MOUNTAIN TOP — There was no room for the Crestwood offense to breathe. A 19-yard run on the Comets’ first play from scrimmage Friday night against Pittston was the high point of the first half offensively for Crestwood.
Even when it appeared like quarterback Jaden Shedlock had some room to maneuver, there really wasn’t. Like on a second-quarter scramble to his right with Pittston already leading by 26 points. The lightning-quick quarterback looked as if he had a corner to get up field. Then one Patriots defender held him up and defensive back Lucas LoPresto came in with a Peanut Punch to knock the football free.
As the ball bounded away, LoPresto picked it up and raced untouched to the end zone. It was his fourth touchdown of the opening half, and it ripped away any hope which was still lingering on the Crestwood sideline.
As impressive as the Pittston offense was in a 47-14 win over the Comets in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division I matchup, it was the stifling nature of its defense which allowed the Patriots to remain unbeaten in the conference and go to 5-1 overall for the first time in 22 years.
“The kids were just playing hard and getting off the ball and doing the things we continue to preach in practice,” Pittston coach Paul Russick said. “And when you do the things we talk about in practice, good things happen.”
Pittston allowed just over 3 yards a play to the Crestwood offense in the first half and just as its own offense averaged more than 7 yards per play. LoPresto, as good a receiver as there is in the conference, scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half before adding on a defensive score in the second quarter.
It was a spirited performance from a Pittston team which just a week ago snapped a 10-game losing streak to Dallas on the road. There were no signs of a letdown a week later from the Patriots as the offense operated with high efficiency, and the defense seemed to have an answer for everything Crestwood wanted to do.
“They came in Monday ready to go,” Russick said. “That was a draining game last Friday night, but the performance they put out here from the get-go versus a good Crestwood program, I couldn’t be more proud of the kids.”
“Team don’t usually play good coming off a game like that,” LoPresto said. “But we trust it, and the coaches and we just play together week to week.”
A week after running for 196 yards and the winning points in overtime, Pittston’s Brody Spindler opened the game with an interception of Shedlock on the fourth snap. It set up a short field for the Patriots, who took advantage with LoPresto’s first of three rushing scores, this from 7 yards out.
One play after forcing a Crestwood punt later in the first quarter, LoPresto took a direct snap and raced up the middle of the Comets defense for an 80-yard touchdown run. And one possession later, he again helped Pittston take advantage of a short field with a 6-yard touchdown run to cap a 33-yard drive.
Pittston’s average starting field position in the first half was the Crestwood 47-yard line. The Comets’ average starting position in the first half was its own 30-yard line.
“We’re pretty confident,” LoPresto said. “We’re playing good football right now, and the whole team is doing amazing together.”
Pittston is now the only unbeaten team in WVC-I remaining. It hosts Wilkes-Barre in another pivotal matchup again next week. It’ll be the third consecutive matchup against a team it lost to a year ago by 11 points or fewer. Three of the Patriots’ five wins this year have come against team it lost to a year ago, and they have won four in a row since a Week 2 loss to undefeated North Pocono.
“It’s all part of building that team and bringing it all together,” Russick said. “We don’t want to be a good team, we want to be a great team. We’re going to enjoy this one, but we’ve got another big one next week.”
Pittston 47, Crestwood 14
Pittston 14 26 7 0 – 47
Crestwood 0 7 0 7 – 14
First quarter
P—Lucas LoPresto 7 run (Cole Baldwin kick), 8:03
P—LoPresto 80 run (Baldwin kick), :24
Second quarter
P—LoPresto 6 run (Baldwin kick), 9:08
P—Brody Spindler 31 run (kick blocked), 6:24
P—LoPresto 37 fumble return (run failed), 5:17
C—Jaden Shedlock 12 run (Cooper Laubach kick), 2:36
P—John Jadus 12 pass from Paulie Ferentino (Baldwin kick), :12
Third quarter
P—Kayden Bailey 35 run (Baldwin kick), 3:44
Fourth quarter
C—Hunter Konschnik 4 run (Laubach kick), 9:31
PA CW
First downs 18 12
Rushes-yds 35-283 35-175
Com-att-int 8-17-0 5-11-1
Pass yards 63 58
Total yards 346 233
Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 9-82 7-52
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing—Pittston, Lucas LoPresto 4-97, 3 TDs; Brody Spindler 11-74, TD; Kayden Bailey, 10-74, TD; Santino Capitano, 4-35; Liam Flynn, 4-(-2); Paulie Ferentino, 2-(-5). Crestwood, Hunter Konschnik, 4-71, TD; Jaden Shedlock, 15-47, TD; Nate Walsh, 5-28; Jacob Jeckell, 10-22; Amias Ocasio, 1-7.
Passing—Pittston, Ferentino, 8-16-0, 63 yds., TD; LoPresto, 0-1-0. Crestwood, Shedlock, 5-11-1, 58 yds.
Receiving—Pittston, LoPresto, 6-41; John Jadus, 2-22, TD. Crestwood, Jack Rodgers, 2-38; Walsh, 2-8; Giovanni Barna, 1-12.
INTERCEPTIONS—Pittston, Spindler.
RECORDS: Pittston (5-1, 3-0 WVC-I); Crestwood (3-3, 0-1 WVC-I).