Go back a few weeks and it would be tempting to rubberstamp a Crestwood victory over Berwick in Saturday afternoon’s District 2 Class 4A semifinal football game.
After all, Crestwood defeated Berwick 56-21 in Week 9 of the Wyoming Valley Conference season. However, an old investment saying — past performance is no guarantee of future results — might be fitting when the teams meet at 1 p.m. at Crestwood. The game was moved from Friday night due to the forecast for heavy rain throughout the day.
“The had success moving the ball against us. They had success stopping us,” Crestwood coach Ryan Arcangeli said. “I don’t think the score is indicative how the game really went. We got two scores late that made it look like it was out of control.
“(Berwick) is really good, they’re really tough. They beat some good football teams this year.”
Berwick brings a 5-6 record into the game, including a 39-22 victory over Dallas and a 24-21 loss to Valley View where the game was decided in the final minute. Dallas and Valley View meet in the other semifinal at 7 p.m. Saturday at Valley View. That game was also moved from Friday.
Crestwood is 10-1. The Comets opened with a 20-7 victory over Valley View and then fell 35-14 to Dallas the following week. The Comets have since run the table, with Hazleton Area and Berwick putting up the toughest tussles.
The first meeting turned on two critical sequences. The Bibla brothers — linebacker Lincoln and defensive end Magnus — made two big tackles for loss near midfield with Crestwood leading 14-7 early in the second quarter. The Comets then scored on their ensuing drive.
The kickoff that followed resulted in a Berwick miscue. Crestwood kicker Logan Rolles pooch kicked and the ball landed at the Berwick 25-yard line. Inexplicably, no Berwick player made an attempt to get the ball and Crestwood’s Colin Lazo jumped on it. Crestwood was in the end zone five plays later.
Berwick cut the deficit to a two-score game late in the third quarter, but the Dawgs allowed Crestwood to convert a third-and-8 on its following possession. Running back Noah Schultz ripped off a 42-yard TD run on the next play — part of his 263-yard night — and that pretty much sealed the game.
Berwick’s problem on offense has been consistency. Quarterback Matt Lonczynski has quality receivers in Spencer Kishbaugh and Drey Wilk. Running back Bo Sheptock has been solid. But little problems have cropped up in the losses. They led Southern Columbia 14-0 at halftime and Valley View 21-18 with a minute to play and lost both.
“We’re driving the ball, driving the ball, driving the ball, then a penalty,” Berwick coach Mike Bennett said. “Or we’re driving the ball and a miss assignment and we have a free rusher coming through. Or we’re driving the ball and there’s a missed read by Matt and we’re not getting the ball down the field.
“The inconsistency part, we’re still working through. We have a young offensive line. This will be maybe the fifth game they’ve played together this year.”
Crestwood makes no secret what it wants to do on offense — run the ball with Schultz and quarterback Jaden Shedlock. Then sneak in a couple passes like Shedlock did in the first meeting. He was 7-of-9 for just 78 yards, but one throw was for a touchdown and four others converted third-down situations.
Lonczynski was 12-of-24 for 182 yards and a TD. The running game, though, managed just 26 yards on 27 rushes. A similar performance will doom the Dawgs.
“If we can take care of the ball and move the ball on the ground, we have a chance in this game,” Bennett said.
