Hornets score two late touchdowns in loss to Canton

By: Ed Weaver  /  October 24, 2020  /  Photo: Dr.Robert Bair

The Wellsboro Varsity Football team scored two late fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 39-13 loss to Canton on Friday, October 23.

Wellsboro was previously scheduled to play Sayre but postponed mid-week and picked up the Warriors, whose game with Northwest Area was postponed due to COVID-19, on Wednesday afternoon.

Canton's Cooper Kitchen threw for four first-half touchdowns as the Warriors jumped out to a 26-0 halftime lead. He connected with Weston Bellows twice and Ben Knapp and Joel Schoonover once each. Canton added two more scores, one each in the third and fourth quarters, on short runs by Hayden Ward and Michael Davis to put the Hornets in a 39-0 hole midway through the final quarter.

With 4:15 left sophomore Conner Adams broke the shutout on a 35-yard run to make it 39-7 following sophomore Jack Poirier's extra point.

Wellsboro added their final score of the evening as time expired on a 3-yard run by senior Nick Smith.

Junior Isaac Keane finished 7-for-19 passing for 134 yards and an interception and Adams completed 3-of-6 passes for 51 yards and an interception. Adams led the Hornet ground attack with 73 yards on 8 carries and sophomore Darryn Callahan finished with 19 yards on 10 attempts. Sophomore Joe Brown led all Hornet receiving corps with 4 catches for 88 yards, including 49-yard catch as the first half ended.

Brown also led the Hornets with 9 tackles and a recovered a fumble. Smith made 7 tackles and recovered a fumble, junior Ryan Sweet made 6 tackles, and senior Danny Timmons had 5 tackles and forced a fumble.

Kitchen was 5-for-11 for 106 yards passing and 4 touchdowns, Riley Parker rushed for 111 on 10 carries, and Bellows caught 3 passes for 85 yards for Canton.

The loss drops the Hornets to 2-3 (2-3 NTL Large School Division) while Canton improves to 4-0 (4-0 NTL Large School Division).