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WEST PITTSTON — Wyoming Area yielded a long touchdown pass on Crestwood’s second play just 2:40 into the game.

The Warriors did not allow the Comets offense to have anything else the rest of the game.

The defense held on long enough to allow Dylan Kostak and Brian Miles to rally Wyoming Area to a 27-7 victory in a meeting of Wyoming Valley Conference Class 4A Division teams.

Crestwood held the lead for more than 18 ½ minutes of the first half, but it was Wyoming Area that improved to 2-0 going into next weekend’s game at Berwick.

“It’s not about that play that’s early in the first quarter,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “It’s about: How did you respond to that?”

“The defense, I think, finished very strong.”

The Warriors limited Crestwood to five first downs and held the high-powered single-wing running game to 77 yards.

Crestwood had just three snaps in Wyoming Area territory and none inside the 33.

Miles ran for 99 of his 118 yards and both of his touchdowns in the second half after Kostak had helped Wyoming Area take the lead by halftime.

Carrying six straight times at one point, Miles followed up a 32-yard touchdown run in the third quarter with his own touchdown drive in the fourth. He ran 23 and 31 yards on the first two plays of the drive, which he finished on the fifth carry from the 1 to close the scoring with 10:30 remaining.

Kostak’s tough, inside running from the fullback position was a big part of two scoring drives that Wyoming Area used to take a 12-7 halftime lead.

In the two scoring drives, Kostak carried five times for 50 yards and caught a 19-yard pass. He finished with 68 yards on nine carries.

Wyoming Area went 73 yards on 11 plays to score when Steve Homza hit a wide-open Marc Anthony Minichello for a 27-yard touchdown on a double pass on fourth-and-10. The kick attempt failed, leaving Wyoming Area behind, 7-6, with 3:31 remaining in the first quarter.

Kostak had three runs for 36 yards, including a 22-yarder, to set up P.J. Angeli’s 4-yard touchdown when he kept on a rollout to the right to put the Warriors ahead with 2:47 left in the half.

Crestwood struck first.

Kyle Richards moved from receiver to quarterback, reversing roles with Lance Blass. Richards was hit as he released a deep pass, but Blass came back to the ball, got past two defenders and completed the 55-yard scoring play.

Wyoming Area 27, Crestwood 7

Crestwood`7`0`0`0`—`7

Wyoming Area`6`6`7`8`—`27

First quarter

C – Lance Blass 55 pass from Kyle Richards (Alex DeSpirito kick), 9:20

WA – Marc Anthony Minichello 27 pass from Steve Homza (kick failed), 3:31

Second quarter

WA – P.J. Angeli 4 run (pass failed), 2:47

Third quarter

WA – Brian Miles 32 run (Jacob Butwin kick), 2:47

Fourth quarter

WA – Miles 1 run (Miles run), 10:30

Team statistics`C`WA

First downs`6`12

Rushes-yards`27-77`34-232

Passing yards`118`69

Total yards`195`301

Passing`8-11-0`4-9-0

Sacked-yards lost`1-11`0-0

Punts-avg.`5-30.6`3-34.0

Fumbles-lost`0-0`0-0

Penalties-yards`11-112`11-96

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — CR, Owen Grigas 9-35, Patrick Rother 5-25, Lance Blass 8-12, Chase Passman 2-4, Jacob Smith 1-3, Brandon Brozena 2-minus 3. WA, Miles 12-118, Dylan Kostak 9-68, Angeli 7-30, Justin Joseph 3-11, Jesse Cegelka 1-4, Brandon Charney 2-1.

PASSING — CR, Blass 7-10-0-63, Richards 1-1-0-55. WA, Homza 2-3-0-41, Angeli 2-6-0-28.

RECEIVING — CR, Kevin Klusewitz 3-43, Rother 2-10, Blass 1-55, Brozena 1-8, Richards 1-2. WA, Marc Anthony Minichello 3-50, Kostak 1-19.

INTERCEPTIONS — None.

Wyoming Area running back Brian Miles, center, bursts through the Crestwood defensive line in WVC football action Friday night in West Pittston.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_WyoArea-CrestFB_1CMYK-1.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area running back Brian Miles, center, bursts through the Crestwood defensive line in WVC football action Friday night in West Pittston. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

Wyoming Area’s Donovan O’Boyle (22) runs for a first down in front of the Crestwood sideline.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_WyoArea-CrestFB_2CMYK-1.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Donovan O’Boyle (22) runs for a first down in front of the Crestwood sideline. Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader

By Tom Robinson

For Times Leader

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