While Lake-Lehman quarterback Ethan Adams had a big night in the first game with Wyoming Area in 2019, the Warriors were able to limit his effectiveness in the rematch in the D2-3A playoffs.
Times Leader file photo
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Even for an unbeaten team, there is very little wiggle room.
Welcome to high school football during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lake-Lehman heads to Wyoming Area for today’s 7 p.m. Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 game with a 5-0 record. The Black Knights are perched second in the District 2 Class 3A standings. Now the caveat — that perch will in all likelihood hold only two teams in the end.
The revised PIAA Class 3A state brackets leave room for just a District 2 Class 3A championship game, unlike last year when six teams qualified for the D2-3A playoffs. District 2 hasn’t released its official playoff format, but stated earlier it is reluctant to tear apart the final weekend of the regular season — Oct. 30-31 — to expand its playoffs. (Although there are rumblings this could happen in Class 6A because only a few minor tweaks are needed).
So that means some very good D2-3A teams will be shut out, be it standings leader Lakeland (2-0), third-place Scranton Prep (2-0), fourth-place Wyoming Area (3-2) or fifth-place Western Wayne (1-1). Or even Lehman, whose five wins tie Crestwood for the most in District 2 and place the Black Knights in a three-way tie for the most wins in the WVC when District 4’s Williamsport is added to the equation.
“It unfortunate and I don’t think it’s fair,” Lehman coach Jerry Gilsky said, “because you look at the quality teams in 3A with Prep, Western Wayne, Lakeland, us and Wyoming Area. There’s five teams right there and you only get the top two. You have a setback in a crossover game and that hurts you.”
Lehman was able to win two games against WVC Division 1 opponents — Berwick and Dallas. Wyoming Area lost to Division 1 leader Williamsport.
Lehman has found defeating Wyoming Area difficult in recent years, losing 11 of the last 14 matchups, including two last season when the Warriors went on to win the D2-3A and PIAA 3A state championship.
Oh, the Black Knights looked like they found the formula in the first meeting in 2019 as quarterback Ethan Adams burned the Wyoming Area secondary for TD passes of 52 and 66 yards in the first half for a 24-14 lead at the break. Wyoming Area, though, used a powerful running game to rally for a 35-30 victory.
“Their second-half adjustment was to run right at us,” Gilsky said. “That’s what they’re going to try to do to us. That’s what they do well. They lean on the guys up front, we know that. They have the size up front. They want to make sure they get into a more clock-control offense against us.”
Adams was 16-of-23 for 241 yards and three TDs in the first game, throwing for more yardage than any other quarterback during Wyoming Area’s state title run. Things changed in a rematch in the D2-3A semifinals.
Adams put up respectable numbers in the second go-around — 18-of-27 for 158 yards — but the Warriors made sure they weren’t beaten over the top. They let Adams connect on short passes and then rallied to the ball to keep the gains minimal.
Wyoming Area also started the game with scoring drives of 52, 70 and 72 yards to quell the suspense and go on to a 48-12 victory.
Adams is back and off to another strong season as he topped 1,000 passing yards for the season last week. He has some of the same weapons as well such as running back Ryan Eiden and receiver Colby Kennedy as well as some new faces who replaced graduated players. Plus, he’s protected by likely the biggest bookend tackles in in the WVC in 6-foot-5, 305-pound Jake Simonson and 6-5, 265-pound Sean Hanley.
The Warriors need to regroup after a 14-13 loss to Crestwood. They led 13-7 at halftime, but the offense produced just 79 yards — all on the ground — in the second half. The Comets were able to control the clock with a power running game.
Wyoming Area has the top two rushing leaders in Division 2 in Drew Mruk (321 yards) and Vincenzo Giambra (291). Each has rushed for six touchdowns. The passing offense, though, has produced just two TDs, well below the nine it had through five games in 2019.