Williamsport football falls at home against Dallas 27-20 | News, Sports, Jobs

The 20-play, 59-yard practice might have made the Army’s ball control offense proud, but it only ended with a field goal. And a field goal in the fourth quarter after another time-consuming practice, albeit faster, led to the loss.

Williamsport coach Chuck Crews had never been in a game where a team kept possession of 12 minutes. But there wasn’t much to celebrate after three runs led to a fourth and goal from the 3-yard line and a procedural call necessitated a kick from the 8-yard line.

“Twenty games and 59 yards for three points?” Wow, “ Crews said. “It has given us some success with possessions but penalties… We’ve reduced turnovers but if we eliminate penalties it’s a different game. I guess everyone wants a Millionaires share this year.

Millionaire quarterback George Whaley lost a few snaps but lost none, although the 7 penalties for 74 yards, including several at the wrong time, hurt.

MARK NANCE / Sun-Gazette Williamsport correspondent DJ Green arms a Dallas defender in Friday night’s game.

Connor Poole’s second-half goals included all of Williamsport’s points in the second half. His third quarter was 25 yards, his fourth quarter 27.

The third quarter practice consisted of all runs except two assists, one 17 yards to Morrone and one 4 yards to Greene in the red zone. Morrone’s pass set a fourth and three, which Lajeer Whaley converted with a 5-yard rush. But three runs went nowhere before the fateful penalty.

Dallas (3-2) barely held the ball 5 minutes in the second half. His first half-time series, to start the fourth quarter, ended with an interception by Elijah Frierson.

This led to another time-consuming Williamsport practice, 11 plays for 60 yards, although ground play stalled inside the Dallas 10.

Dallas secured the victory over the Millionaires’ final possession as a detention penalty forced a third and 22 of the Williamsport 22 with less than 3 minutes to go. The last pass, a double backhand from Damond Greene, was incomplete on the sidelines.

MARK NANCE / Sun-Gazette Williamsport George Whaley breaks up a race against Dallas on Friday night.

Williamsport beat Dallas 48-0 last year but Dallas coach Rich Mannello said a combination of experience on his side and a few injuries at Williamsport tipped the scales.

“We found the outside to win and we stopped them”, Mannello said. “We forced the field goal which was huge. These kids have a lot of guts and courage and have shown it tonight.

Williamsport used two big passing sets on his two first-half touchdowns. George Whaley threw a 39-yard touchdown at Damond Greene on a third and long for the first. Lajeeer Whaley hit an 8-yard touchdown for Williamsport’s other score, one established by a 46-yard pass from Whaley to Yazhir Slaughter.

“They were hammering the ball over there, and we had to stop them again to make sure no one had a chance,” Mannello said.

Dallas scored on three of his first four possessions, mostly with the shotgun. The one who did not score led to a pick-6 touchdown by Zach Paczewski.

MARK NANCE / Sun-Gazette Williamsport correspondent Lajear Whaley tries to avoid being tackled in Friday’s game against Dallas.

Parker Bolesta ran 13 times for 88 yards and one score for Dallas, while Rocco Ormondo caught four passes for 76 yards and one score. Jackson Wydra ran into the other touchdown.

George Whaley led Williamsport in running and passing, gaining 88 yards on 18 carries and completing 9 of 10 passes for 116 yards.

His only incomplete pass was the interception of a touchdown, although Crews didn’t look too hard as there was more good than harm from his junior quarterback.

“It was a great game” said Crews. “Of course we wanted to win, but for the kids playing for me, and on the sidelines, we lost to a good football team, no shame in that. You want to win them all, but we’ll prepare for Delaware. Valley next week.

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