Recap
Lake Ariel, PA — WESTERN WAYNE 56, LAKELAND 24
At Varden, Western Wayne remained unbeaten and atop Division 2 of the Lackawanna Football Conference with a 56-24 shellacking of Lakeland. The game featured heroics from the Wildcats’ two premier offensive performers, tailback Josh Vinton and wideout Sean Owens. Vinton scored four touchdowns while Owens added three, including one ,rom the defensive side of the ball.
In a game featuring so many offensive highlights, surprisingly the first quarter passed with no points scored. The Chiefs actually got on the board first when Ryan Bianchi booted a 26-yard field goal just into the second quarter. But the next 28 points were scored by the unbeaten Wildcats.
Josh Vinton scored on a 56-yard burst on the very next Western Wayne drive to give the Wildcats a lead they would never relinquish. On Lakeland’s next possession, quarterback David Naniewicz was intercepted by Owens who sprinted 32 yards down the sideline to increase the Western Wayne advantage to 14-3 with 9:17 to go before the half.
Owens once again provided a highlight just before the half as he was on the receiving end of a John Pyatt pass. The play covered 29 yards, giving Western Wayne a comfortable 21-3 halftime lead.
On the opening possession of the second half, Vinton chalked up his second long scoring run of the ball game, this time covering 61 yards, extending the Western Wayne lead to 28-3 just a minute into the third quarter.
Lakeland finally broke the Wildcats’ scoring parade when Naniewicz snuck over from a yard out to bring the Chiefs to within 28-10.
Two plays later, it was Vinton again, this time on his longest run of the night, breaking free on a 78-yard run. That made the score 35-10 with 5:40 left in the third period.
To their credit, the Chiefs did not quit. Tailback Rocco Spataro scored the first of his two touchdowns on the next Lakeland drive, breaking tackles on the way to a 43-yard score. The score was 35-17 with 1:38 left in the third stanza.
But it was Vinton one more time for the Wildcats, rambling 35 yards to the end zone on what was his shortest scoring run of the football game. This time the extra point failed and Western Wayne led 41-17. Owens notched his third touchdown of the game when he scored from a yard out to make it 48-17 Wildcats.
Late in the fourth quarter, the teams traded touchdowns, as the Chiefs got another tally from Rocco Spataro on a 10-yard run, while Western Wayne closed the scoring on a 5-yard run by R.J. Walton, making the final 56-24.
Vinton finished the night with 324 yards rushing.
Western Wayne (8-0 overall, 3-0) will look to continue their perfect season next weekend when close out their home schedule against Mid-Valley. Lakeland (2-6, 0-3) will host winless West Scranton next Friday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter
None
2nd Quarter
LAK – Ryan Bianchi 26-yd field goal – Lakeland 3-0
WW – Josh Vinton 56-yd run (Jacob Wells kick) – Western Wayne 7-3
WW – Sean Owens 32-yd interception return (Wells kick) – Western Wayne 14-3
WW – Owens 29-yd pass from John Pyatt (Wells kick) – Western Wayne 21-3
3rd Quarter
WW – Vinton 61-yd run (Wells kick) – Western Wayne 28-3
LAK – David Naniewicz 1-yd run (Bianchi kick) – Western Wayne 28-10
WW – Vinton 78-yd run (Wells kick) – Western Wayne 35-10
LAK – Rocco Spataro 43-yd run (Bianchi kick) – Western Wayne 35-17
WW – Vinton 35-yd run (Kick failed) – Western Wayne 41-17
4th Quarter
WW – Owens 1-yd run (Wells kick) – Western Wayne 48-17
LAK – Spataro 10-yd run (Bianchi kick) – Western Wayne 48-24
WW – R.J. Walton 5-yd run (Kick failed) – Western Wayne 54-24