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BERWICK — If the Berwick Bulldogs learned anything through a difficult regular season, they gained a sharp sense of how to play through adversity.
So when their big, early lead suddenly dwindled to six points, the Bulldogs wouldn’t buckle.
Instead, they ramped up their running game and raced to a much-needed victory.
Tyler Winter rushed for three touchdowns — the last a game-sealing 35-yarder — and quarterback Ethan Lear ripped off 122 rushing yards as Berwick survived Hazleton Area, 39-34 in the Wyoming Valley Conference regular season finale for both at Crispin Field.
“I think it was good for us,” Winter said. “It’s just adversity. We had to play through it.”
The Bulldogs will now head into the District 2 Class 4A playoffs at 3-7 and as the No. 7 seed after snapping a four-game losing streak that included a few close games and a bunch of almosts and what-ifs.
“I think we’ll have a great playoff run,” Winter said. “And I think it will be really good for us.”
Playoff-ready, are they?
“I wouldn’t go that far,” cautioned acting Berwick coach Bo Orlando, who stepped into that role when Mike Bennett became ill early in the season. “But the kids played hard. These seniors, last home game at Crispin Field, it’s a special place, I’m proud of these guys.
“Extremely proud.”
The Bulldogs showed plenty of pride early, grinding out touchdowns on their first three drives while rolling to a 21-0 lead. Winter scored the first two of them on one-yard runs and Lear added a one-yard touchdown sneak as Berwick seemed to be in total control during the first half.
But just before halftime, Hazleton Area freshman quarterback Freddy Corrado found Zander Coleman with a 35-yard scoring strike. And just like that, the Cougars came to life.
“I was hoping to go into halftime with a 21-0 lead, we had the ball to open the second half,” Orlando said. “We let them get a little momentum.”
It didn’t stop.
The Bulldogs opened the third quarter with a 65-yard touchdown run by Jimmy DeAndrea, who just returned to the lineup from injury, and Harrison Snyder recovered a blocked punt in the end zone as Berwick’s lead ballooned to 33-7 midway through the third quarter.
But midway through the fourth, it was suddenly a six-point game.
Corrado found Yohansel Moran with a 25-yard touchdown pass, used a 20-yard dart to set up Hunter Johnson’s one-yard touchdown run and hit Coleman with a two-yard scoring toss to get the Cougars within 33-27 with 7:18 to play.
But Lear run four straight times to 31 yards while picking up a pair of first downs before Winter tore through Hazleton Area’s defense with a game-sealing 35-yard touchdown burst for a 39-27 Berwick lead with 3:32 remaining.
“I think as long as we play a complete game, I think we can win any game,” Winter said. “When we PLAY, we’re really good.”
Good enough, at least, to walk away as winners in Berwick’s final game at Crispin Field this year.
“For what we’ve been through this year,” said Orlando, whose Bulldogs will be on the road for postseason play, “with all the injuries and everything and having a small group …
“I’m ecstatic.”
Berwick 39, Hazleton Area 34
Hazleton Area`0`7`13`14 — 34
Berwick`7`14`12`6 — 39
First quarter
BER — Tyler Winter 1 run (Luke Peters kick), 4:14
Second quarter
BER — Winter 1 run (Peters kick), 9:57
BER — Ethan Lear 1 run (Peters kick), 4:10
HAZ — Zander Coleman 35 pass from Freddy Corrado (Levi Kurtz kick), 0:34
Third quarter
BER — Jimmy DeAndrea 65 run (PAT failed), 9:25
BER — Harrison Snyder punt block recovery in end zone (Kick blocked), 7:39
HAZ — Yohansel Moran 25 pass from Corrado (Kurtz kick), 3:08
HAZ — Hunter Johnson 1 run (Conversion pass failed), 0:42
Fourth quarter
HAZ — Coleman 2 run (Kurtz kick), 7:18
BER — Winter 35 run (Conversion pass failed), 3:32
HAZ — Coleman 1 run (Kurtz kick), 1:03
Team statistics`HAZ`BER
First downs`17`10
Rushes-yards`34-58`34-306
Passing yards`211`27
Total yards`269`333
Passing`15-34-0`4-10-1
Sacked-yards lost`4-26`0-0
Punts-avg.`4-29.3`1-43
Fumbles-lost`2-0`0-0
Penalties-yards`5-30`5-45
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — HAZ, Hunter Johnson 12-30, Zander Coleman 8-27, Yohansel Moran 1-9, Brady Mizenko 1-6, Riley VanGilst 1-6, Ashton Karlick 1- (minus 3), TEAM 1- (minus 6), Freddy Corrado 11- (minus 13). BER, Ethan Lear 14-122, Tyler Winter 14-111, Jimmy DeAndrea 2-66, Braylon Hawkins 1-8, Ty’Meere Wilkerson 1-2, TEAM 1-(minus 3).
PASSING — HAZ, Corrado 15-34-0-211. BER, Lear 4-10-1-27.
RECEIVING — HAZ, Coleman 5-95, Moran 3-50, Bryant Diaz 3-41, Hunter Johnson 3-11, VanGilst 1-4. BER, Billy Hanson 3-23, Josh Kishbaugh 1-4.
INTERCEPTIONS — HAZ, VanGilst 1-24.
MISSED FGs — None.