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HAWLEY — Wallenpaupack Area had perennial Lackawanna Football Conference powerhouse Abington Heights reeling at halftime of their Week 8 battle on the shores of The Big Lake.
Thanks in large part to a pair of electrifying touchdown runs by Ed Kiesendahl, the Buckhorns led 14-7 after one quarter and trailed just 17-14 at intermission Friday.
Unfortunately for a big raucous Homecoming crowd, the visiting Comets rallied in the second half and eventually pulled away for a 31-14 victory.
More: Honesdale hosts rare Saturday afternoon high school football Homecoming celebration
Also by Kevin Edwards: High School Football: Local teams hope to make a run in second half LFC action
“I’m very proud of how our guys played tonight,” Paupack head coach Matt Nawrocki said. “I really feel we’re a dangerous team that can make some noise in weeks nine and ten.”
Meanwhile in other local grid action, Honesdale turned in a stellar performance on the road at Greater Nanticoke Area en route to a 56-18 triumph.
Western Wayne rounded out the night with a disappointing 40-14 loss to longtime rival Lakeland.
Paupack wasted no time in sending an early message to visiting Abington Heights.
The Buckhorns won the coin toss, took possession and promptly powered right down the field to paydirt. Quarterback Jake Rafferty completed a pair of key passes during the nine-play, 75-yard drive which ate up nearly six minutes of clock.
Kiesendahl capped the march with a 10-yard touchdown run off left tackle. CJ Doty tacked on the PAT to give the Buckhorns an early 7-0 lead.
Abington retaliated quickly when senior signal caller Nick Bradley connected with wide receiver Gavin Anders on a 26-yard scoring toss.
Paupack didn’t blink in the face of Abington’s aerial assault, but rather took the ball back and mounted another impressive drive. This one also featured a nice mix of plays and ended with Kiesendahl in the end zone once again on a 49-yard touchdown sprint.
Not surprisingly, the Comets struck right back, tallying 10 points in the second period en route to a 17-14 advantage.
Halftime featured traditional Homecoming ceremonies and culminated with the presentation of Lucy Babyak and Evan Huber as this year’s royalty.
Paupack Homecomjng Queen Lucy Babyak is the daughter of Kristina and Phil Babyak. She’s a multi-sport standout who excels in softball, basketball and golf. Academically, Babyak is a member of the National Honor Society and fixture on the High Honor Roll.
This year’s King Evan Huber is the son of Tim and Pennie Huber. He has participated in football for four years and track for three. Huber has earned the gold Scholar Award for three times.
Once action resumed on the field, Abington slowly began pulling away. The Comets tallied two second half touchdowns and sealed the deal on a 31-14 decision.
Despite the loss, Nawrocki believes his squad is poised to close out the regular season in a high note.
“If we clean some things up and cut down on the mistakes, we could definitely do make a move in the playoffs,” he said.
While Honesdale still has a viable path to the playoffs, Western Wayne has reached the point that building for 2026 is becoming real priority.
On Friday night, the Hornets unleashed a multi-faceted offensive assault on Nanticoke, cruising no a 56-18 non-conference victory. The win was Honesdale's third against five losses and keeps the possibility of a .500 season alive for coach George Howanitz and his squad.
"I think the offensive line has made huge strides the past few weeks," Howanitz said. "Those kids are getting better and more physical every game."
Gabe Duda and Kobe White spearheaded the attack against the Trojans. Duda rushed for a game-high 131 yards on 12 carries. The highlight of his night was a 21-yard touchdown run. White was even more explosive, piling up 103 yards on just five attempts. The senior wingback found his way into the end zone three times, most notably via a 38-yard scamper.
"Gabe and Kobe are a great 1-2 punch, "Howanitz said. "They were just electric tonight. When both of those kids get going, they're very tough to stop."
While Honesdale was busy celebrating its latest victory, Western Wayne was licking its wounds after a third consecutive lopsided loss.
Junior tailback Quinn Swartz and sophomore quarterback each turned in a solid effort for the 'Cats. Swartz demonstrated toughness and determination while running between the tackles, while Grodack took command of the offensive huddle like a seasoned veteran.
"Jake showed a lot of toughness leading our offense against a tough Lakeland defense," head coach Shane Grodack said. "And Quinn gave us absolutely everything he had, fighting for every yard after contact."
All three local teams will be back on the gridiron Oct. 17 for Week 9 LFC action.
Paupack hosts Wyoming Valley Conference powerhouse Pittston Area, while Honesdale battles Dunmore in a do-or-die Division II contest and Western Wayne journeys to Mid Valley.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: HS Football: Wallenpaupack suffers hard-fought Week 8 loss to Abington
Continue reading...
Thanks in large part to a pair of electrifying touchdown runs by Ed Kiesendahl, the Buckhorns led 14-7 after one quarter and trailed just 17-14 at intermission Friday.
Unfortunately for a big raucous Homecoming crowd, the visiting Comets rallied in the second half and eventually pulled away for a 31-14 victory.
More: Honesdale hosts rare Saturday afternoon high school football Homecoming celebration
Also by Kevin Edwards: High School Football: Local teams hope to make a run in second half LFC action
“I’m very proud of how our guys played tonight,” Paupack head coach Matt Nawrocki said. “I really feel we’re a dangerous team that can make some noise in weeks nine and ten.”
Meanwhile in other local grid action, Honesdale turned in a stellar performance on the road at Greater Nanticoke Area en route to a 56-18 triumph.
Western Wayne rounded out the night with a disappointing 40-14 loss to longtime rival Lakeland.
Paupack's scintillating start
Paupack wasted no time in sending an early message to visiting Abington Heights.
The Buckhorns won the coin toss, took possession and promptly powered right down the field to paydirt. Quarterback Jake Rafferty completed a pair of key passes during the nine-play, 75-yard drive which ate up nearly six minutes of clock.
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Kiesendahl capped the march with a 10-yard touchdown run off left tackle. CJ Doty tacked on the PAT to give the Buckhorns an early 7-0 lead.
Abington retaliated quickly when senior signal caller Nick Bradley connected with wide receiver Gavin Anders on a 26-yard scoring toss.
Paupack didn’t blink in the face of Abington’s aerial assault, but rather took the ball back and mounted another impressive drive. This one also featured a nice mix of plays and ended with Kiesendahl in the end zone once again on a 49-yard touchdown sprint.
You must be registered for see images attach
Not surprisingly, the Comets struck right back, tallying 10 points in the second period en route to a 17-14 advantage.
Halftime featured traditional Homecoming ceremonies and culminated with the presentation of Lucy Babyak and Evan Huber as this year’s royalty.
Paupack Homecomjng Queen Lucy Babyak is the daughter of Kristina and Phil Babyak. She’s a multi-sport standout who excels in softball, basketball and golf. Academically, Babyak is a member of the National Honor Society and fixture on the High Honor Roll.
You must be registered for see images attach
This year’s King Evan Huber is the son of Tim and Pennie Huber. He has participated in football for four years and track for three. Huber has earned the gold Scholar Award for three times.
Once action resumed on the field, Abington slowly began pulling away. The Comets tallied two second half touchdowns and sealed the deal on a 31-14 decision.
Despite the loss, Nawrocki believes his squad is poised to close out the regular season in a high note.
“If we clean some things up and cut down on the mistakes, we could definitely do make a move in the playoffs,” he said.
Moving in different directions
While Honesdale still has a viable path to the playoffs, Western Wayne has reached the point that building for 2026 is becoming real priority.
On Friday night, the Hornets unleashed a multi-faceted offensive assault on Nanticoke, cruising no a 56-18 non-conference victory. The win was Honesdale's third against five losses and keeps the possibility of a .500 season alive for coach George Howanitz and his squad.
"I think the offensive line has made huge strides the past few weeks," Howanitz said. "Those kids are getting better and more physical every game."
Gabe Duda and Kobe White spearheaded the attack against the Trojans. Duda rushed for a game-high 131 yards on 12 carries. The highlight of his night was a 21-yard touchdown run. White was even more explosive, piling up 103 yards on just five attempts. The senior wingback found his way into the end zone three times, most notably via a 38-yard scamper.
"Gabe and Kobe are a great 1-2 punch, "Howanitz said. "They were just electric tonight. When both of those kids get going, they're very tough to stop."
While Honesdale was busy celebrating its latest victory, Western Wayne was licking its wounds after a third consecutive lopsided loss.
Junior tailback Quinn Swartz and sophomore quarterback each turned in a solid effort for the 'Cats. Swartz demonstrated toughness and determination while running between the tackles, while Grodack took command of the offensive huddle like a seasoned veteran.
"Jake showed a lot of toughness leading our offense against a tough Lakeland defense," head coach Shane Grodack said. "And Quinn gave us absolutely everything he had, fighting for every yard after contact."
All three local teams will be back on the gridiron Oct. 17 for Week 9 LFC action.
Paupack hosts Wyoming Valley Conference powerhouse Pittston Area, while Honesdale battles Dunmore in a do-or-die Division II contest and Western Wayne journeys to Mid Valley.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: HS Football: Wallenpaupack suffers hard-fought Week 8 loss to Abington
Continue reading...
