NTL FOOTBALL: SAYRE'S SECOND-HALF COMEBACK FALLS SHORT IN 21-14 LOSS TO CANTON (11 PHOTOS) (2025-10-17)

By CHRIS MANNING
Valley Sports Report
SAYRE — Sayre battled with everything they had, but the Redskins couldn’t overcome a slow first half as they fell to Canton, 21-14, in NTL football action here Saturday night at the Lockhart Street Bowl.

Canton led 21-0 at the half, but Sayre rallied in the second half, cutting it to 21-14 with 5:52 left to play. They would get two possessions after that to try and tie it up, but the Warrior defense held to come out of the Valley with the win.

“We’re proud of these guys and the effort they gave,” said Sayre coach Ricky Lindblad. “The first half we had things not go our way, some bad snaps. 

"We turned it over in our territory, giving them good field position, and I challenged these guys at the half of who was going to come out and make the next play. 

"I reminded them that these guys are, unfortunately, in the same boat we are, they’ve taken their lumps this year, so let’s come out, get after it, get a stop, go score, and continue to punch away and see if we can get to 21," he noted. 

"We had our opportunities tonight, we missed a couple there, but overall I’m so proud of these guys, and the effort they gave," added Lindblad. "They really fed off the energy from the crowd.”

Hudson Malanoski was a workhorse for Sayre, carrying the ball 24 times for 101 yards, while also going 7-for-20 for 86 yards through the air with two touchdowns and two picks.

“We’ve really used him a lot all over the place - running back, tight end - he’s kind of a utility guys for us,” remarked Lindblad. “He throws a good ball, and we’ve got to lean on him being the workhorse, but I do also want to point out Riley Johnson. He’s not going to show up in the state sheet, but he did a lot of lead blocking tonight. I also think he flipped the switch for us defensively, making a couple big stops, and on that kick-off had the big hit, and then just bringing that energy the second half.”

Declan Barry played quarterback the first half, going 3-for-9 for 20 yards. He also had three catches for 21 yards and a touchdown.

Quin Chandler added three receptions for 19 yards and a score, while Brayden Vorhis also caught three passes for 62 yards.

Owen Moore led Canton’s offense, going 9-for-20 for 199 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

Monte Whitehead had three catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns, while Rylan Wesneski had a 50 yard touchdown catch. Leeland Tubach added two catches for 39 yards.

On the ground, Tubach led the way with five carries for 33 yards as Moore had 10 rushes for 28 yards. Wesneski added five carries for 26 yards.

The two teams traded ineffective possessions to start the game, while Sayre’s second time with the ball saw them drive 57 yards to the Canton 20-yard-line before the Warriors forced them to turn it over on downs.

Canton’s ensuing drive was only two plays, but the second was an 84-yard strike from Moore to Whitehead to put the first points up on the scoreboard. The point after had a fumbled snap, but Moore found Ryder Route for the 2-point conversion for an 8-0 lead with 7 seconds left in the frame.

The two teams traded turnovers on their next possessions, followed by Canton forcing Sayre to punt from their own 15-yard line.

Taking over at their own 43-yard-line, the Warriors went 11 plays to pay dirt as Moore found an uncovered Whitehead for a 6-yard scoring strike.

The key play was a 23-yard pass play from Moore to Tubach on first-and-30 to set up a first down. A few plays later, Canton drew Sayre offsides on fourth-and-1 to get down inside the red zone.

Alexis McRoberts nailed the extra point and Canton led 15-0 with 3:25 left in the half.

Sayre’s ensuing drive ended on a turnover on downs at midfield, setting up Canton’s 1-play scoring drive as Moore hit Wesneski for a 50-yard TD strike.

The point after failed, but the Warriors led 21-0 going into the half.

The tide seemed to turn at the half as Sayre opened things up by forcing a Canton 3-and-out.

Taking over at the Warrior 47-yard line, Sayre would need eight plays to get into the end zone, scoring on 4th-and-6 from the 14 when Malanoski hit Chandler with a 14-yard touchdown pass.

The 2-point conversion was no good but Sayre cut it to 21-6 with 4:40 left in the quarter.

Canton’s ensuing drive ended on a turnover-on-downs, but the Warriors would force Sayre to punt as the two teams headed into the fourth quarter.

Sayre’s defense stopped Canton again with their offense taking over on the Warriors 40-yard-line.

This time, the Redskins went 60 yards on six plays, using a facemask call and a roughing-the-passer flag to get down to the Canton 14-yard-line.

Four plays later, on second-and-goal from the 1, Malanoski hit Barry for a TD, then found Chandler for the 2-point conversion to make it 21-14 with 5:52 left in the game.

Canton’s ensuing possession ended with a punt, but Sayre would turn it over on downs at midfield.

The teams then traded turnovers - Canton a lost fumble followed by Malanoski getting picked by Route - before Canton turned it over on down at the Sayre 34-yard line with 2:02 left to play.

Sayre’s final drive was a thriller as on 4th-and-10 from the 34 Malanoski hit Vorhis for a 24-yard strike where it was called a dual possession as both players had a hold of the ball.

A 10-yard pass play the Redskins got down to the Canton 32-yard line, but they didn’t get any further as the Warriors forced three straight incomplete passes, followed by Moore ending any hope of a comeback with an interception.

Sayre (0-9) will now take on red-hot Athens (8-1) for the Rusty Rail, though the Wildcats will be without starting quarterback Connor Davidson.

“We’re going to prepare like we do every week,” said Lindblad. “We’re going to get out and grind. We know they’re a spread team, they got a lot of guys, they’re big, physical, and our numbers are hurting right now, but I think we made it out mostly healthy overall. 

——————— 

CANTON 21, SAYRE 14
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
C: Owen Moore 84-yard pass to Monte Whitehead (Moore pass to Route), :07
Second Quarter
C: Owen Moore 6-yard pass to Monte Whitehead (Alexis McRoberts kick), 3:26
C: Owen Moore 50-yard pass to Rylan Wesneski (pass failed), 2:00
Third Quarter
S: Hudson Malanoski 14-yard pass to Quin Chandler (conversion failed), 4:40
Fourth Quarter
S: Hudson Malanoski 1-yard pass to Declan Barry (Malanoski pass to Chandler), 5:52

Individual Stats
CANTON
Rushing
Owen Moore 10-28, Ryland Wesnski 5-26, Leeland Tubach 5-33, Dawson Burgess 5-18, Monte Whitehead 1-(-1)
Passing
Owen Moore 9-20-199-3-1
Receiving
SAYRE
Rushing
Hudson Malanoski 24-101, Declan Barry 6-3, Riley Johnson 4-7
Passing
Hudson Malanoski 7-20-86-2-2, Declan Barry 3-9-20-0-0
Receiving
Brayden Vorhis 3-62, Declan Barry 3-21-1, Quin Chandler 3-19-1

Team Stats Canton Sayre
Rushes/Yards 26/124 36/97
Passing Yards 199 106
First Downs 11 12
Penalties/Yards 14/125 9/55
Fumbles/Lost 5/2 3/2


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