Wellsboro loses to Athens 18-13.

Wellsboro-Charleston High School suffered its first football loss of the season last Saturday, a hard fought 18-13 loss to Athens.

The Hornets met Athens (5-1) for the first time since starting football in 1958 and the step to a tougher school didn't seem to bother the green much. It was a game which could have gone either way and the play was hard fought all the way.

Athens jumped to a 6-0 lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter when Bob Fuller gathered in a short pass from quarterback Krouse on the Athens and romped 60 yards for the touchdown. The kick for the was no good and Athens led 6-0.

Wellsboro threatened to tie the score as they drove from the Wellsboro 15-yard line to the Athens one foot line in just 6 plays. Gordy Seamans fired a pass to Mike Burns for a first down on the Wellsboro 40-yard line and Tim Kerns almost got away but was pulled down from behind by Ed Simons on the Athens 19-yard line.

A personal foul penalty moved the ball to the 11-yard line. Burns then was stopped shy of the goal on his quarterback keep up the middle. Kerns then lost two yards, Burns on a rollout lost 10 more yards and a fourth down pass fell incomplete to end the Hornet threat. Athens started another drive that was on the Wellsboro 1-yard line as the half ended Athens 6 Wellsboro 0.

Wellsboro looked like a different ball club the second half as the green and white took the second half kickoff and marched 55 yards for a score in 10 plays. Gordy Seamans took the kickoff back 25 yards to the Athens 45-yard line, Wellsboro began to drive. Jerry Anderson gained a yard. Tim Kerns carried six yards to the Athens 38-yard line.

Mike Burns then fired a quick pass to left end Freeman Smith who hauled it eleven yards and a first down on the Athens 17-yard line. Anderson went around left end for six yards. Kerns gained two then six more around right end to the 13-yard line. Anderson lost eight yards on an attempted sweep back to the 21. Burns kept for twp yards and then hit Ken Monks the right end at the Athens 13-yard line. With fourth and 10, Burns fired a pass to Seamans in the end zone for the tying score. The point after kick by Bob Morrow was wide and it was 6-6 with 5:45 seconds gone in the third quarter.

It took the Athens Bulldogs just exactly one minute after the Hornets had tied the score to regain the lead. Ed Simons ran the kickoff back 33 yards to midfield then on a pitchback to the halfback Bill Cron, Cron fired a long pass which right end Joe Raupers caught and was finally pulled down on the Hornet two-yard line. On the next play Ed Simons bulled over for the score. The extra point try was no good and it was Athens 12, Wellsboro 6.

Wellsboro came right back to take the lead for the first time in the game. Burns hit Seamans in the end zone for the score with 10 seconds gone in the final period capping a 72-yard drive. Burns, Seamans, and Kerns moved the ball on the ground and passes to Smith and Monks highlighted the march. Bob Morrow booted the ball through the uprights for the point after and the Hornets led 13-12.

Athens wasn't to be halted as they drove from their 37-yard line for what proved to be the winning score. Ed Simons, the workhorse fullback for Athens, carried the ball seyen of the eleven plays on route for the touchdown. Simons bulled over from the six yard line. A running attempt for the extra point failed and it was 18-13 with five minutes left.

The Hornets came right back with Seamans running the kickoff back 14 yards to the Wellsboro 39-yard line. Burns got a first down at the 50-yard line. Seamans made a great diving catch of Burns' fourth down pass on the Athens 27-yard line. With just under two minutes remaining in the game, Burns being rushed hard, threw a pass which Ed Simons (who else) picked off to kill the Hornet drive and hopes for a victory. Athens simply ran the clock out and Wellsboro had suffered its first loss this season 18-13 in a real exciting football game. Wellsboro now plays Haverling of Bath, N.Y. tomorrow night at Bath. Kickoff is at 8:00 p.m.