The Hazleton Area Cougars will head out on the road to face off against the Berwick Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Hazleton Area is hoping to put an end to a five-game streak of away losses.
Last Friday, it was a hard-fought matchup, but Hazleton Area had to settle for a 24-21 loss against Williamsport. Hazleton Area gained 177 more yards on the day, but it was Williamsport that made the best of use of them.
Despite their loss, Hazleton Area saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Riley Vangilst, who picked up 107 receiving yards and two touchdowns, was perhaps the best of all. The team also got some help courtesy of Zander Coleman, who rushed for 17 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Berwick's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their third straight loss. They took a 33-27 hit to the loss column at the hands of Crestwood.
Hazleton Area's loss dropped their record down to 2-7. As for Berwick, they have not been sharp recently, as they've lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-7 record this season.
Hazleton Area took their win against Berwick when the teams last played back in October of 2022 by a conclusive 20-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hazleton Area since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
