Johns Late Touchdown Runs Lift Wyalusing Over Wellsboro, 13-0

By: Ed Weaver  /  September 6, 2024  /  Photo: Dr. Robert Bair

A pair of touchdowns late in the fourth quarter by Wyalusing's Dylan Johns propelled the undefeated Rams to a 13-0 win over Wellsboro on Thursday, September 5.

For 44 and a half minutes the game was a scoreless tie until Johns finally broke free on an 18-yard run, however the Rams' two-point conversion try failed, leaving the door open for the Hornets. However, a lost fumble by Wellsboro on the ensuing kickoff gave the ball back to the Rams on the Wellsboro 30, which Johns converted for another touchdown run with 1:53 late in the game.

"Last week we didn't have a lot of emotion. This week our kids came out, they were focused, and we told them they need to play with emotion and have fun," Hornet skipper Matt Hildebrand said. "This is what it's all about, coming out and playing a football games, this is what all the work is about. They did everything we asked of them tonight. They flew around. Defense was lights out and a lot of the guys were playing on both sides of the ball, and at least four of them are freshmen. We're getting everything we can out of them right now. I'm proud of these guys despite coming out on the wrong side of the score again. We just have to keep pushing."

Early on neither team had much success on the offensive side of the ball. In fact, Wellsboro's defense held Wyalusing to 167 yards (all on the ground) of total offense. The Hornets, however, couldn't get their offense in gear as they mustered only 71 yards on 37 plays (1.92 yards/play). Wellsboro had two scoring opportunities late in the first half, but both were squandered away by penalties.

The second half went nearly the same for both teams as the first half did, but the Hornet defense gave its offense some life midway through the third quarter. An interception by freshman Reed Richardson setup Wellsboro on the Rams' 23-yard line, and the Hornet offense managed to move down inside the red zone behind the legs of senior Ryder Bowen. Bowen got the Hornets down the the Rams' 13 before the opted for a field goal. An illegal substitution penalty moved the ball back 5 yards, and junior Jonathan Carl's 35-yard kick was wide left.

The Hornets had another scoring opportunity late in the third quarter and into the early fourth. After holding the Rams and forcing them to punt, junior Marek Mascho gave Wellsboro excellent starting field position on a 21-yard punt return. Runs by Mascho and Bowen moved the ball down to the Wyalusing 7, where again Carl attempted a field goal. His second attempt, this one from 23 yards away with 10:16 remaining in the game was blocked.

"We have to clean up the turnovers," Hildebrand continued. "When we score a touchdown and have it come back it's a punch in the gut. We have to be better and eliminate the untimely penalties. It's killing us right now."

Johns led all ball carriers with 106 yards on 22 carries while teammate Ayden Hunsinger added 76 yards on 19 attempts. Jesse Lamb (2) and Jonathan Earle intercepted passes for the Rams while Ethan Vanderpool led the defense with 10 tackles.

Freshman Griffin Morral finished 5-of-12 for 25 yards while Bowen rushed rushed 18 times for 63 yards. Mascho hauled in four of Morral's passes for 20 yards while Carl caught the other one for 5 yards. Bowen had 12 tackles to lead the Hornets on the defensive side of the ball while sophomore Levi Champaign and junior Cole Knapp had 9 and 8 tackles, respectively. Bowen and Knapp also recorded sacks and senior Aiden Carson also intercepted a pass.

The loss drops the Hornets to 0-3 (0-2 NTL Large School Division) while the Rams improve to 3-0 (3-0 NTL Large School Division). Wellsboro travels to Towanda next Friday while the Rams are on the road at Montgomery.