Hanover Area wide receiver Jonathan Otway-Kellom runs with a reception for a 27-yard gain in the first quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
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Nanticoke Area running back Treston Allen carries the ball as Hanover Area’s Matt Cury attempts a tackle in the first quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hanover Area wide receiver Jonathan Otway-Kellom tries to haul in a pass between Nanticoke Area’s Justin Johnson (39) and Mike Taylor in the first quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hanover Area’s Malique Campbell gets dropped by Nanticoke Area’s Jason O’Borski as he returns a kickoff in the first quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hanover Area quarterback Logan Richardson is forced to scramble in the first quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
NANTICOKE — The rivalry game between Hanover Area and Nanticoke Area is known as the San Souci Struggle.
Both teams had their struggles Friday night — Hanover Area with penalties and Nanticoke Area with turnovers.
Hanover Area, though, was able to overcome its issues for a 16-14 victory in the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 game.
Hanover Area (1-4 Div. 2, 2-8 overall) came into Friday night with a remote chance of catching Tunkhannock for the final District 2 Class 3A playoff spot. Tunkhannock lost, but the Hawkeyes’ chances of doing so did not look promising based on the district standings late Friday night.
The victory ended an eight-game losing streak to Nanticoke Area. The Hawkeyes last won the game in 2015.
“Getting that trophy, it’s I think the first time in 10 years,” Hanover Area coach Jason Majiros said.
Nanticoke Area (1-4 Div. 2, 1-9) ended a season which started with first-year coach Scott Dennis dying three days before the opener. Former coach Ron Bruza oversaw the program the rest of the season. He has no intention of returning for 2025, and the school district has been advertising for the head coaching position.
“It’s a lot of ups and downs,” said Bruza, who resigned after 14 years following the 2023 season. “I love this program, I love this community. I appreciated the members of the school board who supported me in coming back. I’m very appreciative of my wife and my family to make some sacrifices to get me to come back.
“It’s been a roller coaster ride right from the beginning in losing your dear friend in coach Dennis. We just really didn’t get a lot done in the win column, but the guys have a lot of character and they’re first-class kids.”
The Hawkeyes were able to prevail despite 16 penalties for 125 yards, an offense which blogged down at times after a fast start and a punt into their line that allowed Nanticoke Area to score with 1:28 remaining.
“Very, very sloppy,” Majiros said. “We had so many opportunities. I’m just glad our guys were resilient enough to hang in there and not get themselves down. We found a way to get it done.”
Hanover Area scored on its first possession of the game, driving 59 yards on seven plays. A 27-yard catch by Jonathan Otway-Kellom and a 12-yard run by Malique Campbell led to a 3-yard scoring run by Dewayne Downey.
Nanticoke Area answered with a seven-play, 26-yard scoring drive that was set up by a 47-yard kickoff return by James Bush. Treston Allen ran six consecutive times before quarterback Mike Stachowiak scored from a yard out.
The Hawkeyes then scored on their second possession, with passes of 21 and 27 yards from Logan Richardson to Otway-Kellom setting up a 31-yard field goal by Chance Hall at 1:37 of the first quarter.
Both offenses bogged down from there. Hanover Area hurt itself repeatedly with penalties and quarterback sacks. Nanticoke Area’s problem was three turnovers and a running game that yielded little results after its first possession.
Hanover Area finally got on the board again on its first possession of the second half despite two more penalties. Richardson lofted a pass down the left sideline and Otway-Kellom won a jumpball for a 33-yard touchdown and a 16-7 lead at 6:45 of the third quarter.
The Trojans needed a break to get back into the game and received one late when a Hanover Area punt hit into the line.
Nanticoke Area took control at the Hanover Area 42-yard line, and a 33-yard pass from Stachowiak to Dennis Hall moved the ball to the 9 where Allen scored on the next play. An onside kick was unsuccessful and Hanover Area ran out the clock.
Hanover Area 16, Nanticoke Area 14
Hanover Area`10`0`6`0 — 16
Nanticoke Area`7`0`0`7 — 14
First Quarter
HAN — Dewayne Downey 3 run (Conor Engelman kick), 8:06
NAN — Mike Stachowiak 1 run (JP Pastuizaca kick), 4:16
HAN — Chance Hall 31 FG, 1:47
Third quarter
HAN — Johnathan Otway-Kellom 33 pass from Logan Richardson (kick failed), 6:45
Fourth quarter
NAN — Treston Allen 9 run (Pastuizaca kick), 1:28
Team statistics`HAN`NAN
First downs`9`10
Rushes-yards`31-76`44-47
Passing yards`117`64
Total yards`183`111
Passing`6-11-0`3-5-0
Sacked-yards lost`4-32`1-6
Punts-avg.`4-27`2-24.5
Fumbles-lost`2-1`5-4
Penalties-yards`16-125`6-55
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Hanover Area, Downey 13-48, Malique Campbell 9-38, L.Richardson 8-(minus-9), team 1-(minus-1). Nanticoke Area, Allen 26-45, Stachowiak 5-8, Chris Julian 9-7, Tyler Skordensky 1-1, James Bush 1-(minus-2), team 2-(minus-12).
PASSING — Hanover Area, L.Richardson 6-11-0-117. Nanticoke Area, Stachowiak 3-5-0-64.
RECEIVING —Hanover Area, Otway-Kellom 4-108, Conor Richardson 1-6, Downey 1-3. Nanticoke Area, Manny Sosa 1-20, Allen 1-11, Dennis Hall 1-33.
INTERCEPTIONS —none.
MISSED FGs — none.