WARRIORS Take Team 1st Place at Abington Weightlifting Competition
Congratulations to Wyoming Area weightlifting First place in their weight class:
-Liam Burke,Nicky Scalzo, Braydon Crossley, Emma Kline, Anthony VanAuken and Shelby Van Auken
-Luke Barhight and Matt Rutkowski also placed in their weight class
-Brady Crossley named overall best weightlifter
Nate Obrzut - District 2 Wrestling Champ at 285 lbs
Warriors Named to Unico Squad - Game set for June 1.
Jacob Gustitus to Play in Pa Scholastic Football Coaches Association East West All Star Team
2024 Abington Heights Powerlifting Competition - Brady Crossley Named Overall Best Lifter
Wyoming Area’s Aaron Crossley, Jacob Gustitus, Anthony VanAuken, Jacob Krulick, Luke Barhight, James Hizynski, Skyler Pierce, Sam Rau, Liam Burke, Jayden Jones and Nick Scalzo; Berwick’s Liam Carroll, Jimmy DeAndrea, Josh Kishbaugh, Ethan Lear, Harrison Snyder and Tyler Winter
The game is scheduled for June 1 at 7 p.m. at Wyoming Area. Pittston Area’s Joe DeLucca will coach the Miners, while Wyoming Area’s Randy Spencer will coach the Pioneers.
Nate and 127 lb District Champ Connor Novakowski pictured above
Dom DeLuca Looking to "Take The Plunge" for Special Olympics
Attention football fans!! Dominic DeLuca, PSU Captain, and former Wyoming Area High School player, will come out and plunge on 1/27 IF we're able to raise at least $5,000 in new plunge registrants between today and 2 weeks from now. Go team!! - More Info on Facebook
Chase DeSanto OL-Wyoming Area, Junior
Helped anchor one of the top offensive lines in the conference. The Warriors averaged 7.5 yards per carry and rushed for 3,025 yards and 43 touchdowns. Was credited with 18 pancake blocks.
Jacob Gustitus OL/DL Wyoming Area, Senior
Helped pave way for 3,025 yards rushing and 43 TDs as the Warriors averaged 7.2 yards per carry. Had 45 tackles, 21 solo and 8½ for loss. Had 10 QB pressures, 1½ sacks and one fumble recovery.
Josh Mruk TE/DE Wyoming Area, Soph.
Had 11 receptions for 237 yards and six TDs, averaging 21.5 yards per catch. Had 16 tackles and 3½ sacks as well as five QB hurries. Intercepted two passes and was credited with six passes defended.
From a wide-eyed freshman just hoping to find his way onto the field to wrapping up his career at Wyoming Area as one of the top running backs in the history of the Wyoming Valley Conference, Aaron Crossley certainly experienced all that he possibly could.
He crashed through offensive lines looking to make a play in the backfield on defense and crashed through them each time his number was called in the huddle and he knew he was going to be getting the ball.
Crossley, a senior, has committed to play at Lehigh University. He finished his senior season with 1,802 yards rushing on 216 carries, averaging 8.3 yards per carry and scoring 26 touchdowns.
He ended his career with 4,491 yards rushing, a total that ranks him 11th all-time in the history of the Wyoming Valley Conference.
At linebacker, he recorded 46 tackles, 26 solo. He had 10½ tackles-for-loss, 4½ sacks and one fumble recovery in his senior season.
Crossley was selected as the 2023 The Citizens’ Voice Player of the Year.
Q: Describe the highs and lows of your high school career:
A: The highs this season was the fun I had compared to other seasons. It was a lot more fun this season. The lows were obviously getting hurt and last year when we had a bad season.
Q: Coming in as a freshman what were your expectations?
A: To be able to go in and play. I knew I had the ability to make an impact on the team. It was a big year for the program. They were coming off a state championship and had high expectations. I came in and didn’t know I was starting until five minutes before the game. I started on defense and scored a touchdown in my first game.
Q: How difficult was it cracking the lineup as a freshman?
A: I knew I had the potential to do it. I got more athletic and put on more weight. There were senior guys in front of me. I didn’t know at that point, I didn’t think I’d start. I wasn’t nervous, it was more like it’s go time. There weren’t many people in the crowd so it wasn’t nerve-wracking. It was more like a scrimmage. It gave me a lot more experience. It gave me a lot more confidence between my freshman and sophomore year.
Q: As you continued to develop, at one point did you realize you could turn this into something bigger?
A: Originally in ninth and 10th grade I thought I would be a linebacker. I always want to play college football. I thought I would be too small to be a linebacker. I started playing fullback and started at running back. I felt I got so much better.
Q: When you look at where you rank all-time at Wyoming Area and in the WVC, how does it make you feel?
A: It is definitely a blessing to be in that position. Even though I’m going to graduate it feels like my ninth grade season was last year. It is crazy to think that I finished that well.
Q: Do you know anything about anyone on the all-time WVC leading rushing list that you are part of?
A: When you think about all the great running backs to come out of the Wyoming Valley guys, Rocket Ismail, Jimmy Cefalo and Darrell Blackman, they are just a few that I can think about right now. It is nice to have my name mentioned along with those greats and all the others. It’s definitely an elite group to be in.
Q: What do you want to continue to build on now that you are going to be playing college football?
A: Definitely my speed. I have to work on that. I want to be able to one-cut up the field. I want to get through the hole and get as many yards as I can.
Q: How do you approach the fact that you are starting from the bottom all of a sudden?
A: It definitely feels weird. It feels like I was a freshman not too long ago. Now that I am going to be graduating, I’m going to be a freshman again. I know I have to work hard to get on the depth chart. I’m going to keep grinding and working to be an overall better athlete.
Q: Do you think you are ready?
A: Yes. I’m ready.
Q: In 20 years, how do you want people to remember Aaron Crossley?
A: As a person, not just a football player. That I gave off positive energy and made people want to do better outside the field as well as on the field. I was able to wear people down as the game went on and that I was a positive role model for the younger people in our community.
Aaron Crossley Makes PA Football Writers 4A All State Team
ALL-WVC OFFENSE
Aaron Crossley
Wyoming Area
RB – Senior
Player Of The Year
Lehigh University recruit was named All-WVC for a second consecutive year and chosen to the Class 4A all-state team. Finished with 1,843 yards and 26 yards rushing this season and 4,506 and 56 TDs for his career. Made 46 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a linebacker.Josh Mruk
Wyoming Area
TE – Sophomore
Excellent blocker who also caught 11 passes for 237 yards and six touchdowns. Very strong off the edge on defense. Had 16 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five hurries and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD.Jacob Gustitus
Wyoming Area
OL – Senior
Had 15 pancakes blocks in helping the team rush for nearly 3,000 yards. Also made 45 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, 10 hurries and a fumble recovery on defense.Anthony Van Auken
Wyoming Area
OL – Senior
Team captain who paved the way for the team to rush for nearly 3,000 yards and 39 touchdowns. Led his team with 23 pancake blocks.
ALL-WVC SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Anthony DeLucca, QB, Wyoming Area, Jr.
Chase DeSanto, OL, Wyoming Area, Jr.
Andrew Steinberger, OL, Wyoming Area, Jr.
Liam Burke, K, Wyoming Area, Sr.
ALL-WVC SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Jacob Morgan, DB, Wyoming Area, Jr.
Kevin Wiedl, DB, Wyoming Area, Jr.
Crossley MVP in Nepafootball WVC Division 2: Randy Spencer Coach of the Year
Warriors on First team Offense
RB: Aaron Crossley, Sr.
FB: Luke Barhight, Sr.
TE: Josh Mruk, So.
OL: Chase DeSanto, Jr
OL: Jacob Krulick, Sr.
OL: Andrew Steinberger, Jr.
OL: Anthony VanAuken, Sr.
ATH: Lidge Kellum, Jr.a
Warriors on First team Defense
DL: Jacob Gustitus, Sr.
DL: Josh Mruk, So.
LB: Aaron Crossley, Sr.
LB: Matt Rutkoski, Jr.
DB: Jacob Morgan, Jr
DB: Kevin Wiedl, Jr.
P: John Turner, Jr.
Warriors on Second team Offense
QB: Anthony DeLucca, Jr.
WR: Kevin Wiedl, Jr.
OL: Jacob Gustitus, Sr.
K: Liam Burke, Sr.
Warriors on Second team Defense
DL: James Hizynski, Sr.
DL: Sam Rau, Sr.
LB: Michael Crane, Jr.
DB: Damien Leftkoski, Jr.