ABINGTON HEIGHTS FOOTBALL: Anders two-way play helps fuel 2-0 start

Reconstruction delays at the stadium at the high school have led to the Abington Heights football home opener against Dallas being pushed back a day from Sept. 5 to 6 and moved to Comets Stadium on Grove Street.

The team’s reconstruction remains on a much faster pace.

Beginning with the second weekend of October last year, the Comets have won seven of their eight games and outscored opponents 246-82. The only loss in that time was a one-pointer to unbeaten District 6 champion Hollidaysburg in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class state 5A playoffs. Two of the wins, including the District 2 Class 5A championship against recent nemesis Delaware Valley, avenged defeats earlier in 2024 when the Comets got off to a 3-4 start.

Gavin Anders helped the Comets head into September and the home opener with a 2-0 record.

Anders caught 12 passes for 212 yards and four touchdowns in the first two games and led the team in tackles in both wins. Anders had 10 tackles and two assists in the opener against East Stroudsburg South, a team that beat Abington Heights 33-14 in last year’s opener, and repeated those defensive numbers in a win at West Scranton.

Abington Heights 21, East Stroudsburg South 13

Abington Heights was 27 points better than Opening Night a year ago even though it played on the road this year and hosted last year.

Despite five new starters in the offensive line, the running game was one area where the Comets immediately moved ahead of the pace set in the first half of last season.

Jayden Anglin carried 12 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the win, along with turning catches on two swing passes into 34 yards.

Nick Bradley hit Anders for 25 yards on third-and-16 in the opening drive. Anglin followed it up by taking a pitch to the right, slipping a tackle and racing down the sideline for a 45-yard touchdown.

The Cavaliers tied the game after one quarter, but Bradley led the Comets to a 14-7 halftime lead. He converted four third-down situations with three passes and a run. The last of the conversions was a 28-yard touchdown pass on a fade to the left pylon where Anders went up over a defender to make the catch.

Fullback Thatcher Loss needed just two carries to produce 77 yards. His 55-yard run in the third quarter led to Anglin’s 23-yard touchdown on another pitch to the right, this time resulting from a quick cut inside a block and up the field.

Jack Hartshorn’s third extra-point kick made it 21-7 heading into the fourth.

East Stroudsburg South picked up 23 first downs, but could only turn them into 13 points.

Ivan Laubach was 9-for-18 for 150 yards passing. Marcos Belhaj caught three of the passes for 62 yards and a score and also ran for the other touchdown. Gianni Gonnella carried 19 times for 119 yards.

The Comets, however, came up with a series of key stops.

Anglin and Anders teamed on a tackle for loss to help halt a threat that had reached first-and-goal at the 1.

Loss had eight tackles, one of them behind the line of scrimmage, and two assists.

Cayd Sespico, Rocco Sarafinko and Chris Bohn were among the other top defensive contributors.

Sespico had two stops for losses among his seven tackles and an assist. Sarafinko had six tackles and an assist. Bohn made five tackles, assisted on three more and picked off a pass.

Bradley finished 10-for-17 for 144 yards. Anders had five catches for 75 yards.

Noah Kayal contributed a 66-yard kickoff return.

Abington Heights 37, West Scranton 10

Coach Joe Repshis picked up a win over his alma mater Aug. 29 with the help of three Bradley-to-Anglin touchdown passes.

Bradley, who also ran for a score, finished 8-for-11 for 136 yards. Anders caught seven passes for 137.

Anglin added 92 rushing yards on 19 carries and Loss ran for another score.

The Comets scored quickly for the second straight week. They stopped West Scranton to open the game, then picked up a safety on an Anthony Severs blocked punt.

Abington Heights took advantage of the ensuing free kick to move in for Bradley’s 1-yard touchdown and a 9-0 lead.

Loss ran 24 yards to make it 16-0 at the quarter.

West Scranton cut the lead in half when Jake DeLuca passed 4 yards to Sam Novak for the touchdown on fourth-and-goal, then hit Jonyae Sostrae with a two-point pass.

The Comets opened the lead to 23-8 at the half with an 83-yard drive and a 10-yard touchdown pass to Anders.

Bradley found Anders for touchdown passes of 33 and 30 yards in the third quarter.

Hartshorn added five extra points, making him 8-for-8 on PATs for the season.

Sespico and Logan Bohn each had three tackles for losses. Bohn had two of his on sacks. Sespico and Ben Reese also recorded sacks.

Sarafinko had an interception and Sespico blocked a punt.