Game Summary: It felt good--really good. For five years, GAR has had its way with Wyoming Area. The last three games (including the 2011 district championship game) were close, but the Grenadiers always seemed to have the Warriors’ number. But Friday night was different—very different. The Warriors broke the Grenadiers streak with a dominating 48-15 performance. There was simply no doubt about who was the better team on both sides of the ball. It may well have been the biggest Warrior victory in the last five years.
There are plenty of “attaboys” to hand out after this one. Coming into this game, most people figured a shootout was in order, like last year’s District Championship game, when the Warriors lost 53-44. GAR had a formidable passing game led by QB Corey Moore, and the WVC AA receptions-leader Lucas Benton. On Friday night, Moore completed 8 passes in 27 attempts for 128 yards. Nick O’Brien followed Benton everywhere on the field. Benton finished the game with 1 reception for 15 yards and 7 rushes for -5 yards.
But it was a true team effort on defense. Cody Schmitz lined up nose to nose with GAR wide receivers and smothered their patterns. Jordan Zezza roamed the middle of the field and foiled many slant patterns. Zezza also looked like he had an INT, but the official ruled it hit the ground. Dylan Pegg and Farrad Condry were flawless, and they both played much more physically than heretofore seen.
Just as importantly, the line and linebackers came through in a big way. GAR had 34 rushes for 78 yards. GAR running back Rich Sickler, had 62 of those yards on a TD run. Take that run away and you can do the math. Joe Taylor, Carl Zielinski, Marty Michaels, Joe Erzar and Trent Grove pressured the QB all night. Moore was feeling the pocket collapse which precipitated many errant throws. Trent Grove continued his fine play, making several tackles for losses. Marty Michaels at nose guard used his speed to penetrate and was in the backfield all night. Players tackled by by Jeff Skursky, might want to consider volleyball as an alternative to football. Finally, the ever-present Zak LaNunziata was having fun blitzing from every angle on the field. If you want to know where the ball is on defense, find # 25.
Offensively, you can say that the Warriors were “diversified.” Running out of the spread sometimes, and then the “I”, the shotgun, and then under center—sometimes run, sometimes pass—the GAR defense seemed to be on their heels all night. LaNunziata picked up big yardage on dive plays up the middle. Schmitz added 25 yards rushing. O’Brien, of course did his thing with 117 yards rushing on 15 carries.
If someone told you before the game that Nick O’Brien would only have 117 yards rushing, you might have thought it to be a long night for the Warriors. However, the Warriors passing game made all the difference. O’Brien threw 9 times, completed seven for 153 yards—it seemed like much more. O’Brien found Jordan Zezza wide open for two TD passes, of 29 and 35 yards. Cody Schmitz also was on the receiving end of an O’Brien TD pass and finished the night with 3 receptions for 72 yards. One of the keys to the passing game was the stellar protection offered by the offensive line. Joe Erzar, Carl Zielinski, Joe Taylor, Matt Dimick, Tyler Resciniti, and Trent Grove all did a fabulous job of pass blocking. With that kind of time, O’Brien often found Schmitz and Zezza streaking down the middle of the field wide open.
Did I forget to mention that Nick O’Brien returned 2 punts for TDs? Think about the week Nick had—he made a verbal commitment to attend Bucknell on scholarship, was on the cover of GameFace, gave several interviews to the press, accepted a pre-game award for becoming WA’s all time leading rusher--all while preparing for the biggest game of his career. What makes O’Brien’s performance all the more impressive is that he has a big target on his back. Everyone wants a shot at stopping him.
In an interview several weeks ago with northeastpafootball.com, GAR Coach Paul Wiedlich provided the Warriors with bulletin board material. Wiedlich stated, “I know everybody talks about (Wyoming Area’s) Nick O’Brien,”“But I would put Lucas (Benton) at the top of any list. He’s a threat whether he’s rushing or receiving or returning kicks. He’s just a very dynamic player.” In stating this, Wiedlich violated one of those unwritten rules of “coachspeak”—don’t compare players by name. There’s nothing wrong with extolling the virtues of your own player—but don’t do it at the expense of another player. But since he made that comparison, I wonder what his list looks like these days?
We’ve seen glimpses of it—but for the first time, this team played 48 minutes with confidence, attitude and swagger. They looked like they were angry—which is not a bad thing for a football team. The challenge they now face is to take that spirit into the next game—and beyond. A final word about Friday night; It felt good—really good... Nick Perugini
O’Brien returns two punts for TDs for Wyoming Area
JOHN ERZAR
3:10 am
WEST PITTSTON – The showdown never materialized Friday night.
Wyoming Area dominated all aspects of the game, including getting two punt return touchdowns from Nick O’Brien, as the Warriors routed GAR 48-15 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2A-A contest.
The game was billed as a showdown of the top two teams in the division and District 2 Class 2A. It didn’t live up to it as Wyoming Area (6-2) took a 35-7 lead into halftime.
“We’re going to regroup,” said GAR coach Paul Wiedlich, whose team had its five-game winning streak snapped and fell to 5-3. “We got a strong senior-oriented team and they are the leaders of the team. How they go, we’re going to go.”
Aside from giving up a 62-yard TD run to GAR’s Rich Sickler, the first half was all Wyoming Area.
O’Brien, who verbally committed to Bucknell University earlier this week, highlighted the first half with punt returns of 38 and 43 yards for touchdowns. The first went to the right behind a wall of blockers; the second to the left. He was untouched on both.
“We have a great scheme for returning punts,” said O’Brien, who also ran for 117 yards and passed for 153 more. “Everybody just threw their bodies, sacrificing themselves to get me in the end zone. That’s what happened. I was untouched. Nobody touched me. It was like a complete wall off.”
The punt return unit also recorded a safety when a GAR snap sailed over punter Rashaun Mathis and into the end zone. To avoid a bigger disaster, Mathis kicked the ball over the backline.
Cody Schmitz and Jordan Zezza also hauled in touchdown passes in the first half of 25 and 29 yard, respectively. Both receivers were wide open on their receptions.
“At the top of my routes, I just stick my move and give them a double move,” said Schmitz, who caught three passes for 72 yards. “Make him change his hip direction.”
O’Brien closed out the first half with a 7-yard TD run. Schmitz added a 2-yard TD run midway through the third quarter, and Zezza made it 48-7 with his second touchdown reception on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The victory snapped a five-game losing streak to GAR.
“We really wanted to win this one,” O’Brien said, “not only for our team but for the five teams in the past. All the seniors the past five years and for the alumni.”
Since a 15-14 loss to Lake-Lehman in Week 3, Wyoming Area has scored 43 or more points in its last five games.
“I feel like we’re growing,” Schmitz said, “but I feel like we can grow a lot more. We still have a little bit more potential to reach.”
The Warriors had an excellent balance of the run and pass, with 201 yards on the ground and 153 through the air. The defense shut down GAR standout Lucas Benton, who finished with one catch for 15 yards and rushed seven times for minus-5 yards.
“Getting healthy up front, being more consistent up front, certainly allowed us to make some plays,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “Not just in the running game, but in the passing game.
“I think our kids were focused and really executed tonight.”
Wyoming Area 48, GAR 15
GAR
7
0
0
8
—
15
Wyoming Area
14
21
6
7
—
48
First Quarter
WA – Cody Schmitz 25 pass from Nick O’Brien (A.J. Lenkaitis kick), 7:16
WA – O’Brien 38 punt return (Lenkaitis kick), 1:41
GAR – Rich Sickler 62 run (Luke Height kick), 0:49
Second Quarter
WA – O’Brien 43 punt return (kick failed), 9:52
WA – Safety, GAR punt snap goes out of end zone, 8:06
WA – Jordan Zezza 29 pass from O’Brien (Lenkaitis kick), 4:11
WA – O’Brien 7 run (kick failed), 2:29
Third Quarter
WA – Schmitz 2 run (pass failed), 5:45
Fourth Quarter
WA – Zezza 35 pass from O’Brien (Lenkaitis kick), 11:51
GAR – A.J. Mouzone 18 pass from Corey Moore (Moore run), 5:44
Team Statistics
GAR
Wyo Area
First downs
9
15
Rushes-yards
34-72
41-201
Passing
128
153
Total Yards
200
354
Comp-Att-Int
8-27-1
7-9-0
Sacked-Yards Lost
2-12
0-0
Punts-Avg.
4-37.0
2-39.0
Fumbles-Lost
2-0
1-1
Penalties-Yards
4-45
6-40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – GAR, Lucas Benton 7-(minus-5), Sickler 3-66, Mouzone 4-22, Zachary Gonzalez 4-13, Moore 5-(minus-1), team 1-(minus-23). Wyoming Area, O’Brien 15-117, Zak Lanunziata 7-39, Schmitz 8-25, Marty Michaels 3-6, Jeff Skursky 6-17, team 2-(minus-3).
PASSING – GAR, Moore 8-27-1-128. Wyoming Area, O’Brien 7-9-0-153.
WEST PITTSTON - Already facing a considerable deficit as the first half was winding down, GAR had no other choice but to try and make something happen.
In that instance the Grenadiers elected to go for it on fourth down on their own 40. After Corey Moore's pass fell incomplete, Wyoming Area needed just two plays for Nick O'Brien to score his third touchdown and put a ribbon on its biggest win of the year.
O'Brien rushed for a score, returned two punts for touchdowns and passed for three touchdowns in a 48-15 win Friday night at Wyoming Area. The win improves the Warriors to 6-2 and, more importantly, strengthens their hold on the top spot in Class AA in the district. GAR drops to 5-3.
"I know our kids were excited to be playing in the big game again," Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. "A lot of these kids have been in some of the outstanding games we have had the last several years with GAR. I was excited and our kids were focused and ready to play."
O'Brien rushed for 122 yards as he continues to climb the Wyoming Valley Conference's all-time rushing list. He currently has 4,461 yards and moved past six former standouts including Meyers great Rocket Ismail. O'Brien also threw for 153 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass on the first possession of the game to give the Warriors the early lead.
"Situationally we did a pretty good job," Spencer said. "Our line gave us much better consistency than in the past two weeks."
What hurt the Grenadiers in the first half and what helped lead to the early deficit was special teams. Twice the Grenadiers kicked the ball to O'Brien and twice he returned it for touchdowns. The first was for 39 yards and the second for 43 yards. By the time he reached the end zone on the second one, Wyoming Area held a 20-7 lead with 9:52 left in the second quarter.
"Special teams kind of killed us, we didn't cover well, they didn't do anything different," GAR coach Paul Wiedlich Jr. said. "We should have punted outside the numbers or to the sidelines but that is no excuse. Our coverage was poor. We will bounce back, we will see them again."
Another special teams miscue, this one on a bad snap by GAR resulted in a 23-yard loss and a safety.
Following the free kick, O'Brien hit Jordan Zezza with a 29-yard touchdown pass, the first of two for Zezza.
On the ensuing possession, GAR got the ball out to its own 40 but came up empty on fourth down, giving the ball back to the Warriors. O'Brien rushed for 37 yards down to the 2. After a penalty pushed the ball back five yards, O'Brien scored easily on a run around the left side.
GAR had one last opportunity to put points on the board near the end of the first half but another fourth down call came up short, this one from the Wyoming Area 10-yard line with 31 seconds left in the half.
"Right before the half, if I could go back I would take the points," Wiedlich said. "I should have taken the (field goal) and we would have had 10 points on the board. That was my call. The one near midfield we had to try and get something going."
Cody Schmitz rushed for one touchdown and also had a touchdown reception. It is performances from the likes of Schmitz, Zezza and Zak LaNunziata that the Warriors are going to need going forward.
"It gives (O'Brien) the opportunity with those guys making plays to utilize everybody," Spencer said. "When those guys are effective and efficient it opens up things for Nick as well."
GAME PREVIEW
PREVIEW: It always seems to come down to this--Wyoming Area versus GAR. It’s fair to say that GAR has had the Warriors’ number over the last several years. In 2010, with a District playoff berth on the line, the Warriors fell to GAR at “The Jake” by a score of 23-13. Last year, during the regular season, the Warriors lost, 37-30 at Wilkes Barre Memorial Stadium. In the District Championship game, the Warriors were again defeated in a shootout, 53-44. So if you are one of those people who think that the past is a precursor for the future—advantage GAR. However…
GAR is again, a very talented football team. After being blown out in their first two games against Dunmore and Lakeland, they have rolled off five straight victories, and have matched the Warriors 5-2 record. Offensively, the Grenadiers are led by senior dual threat back Lucas Benton(#80) and QB Corey Moore (#6). Benton, a speedster, has gained 246 yards on 41 rushing attempts and has recorded an impressive 41 receptions for 582 yards (almost six receptions a game). Moore has passed for over 1,200 yards, with 12 TD passes and only 6 interceptions. Rich Sickler (#35) is the leading rusher for GAR with nearly 300 yards, averaging about six yards a carry. On the offensive and defensive lines, GAR features Christian Skrepanak (#78) and Shakir Soto ( #52), both of whom will be playing at the next level. GAR’s marquis victories have been over Lake Lehman (35-26) and Northwest (35-7).
While the 2012 GAR team is very formidable, their composition is quite different from the 2010 and 2011 GAR teams. First and foremost, they do not have Darrell Crawford, who the Warriors could never manage to corral. Crawford was a threat to run and pass—and could do both effectively. This year’s GAR team relies heavily on the pass, averaging over 180 yards passing per game. For example, against Lake Lehman, the Grenadiers passed for nearly 300 yards and rushed for only 23 yards. Although he is an accomplished passer, Moore is not a threat to run the ball.
From a defensive standpoint, the Warriors will need to defend the pass—something that they have been very capable of doing this year. That being said, they haven’t confronted a versatile spread offense like GAR will throw at them. They will see a lot of quick passes and wide receiver screens trying to get the ball in the hands of Benton. Schmitz, O’Brien, LaNunziata, Zezza, Pegg, and Condry will have their hands full and so will the linebackers. It’s going to be extremely important for the defensive line to get pressure on QB Moore. Seniors Taylor, Grove, Zielinski, and Erzar need to step up—and get their hands up. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nose Guard Marty Michaels spending time in the backfield.
I think the Warrior offense will be able to score points. They did last year--and with the offensive emergence of Schmitz, LaNunziata, and Zezza--they should be able to do the same this year.
There’s an old football adage—to be a good team, you need to be able to run the ball, and you need to be able to stop the run. I think the Warriors are capable of doing both.
So this Friday, we will see if the Grenadiers still have the Warriors’ number, or perhaps GAR’s number will be up…See you at the game. Nick Perugini
