Wellsboro blanks Montgomery, now looks towards Towanda.

presented by:

Since Chris Morral began leading Wellsboro into the 2003 season, his first as head coach, he has stressed the importance of opening a game with intensity.

In previous weeks, the Hornets suffered losses in two non-league contests due in part to opening games flat. Although Wellsboro did defeat NTL rival Canton Saturday, September 27, it was a second half win for the Hornets.

But this past Friday, October 4, Wellsboro came out with the intensity they needed to open with and kept that level of play consistent in order to shut out Montgomery for a 50-0 non league win.

"I've been looking for the team to come out and play four quarters, they did that against Montgomery," Morral said. "Montgomery is a very young team, but I knew if our guys came out and played with intensity and enthusiasm, this would be the result."

Not only did the Hornets romp up and down the field as six different Hornet players recorded touchdowns, the defense was dogged.

"Our defense has been talking about a shutout all week I thought the coaches and players all did their job and everything came together," Morral said. "It turned out to be a great game."

The Wellsboro defense played hard nosed ball in order to hold Montgomery to under 100 yards on the ground.

The key to the win was largely due to the men in the trenches, according to Morral. "I thought our offensive and defensive lines stepped up and did what they are capable of doing," Morral said.

Tim Pentz was Montgomery's leading rushier with 60 yards on 16 carries toward the team tally of 83 yards.

Wellsboro's passing game was limited in the non-league win but when it was needed, Will Osgood delivered.

Osgood, who completed eight-of-five passes for 87 yards, got the Hornets on the board in less than two minutes of the game when he completed a 15 yard touchdown toss to Chase Kriner.

Shawn Tom took his first jaunt of the day into the end zone on the two point conversion to give the Hornets an 8-0 lead.

The passing contribution increased Wellsboro's total offensive yardage to 451 yards, their most productive game of the season.

Brandon Keck led the Hornet's impressive offensive charge gobbling up 106 yards on 11 carries. Tom added 73 yards on six carries.

Most of the Hornets' touchdowns were runs of over 20 yards. Tom returned to the end zone midway through the first quarter following his 21 yard scamper to pay dirt.  He followed with the two point conversion, lifting Wellsboro to a 16-0 lead.

"It was a game with a lot of big plays," Morral said.

Wellsboro opened the second quarter with another touchdown run. This time Tom rocked 22 yards for another Wellsboro score. Wellsboro missed the extra point attempt but held a 22-0 lead with 1:52 remaining in the frame.

Wellsboro's defense even added a huge touchdown run. Kriner, who got the Hornets on the board with a touchdown reception in the first quarter, fielded a Montgomery fumble on their own 33-yard line and raced into the end zone. Pat Coolidge's extra point attempt was good, giving Wellsboro a 29-0 halftime lead.

Wellsboro had their shortest touchdown run with 8:02 remaining in the third quarter.

After the Wellsboro offense surged to the Montgomery four-yard line, Travis Morton punched the ball into the end zone from four yards out.

Even the Wellsboro second team was infected with the scoring fever.

Dontae Williams capped the game in the final seconds with a huge 82 yard touchdown run. Pat Coolidge added the extra point for the 50-0 final. Although the Hornets dominated the non-league contest, Morral was worried about one thing, the upcoming game against Towanda.

Wellsboro and Towanda are the only teams in the NTL with 3-0 league records.

'It's a huge game," Morral said. "I hope our guys feel this is the biggest they have ever played. I hope that we can respond."

"I think we're a good team but more important, we're going to find out how good we are this week," he added.

What Wellsboro will be focusing on in the league game will be Towanda's stellar running back, Billy Oliver.

Oliver has 1,300 yards rushing and is probably the best running back in NTL. But according to Morral, it will not only be a test for the defensive line, the offensive line will be tested as well.

"Overall I think the game is going to be won in the trenches," Morral said. "As good as our offense has played, they need to play better. The same goes for our defense. Our players will have to play a very aggressive, hard-nosed style of football."

Although Morral has stressed the importance of taking the season one game at a time, he and the team are well aware of the importance of the last four games of the season beginning with this Friday's game against Towanda followed by league games against Athens and Sayre.

Wellsboro ends the regular season with the annual Morton Jones Memorial game against North Penn.

"We've been talking all week how these next four games are like a whole new season," Morral said. "We are going to be able to measure our success on how we play this week and that's what needs to happen," Morral said. "We need this game."

Morral added this game will be one of the most important games of most player's careers when they square off against the 3-0 Towanda Black Knights. Not only is it between the only two teams in the NTL who haven't suffered a league loss, it's also Wellsboro's Homecoming.

"It's important for them to come out ready to go and play with attitude, enthusiasm and intensity," Morral said.