Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Many people were delighted to see Lake-Lehman graduate Nick Eury finally score a touchdown for Penn State in a 79-7 victory over Idaho two weeks ago.
One guy watching was extremely elated when Eury powered his way 8 yards for a touchdown.
“That’s Nick,” Lehman coach Jerry Gilsky said. “If you remember that move that he did, when we played Old Forge it was fourth-and-long on a sally play he was on the sideline and everyone thought he went out. It reminded me of that. He’s a fighter, that’s what I love about that kid.”
Eury will be remembered for something more than that fourth-down conversion against Old Forge back in 2015. He was poked in the right eye making a tackle early in the first quarter and his eye swelled shut.
Instead of sitting out the rest of the game, Eury returned in the second half with his eye taped open and rushed for 220 yards and three touchdowns all in the second half in the 42-13 victory.
“I was telling them to cut me, but you know,” Eury said after the Old Forge game.
It’s that Rocky-like determination that’s made Eury one of the most popular players on Penn State. No doubt he could have excelled at a lower level in college, but wanted to walk on at Penn State.
“He had one eye that game because we had to tape (the other) open,” Gilsky said. “The kid’s a fighter. You want him in your corner. That’s what I love about that kid.”
Eury finished the Idaho game with six carries for 44 yards. A former teammate noticed the performance as well.
“How about Saquon Barkley tweeting out about him,” Gilsky said.
BEST OF WEEK THREE
Some of the top performances from the third week of the season.
• Tunkhannock Tigers. Tunkhannock trailed Pittston Area 32-7 with less than 10 minutes left and rallied for a 35-32 victory. Quarterback Jack Chilson and receiver Jack Frisco were at the forefront of the improbable comeback, but 25-point deficits aren’t erased because of two guys. This was a total team effort.
• WBA’s Rafael McCoy. The senior continued to use his speed as an asset in a 42-0 victory over Nanticoke Area. McCoy caught two passes for TDs, ran for another and returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the second time this season.
• Pittston Area’s Andrew Krawczyk. The senior wideout set career highs in a 35-32 loss to Tunkhannock with 10 catches for 157. He scored on two receptions. Krawczyk also had a 100-yard receiving game against Coughlin in Week 9 of the 2017 season.
• Lake-Lehman’s Zack Kojadinovich. The senior running back ran for a career-high three touchdowns in the Black Knights’ 36-9 victory over Hanover Area. He rushed 18 times for 135, falling just short of his career-high of 140 yards set against Tunkhannock in Week 6 of the 2017 campaign.
WVC TO ALBANY
Three WVC alum played parts in the University of Albany’s 45-3 victory over Bryant.
Wyoming Valley West grad LJ Wesneski started at tight end and caught a 7-yard TD pass. Williamsport grad Jerah Reeves grabbed six passes for 46 yards and a touchdown while starting at wide receiver. Wyoming Area grad Tristan Sokach-Minnick did the long snapping.
Sokach-Minnick’s younger brother Stephen is also a long snapper for Albany.
THE BEST AND WORST
Delaware Valley defeated Wallenpaupack 70-0 last Friday. The win marked the most points and largest victory margin for DelVal. It was also the worst defeat and most points a Wallenpaupack team had ever surrendered.
DelVal’s previous largest margin of victory came in 2006 when the Warriors defeated Pocono Mountain East 63-13. For Wallenpaupack, its worst losses were a pair of 54-0 setbacks to Lakeland in 1976 and Honesdale in 1985.
Back in 1992, Wallenpaupack handled DelVal its worst loss 71-0. DelVal was in its first year of varsity football in 1992. A year later, DelVal lost 76-6 to Honesdale.
DelVal’s 70 points last Friday were the most by a District 2 team since Crestwood defeated Wyoming Area 71-13 in 2014.
THREE FOR THREE
Wyoming Area has proven to be one of the top teams in the state this season. The Warriors defense is making things even tougher for opponents by returning interceptions for touchdowns in all three games.
Defensive back Jacob Williams had a 30-yard pick-6 in the opener vs. Mid Valley. Safety Dominic DeLuca returned an interceptions 28 yards for a score against Scranton Prep. Linebacker Dillion Williams had a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown last Friday against Northwest.
STATE RANKINGS
Four WVC teams are part of this week’s pennlive.com state rankings.
Wyoming Area was the biggest mover in Class 3A, going from sixth to fourth. The Warriors benefitted from third-ranked Bald Eagle Area being routed by Penns Valley 42-7 and fifth-ranked North Schuylkill losing 31-14 to Wyomissing Area.
Dallas moved from sixth to fifth and previously fifth-ranked Imhotep Charter lost for a third time. Berwick jumped into the rankings at the seventh spot.
Northwest dropped out of the 10th spot in Class A after losing 34-3 to Wyoming Area. The Rangers are listed as a team to watch.
