Dallas’ Rocco Ormando (10) tries to break away from Hazleton Area defensive back Treyvon Corchado in the second quarter Friday night.
                                 Fred Adams | For Times Leader

Dallas’ Rocco Ormando (10) tries to break away from Hazleton Area defensive back Treyvon Corchado in the second quarter Friday night.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader

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<p>Hazleton wide receiver Matt Cusatis tries to advance the ball on a short pass in the first quarter as Dallas linebacker Jake DelGaudio (4) makes the stop while Dallas defensive back Rocco Ormando (10) comes in to assist.</p>
                                 <p>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </p>

Hazleton wide receiver Matt Cusatis tries to advance the ball on a short pass in the first quarter as Dallas linebacker Jake DelGaudio (4) makes the stop while Dallas defensive back Rocco Ormando (10) comes in to assist.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader

<p>Hazleton Area running back Matt Buchman turns up after catching a screen pass in the first quarter against Dallas on Friday night.</p>
                                 <p>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </p>

Hazleton Area running back Matt Buchman turns up after catching a screen pass in the first quarter against Dallas on Friday night.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader

<p>Dallas running back Parker Bolesta runs for yardage in the second quarter against Hazleton Area on a screen pass from quarterback Jackson Wydra.</p>
                                 <p>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </p>

Dallas running back Parker Bolesta runs for yardage in the second quarter against Hazleton Area on a screen pass from quarterback Jackson Wydra.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader

<p>Dallas’ Joe Peters reacts to a blocked Hazleton Area field goal by Dallas’Rocco Ormando to end the first half Friday night.</p>
                                 <p>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </p>

Dallas’ Joe Peters reacts to a blocked Hazleton Area field goal by Dallas’Rocco Ormando to end the first half Friday night.

Fred Adams | For Times Leader

DALLAS TWP. — Hazleton Area’s Matt Buchman had a split second to figure out a complex problem. His calculations were correct.

Buchman intercepted a pass in overtime, putting the final touches on an incredible comeback as Hazleton Area defeated Dallas 28-21 in a Wyoming Valley Conference interdivisional football game Friday night.

Hazleton Area (3-2) trailed 21-6 with less than seven minutes left in regulation. The Cougars tied the score 21-21 with a 22-yard TD pass from Tyler Wolfe to Matt Cusatis on fourth-and-15 with 1:17 remaining and an ensuing two-point conversion reception by Ryan Matyas.

Buchman then scored on a 5-yard run on Hazleton Area’s second play of overtime. Dallas got 2 yards on its first play of the ensuing possession and then Buchman had to figure out what was happening in front of and behind him to make the game-ending interception.

“The last play we were in goal coverage man-to-man,” Buchman said. “I’m free and have nothing to do, so I’m reading the field and seeing if there’s anybody crossing in my area. I see the quarterback rolling out and I’m thinking of going after him so he can’t run for it.

“But then I see him hesitate, so in the back of my mind I know a route has to be coming behind me, so I drop back. The ball drops right in my lap and I catch it.”

It was a bit surprising the game reached overtime.

Dallas used a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs by quarterback Jackson Wydra to take a 14-6 halftime lead. Special teams also played a part as Rocco Ormando and Zach Paczewski blocked an extra point after Buchman scored on a 1-yard run early in the second quarter. Ormando also blocked a 22-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the second quarter.

The Mountaineers (2-2) then took a 21-6 lead at 3:38 of the third quarter as running back Parker Bolesta bounced off a tackler about 10 yards past the line of scrimmage and completed a 44-yard touchdown run.

Up to that point, Hazleton Area moved the ball adequately, only to hurt itself with penalties.

“We were moving the ball consistently throughout the game,” said Hazleton Area coach Dennis Buchman, Matt’s brother. “We had some big penalties that got us behind the sticks on three different possessions while we were moving the football that brought us back to a first-and-27, a first-and-22. Those things are hard to be able to overcome when you’re behind the sticks like that.”

Hazleton Area took over at its 31-yard line after Dallas went up 21-6. The Cougars went on an 18-play scoring drive, eating up about nine minutes. They overcame two sacks and a fumbled snap and converted two fourth-down situations to move to the Dallas 8-yard line.

Facing another fourth-down play from there, Wolfe had a pass hit off the hands of a Dallas defender and land in the arms of Buchman for a touchdown. The extra point moved Hazleton Area within 21-13 with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter.

Dallas went three-and-out on its next possession and Hazleton Area took over at the Dallas 46 after a punt.

Wolfe zipped a pass to Christian Price for 28 yards on second down to move the ball to the Mountaineers 17. But a 4-yard loss on a run by Buchman and a holding penalty pushed the ball back to the 34.

Wolfe scrambled for 12 yards on a third-and-27, and then Cusatis made the over-the-head catch for a touchdown on fourth down. Matyas’ two-point grab tied it 21-21 with 1:17 left.

Dallas was able to move to the Hazleton Area 30-yard line on three completions and a 6-yard scramble by Wydra, which stopped the clock with 12 ticks left. Hazleton Area’s Treyvon Corchado, though, intercepted a pass at the 15 that glanced off the hands of the intended receiver to end regulation.

Hazleton Area 28, Dallas 21 OT

Hazleton Area`0`6`0`15`7 — 28

Dallas`7`7`7`0`0 — 21

First quarter

DAL — Jackson Wydra 1 run (Jace Chopyak kick), 7:16

Second quarter

HA — Matt Buchman 1 run (kick blocked), 9:32

DAL — Wydra 1 run (Chopyak kick), 5:01

Third quarter

DAL — Parker Bolesta 44 run (Chopyak kick), 3:38

Fourth quarter

HA — Buchman 8 pass from Tyler Wolfe (Luke Russo kick), 6:33

HA — Matt Cusatis 22 pass from Wolfe (Matyas from Wolfe), 1:17

Overtime

HA — Buchman 5 run (Russo kick)

Team statistics`HA`DAL

First downs`14`12

Rushes-yards`31-69`24-108

Passing yards`217`172

Total yards`286`280

Passing`19-27-0`14-21-2

Sacked-yards lost`4-30`1-9

Punts-avg.`4-36`4-34.8

Fumbles-lost`1-0`0-0

Penalties-yards`7-54`5-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Haz. Area, Buchman 16-50, Matyas 3-4, Wolfe 10-12, Cusatis 2-3. Dallas, Bolesta 14-98, Wydra 6-4, Rocco Ormando 2-1, Dylan Geskey 1-3, AJ Fife 1-2.

PASSING — Haz. Area, Wolfe 19-27-0-217, team 0-1-0-0. Dallas, Wydra 14-20-2-172, team 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING — Haz. Area, Connor Shamany 4-43, Cusatis 3-51, Buchman 8-81, Mitchell Masten 1-7, Christian Price 2-35. Dallas, Joe Peters 3-31, Zach Paczewski 2-15, Nick Farrell 2-34, Bolesta 2-23, Ormando 5-69.

INTERCEPTIONS — Haz. Area, Treyvon Corchado 1-19, Buchman 1-0.

MISSED FGs — Haz. Area, 22 BLK.