Wellsboro at Wyalusing football preview
Wellsboro facts: Wins tonight and next week against North Penn-Mansfield would give the Green Hornets their second NTL-I championship in four seasons. Wellsboro is 8-0 for the second time in four seasons and is second in the District 4 Class AA standings a year after winning the Class A championship. Wellsboro’s defense is playing as well as any unit in recent memory and has not allowed a first-half point this season. The Hornets twice have not allowed a point over 11-quarter stretches and the starting unit has not allowed a touchdown since Week 5. Defensive end Parker Jones is having another all-state caliber season and leads the team with six sacks. Linebackers Robert Brown and Collin Pietropola are having big seasons while Alex Kozuhowski and Dalton Prough each have intercepted three passes. Prough’s interception return for a touchdown last week means the starting defense has scored as many touchdowns (3) as it has allowed. The offense is solid and has helped Wellsboro top 50 points in three of its last four games. Running back Chase Moser ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 62-6 win against Montgomery and went over 1,000 career yards. Dupree Hosey is having a strong season and ran for a 68-yard touchdown. Brandon Lamphier is a versatile weapon who has started at quarterback and wide receiver. He caught three touchdowns against Bucktail. Wellsboro has won 36 games the last four seasons.
Wellsboro player to watch–Brody Coolidge: The defensive lineman is key to the defense’s success and is a good pass rusher who also is tough against the run. Coolidge has three sacks.
Wyalusing facts: The Rams have lost two straight after starting 5-1 and dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the District 4 Class A standings for the first time all season. Wyalusing lost a one-point heartbreaker two weeks ago to Troy after building a 13-point third-quarter lead and the defense struggled mightily in last week’s 42-22 loss to Athens. The Rams feature a strong running game and have had four running backs top 100 yards in a game. Carl Gowin did so for the first time last week, running for 110 yards and two touchdowns. Fullback Ryan Kipp is chasing a 1,000-yard season and has scored 10 touchdowns. He and Derek Frederick both average more than seven yards per carry. Will Martin caught two touchdown passes in a 32-27 win at Tunkhannock. Wyalusing went 5 for 5 on fourth-down attempts in that game. Wyalusing played Wellsboro tough last year, losing 21-13.
Wyalusing player to watch–Derek Frederick: A converted quarterback, Frederick is second on the team in rushing and is its leading receiver. He scored last week and also has two interceptions.
Outlook: This will be a tougher game than Wellsboro has had the last few weeks, but the way its defense is playing it’s mighty hard picking against it.
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