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WEST PITTSTON — The team with the least credentials in the District 2 Class 4A football playoffs put up the biggest fight.

Top-seeded Wyoming Area had to hold off a two-point conversion attempt with 19.6 seconds remaining Friday night to escape with a 13-12, home-field victory over Dallas to advance to the semifinals.

Wyoming Area will be home again next week against Berwick, a 35-7 winner over West Scranton.

Earning at least one more home game at Jake Sobeski Stadium was not easy.

Wyoming Area (9-2) trailed 6-0 at halftime against a team it beat 42-10 just three weeks ago at Mountaineer Stadium.

Dallas, which did not earn the second win it needed to fill out District 2’s playoff field until the final game of the regular season last week, put together an impressive first half and a clutch fourth-quarter rally.

Freshman quarterback Michael Starbuck hit 5 of 6 passes for 56 yards while moving the Mountaineers 68 yards in 9 plays in the final 3:16.

For the second time in the game, former quarterback Stone Manello went high to make a brilliant catch in the end zone, this time in the back left corner for 10 yards.

Dallas did not use its remaining timeout and instead went right to extra-point formation as if to kick for the tie and overtime.

Mannello, the holder, pivoted and rolled to his right to try to throw the winning two-point conversion pass, but Wyoming Area had both the pressure and the coverage to make his pass fall short of the end zone harmlessly.

“You always have to be ready,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “It has to be part of your preparation and pre-snap, you’re yelling out obviously, ‘watch the fake’.”

The Warriors did and they escaped on a night when Dallas lineman Michael Farrell led a Mountaineers defensive effort that held Wyoming Area to less than 21 points for just the second time this season.

Farrell made nine tackles, including three for losses. Five others came either at the line of scrimmage or after just a 1-yard gain. He assisted two other tackles and rushed the passer into an incompletion.

It was Farrell’s tackle for a 10-yard loss that kept Steve Homza from throwing an end-around pass and got the ball back for Dallas one last time.

Wyoming Area ultimately won the game by controlling the second half until the frantic finish.

The Warriors combined blocking adjustments to account for Farrell as much as possible with hard running by tailback Brian Miles and quarterback P.J. Angeli to outgain the Mountaineers, 129-19, in the second half to that point.

“We were trying to recognize where he was when we could,” Spencer said. “We had to emphasize blocking him at the point of attack or, when he was away from the play, getting a hat on him.

“There were times at the point of attack where he destroyed blockers or blew up plays or even on the back side, he would get down the line.”

Wyoming Area won the field position battle on an early exchange of punts and scored on its second and third possessions of the second half to take a 13-6 lead with 10:19 left.

They moved 55 and 38 yards to go ahead on one short touchdown run by Miles late in the third, then add to the lead on another early in the fourth.

Brandon Charney, who later added the game-clinching interception following a Dallas recovery of the on-side kick, made the first of two extra-point attempts for what proved to be the difference.

Mannello’s one-handed, overhead grab for a 15-yard score with 4:06 left in the second quarter accounted for the only points of the first half.

Each team had a fourth-and-goal stop at the 1 during the half.

“I’m really proud of our seniors,” Dallas coach Rich Mannello said. “It’s tough to say good-bye to them.

“They’ve been through an awful lot.”

Wyoming Area 13, Dallas 12

Dallas`0`6`0`6`—`12

Wyoming Area`0`0`7`6`—`13

First quarter

None

Second quarter

DAL — Stone Mannello 15 pass from Michael Starbuck (kick failed), 4:06

Third quarter

WA – Brian Miles 3 run (Brandon Charney kick), 2:28

Fourth quarter

WA – Mles 2 run (kick failed), 10:19

DAL — Mannello 10 pass from Starbuck (pass failed), :19.6

Team statistics`DAL`WA

First downs`10`13

Rushes-yards`39-169`42-200

Passing yards`71`82

Total yards`240`282

Passing`6-9-1`7-16-1

Sacked-yards lost`6-33`0-0

Punts-avg.`6-36.2`5-29.8

Fumbles-lost`2-0`1-1

Penalties-yards`3-26`6-45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — DAL, Lenny Kelly 12-128, David Schuster 9-66, Taylor Bolesta 2-2, Team 1-minus 1, Starbuck 15-minus 26. WA, Miles 23-89, P.J. Angeli 11-72, Marc Minichello 3-42, Justin Joseph 3-9, Steve Homza 1-minus 10.

PASSING — DAL, Starbuck 6-9-1-71. WA, Angeli 7-13-0-82, Team 0-3-0-0.

RECEIVING — DAL, Mannello 3-31, Chris Murray 1-21, Charles Giacometti 1-15, Christian Motley 1-4. WA, Homza 5-69, Minichello 1-11, Miles 1-2.

INTERCEPTIONS — DAL, Matt Maransky 1-0. WA, Brandon Charney 1-0.

MISSED FIELD GOALS – None.

Dallas defensive lineman Jason Anderson, left, wraps up Wyoming Area running back Brian Miles.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_WA-DallasFB_1-3.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas defensive lineman Jason Anderson, left, wraps up Wyoming Area running back Brian Miles.

Wyoming Area’s Marc Anthony Minichello, right, gets tackled short of the goal line by Dallas’ Leonard Kelley in a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal in West Pittston on Friday night.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_WA-DallasFB_2-2.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area’s Marc Anthony Minichello, right, gets tackled short of the goal line by Dallas’ Leonard Kelley in a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal in West Pittston on Friday night.

Wyoming Area quarterback P.J. Angeli, right, runs a sweep against Dallas.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_WA-DallasFB_3-2.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Area quarterback P.J. Angeli, right, runs a sweep against Dallas.

Dallas’ Stone Manello, right, makes a one-handed catch in the end zone for a touchdown ahead of Wyoming Area defender Darren Rodney in a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal in West Pittston on Friday night.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_WA-DallasFB_4-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Stone Manello, right, makes a one-handed catch in the end zone for a touchdown ahead of Wyoming Area defender Darren Rodney in a District 2 Class 4A quarterfinal in West Pittston on Friday night.
Wyoming Area holds off 2-point conversion to secure 13-12 win

By Tom Robinson

For Times Leader

• Lackawanna Trail 45, Northwest 14

• Scranton Prep 48, Nanticoke 14

• GAR 21, Lake-Lehman 13

• Wyoming Area 13, Dallas 12

• Valley View 20, Coughlin 13

• North Pocono 48, Crestwood 14

• Berwick 35, West Scranton 7

• Western Wayne 26, Meyers 21

• Williamsport 48, Hazleton Area 14

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