NTL FOOTBALL: ATHENS HOLDS OFF WELLSBORO FOR 21-13 WIN (24 PHOTOS) (2024-09-27)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportATHENS — Athens scored three TDs in less than 4 1/2 minutes at the end of the second quarter to take a 21-0 halftime lead, then held off Wellsboro in the second half for a 21-13 win here Friday night in NTL football action at Alumni Stadium.
“It’s been a pretty tumultuous two weeks for these kids. We let one slip way last week that we shouldn’t have,” said Athens coach Shawn Bradley. “Wellsboro was coming in here off a high from last week, and they are a good team.
“The first half might have been the best half of football we’ve played all year, but the second half … we gutted it out when we had to and made a couple big stops.
“We made a couple mistakes, but overall the kids played well,” added Bradley.
After an exchange of punts to open the game, Wellsboro drove deep into Athens territory on its second possession, but junior Sean Peters picked off a Griffin Morral pass in the end zone with 9:45 remaining in the first half to end the threat.
Sophomore QB Connor Davidson then directed a 12-play, 80-yard drive, culminating with a 9-yard TD pass to sophomore Gage Marmor with 4:33 remaining in the half to put the Wildcats on the board.
Davidson started the drive off with a 13-yard pass to junior Adam Kemp, then ran the ball five times for 28 yards — his last run a 5-yard pickup for a first down at the Wellsboro 33.
After an incompletion, Davidson hit back-to-back 12-yard passes to juniors Ryan Cook and James Friend, then finished off the drive by finding Marmor in the end zone.
Sophomore Zach Fisher’s PAT kick made it 7-0 with 4:33 remaining in the first half.
Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, Peters picked off another Morral pass, this time at the Hornet 37.
On third-and-9 at the 36, Davidson connected with Marmor on a 31-yard pass to the Wellsboro 5, and then scampered in on the next play to make it 13-0 with 1:36 remaining in the half.
Fisher’s PAT kick made it 14-0.
The Athens defense forced a quick three-and-out, then blocked the punt, which was scooped up by senior Keegan Congdon and returned 18 yards for a TD with 16 seconds remaining in the half. Fisher’s kick made it 21-0.
“We forced some turnovers, and had a couple big plays on special team, especially the blocked kick,” said Bradley.
“In our first couple games, we weren’t very good, but tonight special teams did a good job,” he added. “They stepped up and did some good work.”
Athens turned the ball on its first possession of the second half, and Wellsboro took advantage with an 11-play, 59-yard drive, capped by Morral’s 19-yard TD Pass to Jonathan Carl with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter. Carl added the PAT to close the gap to 21-7.
Davidson returned the ensuing kickoff 44 yards to the Wellsboro 45, but the Wildcats turned the ball over on downs at the Hornet 37 four plays later.
A pair of Athens penalties kick-started Wellsboro’s drive, and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Morral connected with Carl on a 40-yard TD pass to trim the deficit to 21-13.
The Wildcats fumbled the ball away at their 40 on the ensuing possession, but a 15-yard penalty on the Hornets’ first play put them behind the chains and they eventually punted.
Athens took over at its 20 with 9:44 remaining in the game, but quickly found its way into Hornet territory thanks to a 40-yard run by Davidson.
Facing fourth-and-five at the Wellsboro 32, the Wildcats were stopped short and turned the ball over on downs at the Hornet 30.
Athens then forced a three-and-out, and Wellsboro punted it away. Eli Chapman returned the punt 6 yards to the Athens 34, but a face-mask penalty moved the ball to the Wildcat 49.
On third-and-8 at the Wellsboro 49, Davidson broke loose for 13 yards and a first down. Two plays later, Davidson got around the end and raced 30 yards before sliding down at the Wellsboro 2.
Athens ran three more plays, forcing Wellsboro to use its final two timeouts, and was able to run the clock out for the win.
Bradley said his defense buckled down in the fourth quarter after giving up the two TD passes.
“For one of the first times this season, we had a pass rush,” said Bradley. “Caleb (Nason) did a great job of getting off the ball, especially with Brenden Comstock not playing. He stepped up and made some big plays.
“Keegan (Congdon), Dom (Robbins), and Landon (Layman) all did a great job, too,” added Bradley. “We just didn’t give (Morral) as much time to throw at the end.”
Bradley also credited his run defense, which held Ryder Bowen, who rushed for 300 yards last week in a win over Cowanesque Valley, to just 32 yards on 14 carries.
“We did a nice job against (Bowen), but we gave up a couple long passes, and you have to be better than that.
“Bowen is a big strong kid,” said Bradley. “We knew we had to tackle low, and wrap … last week we did not wrap well. We worked hard on that all week, especially with our linebackers, and we did a much better job tonight.
“We had to do a better job. If we’re going to beat a kid like (Bowen) we have to tackle,” added Bradley.
Davidson led Athens with 138 yards and one TD on 19 carries.
Davidson also completed 12 of 16 passes for 111 yards, one TD, and one interception.
Marmor led the Wildcats with two receptions for 40 yards and one TD, and Cook had two grabs for 21 yards.
Athens, now 3-3, hosts Towanda next Saturday.
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IN PHOTO 1: Athens sophomore QB Connor Davidson. IN TOP PHOTO: Athens sophomore Gage Marmor hauls in a TD pass. … PHOTOS BY MATT PATTON.
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