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NANTICOKE – When a team on the road commits 12 penalties for 80 yards, it can sometimes lead to a long ride home and an earful from its coach after a loss.
Fortunately for Wyoming Area, Chris Murphy and Sam Eramo made sure that ride home would be far from daunting.
The quarterback and wide receiver duo overcame several yellow flags and connected seven times for 137 yards – including a 72-yard strike for a touchdown – on their way to leading Wyoming Area to a 42-6 victory over Nanticoke Area on Friday night.
“Well, that’s what first games are about,” said Wyoming Area head coach Randy Spencer of his team’s inconsistent play. “We’ve got our work cut out for us in terms of coming out and focusing on the game and reducing those penalties.”
Judging by its overall showing, if Wyoming Area can work out those penalties, the Warriors will be a scary offensive team.
Four different running backs scored, Murphy threw for 238 yards, rushed for 72 and a score of his own, and the Warrior receivers repeatedly found themselves open in the middle of the field.
Murphy put Wyoming Area on the board at the 7:49 mark of the first quarter. Starting their first drive just inside Nanticoke territory, the Warriors had a pass play down to the 10-yard line negated by a penalty before the junior called his own number and sprinted 33 yards around the left end of his line and scored for a 6-0 advantage.
The Warriors began their next series at the Trojan 44-yard line after stuffing Nanticoke on fourth down. Leo Malsky carried the ball 38 yards down to the 6 before finding the end zone on the next play. Aidan Marich added the conversion run for a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.
Wyoming Area’s defense again set up another score midway through the second quarter. Defensive back Ahmad Bowie snagged an errant pass from Trojan quarterback Zak Matuleski, giving the Warriors possession at the Trojan 40-yard line.
Following a dash of penalties and short gains on the ground, Murphy found Malsky for a 20- yard pass play down to the 11-yard line before handing off to Nick O’Brien. O’Brien slashed right through the middle of the line and increased the lead to 21-0 with 5:22 to go in the first half.
The second half would follow suit, with Wyoming Area overcoming penalties to score on an 11-yard run from Marich and a 52-yard sprint around right end from A.J. Lemardy following the big play between Murphy and Eramo.
The Trojans scored late in the fourth on a 2-yard run from Matuleski.
“We’ve thrown and worked with all our skill kids, but Sam is a senior this year and we’re looking for him to be a leader,” said Spencer of his dynamic senior receiver. “We need Sam to be a leader and make the plays he can make like he did tonight.”
Wyoming Area heads to Valley View next weekend while Nanticoke looks to snap its 22-game losing streak when the Trojans host Columbia-Mountoursville Vo-Tech.