Dallas Survives Coughlin Scare

Saturday, September 04, 2004 Page: 1B

WILKES-BARRE – Though they didn’t come away winners Friday night, the
members of the Coughlin football team made one thing crystal clear in their
Wyoming Valley Conference opener – they’re improving.

The Crusaders lost a 21-13 heartbreaker to Dallas at Wilkes-Barre Memorial
Stadium in an opener for both teams. Keep in mind, Dallas is ranked in the top
five of several media polls at the Class 2A level.
“We played well, but you have to catch breaks,” Coughlin coach Pat Patte
said. “Dallas caught a few good breaks.”

Coughlin had an opportunity to force overtime at the end of the fourth
quarter. The Crusaders drove 52 yards to the Dallas 15-yard-line with seven
seconds remaining after a pass interference penalty on the Mountaineers in the
end zone.

But Coughlin quarterback Jim DePetro threw an incomplete pass with one
second left, then another as time expired – just out of the reach of Will
Jones at the back of the end zone.

“Our kids got seasoned,” Patte said. “We had a couple of new guys in key
positions. They performed well.”

Coughlin grabbed a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Joe Cunningham scored
on a 2-yard run. Cunningham finished with a game-high 119 yards on 18 carries.

But Dallas rallied to tie the score at 7 when Matt Kelly threw a 7-yard
touchdown pass to Nick Samanas with 9:37 left in the first half.

Dallas took a 14-7 lead with 3:08 left in the third quarter when Doug
Harris scored an 8-yard touchdown.

The Mountaineers were driving for another touchdown on their next drive,
but fumbled the ball away at the Coughlin 2. Yzan Mohammoud recovered for the
Crusaders.

Nine plays later, Cunningham scampered in from 51 yards out to cut the lead
to 14-13. But Samanas prevented the game from being tied when he blocked the
extra point.

Dallas took advantage of Coughlin’s lone turnover of the game to score its
final touchdown. Five plays after Kyle Zapoticky recovered a Coughlin fumble,
Harris scored on a 4-yard run with 3:32 remaining.

“Dallas played a good game offensively,” Patte said. “Their offensive line
blocked well.”

Coughlin, which struggled in the second half of games last season, made one
last effort to send the game into overtime. The Crusaders used nine plays to
get to the Dallas 15 before running out of time.

“Our kids are well conditioned,” Patte said. “It was a very hot night. A
lot of our kids play both ways. The kids played well, but we have to take
advantage of opportunities.”

Kelly completed all seven of his passes for 93 yards. Mike Race caught
three passes for 59 yards. Harris finished with 87 yards on 18 carries.

Dallas coach Ted Jackson declined comment to the Times Leader following the
game.

cutline:



Nick Samanas of Dallas barrels into the end zone for a touchdown during the
second quarter of the Mountaineers’ 21-13 victory over Coughlin on Friday
night at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium.



Coughlin quarterback Jim DePetro is chased by Matt Daube of Dallas during
the first half of the Mountaineers’ 21-13 victory over the Crusaders on Friday
night at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium.