LAKE ARIEL — With both teams winning in Week 2 to even their records at 1-1, the Northwest Area Rangers and Western Wayne Wildcats each looked to build momentum.

Western Wayne did that with an exclamation point.

Running back Kobe Sauter returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to the Northwestern 5-yard line. Two plays later, Sauter took a pitch to the Western Wayne sideline and tiptoed into the end zone to pace the Wildcats in a 32-19 victory on Friday Night.

A missed PAT put the Wildcats (2-1) up 6-0 just 20 seconds into the game.

The weather varied from a mist to a downpour throughout the evening, making ball security important. The next drive, Northwest Area’s (1-2) offense got to work with a slow, methodical drive. Running back Jake Anderson got the majority of the work, carrying the ball five times on the nine-play, 55-yard drive, but it was fullback Jack Stancavage who found the end zone from a yard out.

Anderson was a workhorse for the Rangers, carrying the ball 25 times for 138 yards.

Jack Wessler’s PAT gave the Rangers a 1-point advantage.

The Wildcats answered on their next drive, aired by a roughing the passer call against the Rangers on third down, and a conversion on fourth and 13 before Scott Walck found Danny Boots on a crossing route to make it in from 10 yards out.

Another missed PAT put the score at 12-7 Western Wayne.

Swinging right back, Northwest kept the ball on the ground for nine plays, breaking off three separate runs of 14 yards by three different players. The Rangers drive for 67 yards before Stancavage’s second 1-yard TD.

A blocked PAT gave the Rangers a 13-12 lead.

Stancavage finished his night with eight carries for 36 yards and two touchdowns.

The two teams traded field position until 1:42 left in the second quarter. A fumble on the Rangers punt gave the Wildcats the ball on the Northwest 1-yard line. Three plays later, Scott Walck found his brother Dylan for a six-yard strike.

Scott called his own number on the PAT attempt, rushing for the two-point conversion and a 20-13 lead going into halftime.

The Rangers turned the ball over on downs to start the second half, but immediately got a swing of momentum on a David Piestrak interception. The next play, Piestrak completed a 34-yard pass to Ezra Miller for the score.

A missed PAT cut the lead to 1 for the Wildcats.

Not to be deterred, the Wildcats went on a drive of their own, highlighted by Scott Walck’s 34-yard keeper and a 26-yard pass to Boots. Walck finished the drive off with a keeper, pushing the lead back to 26-19 Wildcats after the missed PAT.

After the next Rangers drive ended in a fumble, the Wildcats drive again, finishing a six-play, 45-yard drive with a diving touchdown catch by Dylan Walck. A failed conversion left the score 32-19, and rounded on the scoring for the evening.

Scott finished his night completing 10 of 18 passes for 156 yards, three touchdowns and one INT.

Next week, the Rangers travel to Factoryville to play the Lackawanna Trail Lions (2-1).

Western Wayne plays next Friday at Holy Redeemer (1-2).

Northwest Area 19, Western Wayne 32

Northwest Area `7`6`6`0`—`19

Western Wayne `12`8`6`6`—`32

First quarter

WW – Kobe Sauter 4-yard run (kick failed) 11:13

NW – Jack Stancavage 1-yard run (Wessler PAT) 6:39

WW – Scott Walck 10-yard pass to Danny Boots (kick failed) 1:01

Second quarter

WW - Scott Walck 6-yard pass to Dylan Walck. (Scott Walk 2PC rush good). 1:29

Third quarter

NW – David Piestrak 34-yard pass to Ezra Miller (PAT No Good) 8:27

WW – Scott Walck 2-yard run. (PAT no Good) 4:45

Fourth quarter

WW – Scott Walck 20-yard pass to Dylan Walck (2PC no good) 9:57

Team statistics`NW`WW

First downs`19`11

Rushes-yards`45-259` 23-72

Passing yards`85`156

Total yards`344`228

Passing`13-5-1-1`10-18-3-1

Sacked-yards lost`2-5 ‘0-0

Punts-avg.`0-0`1-34

Fumbles-lost`4-2`3-0

Penalties-yards`5-45 `7-35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — WW Sauter 10-3-1, S. Walck 5-38-1, Boots 8-31 NW – Anderson 25-138, Stancavage 8-36-2, Piestrak 9-61, Miller 1-14, Getz 2-10

PASSING — WW S. Walck 10-18-3-1, NW Piestrak 5-13-1-1

RECEIVING — NW Miller 3-56-1, Hazlet 2-29 WW Kilgallon 2-28, D. Walck 4-69-2, Boots 1-30-1, Fuller 1-12,