A Season for Coach Fick: Wolfpack Honor Legacy with Overtime Victory

By: SportzWire | Sportzwire | August 30, 2025 | Photo courtesy Allan Siani - Dizzy Penquin Media

WILKES-BARRE – Friday night’s season home opener at Wilkes-Barre Area carried meaning far beyond the numbers on the scoreboard. Under the lights, with the initials CF stuck onto every helmet, the Wolfpack played for more than just a win, they played for the legacy of Coach Charlie Fick, the former G.A.R. head coach whose name still echoes across the Wyoming Valley.

Before the game, players, coaches, and fans united in a powerful tribute. Coach Fick’s son-in-law, Allan Siani Jr., later captured the moment in a moving post:

“This fall, the Wilkes-Barre Area Wolfpack are playing with something bigger than wins and losses. They’ve dedicated their 2025 season to the memory of Coach Charlie Fick… This was more than a game. It was a tribute, a reminder that the lessons Coach Fick instilled in players decades ago still live on today. Heart. Determination. Brotherhood.”

The Wolfpack embodied those words in dramatic fashion. In a contest filled with explosive plays and relentless swings in momentum, Wilkes-Barre Area outlasted Stroudsburg, 48–42, in overtime—a finish that felt like it was written for the man they honored.

The night opened with senior quarterback Jake Howe setting the tone, breaking free for a 27-yard touchdown run. But Stroudsburg answered with a highlight of its own, as Jackson Mitchell connected with Essam Alrefai for a 76-yard score. The teams traded blows through the first half, and by the break, the Wolfpack clung to a slim lead.

The third quarter delivered fireworks: Stroudsburg’s Keyes Johnson raced 23 yards to the end zone, only to have Wilkes-Barre storm back. Howe found Davon Underwood for one of his two passing touchdowns, then Kevon Creech bulldozed in from 23 yards out to swing momentum back to the home side.

Still, the Mountaineers wouldn’t go away. Mitchell and Alrefai hooked up again, and later Mitchell found Keegan Munch to put Stroudsburg ahead in the fourth. Howe answered once more, hitting Underwood for an 18-yard strike to tie the game at 35. With just over two minutes left, Stroudsburg’s Jaylin Rieara punched in a 1-yard score, seemingly setting up heartbreak. But the Wolfpack refused to fold, Howe and Underwood powered downfield, and with time slipping away, Underwood’s physical 8-yard run sent the game to overtime.

A Finish Worthy of a Tribute

In overtime, the Wolfpack didn’t hesitate. On the decisive possession, Underwood muscled in from six yards out for the game-winner, sealing an emotional 48–42 victory as teammates lifted their helmets skyward, a moment that felt like it carried Coach Fick’s spirit.

By the Numbers

• Jake Howe led the Wolfpack with 271 passing yards, 2 TDs, and added 59 rushing yards with a score.
• Davon Underwood was everywhere, rushing for 60 yards and 2 TDs (including the OT winner), plus 5 catches for 50 yards and 2 more touchdowns.
• Kevon Creech added 69 yards and a 23-yard score on the ground.
• Stroudsburg’s Keyes Johnson was outstanding in defeat, rushing for 213 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Jackson Mitchell threw for 207 yards and 3 scores.

A Win Bigger Than Football

For the Wolfpack, the numbers only told part of the story. What mattered most was how they played, with resilience, grit, and unity, the same traits Coach Fick instilled in players throughout his storied career.

On a night when the Wolfpack honored one of the Valley’s great football men, they delivered the kind of performance he would have cherished: fearless, determined, and together.

Its early in the season, still, but the message is clear: Coach Charlie Fick’s legacy lives on, carried forward one snap, one drive, one victory at a time.

Allan Siani Jr. - Dizzy Penguin Media

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