West Scranton’s Kazual Colbert makes a catch for a big gain behind Hazleton Area defender Jose Lopez. (BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Hazleton Area’s JJ Lantigua slips by West Scranton’s Aidan Diaz (56) and Elijah Robbins (10) on Friday. (BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
West Scranton’s Jonaye Sostre runs for a big gain against Hazleton Area on Friday. (BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Xavier Heck (20) and Jaxon Johnson (28) celebrate after Heck scored a touchdown for Hazleton Area against West Scranton on Friday. (BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Hazleton Area’s Luis Guzman returns a kick against West Scranton on Friday night. (BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
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West Scranton’s Kazual Colbert makes a catch for a big gain behind Hazleton Area defender Jose Lopez. (BOB GAETANO / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
HAZLETON – Back at the scene of the crime – its most humbling loss in a forgettable two-win season a year ago – West Scranton made amends Friday night.
Brothers Jonyae and Austin Sostre combined for all five Invader touchdowns in a 38-17 victory over Hazleton Area in a nonleague high school football opener for both teams at Harman-Geist Stadium.
“Man, that was tough taking that 40-0 loss to these guys last year,” said Jonyae, a junior all-purpose back, who ran for two scores and a caught a pass from his younger brother, Austin for another touchdowns. “The biggest difference in this game was we didn’t crumble when adversity hit.
“When we fell behind, 17-14, in the third quarter, I got in the huddle and said to my guys, ‘Let’s not crumble; let’s finish this game. We’re gonna battle through this adversity and we’re going to come out of here with the dub.’ ”
As in “W.” As in win.
“We have a lot more experience than last year,” Invaders head coach Jake Manetti said. “We took some lumps last year (while) playing and starting a lot of sophomores. Now we have a lot of veteran guys with experience. Even though they’re still young, most of them have 10 to 20 starts under their belts, and that showed by the way were able to move the ball up and down the field. At least we gave our defense a chance this year.”
West Scranton also benefited from Austin Sostre playing more like a veteran quarterback than a 14-year-old freshman making his first varsity start. He routinely and calmly completed clutch passes to his array of speedy playmakers while showcasing his running ability to the tune of two touchdowns and a successful two-point try.
“I’m so proud of him, especially him being so young and commanding a veteran offense,” Jonyae said “He should be very proud of the way he carried himself out here, throwing his body around and doing whatever he could to get the win for the team.”
After getting shut out by the Cougars last year and managing only a field goal against them in 2024, the Invaders went right to work Friday.
Quincy Mosley’s 24-yard punt return set up the visitors at the Hazleton Area 33 just minutes into the season. A couple of short Austin Sostre passes and his brother’s 11-yard burst set West Scranton up in point-blank range. Three plays later, the Sostre brothers connected on a 5-yard scoring pass. Anderson Maykel Chuqui Dominguez’s first of four successful extra points made in 7-0 not even halfway through the first quarter.
The Cougars answered later in third behind the running of Xavier Heck (29 carries-152 yards) and quarterback JJ Lantigua, the latter pinballing his way 39 yards for a touchdown. Derek Radzwich’s point-after made it 7-all.
Next it was West Scranton’s turn to score as Austin Sostre kept switching receivers on another efficient march. His biggest completion was a 43-yard heave to Kazual Colbert that ultimately led to the quarterback’s 6-yard keeper to the end zone
Heck carried the ball six times on Hazleton Area’s ensuing possession, four resulting in first downs. Latingua, though, was injured while trying to reach for extra yardage on another keeper and eventually taken from the field on a stretcher. There was no immediate word on the severity of his injury.
“JJ was having a heckuva game … He was able to scramble and run,” Hazleton area head coach Scott Sacco said. “We couldn’t get into our pass game when he went down. ..That just sucked the wind out of us.”
After Lantigua’s injury, Radzwich drilled a 27-yard field goal to pull the Cougars within 14-10 at halftime.
They quickly gained momentum after the break as Alex Fedorko’s diving interception on the first play of the second half sparked their go-ahead drive. Again, Heck picked up the load behind his fired-up linemen. He carried eight of the nine plays in the 56-yard scoring march, capping it with a 4-yard pop to paydirt for his team’s first lead.
That, however, was short-lived as the younger Sostre passed and ran the Invaders back up the the field. He hit Colbert with a key toss on fourth-and-12 to the Cougar 10. Jonyae Sostre scored on the next play, and West Scranton never trailed again, as its defense hunkered down from that point.
Keying on the run, they pushed Hazleton Area to near its end zone on one possession, leading to a safety when a snap sailed over the Cougar punter’s head.
Meanwhile, the Invaders’ offense continued to hum, as Austin Sostre added his second TD on a 5-yard run and Jonyae went in from the 2 in the final quarter.
What started as an opening night shootout fizzled out over the final quarter and a half.
“It’s Week 1, Game 1. …It’s always going to sloppy,” Sacco said. “It was a back-and-forth game and we were able to make some plays while trying to clean some things up. .. I was happy with how responded early in the second half and pushed the ball down the field on the field. We just have to step up more on defense.”