Scranton Prep Wins District 2 3A Title over Berwick Area 42-7

BERWICK – For eleven consecutive weeks, Berwick was able to play stress-free football with very little difficulty encountered along the way. That came to a screeching halt on Friday night against a Scranton Prep team that looks to be peaking at just the right time. The Cavaliers came to Crispin Field on a mission, and it was all systems go right from the outset. Led by quarterback Will McPartland, Scranton Prep scored on its first four possessions and captured its fifth consecutive District 2 championship thanks to an impressive 42-7 win.

“I think the kids executed,” Scranton Prep coach Terry Gallagher said. “Obviously, we have a pretty dynamic group of guys that all do their little part. It starts with No. 12 (McPartland), I think he sets the tone. He comes out, plays the best in the biggest games, and the kids followed him along the way. That’s what good seniors do. We have a good group of seniors that kind of led us through the whole process, through the tough adversity that we went through. They didn’t pack it in, they didn’t point fingers. They just got back to work, got better, kept working at it, and that’s what you have to do if you want to continue to improve and be a good football team.”

Scranton Prep (7-5) will face District 4 champion Mifflinburg in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A playoffs next week. After losing their first three games of the year against a challenging schedule and without McPartland, who was recovering from a torn ACL last season, the Cavaliers have hit their stride. McPartland scored the first of his four rushing touchdowns on a 7-yard run that capped off a 70-yard drive to start the game. The senior was also a handful for the Berwick defense through the air. He connected with Noah Krzywiec on a well-executed screen pass off a reverse flea-flicker that went for a 67-yard gain. McPartland scored on the very next play from three yards out, extending the lead to 14-0 at the 4:19 mark of the opening quarter.

“A huge credit to the guys upfront,” McPartland said. “Our line blocked tremendously tonight, and then when you get running backs going downhill, with those guys pulling and whatnot, they’re a special group and it’s hard to stop.”

Berwick (11-1) had a special teams miscue when a bad snap resulted in a punt that went minus-12 yards, and set up Scranton Prep with outstanding field position. McPartland connected with younger brother Braedon McPartland on an 18-yard screen pass that went for a touchdown. Following an Anthony Croom interception that set up yet another short field, McPartland dropped a perfectly thrown ball into the hands of Braedon McPartland for a 32-yard gain. Once McPartland scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak, the Cavaliers enjoyed a 28-0 lead with 10:43 left in the second quarter.

“They are a good football team,” Berwick coach C.J. Curry said. “They’re more physical than us. They were prepared, and we just didn’t have it. The better football team won tonight, unfortunately, but credit to them and their coaching staff. Like I said before, I think they were the best 6-5 team in the state, and it showed tonight. I’m super proud of our guys for what they’ve done to turn this thing around in two years. It’s going to inspire us to keep working and just get back here.”

McPartland put an exclamation point on his outstanding first half as time expired. With the ball at the Berwick 48, McPartland made a defender miss, escaped trouble, and launched a Hail Mary towards the end zone. His prayer was answered when Mackey Lynett got behind the defense, and made the most of his only reception of the night. McPartland finished the game 9-of-9 passing for 202 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 50 yards on 11 carries.

“I saw my guy Mackey Lynett, and you know, I bought a lot of time, and I knew I was going to throw it up to him,” McPartland said. “He was one-on-one, so I just put all the trust in him, and he made a hell of a play.”

Trailing 42-0, Berwick did finally reach the end zone late in the third quarter. Ty’Meere Wilkerson scored on a 10-yard run for his 40th touchdown of the season. In the final game of his outstanding career, Wilkerson rushed for 145 yards on 25 carries. He will finish the season with over 2,800 yards, and should be a lock for an All-State selection, before taking his talents to New Hampshire next year.

“The best is yet to come for him, for sure,” Curry said of Wilkerson. “For a program that’s been playing since 1888, for him to have those records and do what he did this year, I think he was 70 percent of our offense. Obviously, I’m so proud of him and so blessed to be able to have coached him and get to know him as a young man. The University of New Hampshire has got a great one coming. The best is yet to come for him, and a lot of these guys.”

Following the 0-3 start, Scranton Prep has won seven of its last nine games. The Cavaliers lost two games to schools from New York and Maryland before McPartland got healthy. Since his return, Scranton Prep has knocked off the likes of Jersey Shore, Delaware Valley, and Wyoming Area. North Pocono and Abington Heights are the only teams to beat the Cavaliers, both in very close games. That tough schedule Scranton Prep faced is certainly paying dividends in the postseason.

“The schedule helps you, it’s early in the season,” Gallagher said. “Obviously, what helps is getting your best player back. Our younger guys during those three weeks learned a ton of football, and they’re going to be really good football players, I firmly believe that and I think our staff does as well. But when you really get a special kid like that back, then you’re able to put all the pieces where we anticipated them being. We’re going to try to prepare the kids to go play football games and win, I don’t care who we’re playing. Luckily, the kids stuck with it, fought, and we were able to continue to win and get another district championship.”

Scranton Prep 21 14 7 0-42
Berwick 0 0 7 0-7

Individual Scoring
First Quarter
SP-Will McPartland 7 run (Tyler Bianchi kick) 9:26
SP- W. McPartland 3 run (Bianchi kick) 4:19
SP-Braedon McPartland 18 pass from W. McPartland (Bianchi kick) 1:01

Second Quarter
SP-W. McPartland 1 run (Bianchi kick) 10:43
SP-Mackey Lynett 48 pass from W. McPartland (Bianchi kick) :00

Third Quarter
SP-W. McPartland 1 run (Bianchi kick) 5:50
B-Ty’Meere Wilkerson 10 run (Caleb Yost kick) 3:11

Team Statistics
……………………………SP…………………B
1st downs……………13…………………11
rush-yds……………24-140……….35-173
comp-att-int…..10-13-0………….2-7-2
pass yds…………..226……………….(-3)
total yds……………366………………170
fumb-lost………….0-0……………….2-0
pen-yds……………..4-44…………….4-45

Individual Statistics
Rushing:
Scranton Prep: Braedon McPartland 4-56; Will McPartland 11-50, 4 TDs; Anthony Prince 4-16; Noah Krzywiec 2-13; Caleb Rutkoski 2-5; Salvatore Talarico 1-0.
Berwick: Ty’Meere Wilkerson 25-145, TD; Caleb May 4-25; Conner Roberts 2-10; Ashton Smith 1-4; Brady Cleaver 3-(-9).

Passing:
Scranton Prep: W. McPartland 9-9, 225 yds., 2 TDs; Oliver Swingle 1-2-0, 1 yd.; Owen Jeffers 0-1-0; Team 0-1-0.
Berwick: Cleaver 2-7-2, (-3) yds.

Receiving:
Scranton Prep: B. McPartland 5-98, TD; Krzywiec 3-81; Mackey Lynett 1-48, TD; Jaxsen Silfee 1-1.
Berwick: Alex Estrella 1-4; Everett Snyder 1-(-7).