Ray Melnikoff ran for 128 yards and a touchdown Friday while leading a defensive effort that produced Lackawanna Trail’s third shutout of the season in a 35-0, non-league football victory over visiting Hanover Area.
Lackawanna Trail (5-3) has come back from each of its three losses this season with a shutout the next week.
The Lions limited the Hawkeyes to five first downs, 28 yards rushing and 73 yards total offense. Hanover Area completed just seven of 23 passes and managed to gain more than nine yards on only one of its 48 offensive plays, a 21-yard pass in the third quarter.
Melnikoff led balanced efforts on both sides of the ball. He had five tackles, three assists and a pass rush on defense.
Miles Edwards also had five tackles while adding an assist.
Josh Brown and Kody Cresswell each had three tackles and two assists. Brown made a tackle for a nine-yard loss and added a pass rush. Cresswell broke up a pass and made a tackle for a loss.
The offense churned out 317 rushing yards while spreading 36 attempts over 10 ballcarriers.
Melnikoff ran 53 yards for a touchdown and got his yards on a team-high nine carries.
Jeffrey Resto ran for 77 yards and the game’s last two touchdowns on six carries. Tyler Rozanski added 44 yards and a touchdown on just four carries. Luke Baldwin also ran for a score.
Melnikoff also chipped in on the special teams, going 5-for-5 on extra points and getting off a 43-yard punt.
Hanover Area’s best threats came on the first drive of each half.
Following a short punt, the Hawkeyes moved to the 26 before losing the ball on downs midway through the first quarter. They held the ball for 13 plays to begin the second half while trailing 21-0, but a fourth-and-eight from the Lions 23 resulted in a nine-yard sack by Resto.
After the first defensive stop, Lackawanna Trail took the lead by covering 73 yards in just three plays, including Melnikoff’s touchdown run.
The Lions added two touchdowns in the second quarter.
Rozanski’s 20-yard run capped a 12-play, 82-yard drive that started in the first quarter. Baldwin scored from the 1 after Brown tackled the Hanover Area punter at the 13 before he could get the kick away.
Resto scored from the 2 late in the third quarter and the 43 in the first minute of the fourth.
