field over a sprawling Mohawk defender and raced 68 yards down to the 8-yard line. Two plays later Jonathon Zedar plowed into the end zone to tie the game at 7.

Meyers could not move the ball on its next series and a bad snap over the punter�??s head lead to a 1-yard scoring burst by Lion quarterback Zack Goodrich on the very next play. Trail now led 13-7 after a missed extra point.

The second quarter saw Lackawanna continue its dominance on the ground. Greenley rumbled over Mohawk defenders for 98 of his rushing yards and recorded both of his scores in the stanza, including a twisting and winding 51-yard jaunt to pay dirt that put the Lions up 19-7. His 11-yard touchdown and another 1-yard sneak by Goodrich had the Lions cruising at halftime by a 32-7 margin.

Meyers did have a shining moment in the third quarter when Bennett scrambled for 32 yards, but the offense could not muster up much after that on the ground. Bennett finished the contest with 100 yards on 20 carries. The Mohawks relied on a beautifully thrown 49-yard strike to Matt DeMarco from Teaguen Labatch to cut the lead to 32-13. Trail closed out the scoring with a Pete Murazzi 34-yard field goal to make it 35-13.

�??

Lackawanna Trail 35, Meyers 13

First Quarter

MEY �?? Bennett 11 run (Lisman kick) 9:00

LT �?? Zedar 5 run (Murazzi kick) 6:15

LT �?? Goodrich 1 run (kick blocked)

Second Quarter

LT �?? Greenley 51 run (2pt failed) 11:10

LT �?? Greenley 11 run (2pt failed) 5:39

LT �?? Goodrich 1 run (Murazzi kick) :57

Third Quarter

No scoring

Fourth Quarter

MEY �?? DeMarco 49 pass from Labatch (kick failed) 8:10

LT �?? Murazzi 34 FG

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING �?? LT: Greenley 12-142, Murazzi 13-55, Zedar 9-35, Rosiak 4-7, Goodrich 2-2, Milloy 2-0, Brown 1-1 ; MEY : Parrish 20-100, DeMarco 3-14, Woodson 1-3, Dunnell 1-1, Labatch 1-(-2)

PASSING �?? LT : Goodrich 7-12 187 2td 1int, Malloy 0-1; MEY : Labatch 7-18 135 1td 2int

RECEIVING �?? LT : Dougherty 3-101, Greenley 1-68, Murazzi 1-8, Zedar 2-10; MEY : DeMarco 5-129, Bennett 1-5, Brominski 1-11

INTS �?? LT : Rosiak, Zedar; MEY : Dunnell

MISSED FGS �?? None