After Max Mascho’s 83 yard kickoff return and Finn Matthews’ first of seven extra points on the night, Wellsboro led the 2-7 Rangers 7-0 just 13 seconds into the game. 

The Hornets would score on their next seven possessions, taking advantage of an average starting position of NWA’s 34-yard line and quick drives .. scoring on the first play of their possessions twice, twice on the second play, twice on the third play and once on the fourth.

While the short drives resulted in less-than-gaudy offensive numbers for the Hornets .. 250 yards total .. Marek Mascho racked up 117 yards on five punt returns, good for second most all-time in a game for Wellsboro. The senior also had a 55-yard punt return for a score called back on a block in the back penalty. 

Mascho would follow up brother Max’s kickoff return TD with two scores of his own .. the first on a 31-yard pass from QB Griffin Morral at the 8:23 mark of the opening frame and then on a 10-yard run with 3:50 left in the first. Cole Knapp’s 16-yard TD run just 30 seconds after Marek’s second score, and two Matthews’ extra points, gave the Hornets a 27-0 lead as they went to the second quarter.

Twenty seconds into the second quarter Max Mascho found the end zone again, catching a 39-yard TD pass from Morral. Dylan Copp scored from eight yards out at the 8:55 mark, Kody Enck ran for an 18-yard score with six and a half minutes left til the break and Marek Mascho completed Wellsboro’s scoring for the night on a 52-yard run with just over four minutes left in the first half of play. Matthews was good on all four extra point kicks and the Hornets led 55-0.

With a running clock and the 3rd and 4th quarters reduced to eight minutes each on a mutual agreement by both coaches, Wellsboro’s subs played out a fast second half, allowing the Rangers’ lone points on the night on a 4-yard TD run with two minutes left in the third quarter. 

Morral finished 5-of-8 passing for 141 yards and two TDs on the night, while Marek Mascho led the ground game with 66 yards and two scores on just three carries and had two catches for 71 yards and another TD. Max Mascho also had a pair of catches and a score, and 73 yards receiving.

Defensively, Enck and Sawyer Mead each had an interception, while Noah Zengerle had a sack and four tackles, Knapp had four stops and Enck, Gavin Carson, Jorden Hines, Asher Davenport, Matthew Robbins and Hayden Stevens had three tackles each.

Now 5-4 on the season and playoff bound, Wellsboro will finish up their regular season schedule next Friday night when they visit Blossburg to take on North Penn-Mansfield (4-4) in the annual Morton F. Jones Memorial Trophy game.

Northwest Area 0 0 8 0 8

Wellsboro 27 28 0 0 55

1st Quarter

WHS TD 11:47 Max Mascho 83 YD KICK RETURN (Finn Matthews kick). 0 7

WHS TD 08:23 Marek Mascho 31 YD PASS from Griffin Morral (Finn Matthews kick). 0 14

WHS TD 03:50 Marek Mascho 10 YD RUN (Finn Matthews kick missed). 0 20

WHS TD 03:20 Cole Knapp 16 YD RUN (Finn Matthews kick). 0 27

2nd Quarter Northwest Area Wellsboro

WHS TD 11:40 Max Mascho 39 YD PASS from Griffin Morral (Finn Matthews kick). 0 34

WHS TD 08:55 Dylan Copp 8 YD RUN (Finn Matthews kick). 0 41

WHS TD 06:29 Kody Enck 18 YD RUN (Finn Matthews kick). 0 48

WHS TD 04:09 Marek Mascho 52 YD RUN (Finn Matthews kick). 0 55

3rd Quarter Northwest Area Wellsboro

NAHS TD 02:57 Shane Hempel 4 YD RUN (Two-Point Conversion Good). 8 55

Stat  Northwest Area Wellsboro

First Downs 9 9

Rush Atts-Yards 29-99 19-109

Rush Avg. Yards 3.4 5.7

Pass Yards 50 141

Pass Comp-Atts 7-19 5-8

Pass Comp. Pct. 0.368 0.625

Pass Avg. Yards 7.1 28.2

Total Plays-Offense 48-149 27-250

Penalties-Yards 4-20 10-65

Punts-Avg. Yards 6-25.0 3-32.0

Turnovers 2 0

Touchdowns 1 8

Extra Points 0-0 7-8

2-Point Conversions 1-1 0-0

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