Dallas running back Dylan Geskey runs toward the sideline as Nanticoke Area defensive back Treston Allen flies in for a tackle in the second quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Nanticoke Area defensive end Jaidyn Johnson takes down Dallas running back Dylan Geskey during the second quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Dallas defensive back Gavin Lewis makes an interception near the Dallas 5-yard line as Nanticoke Area receiver Gavin Turak makes the tackle in the second quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Nanticoke Area’s Zack Fox stretches for extra yardage against Dallas during the first quarter.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Lucas Tirpak carries the ball for Dallas on a kick return in the second quarter as Nanticoke Area’s Chris Julian tries to make the tackle.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
DALLAS TWP. — When things aren’t quite going as planned, Dallas knows the solution.
Give the ball to running back Dylan Geskey.
Geskey rushed for 190 yards and five touchdowns the Mountaineers eventually pulled away from Nanticoke Area for a 48-22 victory in a District 2 Class 4A semifinal game Friday night.
“When we had to push, old number 4 (Geskey) took over,” said Dallas coach Rich Mannello after running down a list of issues that hampered his team. “That’s the kind of back that he is. When we’re struggling and not firing on all cylinders, you hand it to that guy and he can get downhill.
“He’s something. What a football player.”
Dallas (12-0) will host the championship game next Friday, taking on Valley View (10-2). Valley View defeated Wyoming Area 20-0 in the other semifinal. Nanticoke Area finished its season at 7-5.
Geskey scored three consecutive touchdowns in the second half, with his third at 10:45 of the fourth quarter bringing on the 35-point mercy rule.
“At halftime, we came out with a plan, stuck to it and got it done,” said Geskey, who carried the ball 27 times.
Dallas had a first-half plan, although the results weren’t as anticipated.
The Mountaineers were stopped on their first two possessions. They had an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after scoring a touchdown. The passing game misfired on a couple potentially long gains. And punter Rowan Laubach, a soccer player by trade, had to try to run for a first down after a high punt snap.
“I’m not happy, to be honest with you,” Mannello said. “If we’re going to come out here and win a championship seven days from now, we have work to do.”
Special teams and defense helped Dallas build a 21-6 halftime lead. Gavin Lewis partially blocked a punt, resulting in a net of 2 yards and a 5-yard TD run by Geskey on the next play. Nick Farrell recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and Brady Zapoticky connected with Zach Paczewski on a 7-yard touchdown five plays later.
A failed fake punt run by Nanticoke Area set up Dallas at the Nanticoke Area 23-yard line. Geskey’s 15-yard TD run bumped the advantage to 21-0 at 11:06 of the second quarter. Red zone interceptions by Lewis and Lucas Tirpak stopped two Nanticoke Area drives.
The Trojans cut the deficit to 21-6 before halftime on a 35-yard run by Zack Fox. The school’s all-time leading rusher finished with 154 yards on 25 carries. But the lack of a consistent passing game and Geskey’s second-half running prevented the Trojans from sustaining much of a comeback attempt.
“We knew they were going to run a lot and didn’t have much of a pass game,” said Farrell, a senior defensive end. “So the whole week we were planning on the run. They had a bunch of different variations of that run. We had to make sure we were sound on our keys and where the fullbacks were in the backfield.”
After Geskey’s fifth touchdown run moved the lead to 42-6, Nanticoke Area’s Eugene Gyle scored on runs of 5 and 24 yards against the Dallas backups.
Dallas freshman reserve running back Hunter Pitcavage closed out the scoring with a 74-yard run with 2:42 remaining.
District 2 Class 4A Semifinals
Dallas 48, Nanticoke Area 22
Nanticoke Area`0`6`0`16 — 22
Dallas`15`6`14`13 — 48
First quarter
DAL — Dylan Geskey 5 run (Rowan Laubach kick), 3:13
DAL — Zach Paczewski 7 pass from Brady Zapoticky (Zapoticky run), 1:07
Second quarter
DAL — Geskey 15 run (kick failed), 11:06
NAN — Zack Fox 35 run (kick blocked), 9:27
Third quarter
DAL — Geskey 19 run (Laubach kick), 7:42
DAL — Geskey 4 run (Laubach kick), 2:58
Fourth quarter
DAL — Geskey 17 run (Laubach kick), 10:45
NAN — Eugne Gyle 5 run (Fox run), 9:43
NAN — Gyle 24 run (Treston Allen run), 4:10
DAL — Hunter Pitcavage 74 run (run failed), 2:42
Team statistics`NAN`DAL
First downs`12`16
Rushes-yards`38-223`42-275
Passing yards`27`116
Total yards`250`391
Passing`3-9-2`7-14-0
Sacked-yards lost`0-0`1-4
Punts-avg.`4-23.3`1-33
Fumbles-lost`2-1`2-1
Penalties-yards`4-17`7-65
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Nanticoke Area, Fox 25-154, Ryan Wiaterowski 4-7, Gyle 4-28, Allen 5-34. Dallas, Geskey 27-190, Paczewski 2-19, Zapoticky 1-(minus-4), Clark Van Orden 2-(minus-4), Mike Lewis 1-(minus-2), Laubach 1-(minus-4), Sam Kelley 3-11, Travis Cheskiewitz 2-0, Pitcavage 3-69.
PASSING — Nanticoke Area, Fox 2-5-2-15. Seth Raymer 0-2-0-0, Mike Stachowiak 1-2-0-12. Dallas, Zapoticky 7-14-0-116.
RECEIVING — Nanticoke Area, Gavin Turak 2-15, Gyle 1-12. Dallas, Gavin Lewis 2-34, Nick Farrell 2-8, Paczewski 2-39, Van Orden 1-35.
INTERCEPTIONS — Dallas, G.Lewis 1-1, Lucas Tirpak 1-4.
MISSED FGs — none.
