Rocco Pizano and Nick Elko scored long touchdowns 1:15 apart early in the second half Friday night as Wyoming Area broke away from rival Pittston Area for a 42-13, home-field victory at Anthony “Jake” Sobeski Stadium.
The Warriors scored three touchdowns in 3:37 spanning the two halves to turn a 7-7 tie into a 28-7 lead.
Pizano caught a 23-yard pass from Blaise Sokach-Minnick with 1:14 left in the half for a 14-7 lead, then broke a 68-yard touchdown run 1:08 into the second half.
Elko followed that up with a game-breaking, 61-yard interception return.
The two-way lineman also played a role in Wyoming Area rushing for 294 yards while being in on the most tackles on defense. Elko had a tackle and five assists and received the Carmelo Falcone Award, given out annually to the Most Valuable Player of the Pittston Area-Wyoming Area game.
Wyoming Area had three players nearly share the rushing yardage equally.
Pizano was 5-for-86, Aaron Crossley 11-for-85 and Leo Haros 12-for-84 while each running for a touchdown.
Crossley’s 15-yard run with 5:24 left gave the Warriors a 7-0 lead after one quarter.
Alex Hoban returned a blocked punt 36 yards midway through the second quarter to force the 7-7 tie.
Pittston Area’s Drew DeLucca hit Kevin Lockett with a 15-yard touchdown pass with 3:56 left in the third quarter to cut Wyoming Area’s lead to 28-13 entering the fourth quarter.
Haros ran 50 yards for one score and Sokach-Minnick ran 9 for the other in the fourth quarter.
The game was the 57th meeting in 55 years between the Warriors and Patriots.
Wyoming Area (8-1) heads to the District 2 Class 3A playoffs as the second seed and will host Carbondale (5-5) in the quarterfinals.
Pittston Area (3-7) is at Dallas (7-2) in a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal.
MORE FRIDAY FOOTBALL COVERAGE
Delaware Valley-North Pocono game story: https://nepasportsnation.com/dv-wins-title-in-defensive-struggle/.
Delaware Valley/North Pocono Photo Gallery: https://nepasportsnation.com/delaware-valley-north-pocono-photo-gallery/.
Scranton Prep joins Delaware Valley in title-clinching wins: https://nepasportsnation.com/bulletins-cavaliers-warriors-claim-lfc-division-championships/.
Scranton Prep/Valley View Photo Gallery: https://nepasportsnation.com/scranton-prep-valley-view-photo-gallery/.
North Pocono 30-year championship reunion: https://nepasportsnation.com/nation-nostalgia-north-pocono-holds-30-year-reunion-of-12-0-team/.
Crestwood-Wyoming Valley West game story: https://nepasportsnation.com/crestwood-downs-valley-west/.
Dallas-Tunkhannock game story: https://nepasportsnation.com/bolesta-runs-for-313-yards-5-tds/.
Scranton-Abington Heights game story: https://nepasportsnation.com/thompson-lifts-knights-in-thriller/.
Wallenpaupack-Western Wayne game story: https://nepasportsnation.com/reales-santiago-lead-paupack/.
Scoreboard: https://nepasportsnation.com/friday-nights-football-scoreboard/.
