KINGSTON — Dallas quarterback Michael Starbuck was in eighth grade during the 56-point loss to Wyoming Valley West. He was on the sideline during the 29-point loss last year.

The sophomore, though, had one of the best views of revenge Friday night.

Starbuck threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns and backup running back Danny Meuser rushed for 141 yards and two TDs as the Mountaineers defeated Valley West 31-18 in a Wyoming Valley Conference interdivisional game.

Dallas improved to 3-2 in snapping a five-game losing streak to the Spartans (1-4). Those last two meetings, though, were still gnawing at the Mountaineers.

“It was on our minds. We were thinking about that completely,” said Starbuck, who became the starting quarterback as a freshman after last year’s 29-0 loss. “We wanted to come in here and dominate and I think we did that.”

Valley West certainly helped Dallas. The Spartans were flagged nine times for 110 yards, including six personal foul penalties, and had two bad snaps result in 44 yards of losses.

“I wasn’t expecting the demeanor we played with,” Valley West coach Pat Keating said. “I really don’t have a lot of words. We were flat, and the way we conducted ourselves on the field at times with the penalties and things of that nature, it’s uncalled for.

“Dallas deserved to win tonight. They played a good physical football game. They played clean.”

Dallas scored on its second possession on a 45-yard field goal by soccer player Nate Maransky, whose kick was the longest in the WVC this season. Meuser busted up the middle on the next drive for a 40-yard touchdown and a 10-0 first-quarter lead.

Valley West cut the deficit to 10-6 with 33 seconds left in the third quarter on a 6-yard run by Zach Davies. Dallas, though, didn’t waver, something coach Rich Mannello was concerned about entering the game. He felt his team was a little “wide-eyed” a few weeks back at Berwick where the Mountaineers lost 23-7.

Dallas answered the Valley West score with a 18-yard TD pass from Starbuck to fullback Bradley Adams. Then after Valley West’s Darrian Tyson ran 73 yards for a score on the first play after the kickoff, the Mountaineers answered again.

Another Valley West 15-yard penalty — this one for a late hit — and a 20-yard catch by Bradley helped move the ball to the Valley West 33-yard line. From there, Starbuck threw to wideout Christian Motley, who made an adjustment on the slightly underthown pass for a touchdown.

Dallas’ final score, a 16-yard up-the-gut run by Meuser, was set up by defensive lineman Mike Anderson’s interception. Matt Maransky also had a pick.

“This is all kids. They just played their hearts out,” said Mannello, whose team finished 2-9 in 2016 with many of the same guys. “You’re proud of kids all the time in football. Sometimes you say that you’ve never been prouder, but I’m saying it right now. I don’t know if I’ve ever been prouder.

“These kids and their effort, I mean, they’ve been stepped on. They took a lot of crap in the last year and they stayed with it and bought into the process.”

Dallas 31, Wyo. Valley West 18

Dallas`10`0`0`21`—`31

Wyo. Val. West`0`0`6`12`—`18

First quarter

DAL — Nate Maransky 45 FG, 4:38

DAL — Danny Meuser 40 run (N.Maransky kick), 0:29

Third quarter

WVW — Zach Davies 6 run (run failed), 0:33

Fourth quarter

DAL — Brady Adams 18 pass from Mike Starbuck (N.Maransky kick), 10:17

WVW — Darrian Tyson 73 run (run failed), 9:57

DAL — Christian Motley 33 pass from Starbuck (N.Maransky kick), 7:43

DAL — Meuser 18 run (N.Maransky kick), 5:55

WVW — Davies 1 run (run failed), 3:44

Team statistics`DAL`WVW

First downs`17`16

Rushes-yards`43-190`37-209

Passing yards`97`88

Total yards`287`297

Passing`7-10-0`5-21-2

Sacked-yards lost`1-2`2-19

Punts-avg.`4-30.3`4-41.8

Fumbles-lost`0-0`3-0

Penalties-yards`4-40`9-110

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Dallas, Starbuck 4-(minus-2), Meuser 27-141, Adams 1-1, David Schuster 9-13, Matt Maransky 2-37. WVW, Robbie Dwyer 19-88, Sean Mikovitch 8-54, Tyson 5-106, Davis 2-7, team 3-(minus-46).

PASSING — Dallas, Starbuck 7-10-0-97. WVW, Dwyer 3-10-0-53, Jake Shusta 2-9-2-35.

RECEIVING — Dallas, Adams 3-44, M.Maransky 2-22, Jack Farrell 1-9, Motley 1-33. WVW, Jake Blaski 2-49, Tyson 3-39.

INTERCEPTIONS — Dallas, Motley 1-28, Mike Anderson 1-9.

MISSED FGs — Dallas 41WL.

Dallas running back Danny Meuser is congratulated by quarterback Michael Starbuck after Meuser scored on a 40-yard run in the first quarter.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL092317HSFBDalWVW2-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas running back Danny Meuser is congratulated by quarterback Michael Starbuck after Meuser scored on a 40-yard run in the first quarter. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

Wyoming Valley West’s Rob Dwyer carries the ball against Dallas.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL092317HSFBDalWVW3-1.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Valley West’s Rob Dwyer carries the ball against Dallas. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

Dallas’ Matt Maransky carries the ball against Wyoming Valley West at Spartan Stadium in Kingston on Friday.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_TTL092317HSFBDalWVW1-1.jpg.optimal.jpgDallas’ Matt Maransky carries the ball against Wyoming Valley West at Spartan Stadium in Kingston on Friday. Sean McKeag | Times Leader

By John Erzar

jerzar@timesleader.com

Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar