Warriors Defeat Tunkhannock

55-14

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Citizens Voice Wyoming Area’s top playmakers didn’t get many plays to show off their skills, but they for sure made the most of them.
Wyoming Area scored 48 first-half points to pick up a 55-14 victory over Tunkhannock in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 3 football game Friday evening at Tunkhannock Memorial Field.
The Warriors’ starters were efficient and wasted no time on offense. Quarterback Luke Kopetchny completed all three of his pass attempts for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Nicholas Kondrosky carried the ball three times and found the end zone on two of them, rushing for 71 yards. Wide receiver David Favata caught two passes for 80 yards with both of them going for touchdowns.
It wasn’t only the Warriors offense that was clicking. Special teams got in the act as well as Wyoming Area (5-2 overall, 1-0 Division 3) returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns with Kopetchny opening the scoring with a 65-yard punt return touchdown.
“Our defense got a three and out on the first drive, and when I caught the punt I just saw green grass and open lanes in front of me,” Kopetchny said. “Taking it to the house was a really good feeling there.”
Wyoming Area’s offense controlled the rest of the first quarter with Kondrosky’s first touchdown from 30 yards where he carried several defenders with him before eventually breaking free. The Warriors then forced a three-and-out, and four plays later Kopetchny scrambled to his right and found Favata on the run who took it 46 yards for a score.
Another Tunkhannock (1-6, 0-2) three-and-out and Kondrosky scored on the first play of the next drive with a highlight-reel run where he stuck his hand on the ground to keep his balance, broke free from a tackle, made another man miss and found paydirt from 36 yards out to extend the lead to 28-0 in the first quarter.
‘We always preach never giving up on the play until the whistle blows and that’s what I did,” Kondrosky said. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to stay up at first. I just stuck my hand in the ground, stayed on my feet and kept running hard just like this whole team does all the time.”
The offense was just as hot in the second quarter with Kopetchny finding Favata for a second long touchdown — this time from 34 yards — to extend the lead to 35-0 three plays into the quarter.
Tunkhannock got on the board, however, as Tigers quarterback Zach Latwinski connected with Brandon Carter for a 67-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 3:53 to go before halftime.
The Tunkhannock celebration was short lived however as Dominic Bartell returned the ensuing kickoff 65 yards for the Warriors second special teams score of the night and a 48-6 halftime lead.
With the lopsided deficit, the teams agreed to play eight minute quarters in the second half, and Wyoming Area was able to get younger players experience, mainly Semaj Morris, who became the game’s leading rusher with 91 yards and scored two touchdowns, including a 37 yard scamper in the third quarter.
“It was great to see the young guys get in and get a couple of scores,” Kopetchny said. “I liked how efficient the offense was when the starters were in there. We were able to make the most out of our time on the field tonight.”
Tunkhannock closed the scoring in the fourth quarter when Latwinski connected with Carter for a second time, this time from 37 yards. Latwinski threw for 124 yards with two touchdowns. Carter had two receptions for 102 yards with both going for scores.

Wyoming Area 55, Tunkhannock 14
Wyoming Area`28`20`7`0 — 55
Tunkhannock`0`6`0`8 — 14
First quarter
WA – Luke Kopetchny 65 punt return (Ava Musinski), 10:09
WA – Nicholas Kondrosky 30 run (Musinski kick), 7:55
WA – David Favata 46 pass from Kopetchny (Musinski kick), 4:13
WA – Knodrosky 36 run (Musinski kick), 2:47
Second quarter
WA – Favata 34 pass from Kopetchny (Musinski kick), 11:15
WA – Semaj Morris 2 run (Teagan Meier kick), 6:19
TUNK – Brandon Carter 63 pass from Zach Latwinski (run failed), 3:53
WA – Dominic Bartell 64 kickoff return (kick failed), 3:53
Third quarter
WA – Morris 37 run (Meier kick)
Fourth quarter
TUNK – Carter 35 pass from Latwinski (Carter O’Neill pass from Latwinski), 6:05

Team Statistics`WA`TUNK
First downs`11`7
Rushes-yards`23-210`20-56
Passing yards`84`116
Total yards`294`172
Passing`3-3-0`5-23-0
Sacked-yards lost`0-0`1-10
Punts-avg.`0-0`4-27.5
Fumbles-lost`0-0`2-0
Penalties-yards`5-35`4-30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — WA, Morris 6-92, Kondrosky 3-72, Bartell 3-24, Michael McKernan 1-6, Andrew Pechal 1-5, Jordan Rosario 2-4, Kopetchny 1-3, Gavin Feeney 2-3, Connor Groschal 1-2, Antavione Randall 2-0, Team 1-minus 1. TUNK, Lucas Ciprich 11-62, Moses Montero 5-4, Latwinski 4-minus 10.
PASSING — WA, Kopetchny 3-3-0-84. TUNK, Latwinski 5-23-0-116.
RECEIVING – WA, Favata 2-80, McKernan 1-4. TUNK, Carter 2-98, O’Neill 2-6, Montero 1-12.
INTERCEPTIONS — None.
MISSED FIELD GOAL – None.

-Max Getzie Named to PSFCA Small School East All Star Team to be played on May 17 -Named to 3A All State Second Team-Mini-Maxwell Award