Dallas’ offense unstoppable in win vs. Abington Heights

DALLAS TWP. — The only way Dallas’ offense was halted Friday night was when the Mountaineers shut themselves down at the end.

Otherwise, Abington Heights couldn’t stop Dallas’ punishing running game and efficient pass attack.

Dallas scored on its first six possessions and never let Abington Heights mount a rally in a 42-23 non-conference win.

Aside from taking two knees to end the game, Dallas had just one other play result in negative yardage.

“I think we needed to prove to ourselves we could knock a good front off the ball,” Dallas coach Rich Mannello said. “I think we proved that tonight. That’s as well coached team as your going to get. We have a lot of respect for them. … I always say to our staff we’ll find out after we play Abington where we’re at.”

Dallas senior Hunter Pitcavage provided the biggest punch as the Mountaineers improved to 3-0. He rushed 21 times for 136 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, he landed some nasty hits from his linebacker spot.

The game was quite a contrast for Pitcavage from a Week 3 game with Abington Heights in 2025. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in that game.

“I was supposed to be out five to six months and I got back in three months,” Pitcavage said. “It was just grinding and got back here and it’s good to have my team back.”

Pitcavage shared backfield duties with sophomore Marc Saracinaj, who rushed for 87 yards and two scores. Quarterback Talan Geskey connected on 10-of-12 passes for 124 yards and sneaked in for another TD. One of his incompletions was a throwaway because of coverage.

Kicker Brandon Miller helped Dallas win the field position battled with four touchbacks after the six Mountaineers’ touchdowns.

Mannello said he considering squib kicks to keep the ball away from Abington Heights standout Jayden Anglin. But Miller’s effectiveness with touchbacks through the first two games nixed that idea.

It paid off as the defense held Abington Heights (1-2) to three-and-outs after two of the touchbacks, giving Dallas the ball at the 50-yard line twice after punts.

There were a couple miscue to overcome, though. Dallas had holding penalties on its first three TD drives and a pair of false starts on its fourth.

Pitcavage got Dallas on the board nine plays after the opening kickoff on a 5-yard run. Geskey had a key 29-yard pass to receiver Bobby Gallagher on the 65-yard drive.

Saracinaj scored from 3 yards out the next time Dallas had the ball, with his 18-yard catch-and-run on a middle screen on a third-and-14 the big play. Lineman Cole Langdon had the key block that allowed Saracinaj to pick up the first down.

Abington Heights cut the deficit to 14-7 early in the second quarter when quarterback Gavin Shay hooked up with receiver Race Moraski on a 11-yard TD pass. Dallas, though, went right back to work on offense.

Pitcavage finished off a 15-play drive with a 3-yard scoring run where Dallas converted a second-and-18 on a reception by Jim Youngblood.

The Mountaineers built their lead to 35-10 in the third quarter on a 1-yard sneak by Geskey and a 4-yard run by Saracinaj. After Rodman Azar made a leap catch in the end zone for the Comets, Dallas responded and Pitcavage finished off his night with a 40-yard TD run for a 42-17 lead with 7:08 remaining.

Anglin rushed 14 times for 154 yards, with runs of 46 and 35 accounting for the bulk of his yardage.

Dallas 42, Abington Heights 23

Abington Heights`0`10`0`13 — 23

Dallas`14`7`14`7 — 42

First quarter

DAL — Hunter Pitcavage 5 run (Brandon Miller kick), 8:30

DAL — Marc Saracinaj 3 run (Miller kick), 1:46

Second quarter

AH — Race Moraski 11 pass from Gavin Shay (Jack Hartshorn kick), 10:29

DAL — Pitcavage 3 run (Miller kick), 2:57

AH — Hartshorn 32 FG, 0:19

Third quarter

DAL — Talan Geskey 1 run (Miller kick), 6:25

DAL — Saracinaj 4 run (David Worth kick), 0:46

Fourth quarter

AH — Rodman Azar 12 pass from Shay (Hartshorn kick), 10:38

DAL — Pitcavage 40 run (Worth kick), 7:08

AH — Jayden Anglin 1 run (kick blocked), 5:41

Team statistics`AH`DAL

First downs`10`20

Rushes-yards`24-244`41-277

Passing yards`62`124

Total yards`306`401

Passing`6-11-0`10-12-0

Sacked-yards lost`1-4`0-0

Punts-avg.`3-29.3`0-0

Fumbles-lost`1-0`0-0

Penalties-yards`5-12`6-45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Abington Heights, Aglin 14-154, Shay 5-41, Azar 1-6, Brayden McColligan 2-37, Scott Weiland 2-6. Dallas, Pitcavage 21-136, Geskey 9-49, Saracinaj 18-87, Tyce Mason 1-7, team 2-(minus-2).

PASSING — Abington Heights, Shay 6-11-0-62. Dallas, Geskey 10-12-0-124.

RECEIVING — Abington Heights, Azar 2-21, Moraski 3-32, Anglin 1-9. Dallas, Bobby Gallagher 3-52, Mason 3-9, Saracinaj 2-29, Jim Youngblood 2-22, Pitcavage 1-12.

INTERCEPTIONS — none

MISSED FGs — none