Scranton Prep cruises to sixth straight district D2-3A title

Wyoming Area and Scranton Prep lined up for another matchup in the District 2 Class 3A championship game on Friday night with the Cavaliers keeping their title streak alive with a win.

The Details

Amber Jones | For Times Leader

Braedon McPartland from Scranton Prep carries the ball.

Amber Jones | For Times Leader

Owen Jeffers from Scranton Prep looks to pass.

Amber Jones | For Times Leader

Nick Day (left) from Wyoming Area prepares to snap the ball with Christopher Paris from Scranton Prep lined up opposite him.

Amber Jones | For Times Leader

Luke Kopetchny, a senior from Wyoming Area carries the ball as Roman Lowe from Scranton Prep prepares to make the tackle.

• Amber Jones | For Times Leader
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SCRANTON — The early action in Friday night’s district title game was something of a clash of styles: Scranton Prep’s explosive chunk plays and long-gainers, vs. Wyoming Area’s more methodical ground game approach.

Prep’s style won out, as it has so many times before, and the Cavaliers rolled to a sixth straight district championship.

Braedon McPartland had 145 yards and four touchdowns on just eight carries, and Scranton Prep simply overmatched and overwhelmed Wyoming Area for a 50-7 win to capture the District 2 Class 3A championship at Scranton Memorial Stadium.

The Cavaliers had four touchdowns of over 40 yards and ran up and down the field all night despite only completing one pass — which went for 51 yards and an Owen McPartland score.

“They had big plays right off the bat offensively, a couple explosives,” Wyoming Area coach Randy Spencer said. “We had some competitive moments, but hats off to Scranton Prep, they’re an outstanding football team.”

After what appeared to be an onside kick attempt from Wyoming Area rolled out of bounds at midfield to start the game, the Cavaliers needed just two plays to score.

The first of Braedon McPartland’s four scores was a 47-yarder, one of the many explosive plays that had the Warriors’ defense reeling throughout the night.

He scored again from five yards out after Prep’s defense came up with a three-and-out, and it was 13-0 Prep less than four minutes into the game.

Wyoming Area’s next two offensive drives were its two most competitive of the night, and it was done entirely on the ground as the rain and wind pretty much took both teams’ passing games out of commission.

Both times, the Warriors leaned on Nicholas Kondrosky on some counter runs and Luke Kopetchny on straight-ahead quarterback sneaks, and the combination led the Warriors into Scranton Prep territory with the Cavaliers struggling to hold their ground.

But those two long drives resulted in zero Wyoming Area points: the first ended in a fumble lost inside the Scranton Prep red zone, and the second saw penalties back the Warriors way up and ultimately led to a punt.

“You have to make adjustments … (Wyoming Area) came out in a formation that we hadn’t seen them run, give them credit for doing it,” Scranton Prep head coach Terry Gallagher said. “It took us a bit longer than I’d have liked, that’s what happens with high school kids but they’re good kids, we’re fortunate to have them.”

In between those drives, McPartland scored his third touchdown on the ground to make it 20-0.

After the second stop, Owen Jeffers connected with Owen McPartland for a 51-yard touchdown to send the Cavaliers to halftime with a 27-0 lead.

A field goal, the last of Braedon McPartland’s four touchdown runs and a touchdown run for Brandon Farmer stretched the game into mercy rule territory and had the Cavaliers out in front 43-0 before the Warriors could get on the board.

Dominic Bartell’s second carry of the night was a 61-yarder to the house with 4:22 to play, helping Wyoming Area avoid the shutout.

The Cavaliers ran for 370 yards in total, with Braedon McPartland leading the way but with healthy doses of Jeffers, Farmer and Henry Barrett, too.

McPartland’s final touchdown, on his final carry of the night, came with plenty of room created by his line and ended with one emphatic broken tackle on his way across the goal line.

“It’s really my offensive line blocking for me, it’s them giving me the holes and I’m just hitting them,” McPartland said. “It’s not me making the plays, it’s them.”

Wyoming Area ends the season with a 9-3 record, their eight-game winning streak snapped with Friday night’s loss.

Scranton Prep will head to the PIAA Class 3A tournament, taking on the District 12 champ next week. Archbishop Wood and Bartram will play for the District 12 title on Saturday.

• District 2 Class 3A Championship
• Scranton Prep 50, Wyoming Area 7
• Wyoming Area`0`0`0`7 — 7
• Scranton Prep`13`14`9`14 — 50
• First quarter

SP — Braedon McPartland 47 run (Tyler Bianchi kick) 11:06 SP — B. McPartland 5 run (kick failed) 8:37 Second quarter SP — B. McPartland 2 run (Bianchi kick) 3:08 SP — Owen McPartland 51 pass from Owen Jeffers (Bianchi kick) 1:30 Third quarter SP — Bianchi 26 field goal 5:48 SP — B. McPartland 65 run (kick failed) 3:22 Fourth quarter SP — Brandon Farmer 11 run (Bianchi kick) 6:31 WA — Dominic Bartell 61 run (Ava Musinski kick) 4:22 SP — Charlie Dennebaum 65 run (Bianchi kick) 2:41 Team statistics`WA`SP First downs`10`14 Rushes-yards`41-199`23-370 Passing yards`11`51 Total yards`210`421 Passing`2-8-0`1-4-0 Sacked-yards lost`1-7`0-0 Punts-avg.

`6-29`1-43 Fumbles-lost`4-1`1-0 Penalties-yards`6-45`5-40 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING — WA, Nicholas Kondrosky 12-59, Jordan Rosario 1-3, Luke Kopetchny 20-63, Team 2-0, Bartell 3-73, Connor Grochal 1-1, Adrian Cruz 1-3. SP, B. McPartland 8-145, Jeffers 4-97, Farmer 4-47, Henry Barrett 1-13, Team 1-(minus-7), Dennebaum 2-67, Carter Kowalski 1-8.

PASSING — WA, Kopetchny 2-8-0-11. SP, Jeffers 1-4-0-51.

RECEIVING — WA, Drew Keating 1-7, Lavell Brock 1-4. SP, O. McPartland 1-51.

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