Pictured above: Josh Vinton, in a file photo from earlier this year. (Tim Drewes Photo)
That did not take long.
Scoring 20 points in the first 5:32, Western Wayne turned a meeting of ranked teams into a 44-0 rout of visiting Dunmore Oct. 14, setting itself up for a shot at the Lackawanna Football Conference Division 2 title.
The Wildcats take a six-game winning streak, a 7-1 record and the No. 2 Small School spot in the Gaughan Auto Store Super Six Football Power Rankings to Lakeland to meet District 2’s only unbeaten team Friday night. A win over the top-ranked Chiefs would clinch at least a tie for the Division 2 championship. Both teams are 3-0 in the division with one more game remaining after Friday night.
Western Wayne set up its title shot by overwhelming a Dunmore team that came in with a 5-2 record.
Sean Owens pulled in a slant pass from Frankie Leyshon on the game’s third play and was off to the races for an 80-yard touchdown.
The Western Wayne defense got the ball back quickly and the Wildcats scored again … and again.
Luke Janiszewski ran 65 yards for a touchdown, then ran 40 yards for another. Josh Vinton’s two-point run pushed the lead to 20 points with 6:28 remaining in the first quarter.
The Wildcats were not done yet.
Carter Mistishin took a swing pass from Leyshon 32 yards to set up Janiszewski’s third touchdown, a 6-yarder with 1:30 left in the quarter and Janiszewski found the end zone again for two more points and a 28-0 lead.
Vinton scored on a 1-yard run less than two minutes into the second quarter and a 6-yarder midway through the third to complete the scoring.
In between, Mistishin hit a 26-yard field goal for a 37-0 lead that assured the game would be over quickly. The entire second half was played under the running clock of the Mercy Rule.
Leyshon finished 10-for-12 for 197 yards passing.
Owens caught 4 passes for 101 yards and also intercepted a pass.
Janiszewski ran 12 times for 168 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Vinton carried 8 times for 42 yards and 2 touchdowns while also catching 4 passes for 35 yards.
Nate Swingle and Janiszewski were in on six tackles each. Swingle made two tackles for losses while Janiszewski had one.
