Dallas needed just two plays to start showing off its offensive firepower Friday night.

The Mountaineers did not stop until they were well on their way to pounding host Tunkhannock, 49-13, in a season opener between Wyoming Valley Conference Class 4A Division football opponents.

Dallas was the division’s top team a year ago and returns most of its key performers from that squad, which reached the District 2 championship game.

Those veterans made their presence felt early.

Dallas forced a punt to begin the game.

Then, on second down, Danny Meuser took a handoff straight up the middle, cut left, made his way to the sideline and sprinted the rest of the way for an 82-yard touchdown.

Dallas showed it could put together a drive on its next possession, mixing the pass and run to cover 65 yards on 10 plays. Lenny Kelley scored the first of his three touchdowns on a 3-yard run for a 14-0 with 2:54 left in the first quarter.

Michael Starbuck and Luke DelGaudio connected on passes for touchdowns early and late in the second quarter. Their 16-yarder made it 21-0 in the first minute of the quarter and their 18-yarder made it 35-6 at halftime.

Tunkhannock took advantage of a fumbled punt to get within 21-6 in the second quarter on Jack Chilson’s 4-yard pass to Gavin D’Amato.

Dallas answered with a 7-yard Kelley touchdown run.

Following the 10-play drive, Dallas scored efficiently. The 43 offensive plays run by the Mountaineers resulted in 466 yards, 17 first downs and seven touchdowns.

Kelley carried 13 times for 115 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run with 8:52 left in the third quarter to send the rest of the game into the Mercy Rule.

Meuser’s 31-yard touchdown with 1:17 left in the third made it 49-6 and gave him 141 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries.

Starbuck, in his first game back from knee surgery that cut short his playoffs last year, finished 12-for-18 for 200 yards.

DelGaudio caught six of those passes for 91 yards while Jack Farrell caught four for 84 and Meuser added two for 25.

Jack Chilson and Ben Chilson had an accurate night in Tunkhannock’s short passing game. Jack was 20-for-28 for 115 yards and one touchdown. Ben was 8-for-8 for 88 yards and a touchdown.

Ben Chilson hit Michael Sickler with a 19-yard touchdown. Jaxson Montross added the kick.

Ryan Fisher was 7-for-7 on extra points for Dallas.

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Staff Reports