Panthers sting the Hornets

by terry pruyne

BLOSSBURG - Wellsboro and North Penn weren't playing for an old shoe or a golden helmet. They were playing for the pristine Morton F. Jones Memorial Trophy. Pristine? The game was anything but pristine. The 55-0 Panther victory featured brutal hits and was marred by unsportsmanlike penalties and ejected players. But what do you expect in a hardcore rivalry?

On the opening kickoff, the Hornets' Ryan Moss returned the ball to the Panthers' 39 and things looked good for Wellsboro. Maybe that's the only time things looked good for Wellsboro. The Hornets failed to capitalize and turned the ball over on downs.

The Panthers took over and ran the ball downfield, mainly on the legs of Skye Stiner and Ryan Dinger. After Stiner dashed 24 yards to bring the ball into the red zone, he scored two plays later on a ten-yard run. Eathan Wilston added the point after.

After Matt Onks sacked Ben Shaw on third down, the Hornets punted and North Penn went to work again. This time Marquis Delgado got into the ground-game action, scoring from two yards with just over two minutes left in the first quarter. Wilson added another PAT.

The Panthers then surprised the Hornets with an onsides kicked recovered by Greg Pomarico. The home team wasted no time in scoring as quarterback Mackey Stiner found Graeme Zaparzynski open for an over-the-shoulder snare for a 42-yard score with 1:51 left in the first quarter for a 20-0 lead.

The Hornets troubles continued as they fumbled, recovered by Braydon Lee, on the second play from scrimmage on their next possession. The Panthers, led by the Stiner brothers, moved the ball at will, highlighted by a 22-yard screen pass to Dinger and two long runs by Skye Stiner. Dinger slammed into the endzone from four yards out.

After another four-and-out, Wellsboro had a bit of success on the defensive side of line. After a 14-yard run by Skye Stiner to the 11, the Hornets held tough and forced a fourth down situation. The Panthers brought in the field goal team and Wilston connected from 34 yards.

Wellsboro picked up their first first down late in the second quarter when new quarterback Nick Saniga found Moss open for 23 yards. After an unsportsmanlike call on the Hornets, Wellsboro failed to pick up a follow-up first down, even when they were awarded an extra down.

Regaining the ball, the Panthers ran on. Delgado ran for 27 yards, but the scamper was partially nullified by a holding call. After a Mackey Stiner incompletion, Skye went for 15 yards. Dinger followed with a 30-yard run for a touchdown.

With the extra point, North Penn led 36-0 and had the Hornets ready for a submission hold. Maybe, for WWE fans, the Stiner Recliner?

The Panthers weren't finished putting numbers on the board in the first half. After runs of 12 yards by Skye and 18 by Delgado, Pat Watkins scored from the five for a 42-0 halftime lead.

North Penn started where they left off in the second half. New faces (Watkins, Logan Wise, and Trace Dickinson), but the same results. Watkins had a 23-yard run and capped the possession with a 19-yard TD.

The Hornets finally got the passing game going with Saniga at the helm throwing short passes. They moved the ball to the 16 before Zaparzynski picked off a pass and returned it to the nine.

On their final possession, Wise took the ball on a 33-yard run. Then Watkins added a 44-yard dash before Dickinson ran for two and then a four-yard touchdown.

The Panthers finished the season strong with a 5-5 record and maybe the best .500 team in the area. The Hornets can hope their young squad has gained experience and will use the loss as bulletin board material for the future.

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