Nanticoke Area’s Zack Fox, the school’s all-time leading rusher, will lead the Trojans as they play at Dallas in the District 2 Class 4A semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday.
Fred Adams file photo | For Times Leader
Dallas running back Dylan Geskey, who went over 1,000 yards rushing last Friday, is part of a powerful, balanced offensive attack.
Fred Adams file photo | For Times Leader
Nanticoke Area made it to Friday night’s District 2 Class 4A semifinals with one of the biggest wins in the football program’s history.
It will take even a bigger victory to get to a district championship game for the first time in 31 years as Nanticoke Area (7-4) heads to Dallas (11-0). Kickoff is 7 p.m. and tickets are only available at piaad2.org on the HomeTown ticket link.
Back in 1992, Nanticoke Area knocked off Wallenpaupack 41-16 in the D2-3A semifinals before defeating Scranton Prep 24-21 in overtime for the school’s only district football championship.
The PIAA state playoffs consisted of only four teams back then. Undefeated Berwick, which won the Eastern Conference Division 3 title the same day Nanticoke Area won the D2-3A crown, received a Class 3A spot. The Trojans had to settle for a 10-3 season.
The state playoff structure eventually changed and so did Nanticoke Area’s fortunes on the field. Regardless of Friday’s outcome, the Trojans will finish with a winning record for only the fifth time in the last 29 seasons. Coach Ron Bruza took over in 2009 after a pair of winless seasons and the rebuild was extensive.
Nanticoke Area made it to the semifinals by knocking off defending champion Crestwood 28-21 in overtime. Bruza didn’t return messages seeking comment on Friday’s game, but Dallas coach Rich Mannello was impressed by the Trojans’ quarterfinal win.
“One D-end is 6-7 and the other is 6-5,” Mannello said. “This is a big group. To go to Mountain Top and win is very hard to do. And that’s what they did. We know we have a heck of a football team coming in here.”
Nanticoke Area has the biggest pair of defensive ends in the Wyoming Valley Conference in seniors Seth Raymer and Jaidyn Johnson. Raymer is 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds with a naturally big frame. Johnson is 6-7 and 215 with an excellent first step that allows him to be a top-notch pass rusher. He is also a basketball standout. Nanticoke Area held Crestwood’s powerful rushing attack to 61 yards on 27 carries. The Comets came in averaging 256.2 yards per game.
Nanticoke Area all-time leading rusher Zack Fox runs behind a pair of linemen disguised as fullbacks in Steve Armstrong and Ryan Wiaterowski. Fox had 82 yards vs. Crestwood, but it took him 37 rushes. The Troans run the ball 88% of the time.
“They’re big up front,” Mannello said. “Their back is good and he has great feet. You have to defend the pass. It doesn’t matter what those stats say. You have to be sound in all three phases.”
Nanticoke Area also benefited from four Crestwood turnovers. Gavin Turak had three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Another pick-6 by the Trojans was wiped out by a penalty.
The Trojans can’t expect the same against Dallas, which had a WVC-low six turnovers in the regular season. The Mountaineers haven’t committed a turnover in the last four games, including last Friday’s 43-11 quarterfinal win over Wallenpaupack.
The Wallenpaupack game also allowed Dallas to get its passing game involved for the first time in three weeks. Inclement weather limited quarterback Brady Zapoticky to eight pass in a 14-7 victory over Wilkes-Barre Area in Week 9. He tossed only four in a 56-8 blowout of Lake-Lehman in the season finale.
Zapoticky was 10-of-15 for 160 yards and two TDs vs. Wallenpaupack.
“We threw the ball well on Friday night, which we had to,” Mannello said. “Two weeks ago was in heavy rain and then the Lehman game didn’t lend itself to that opportunity. It was important we threw the ball efficiently and well and we did that.”
Wide receiver Zach Paczewski led the entire WVC with 10 touchdown catches. Running back Dylan Geskey went over 1,000 yards last Friday and his 15 rushing TDs led WVC Division 1 during the regular season. Those two are part of a strong cast of Dallas playmakers.
Dallas is by far the most balanced attack Nanticoke Area will face this season. That ability makes the Mountaineers difficult to defend because down-and-distance doesn’t dictate what they will do.
