Right Before the Horn: Wyoming Area Finds Its Spark, Pulls Away From Western Wayne
By: Justin Bradley | SportzWire | September 25, 2026 | Photo courtesy Justin Focus
LAKE ARIEL — Beautiful sunset skies overhead, burgers and hot dogs on the grill and smoke drifting through the Friday night air…there aren’t many bad nights to catch a football game at Western Wayne.
For Wyoming Area, the ride home made this one even better.
The Warriors answered a second-quarter push from the Wildcats with a touchdown on the final play of the first half, then controlled the final two quarters to earn a 35-13 non-league victory and their first road win of the season.
Wyoming Area led 14-0 before Western Wayne came charging back with consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter, trimming the advantage to 14-13.
Suddenly, a game that appeared to be going Wyoming Area’s way had changed.
Then came the play that changed it back.
With time expiring in the half, quarterback Luke Kopetchny gave sophomore receiver David Favata an opportunity downfield. Favata went up and made the play, pulling in a 32-yard touchdown as the clock hit zero.
Instead of carrying a one-point lead into the locker room, Wyoming Area had some breathing room and plenty of momentum.
Kopetchny admitted afterward that the Warriors needed it.
“We started out pretty hot, but then we started to cool down towards the half,” Kopetchny said. “We had a nice, kind of a Hail Mary there at the end to boost the confidence.”
It was the second touchdown connection of the night between Kopetchny and Favata.
Earlier in the second quarter, Favata climbed the ladder in the back of the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown, another impressive grab from the sophomore in his first season with the program.
For Favata, everything is starting to come together.
“It’s a feeling unlike any other,” Favata said. “It’s my first year coming out. The team’s been picking me up. Luke’s been helping me a lot get better, and I just went out and everything just connected.”
That connection was on display throughout the night.
Kopetchny said his approach with Favata is simple: give his receiver a chance to make the play.
“Just putting it in spots they can’t get it, I know he can get though,” Kopetchny said. “Just letting him make plays.”
Wyoming Area had opened the scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Dominic Bartell in the first quarter. After the Wildcats made their second-quarter run, the Warriors’ touchdown at the horn restored control.
They never gave it back.
The Wyoming Area defense held Western Wayne scoreless throughout the second half, while the offense added two more touchdowns.
On a third-and-one in the third quarter, Nicholas Kondrosky broke free for a 37-yard touchdown run. Kopetchny later rolled to his right on third-and-goal and found Drew Keating for an 8-yard score, giving the quarterback his third touchdown pass of the night.
It wasn’t a flawless performance. Wyoming Area missed a field goal and had turnovers that Kopetchny said the Warriors need to eliminate.
But when Western Wayne punched back, Wyoming Area responded, something head coach Randy Spencer emphasized to his team on the field afterward.
“We said we need to get more on the road, bring energy and finish football games, and you guys did that,” Spencer told his players. “That’s a very good win, guys. That’s a very good win.”
The result moved Wyoming Area to 3-2 and gave the Warriors their first victory away from home this season.
Western Wayne also moved to 3-2.
For Wyoming Area, the final score was convincing.
But the moment that turned the night came with zeroes on the first-half clock, Kopetchny putting it up, Favata going to get it, and the Warriors taking that momentum with them the rest of the way.
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