Warriors romp in showdown

WEST PITTSTON �?? The showdown never materialized Friday night.

Wyoming Area dominated all aspects of the game, including getting two punt return touchdowns from Nick O�??Brien, as the Warriors routed GAR 48-15 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2A-A contest.

The game was billed as a showdown of the top two teams in the division and District 2 Class 2A. It didn�??t live up to it as Wyoming Area (6-2) took a 35-7 lead into halftime.

�??We�??re going to regroup,�?� said GAR coach Paul Wiedlich, whose team had its five-game winning streak snapped and fell to 5-3. �??We got a strong senior-oriented team and they are the leaders of the team. How they go, we�??re going to go.�?�

Aside from giving up a 62-yard TD run to GAR�??s Rich Sickler, the first half was all Wyoming Area.

O�??Brien, who verbally committed to Bucknell University earlier this week, highlighted the first half with punt returns of 38 and 43 yards for touchdowns. The first went to the right behind a wall of blockers; the second to the left. He was untouched on both.

�??We have a great scheme for returning punts,�?� said O�??Brien, who also ran for 117 yards and passed for 153 more. �??Everybody just threw their bodies, sacrificing themselves to get me in the end zone. That�??s what happened. I was untouched. Nobody touched me. It was like a complete wall off.�?�

The punt return unit also recorded a safety when a GAR snap sailed over punter Rashaun Mathis and into the end zone. To avoid a bigger disaster, Mathis kicked the ball over the backline.

Cody Schmitz and Jordan Zezza also hauled in touchdown passes in the first half of 25 and 29 yard, respectively. Both receivers were wide open on their receptions.

�??At the top of my routes, I just stick my move and give them a double move,�?� said Schmitz, who caught three passes for 72 yards. �??Make him change his hip direction.�?�

O�??Brien closed out the first half with a 7-yard TD run. Schmitz added a 2-yard TD run midway through the third quarter, and Zezza made it 48-7 with his second touchdown reception on the first play of the fourth quarter.

The victory snapped a five-game losing streak to GAR.

�??We really wanted to win this one,�?� O�??Brien said, �??not only for our team but for the five teams in the past. All the seniors the past five years and for the alumni.�?�

Since a 15-14 loss to Lake-Lehman in Week 3, Wyoming Area has scored 43 or more points in its last five games.

�??I feel like we�??re growing,�?� Schmitz said, �??but I feel like we can grow a lot more. We still have a little bit more potential to reach.�?�

The Warriors had an excellent balance of the run and pass, with 201 yards on the ground and 153 through the air. The defense shut down GAR standout Lucas Benton, who finished with one catch for 15 yards and rushed seven times for minus-5 yards.

�??Getting healthy up front, being more consistent up front, certainly allowed us to make some plays,�?� Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. �??Not just in the running game, but in the passing game.

�??I think our kids were focused and really executed tonight.�?�

Wyoming Area 48, GAR 15

First Quarter

WA �?? Cody Schmitz 25 pass from Nick O�??Brien (A.J. Lenkaitis kick), 7:16

WA �?? O�??Brien 38 punt return (Lenkaitis kick), 1:41

GAR �?? Rich Sickler 62 run (Luke Height kick), 0:49

Second Quarter

WA �?? O�??Brien 43 punt return (kick failed), 9:52

WA �?? Safety, GAR punt snap goes out of end zone, 8:06

WA �?? Jordan Zezza 29 pass from O�??Brien (Lenkaitis kick), 4:11

WA �?? O�??Brien 7 run (kick failed), 2:29

Third Quarter

WA �?? Schmitz 2 run (pass failed), 5:45

Fourth Quarter

WA �?? Zezza 35 pass from O�??Brien (Lenkaitis kick), 11:51

GAR �?? A.J. Mouzone 18 pass from Corey Moore (Moore run), 5:44

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING �?? GAR, Lucas Benton 7-(minus-5), Sickler 3-66, Mouzone 4-22, Zachary Gonzalez 4-13, Moore 5-(minus-1), team 1-(minus-23). Wyoming Area, O�??Brien 15-117, Zak Lanunziata 7-39, Schmitz 8-25, Marty Michaels 3-6, Jeff Skursky 6-17, team 2-(minus-3).

PASSING �?? GAR, Moore 8-27-1-128. Wyoming Area, O�??Brien 7-9-0-153.

RECEIVING �?? GAR, Mouzone 4-48, Sickler 1-30, Rashaun Mathis 2-35, Benton 1-15. Wyoming Area, Schmitz 3-72, Zezza 4-81.

INTS �?? Wyoming Area, Evan Skene.

MISSED FGS �?? none.