North Penn wallops Wellsboro 33-0, in season opener.

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The Morton Jones Memorial Trophy will remain at North Penn High School for another year following the Panthers 33-0 shutout of the Wellsboro Green Hornets Friday, September 3 in both teams season opening game.

The Panthers outdistanced the Hornets on the ground rumbling to 359 yards rushing on 49 carries while Wellsboro mustered 68 yards on 23 rushes.

"It was a game the first half and we luckily capitalized on a couple of their mistakes," Dickinson said. "They moved it on us early and I think we settled down, relaxed and got some sophomores playing defensively and they got the butterflies out and the defense picked up. You've got to enjoy a shutout."

Senior running back Jeff Kling paced the potent Panther offense by forging out 179 yards on the ground and one touchdown. Kling's solo scamper across the goal line was an 89 yard bolt from deep in Panther territory in the second quarter.

First year running back, junior Jeff Cleveland, former offensive lineman on the 1998 team, turned in 121 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in his first game appearance in the backfield for North Penn.

"He (Cleveland) did a heck of a job and it's a tribute to the offense," Dickinson said. "We're looking for that type of person - a hard nosed runner."

Not only did the North Penn offense dominate the pace of the game but the defense kept pressure on the Wellsboro offense holding them to 68 yards rushing on the night.

"They (North Penn) came off the ball and were a little more aggressive," Wellsboro mentor Mike Pietropola said. "Our kids played hard, they just didn't execute."

The Panthers may have dominated offensively but North Penn Head Coach Tom Dickinson saw a need for improvement.

"There were too many mental mistakes which is something you can improve on," Dickinson said. "We had too many things called back and that's what we've got to work on Monday."

The night began with things going in North Penn's favor by winning the coin toss but deferred. Wellsboro chose to defend the south goal which entitled the Panthers to receive the kickoff in the beginning of both halves.

On North Penn's initial series, the offense moved the ball to their 38-yard line where they were forced to punt but a unsportsmanlike conduct call against Wellsboro gave the Panthers a first down but regained possession following a Tim Koupp fumble.

But the Hornets possession was short lived when Jeff Kling picked off a Jake Banik pass and raced to the Wellsboro 30-yard line before being brought down by the Wellsboro secondary.

Two plays later, Cleveland took the hand off, plunged through the Wellsboro line and sprinted 30 yards across the goal line with 8:57 remaining in the first quarter.

The point after attempt by Kyle DeHaven was wide and North Penn held the lead, 6-0.

Wellsboro would threaten to score by launching a 62 yard drive initiated when Banik connected with Travis Pifer on a 14 yard pass followed two plays later on a keeper when Banik zipped 18 yards to the 25-yard line in Panther territory. Wellsboro's offense shouldered their way to the seven-yard line where they were denied the score.

Facing a fourth and goal from the seven yard line, Banik attempted to connect with Jared Hurlbert in the corner of the end zone but Roupp broke up the pass.

North Penn took over the ball and quickly formulated their second touchdown two plays later when Kling skimmed off the right end of the Wellsboro defensive line and raced for an 89 touchdown with 11:02 remaining in the second quarter. The point after attempt was blocked leaving North Penn with a 12-0 lead.

Neither team was able to form a scoring drive during the last 11 minutes of the game due to strong defensive play by both teams.

On the opening series of the second half, North Penn drove to the Wellsboro 23-yard line and was held by the Hornet defense.

Facing fourth-and-11, the Panthers attempted to score on the "fumble rooskie" with Dana Colegrove running around the left end but the Wellsboro defense made the call and the stop.

North Penn got the ball back after holding Wellsboro to three plays and out and took possession on their own 35-yard line.

The Panthers took the ball and drove 65 yards on ten plays to the Wellsboro one yard line where Cleveland took the ball and plowed through the Wellsboro line and into the end zone from one yard out.

North Penn made a two-point conversion when Cleveland took the ball and jammed across the goal line putting the Panthers up 20-0 with 1:42 remaining in the third quarter.

The Panther defense all but shut down the Wellsboro offense during the second half and contained Banik.

"We ran a little game with our inside linebacker and the secondary contained all night long," Dickinson said. "That was the key to the second half. We mixed some blitzes in and played some man and came after him (Banik). We just tried to give them something different every single play."

The Wellsboro offense was stopped cold on their next possession with Larry Cleveland sacking Banik for a five yard loss on the first play followed by the Panther defense holding the Hornets when they tried for a first down on fourth-and-two.

The Hornets had things go in their favor on North Penn following series when they blocked a DeHaven punt which gave Wellsboro possession of the ball on North Penn's 42-yard line.

The Hornets went to the air connection on two passes for eight yards before they were forced to punt.

North Penn scored again with 2:22 remaining in the fourth quarter on a Roupp scurry into the end zone from 12 yards out. Scott Wheeler's extra point was blocked.

The Panthers took advantage of a Wellsboro fumble on the 30-yard line two plays later, recovered the ball and pushed to the four-yard line where Ward Reckart punched the ball in for the score from four yards out. Weiskopff set up set up the score with a 27 yard dash.

Wheeler's extra point was good taking North Penn to the 33-0 victory and the claiming of the trophy.

"A lot of people, I think, thought last year was a "fluke," Dickinson said. "We've been saying all year long that now is our chance to prove that we are building a team and a program. It wasn't just a one year thing."