Canton Warriors spoil Green Hornet Homecoming.

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The Canton Warriors ruined Wellsboro's homecoming last Friday night by shutting down the Wellsboro offense and beating the Green Hornets 26-6 on a soggy field at Wellsboro.

With the rain and slick conditions, the key to the game was a balanced and efficient running attack. Canton ran the ball 50 times while the Wellsboro offense only managed to get off a total of 38 offensive plays.

The visiting Warriors coming off from a victory over NTL rival Wyalusing last week, rode the backs Mike Greenberg and Jared Morris for 220 rushing yards Wellsboro's trio of backs rushed the ball 31 times for 54 yards for an average of just 17 yards. The Wellsboro defense held Canton scoreless in the first quarter. The Green Hornets, however, could not muster a score either. They went three-and-out twice and lost the ball on their third possession on a fumble.

Canton picked up that fumble on the Wellsboro 25-yard line and marched into the end zone on four consecutive runs to open up the scoring. The touchdown came with 8:57 left in the second quarter on a 12 yard run by Greenberg.

Wellsboro and Canton traded three and outs for the next six possessions of the ballgame before the Warriors got on the board for the second time Canton quarterback John Lee connected on two 19 yard passes to David Wesneski to make the score 13-6.

Wellsboro responded two plays later when Jarred Regina hit Derrick Watters on a 53 yard touchdown strike to pull Wellsboro to within one touchdown. The score came with less than a minute left on the clock before the half.

The next Canton score was set up by a Wellsboro turnover as well. Wellsboro was driving when Regina attempted a pass to Pete Coolidge and was picked off at the Canton 14-yard line. Canton ran the ball five consecutive times, capitalizing on a 68 yard touchdown run by Jared Morns for their third touchdown of the night.

Canton added their score in the fourth quarter on a yard touchdown run by Greenberg to set the final score at 26-6. Wellsboro will face offensive powerhouse Warrior Run this week.

"Warrior Run has a running back who has already gained 750 yards this year. Lewisburg shut him down last week until the fourth quarter and then he ripped off three 50 yard runs for touchdowns," Wellsboro Head Coach Keith Dils said. "They are a fourth quarter team So far this year we have been in every game that we have played I think that one of the big reasons for that is our good conditioning."

Last year, Wellsboro held a three touchdown lead over Warrior Run at the half but the visitors came back and beat Wellsboro.

Warrior Run also is a competent passing team who takes advantage of their running game to set up the pass.

"We are going to need to get a pass rush this week Jesse May will be back for us this week after an injury. We are also going to do some things in the secondary. We need to get that pass rush and put pressure on the quarterback," Dils said, "But we don t want to overcompensate because if we key on the quarterback they can hurt us with their running game."

May leads the team in sacks but suffered an off the field ankle injury that sat him down for multiple games.

"We, as coaches, are going to try and go out there and put these kids in a position where they can win," Dils said.

Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. this Friday night at the Wellsboro High School football field.