Grenadiers hold off late rally by Hanover Area
By Frank Kastreva, WVCD2.com
WILKES-BARRE- Memorial Stadium was the site of the second round of the class AA playoffs in district two this Friday night, as the GAR Grenadiers played host to the Hanover Area Hawkeyes.
It would be a second time meeting for these two with GAR recording the 39-6 win during week seven of the regular season.
Tonight’s contest would be much closer and Hanover Area nearly pulled off what would of been a dramatic comeback to say the least.
The Grenadiers would take the lead at the start of the second quarter with Sr. RB Ryan Womack scampering 29 yards to paydirt. Sr. K Godson Tandoh would nail the point after attempt with the score GAR 7 Hawks 0.
Hanover Area answered right back as Jr. WR Tomas Cabrera took a screen pass from Sr. QB Rich Colorusso and promptly took it 44 yards to the gold zone.
The Hawks then tried a two point conversion on a broken play which failed. With the missed conversion GAR would hold a one point lead at 7-6.
There would be no more scoring until mid way through the third quarter with GAR’s Tandoh splitting the uprights on a 24 yard field goal with the score GAR 10 Hawks 6.
GAR would pad their lead even more at the start of the fourth quarter with Womack leading the way on the ground and then capping the drive on a one yard jaunt to paydirt. Tandoh, again nailed the PAT with the score GAR 17 Hawks 6.
The Hawks would once again crawl back into it on what some would call a trick play, at least the positioning of their starting QB was interesting.
Rich Colorusso, who is Hanover Area’s starting QB was a receiver on the play and Rich’s brother Brandon Colorusso was the quarterback. Brandon is a junior while Rich will graduate this year.
Brandon tossed a 29 yard TD strike to brother Rich, Colorusso to Colorusso and the Hawks were back in it 17-12. Hanover did try a two point conversion which failed and the score held at 17-12.
The game got even more interesting as the fourth quarter began to wind down under three minutes.
Hanover Area would hold GAR on an attempted fourth down conversion and would get the pigskin back around there own 30 yard line.
The Hawks would drive all the way to the GAR 33 yard line, only to have the Grenadiers stall the drive on a failed fourth down pass attempt.
With the win GAR advances to the district two class AA finals in which they will play Dunmore, whom beat Lakeland 34-13 to advance.
The game will be played at a neutral site in district two, most likely Scranton Memorial Stadium next Friday night, but that is NOT official.
Wherever the game is played, GAR will be the underdog and will have to rely on a huge game from Womack. Dunmore is strong on both sides of the ball and will certainly be the toughest team GAR has seen in the 2008 campaign.
3 Responses
i hope dunmore crashes GAR. Perry is going to put up over 200 yards. Miller Homles passing game is going to an amazing game.
I think Dumore wins but not by 28 that’s a little much. Womack is one of the best backs around and if he gets going Dunmore only wins by 7. That’s if he gets going.
im a riverside fan and i have seen many battles between the bucks & the vikes big 11 style and if the bucks play old school big 11 football they will go right through GAR’s defense as easily as going through the cheerleaders paper sighn at the beginning of the game DUNMORE by 28