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Friday’s District 2 Class 4A semifinal game is more like an amusement park.

Wyoming Area (9-2) has waited three years to get back on the title ride. Berwick (7-3) is hoping the roller coaster it’s been riding all season will stop at the top.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Wyoming Area’s stadium in West Pittston.

If Wyoming Area wins, it will host the winner of the Valley View (7-4) at North Pocono (8-3) for the district title next Friday. If Berwick wins, it will play at the Valley View-North Pocono winner.

Both teams are new to the Class 4A bracket thanks to the PIAA’s new six classifications. Berwick played in the past four D2-3A championship games, winning the title in 2013. Wyoming Area won the D2-2A crown in 2012, but then had three consecutive 3-7 seasons before getting back into the postseason.

The 2012 Wyoming Area team was blessed with a talented senior class headed by the school’s all-time leading rusher Nick O’Brien, who is currently playing at Bucknell University. Since then, the process of becoming a playoff team again has been laborious.

The Warriors were young the past three years, often using sophomores and freshmen regularly. The results were ugly at times — including a school-worst 71-13 loss to Crestwood in 2014 — but promising at others.

“We talked at the end of last year that even though our record was 3-7 there were five games where we were three plays away, four plays away from winning those football games,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “I think it was the Coughlin game where we were one play away from closing that game and winning.

“They were right there last year as sophomore and juniors. This year they’ve done a great job in finding ways to win those games and playing to their potential. I’m very proud of them.”

Berwick has played to its potential at times. At others, the Dawgs haven’t. None of their seven victories have come against an opponent with a winning record. The four losses have come against teams still in the postseason, including a 34-20 setback against Wyoming Area in Week 3.

“The first game was the first game and obviously there is a lot riding on this game,” said Berwick coach Frank Sheptock, who is in his first season running the program. “We’re trying to be more focused on executing better. Through the last month, we’ve had a roller coaster ride of up-and-down. We have to try to focus in on execution at this point.”

Although Berwick ran one more play than Wyoming Area in the first meeting (60-59), the Warriors controlled the clock down the stretch. They scored twice in the fourth quarter to snap a 20-20 tie, utilizing fullback Dylan Kostak more than expected. Kostak scored the final two TDs, while running back Brian Miles finished with 104 yards on 25 carries.

Berwick will have to worry about Miles but not Kostak, who was also instrumental in stopping Berwick’s run game from his inside linebacker spot. Kostak’s senior season ended the following week when he suffered a knee injury against Coughlin.

“When you look at what we did to be successful to win that football game, that’s similar to what we need to happen on Friday night,” Spencer said. “Time of possession, especially at the end of the game, we were able to run the ball and run the clock and score off a couple long drives. That’s going to be critical.”

Berwick was unable to sustain much of a running attack as running back Len Wyda finished with 75 yards after having 350 in the first two games and quarterback Jared Marshman threw a season-high 25 passes. Marshman injured his knee during the game and although he returned he appeared hobbled. He missed the following game against Crestwood.

Sheptock also believes his team lost the special teams battle.

“From a special teams standpoint, I thought they dominated the game from the return game, winning field position,” Sheptock said. “Going into the game, we thought that would be one of the critical areas. They performed tremendously well through the course of the game.”

Wyoming Area assistant coach Rich Musinski talks to quarterbacks Dominic Deluca (9), P.J. Angeli (12) and Steve Homza (2) during practice on Wednesday. John Erzar| Times Leader
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_WARRIORS-PRACTICE1.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area assistant coach Rich Musinski talks to quarterbacks Dominic Deluca (9), P.J. Angeli (12) and Steve Homza (2) during practice on Wednesday. John Erzar| Times Leader

Wyoming Area assistant coach Rich Musinski talks to quarterbacks Dominic Deluca (9), P.J. Angeli (12) and Steve Homza (2) during practice on Wednesday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_WARRIORS-PRACTICECMYK.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area assistant coach Rich Musinski talks to quarterbacks Dominic Deluca (9), P.J. Angeli (12) and Steve Homza (2) during practice on Wednesday. John Erzar | Times Leader

By John Erzar

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BERWICK (7-4) AT WYOMING AREA (9-2)

D2-4A Semifinal

7 p.m. Friday

Tickets: $6 adults; $4 students

What’s At Stake: The winner advances to the D2-4A championship game, playing the winner of the Valley View (7-4) at North Pocono (8-3) semifinal game.

Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar