MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Hazleton quarterback Freddy Corrado is chased for a sack by Williamsport’s Jamel Bailey and Jayden Ransom in the first quarter.

One could try to diagnose exactly when and how Williamsport’s defense began to rediscover its early-season identity and become a stifling, nasty unit again.

It’s really not about strategy or scheme though, so good luck with that. There really is no secret formula. In its simplest form, Williamsport started to swarm again because it started playing as one.

As confidence and proximity increased, opponents’ yards and points decreased. And at the perfect time, the defense played its best football, helping Williamsport become a district champion.

Williamsport allowed just six runs in two Class 6A District 2-4 playoff games and knocked off top-seeded Wilkes-Barre, 14-0, last Friday to win the program’s second district title since 1995. The Millionaires (7-5), who host State College in the state tournament this Friday, held Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre without a point in the final seven quarters in the playoffs district, keeping both within 200 yards.

“Trusting each other and putting our faith in each other is what changed this.” Defensive end Jayden Ransom said after producing two more sacks against Wilkes-Barre and upping his area-high total to 12. “The keys work together; not singularly. We are happy for everyone. We don’t care who gets the credit. We are all a team.”

It seems like a simple concept, but it’s one that so many teams sometimes struggle to grasp. In doing so Williamsport dramatically changed course. Beginning with a 34-20 comeback win against Wilkes-Barre in Week 10, the Millionaires gave up six points in the final nine quarters, scoring more points (14) than they allowed via touchdowns with Zion Hughes’ interception and Samir Williams.

The offense was slow to burn in districts, but the defense made whatever points that drive produced last, guarding its end zone like a rabid dog does a prized bone.

“The fan part of me is really impressed with what (defensive coordinator) Jesse Walker and those kids have done.” Williamsport coach Mike Pearson said. “They’re not the biggest team out there, but they’re physical and they’re disciplined.”

“We said all week in practice that we knew we had to do it on defense. We know if we can play good defense, we have a chance in any game we play.” cornerback Kyreek Bradshaw said after intercepting two passes in the district final. “We know if we go out there with the right energy, we can shut them down and make them fight.”

That’s what Williamsport did during a 4-0 start. The defense didn’t allow a point through Week 3, and the starters surrendered just three through four games while recording two shutouts. Things changed after that, though, and Williamsport lost its next five games as the defense hit a few bumps in the series.

After nearly beating District 6 5A champion Hollidaysburg in Week 9, something clicked. The Millionaires started putting up a wall after Wilkes-Barre blew a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter in the regular season finale and have excelled at all three levels since.

Williamsport also won all three games. All fought hard, but 11 players working as one helped the millionaires make key stops time after time. He did so frequently last Friday, with the pass rush swarming, the linebackers streaming and the receivers running.

Put it all together and Williamsport forced four turnovers and held an offense to a 35-point, 178-yard performance. It wasn’t about one or two players coming together, but everyone doing their job and believing in the teammate next to them.

“We work together and we believed in each other. We have worked and we are confident and we continue to be selfless.” said Ransom, who produced seven sacks in Hazleton’s semifinal victory. “We’ve been through a lot of adversity and stuff like that, but we’ve learned a lot about trusting each other and that’s helped a lot.”

“They’re really confident that if they do the fundamentals right and hustle, I feel like they can make a lot of plays on defense.” Pearson said. “They all did that very well.”

Ransom, Kaleb Way, Cordoza Minor came on strong up front, while sophomore linebacker Anthony Manley joined junior teammate Lucas Naughton in the 100-tackle club last Friday. Fellow linebacker Jamel Bailey would likely be in that group as well if he hadn’t missed several games with an injury early in the season, but he made a huge impact there as well.

With the front providing pressure, the defensive backs stuck to the receivers like glue. Williams, Hughes and Stanley Tidwell all returned interceptions for touchdowns, and Giovanni White and Trey Damschroder provided quality secondary depth.

All three levels clicked on Wilkes-Barre. Williamsport blocked the run and then shut down a strong passing game. Quarterback Jake Howe entered the game with 2,071 yards and 21 touchdowns. Four receivers also caught 21 or more passes.

But so many times, Howe was under fire from passes, and the defensive backs gave him small windows to try to pass. Williamsport limited Howe to 82 yards and no receiver averaged more than nine yards per catch.

“I knew their power was passing. We knew they were going to try to throw shots at the defensive backs and we were ready to do what we had to do.” Bradshaw said. “I feel like d-line rushed the quarterback well and made them throw under pressure. That helped us and the linebackers with our coverage.”

Really, the defensive shift is that simple. It’s not about players helping themselves, it’s about helping each other. It’s complementary football, focusing on assignments and playing confidently as one.

That’s what Williamsport knows it needs to do on Friday. State College (10-1) is scoring runs in droves and has been hot down the stretch.

In a season full of challenges, State College presents Williamsport the biggest. And that’s one more reason to stay together as one.

“There’s nothing better than playing high school sports with your friends, no matter what the sport. That’s why practices are so much fun now because everyone understands that practices are earned.” Pearson said. “They were not given to you. You don’t get these opportunities unless you do something special.”