THROOP — Mid Valley coach Stan Yanoski took a look at the scoreboard and liked what he saw.
“Having a zero on the scoreboard is one of the best things you can ask for from your defensive team,” Yanoski said after Friday’s non-league football opener with Pittston Area.
But, that defense provided so much more.
Jakob Lesher scored two of his five touchdowns on interception returns while leading the Spartans, a likely contender for the Lackawanna Football Conference Division 2 title, to a 32-0 romp.
The Spartans came up with three sacks and held the Patriots to 75 yards total offense, just 26 on the ground.
Pittston Area did not manage a first down between its second possession and the final minute of the game.
But the Patriots came up with their own strong defensive effort and only trailed 7-0 before Lesher’s 56-yard return 3:36 before halftime.
Lesher’s big game, which included 20 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns rushing and a 70-yard touchdown reception, spoiled Joe DeLucca’s debut as a head football coach.
“I thought we settled down a little bit defensively,” DeLucca said. “Week One, you’ve got to eliminate big plays and big mistakes. We had too many to recover from.
“First half, we’re at 7-0 and they had that Pick Six there that kind of turned the momentum around.”
Lesher carried nine straight times for 87 yards and a touchdown on Mid Valley’s first drive, but Pittston Area held the Spartans without a first down for the rest of the first half.
“All the build-up and all the intensity and emotions we had, we’re tired of hitting each other,” said Lesher, who ran for nearly 1,500 yards last season. “We really wanted to let it out on someone else.”
Pittston Area responded by reaching the red zone for the only time in the game, but a field goal attempt from the right hash caromed off the left upright.
Mid Valley 32, Pittston Area 0
Pittston Area`0`0`0`0 — 0
Mid Valley`7`7`6`12 — 32
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
MV – Jakob Lesher 8 run (Richard Lupcho kick), 4:12
Second quarter
MV – Lesher 56 interception return (Lupcho kick), 3:36
Third quarter
MV – Lesher 6 run (kick failed), 4:18
Fourth quarter
MV – Lesher 70 pass from Brett Yanoski (run failed), 11:46
MV – Lesher 16 interception return (run failed), 3:02
TEAM STATISTICS
Category`PA`MV
First downs`3`13
Rushes-yards`20-26`31-196
Passing yards`49`123
Total yards`75`319
Passing`6-17-2`9-16-1
Sacked-yards lost`3-18`0-0
Punts-avg.`7-35.3`2-31.5
Fumbles-lost`0-0`1-0
Penalties-yards`6-42`3-30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — PA, Aiden Brody 2-8, Matt Walter 6-8, C.J. Pietrzak 8-4, Paulie Ferentino 1-3, Taj Bailey 1-2, Jude Ferentino 2-1. MV, Lesher 20-156, Mason Vinansky 8-27, Jayden Manson 3-13.
PASSING — PA, Walter 6-17-2-49. MV, Yanoski 9-15-1-123, Jake Bondy 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING – PA, Stephen Barnic 3-46, Lucas Lopresto 1-5, Gerry Groom 1-2, Malkolm Blackshear 1-minus 4. MV, Connor Hughes 5-43, Lesher 2-77, Nick Pinto 1-6, Connor Bartlett 1-minus 3.
INTERCEPTIONS — PA, None. MV, Lesher 2-72.
MISSED FIELD GOAL – PA, Walter 35 (hit left upright), MV, none.
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