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With just under three minutes to go in the second quarter and Wellsboro leading 28-0 over visiting Athens, Wellsboro's student section began chanting, "We want Conner".
They got what they wanted.
Two plays later, Conner Adams took a jet sweep and cut back against the grain into a hole only he saw, bounced off a tackler at the five yard line, and found the end zone for the third of five of his touchdowns on the night as Wellsboro upset Athens, 49-13.
"I just saw the opening on the backside," Adams said. "And then I saw the (cornerback) come in and I knew I just had to beat him and I hit him with a little spin."
It was some kind of night for Adams, after some kind of week. The junior found out last Thursday that he would have to sit out last week's game against Wyalusing, along with multiple other impact players for Wellsboro, due to COVID contact tracing. He did not practice all week, but Adams sure was ready to go Friday night, racking up 264 all-purpose yards to go along with the five touchdowns, two on passes from Isaac Keane and three on the ground.
"I was at home just thinking about football because there was nothing to do, and I was really pumped up to be able to be back on the field," he said.
Adams was not the only Hornet to play well, as Wellsboro dominated in all facets Friday night. A team that has had multiple COVID-related interruptions throughout the year never really got to capitalize the momentum they had after a week two win over then-state-ranked South Willaimsport. This was the Wellsboro team many district 4 observers though Wellsboro may have after that week two win.
"We showed what we can do when it's clicking," Wellsboro coach Matt Hildebrand said. "We're getting guys back and we're getting healthy."
Wellsboro started fast as it took them just two plays to get deep into Athens territory. After a one yard gain to start the game, Keane found Jack Poirier in the middle of the field. Poirier cut the ball towards the left sideline and raced all the way down to the Athens 15, good for 54 yards. Two plays later, Darryn Callahan went up the middle and through some would-be-tacklers for a seven-yard touchdown. Poirier made the extra point and Wellsboro led 7-0 with 10:02 remaining in the first quarter.
After Dylan Abernathy stopped JJ Babcock a yard short of the first down on third down on the ensuing Athens drive, Wellsboro got the ball back and went right to work. Ryan Sweet won a jump ball from Keane down the right sideline to take the ball down to the Wildcat 28. A few plays later, Keane found Adams streaking over the middle on a deep post for a 28-yard touchdown. Poirier knocked it through, and it was 14-0 with 7:16 to go in the opening frame.
Athens was unable to get a first down on their next drive and had to punt right back to Wellsboro. On 3rd and 6 from the Wellsboro 47, Keane rolled right and found Adams on the sideline for a sixteen yard gain to the Athens 37. Four plays later, facing a 4th and 6, Wellsboro
ran the same play to the other side of the field as Keane found Adams again on an out pattern. Adams got a great downfield block by Spencer Wetzel and tiptoed the sideline for another touchdown. After Poirier's kick, Wellsboro led 21-0 with 3:06 left in the first quarter.
Athens was able to put together some positive yardage on the next drive as Shayne Reid found a crease for a fourteen-yard run to get the Athens first down. After it appeared that Wellsboro had forced another Wildcat punt, they were penalized for a helmet to helmet hit on the quarterback during a sack and extended the Wildcat drive, giving Athens 3rd and 6. However, Mason Lister's pass over the middle was deflected by Kanan Keck and Keane was there for the interception, returning it nineteen yards to the Athens 24. Wellsboro would cash in again as on the last play of the first quarter, Keane found Wetzel behind the defense in the front left corner of the end zone all alone. Wetzel made the catch and after the extra point Wellsboro led 28-0 at the conclusion of one quarter.
After a sack by Hayes Campbell, Wellsboro got the ball back again in good field position at the Athens 46. The Hornets advanced the ball well into Wildcat territory, but a Callahan fumble gave Athens the ball back at their own 21. The Wildcats couldn't muster anything offensively, and ended up punting from deep in their own territory. A few plays later, Adams ran in the previously mentioned jet sweep and Wellsboro led 35-0, with 1:56 to go in the first half.
The Wildcat passing game started to get going on the ensuing drive. After taking over at their own 25, Lister found Shayne Reid over the middle on a curl route. Reid brought it in, and cut outside to the left for a forty-yard gain down to the Wellsboro 25. Lister found Karter Rude the next play for eighteen down to the Hornet seven. On the ensuing play, Lister evaded pressure and found Reid on a corner route at the front pylon where he made a spectacular diving catch to get Athens on the board. Reid knocked the extra point through, and Athens trailed 35-7 with :59 to play in the opening half.
Wellsboro was not done scoring in the half, though. After a penalty on the kickoff backed Wellsboro up to their own 15, Keane scrambled out to the Wellsboro thirty-nine. Then, the Hornet signal caller found Abernathy behind the Wildcat defense for forty-six yards down to the Athens fifteen, where Wellsboro used a timeout. On the next play, Adams received a pitch from Keane, and looked to throw, but took off through the center of the Wildcat defense and found paydirt. After the extra point, the score was 42-7 at halftime, invoking the running clock in the second half.
Athens came out looking much better in the second half and would get the first score of the half when Babcock won a jump ball from Lister in the left corner of the end zone to make it 42-13, with 3:04 remaining in the third quarter.
Adams had one final highlight of the night. On the second play of the ensuing Wellsboro drive, Adams took another jet sweep, this time cutting it inside just outside the tackle. He made two men miss, then cut to the back to the sideline where he outraced an Athens defense that seemingly had the angle on the diminutive all-purpose back for a seventy-four yard touchdown. Poirier's extra point was good and Wellsboro led by our final score, 49-13.
Both teams now head to huge rivalry games next week, as Wellsboro (4-3) will take on 4-4 North Penn-Mansfield, who plays Saturday agai