Crestwood’s Jack Rodgers (12 left) had faster hands that Dallas’ Tyce Mason as the went up for the ball in the corner of the end zone in a game on Friday, October 16, 2026 at Mountaineer Stadium. (FRANK LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Crestwood’s Jake Jeckell (21) looks for an escape against Dallas in a game on Friday, October 16, 2026 at Mountaineer Stadium. (FRANK LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
It’s a footrace between Crestwood’s Kyle Schade (1) and Dallas’ Tyce Mason (2) who reached the end zone in a game on Friday, October 16, 2026 at Mountaineer Stadium. (FRANK LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Crestwood’s Teddy Taylor (12) passes the ball with some pressure from Dallas’ Owen Oldt (10) in a game on Friday, October 16, 2026 at Mountaineer Stadium. (FRANK LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
Dallas quarterback Talen Geskey (15) passes the ball against Crestwood in a game on Friday, October 16, 2026 at Mountaineer Stadium. (FRANK LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Crestwood’s Jack Rodgers (12 left) had faster hands that Dallas’ Tyce Mason as the went up for the ball in the corner of the end zone in a game on Friday, October 16, 2026 at Mountaineer Stadium. (FRANK LAURI / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER)
DALLAS TWP. — Hunter Pitcavage looked to set the edge on third down late in the first half Friday night.
The Dallas senior set up at outside linebacker and expected to play coverage in the flat, but his eyes lit up when he saw the football on the ground at Mountaineer Stadium.
An errant shotgun snap had sailed past Crestwood quarterback Teddy Taylor, and opposite-side pass rusher Owen Oldt redirected the loose ball directly into Pitcavage’s path, making for the effectively victory-sealing 18-yard fumble return touchdown.
The defensive score gave Dallas a 42-7 advantage with 28 seconds until halftime, and that margin would prove to be the final score in the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 contest.
“I think it was more of being in the right place at the right time,” Pitcavage said. “Owen (Oldt) set the pressure back there. He made that play, I just scooped it up and scored.”
Pitcavage’s fumble return was the cherry on top of his already productive night that included 56 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Dallas (8-0 overall, 1-0 Division 2) took a timeout with 36 seconds left before the break, looking to get the ball back from Crestwood (1-7, 1-1) for a quick score before halftime. Thanks to Pitcavage, the Mountaineers didn’t need another offensive possession, and the running clock was in effect for the entire second half.
The victory keeps Dallas atop the District 2 Class 4A playoff standings. The power rankings that set the playoff field, however, are based on strength of schedule metrics that can change over the next couple of weeks.
The best chance Dallas has of holding off North Pocono (7-1) for the No. 1 seed simply is to win out.
“We’re nowhere near an undefeated season,” Dallas head coach Rich Mannello said. “But the guys have done a tremendous job of locking in to what our process is, what our standard is every single week.”
Barring a late season collapse and funky math, the Mountaineers’ next home game will be in the playoffs. Dallas closes the regular season with road games at WVC Division 2 opponents Hanover Area (1-7) and Berwick (4-4).
That next home game could be against Crestwood again, as head coach Ryan Arcangeli and the Comets are fighting for one of the final spots in the same eight-team playoff bracket. They most likely need to claim at least one triumph to lock it up as they close the season hosting Berwick and visiting Wyoming Valley West (4-4).
If Dallas and Crestwood face off in the playoffs, football fans should hope for a closer contest.
Dallas cashed in for touchdowns on all five of its first-half series Friday, capitalizing on short fields with a balanced mix of runs and passes.
Pitcavage opened the scoring with a 10-yard run 3:04 into the game, set up by Tyce Mason’s 26-yard rush.
Oldt and Cole Langdon caused a strip sack that led to a Crestwood punt deep in its own territory, and 10 plays into Dallas’ next drive Marc Saracinaj scored on a 7-yard carry to open up a 14-0 lead with 3:41 left in the first quarter.
Crestwood’s lone score came on an 80-yard drive, 45 of which were the result of three Dallas defensive penalties. The Comets took advantage, driving into the red zone and eventually Taylor connected with Jack Rodgers for a 16-yard touchdown pass to slice the deficit in half, 14-7, at the end of the first period.
“We’ve got to look at what those penalties were, watch them on film, use them as a teaching tool, and understand that as we go down the line here they could cost us a football game,” Mannello said.
From there, Dallas scored quick and often.
Pitcavage scored his second rushing touchdown of the night on a 25-yard carry to make it 21-7 on the second play of the second quarter.
Oldt muscled in a fullback dive from 1 yard out on their next drive to extend the lead to 28-7 with 4:15 left in the half, and he followed that up with a fumble recovery of his own with 2:46 until the break.
Next, quarterback Talan Geskey, who passed for 76 yards on 6-of-10 passing, threw a dart to Mason for a 22-yard score to lift Dallas to a 35-7 lead at the 1:27 mark. Three plays into Crestwood’s ensuing drive, Pitcavage’s fumble return became the final tally.
“Those kids played their hearts out over there. They’ve got a slew of kids that have been injured and they played really hard,” Mannello said of Crestwood. “Our kids did a nice job of taking over in that second quarter.”
David Worth went 6-for-6 on extra points in relief of injured kicker Brandon Miller.