Zero Passes Needed: Honesdale Churns Out 288 Rushing Yards to Ground Buckhorns 26-14
By: Brad Loff | SportzWire | August 30, 2026 | Photo courtesy @Chandras.Highenergylens
Gabe Duda powered his way through the line of scrimmage for a 21-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, putting the exclamation point on a relentless ground surge that tilted Friday night’s rivalry clash. Duda’s second score of the frame capped an unanswered run that carried the ninth-ranked Honesdale Hornets past eighth-ranked Wallenpaupack Area, 26-14, before an energetic crowd at Wallenpaupack Stadium.
The meeting along the Route 6 corridor renewed one of the area’s fiercest Wayne-Pike traditions, with both squads entering as top-ten contenders in the big school rankings. Wallenpaupack grabbed the early momentum in the opening quarter behind dual-threat quarterback Jake Rafferty. The junior signal-caller orchestrated an effective opening march and punched the ball across the goal line from five yards out. Colby Bonagura split the uprights on the extra point to stake the Buckhorns to a 7-0 advantage.
Honesdale responded before the opening quarter expired. Sophomore running back Turk Acker found an alley through the defense and sprinted 15 yards to the end zone. Kicker Alex Valerio tacked on the extra point, tying the score at 7-7.
Both defensive units took command during a scoreless second quarter, locking down running lanes and generating key stops to preserve the deadlock heading into halftime.
The Hornets seized control of the trenches immediately after the break, executing an uncompromising rushing plan. Duda shouldered the workload, repeatedly churning out positive yardage to wear down the Buckhorns. The senior standout broke the tie on an 11-yard touchdown plunge, giving Honesdale its first lead at 13-7. Moments later, Duda struck again with his 21-yard scoring dash to extend the margin to 19-7 heading into the final quarter.
Honesdale sustained its push in the fourth quarter when Acker broke away for his second score of the evening, a 14-yard touchdown burst. Valerio added the conversion to make it 26-7. Wallenpaupack continued to fight down the stretch as Rafferty directed a crisp scoring drive, capping it with a 10-yard touchdown run before Bonagura added the PAT to close the gap to 26-14. Honesdale’s defense held firm on the final possessions to seal the victory.
The Hornets generated all 288 of their offensive yards on the ground across 47 carries. Duda spearheaded the effort with 195 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. Gino Patrisso contributed 45 yards on four carries, while Acker chipped in 36 yards and two scores on five touches. On defense, Christian Dieterich and Acker posted four solo tackles apiece, Owen Phillips supplied a tackle for loss, and Honesdale capitalized on two fumble recoveries.
Wallenpaupack finished with 290 total yards behind Rafferty, who threw for 162 yards on 11 completions while rushing for 53 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Vargo hauled in three passes for 70 yards, including a 49-yard reception, and Ed Kiesendahl collected 42 rushing yards on nine carries.
Honesdale Player Statistics
Gabe Duda: 24 carries, 195 rushing yards, 2 TD, 2 tackles, 4 assists, 1 punt
Turk Acker: 5 carries, 36 rushing yards, 2 TD, 4 tackles, 1 assist
Gino Patrisso: 4 carries, 45 rushing yards, 3 tackles, 1 assist
Christian Dieterich: 4 tackles, 3 assists
Owen Phillips: 2 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
Wallenpaupack Player Statistics
Jake Rafferty: 11 of 20 passing, 162 passing yards, 9 carries, 53 rushing yards, 2 TD
Ryan Vargo: 3 receptions, 70 receiving yards
Ed Kiesendahl: 9 carries, 42 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 9 receiving yards
Jack Folk: 4 receptions, 48 receiving yards
Anthony Kiesendahl: 10 carries, 33 rushing yards
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