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Williamsport captures District 2-4 Class 6A championship over Wyoming Valley West

By Chris Masse 8 min read

As joyous Williamsport players danced and the wind flapped their gold medals around, snow flurries began falling through the night sky.

Maybe it was fate. Because in a season which has become quite memorable it brought another highlight to a night; a performance the Millionaires will never forget.

The offensive line dominated; the defense surged and Tevin Williams totaled four touchdowns as Williamsport steamrolled Wyoming Valley West, 41-13 to capture the District 2-4 Class 6A championship Friday at Millionaire Stadium. Trey Damschroder caught 11 passes for 141 yards, becoming just the program’s second 1,000-yard receiver, and Williamsport (9-3) completed a revenge tour, winning its second championship in three years after coming up short in last year’s final.

This time, the Millionaires left no doubt they were the sub-region’s best team. By a wide margin.

"It feels amazing," center Christopher Terrano said. "All the work we’ve been putting in every offseason is finally paying off."

"It’s kind of like relief, honestly," fellow Williamsport lineman Kamar Stroud said. "We’re making our city proud."

They certainly are. Stroud is one of several Millionaires who also excels off the field as a standout singer. Playing Valley West (7-6) for the second time this season, Williamsport produced quite a melodic performance and nearly every note the starters produced was perfect.

The offense scored touchdown on its first six series; the starting defense allowed just 128 yards on 30 plays and Anthony Manley’s blocked punt four plays into the game set the tone as all three phases formed a potent blend which blew Valley West away.

Williamsport led 35-6 at halftime and Williams (22 of 25, 241 yards) found Damschroder for a 10-yard third quarter touchdown which imposed the mercy rule against a team coming off its best performance this season.

"We took a heartbreaking loss to Wilkes-Barre last year and we were out for vengeance the whole season," Damschroder said after joining Jerah Reeves as the only 1,000-yard receiver in the program’s history, while also tying his career record of 129 receptions. "This was the whole goal and we accomplished that. It’s a great feeling to go out my senior year with a district gold medal around the neck."

Damschroder is one of several seniors who have played together since they first put on cleats. Zion Hughes is another and continued his dazzling comeback season, rushing for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Manley and fellow senior Cordoza Minor dominated up front and whether senior or underclassman, everyone effectively played his role.

That led to a big celebration as players lined up along the sideline and received the gold medals they coveted. The journey continues and Williamsport hosts State College in next Friday’s state tournament. Still, this was a moment to savor.

"That’s what I really think won us that gold tonight. It’s not the touchdowns; it’s not Tevin’s speed, it’s not Trey’s catches. It’s our brotherly love and the chemistry we have with each other," Manley said. "We’ve been part of this team for four years and I can tell you this is as close as I’ve ever felt we are to a family."

The family enjoyed reunions rather often Friday, whether it was the defense in the backfield or the offense in the end zone. Williamsport built a 20-0 first quarter lead, stretched it to 27-0 in the second and then stuck in the dagger with a brilliantly-executed two-minute drill which made it, 34-6 at halftime.

Manley and Minor made tackles on the game’s first two plays and Manley then burst through the line and blocked a punt on fourth down which Minor recovered at the Spartan 28-yard line. One play later Williamsport went ahead to stay as Hughes ripped off a sensational touchdown run. Hughes started left, cut back and patiently allowed the line to set up his blocks. He then burst through the hole and ran both around and through multiple defenders. It was a fast start and the Millionaires never slowed down.

"They expected me to be in the middle because that’s where I played last year," said Manley, who moved to defensive end earlier this season. "A lot of us are playing offense and defense and we just wanted to be clicking. We wanted that end zone. We wanted to party in that end zone."

The celebration continued throughout the half. Manley and Jaylen Williams teamed up to stop Valley West on a fourth-and-three gamble at its own 42-yard line on the next series. From there, Williamsport needed just two plays to score as Williams broke loose for a 27-yard touchdown run. The baton was passed to the special teams and kicker/safety Brayden Ungard joined the party, highlighting his superb night, by chasing down the kick returner and forcing a fumble on the kickoff.

Mha’si Strickland recovered the fumble at the 45 and Williamsport covered 55 yards in nine plays, Williams’s 1-yard plunge making it, 20-0.

"We’ve been preaching all year that we’re not worried about the scoreboard. Just make sure you’re playing every play the best you can," first-year coach Kevin Brown said. "If you keep doing that, you’ll have a chance at the end of each game. That’s pretty much been the season for us."

Williamsport struck to that mantra and Williams and Ungard delivered defensively on fourth down early in the second quarter, stopping Valley West’s best series at the 20-yard line. Williams really started carving up Valley West through the air from that point on and shredded Valley West on the ensuing 80-yard drive.

Facing fourth-and-15, Williams dropped back, received super protection and dropped a dime to Jaylen Lilly in the middle of the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown, capping the march and making it, 27-0. After Valley West scored its lone touchdown against the starters, Williamsport thundered back and needed just 55 seconds to move 65 yards and go up, 34-6 at halftime.

Williams was 15 of 17 by halftime and 4 of 4 on this series, finding Damschroder three times and Lilly another. Hughes then scored from three yards out and Williamsport entered halftime on a high. Contrasting this game and the season opener long-time rivals played, Williamsport led just 7-3 at halftime there.

"They were a different team. We changed, too," Terrano said. "We just have to play our ball, and not let them bring us down. We just want to play the way we can play."

Terrano, Stroud, Manley, Minor and Jaxson Thompson made sure seemingly every play Williamsport ran worked Friday. The line opened quality holes and gave Williams ample time to pick apart the defense, starting a remarkable 22 of 24. By halftime, Williamsport had gained 298 yards and averaged 10 yards per play.

It was later, rinse and repeat on the third quarter’s first series as Kason Ulmer’s 10-yard reception ignited a 65-yard touchdown drive. Damschroder ended this drive with the 10-yard touchdown catch which imposed the mercy rule. He then reached 1,000 yards on his next series, making his 11 catches in a little more than three quarters.

Damschroder put his personal mark on program history and now the entire team has done the same. Williamsport joins the 2016 and 2024 teams as district champions in the 2000s. Its nine wins are the program’s most in 10 years and second-most this century.

Friday turned into a coronation as the game progressed and the new kings of District 2-4 have become the program’s best team this decade. The Millionaires want more going forward, but the scope of their achievements is not lost on them.

And as the years go by, this championship memory will both link them and be fondly remembered.

"As a senior, we have this beautiful stadium; it felt so good. I’m glad they didn’t make it last year after I graduated," Terrano said. "This is going to be something that Kason and I are talking about in 30 years."

"That’s definitely something I’ll keep in my head for the rest of my life," Damschroder said. "Nights like this; every Friday night this whole season, is going to be one big, amazing memory. I’m glad I have an amazing group of guys to play with and amazing coaches to help us be able to do it."

DISTRICT 2-4 CLASS 6A CHAMPIONSHIP

Williamsport 41,

Wyoming Valley West 13

Valley West 0 6 0 7--13

Williamsport 20 14 7 0--41

First quarter

W--Zion Hughes 28 run (Brayden Ungard kick), 10:08

W--Tevin Williams 27 run (Ungard kick), 5:02

W--Williams 1 run (kick blocked), :29.2

Second quarter

W--Jaylen Lilly 32 pass from Williams (Ungard kick), 1:42

V--Jaheir Cooper-Mickens 48 pass from Damien Eastman (pass failed), 1:26

W--Hughes 5 run (Ungard kick), :23.6

Third quarter

W--Trey Damschroder 10 pass from Williams (Ungard kick), 3:35

Fourth quarter

V--Zyere McCall 67 pass from Eastman (Xander Jones kick), 3:35

TEAM STATISTICS

WVV W

First Downs 7 24

Rushes-yards 21-41 30-155

Passing yards 154 239

Total yards 195 394

C-A-I 6-10-0 22-25-1

Fumbles-lost 3-1 3-0

Penalties-yards 5-41 7-70

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Valley West, Gadgidas Reisinger 9-40; Malique Campbell 8-15; Damien Eastman 4-(minus-14). Williamsport, Zion Hughes 14-90, 2 TD; Tevin Williams 7-31, 2 TD; Trey Damschroder 1-30; Brayden Ungard 1-21; Tibbar Mosley 3-(minus-5); Zamire Hopkins 4-(minus-12).

PASSING: Valley West, Eastman 6-10-0, 154, 2 TD. Williamsport, Williams 22-25-1, 239, 2 TD.

RECEIVING: Valley West, Jaheir Cooper-Mickens 2-53; Campbell 2-32; Zyere McCalla 1-67, TD; Izrel Davis 1-2. Williamsport, Trey Damschroder 11-141, TD; Kason Ulmer 5-38; Jaylen Lilly 3-46, TD; Hughes 2-1; Delantae Haberstroh-Stotts 1-13.

INTERCEPTIONS: Valley West, Cooper-Mickens 1.

SACKS: Williamsport, Cordoza Minor 1/2; Anthony Manley 1/2.

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