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Fitch’s second-half goal gives Wellsboro exciting 2-1 win against Montoursville boys

By Jon Gerardi 6 min read

Neither Wellsboro or Montoursville’s defense was yielding many looks to the opposition on Saturday night at Montoursville’s Memorial Stadium. Montoursville’s players and fans knew that in order to tie the game and shift momentum, the Warriors would need to take advantage of just a handful of opportunities.

And with the clock ticking inside of five minutes, it looked like the Warriors were going to get just the chance.

Montoursville’s Gavin Hawley found himself with a throughball and a 1-v-1 look with standout Wellsboro keeper Mitchell Butler. The two both were chasing down the ball and Butler read the ball perfect as he slid, able to block the shot by Hawley at the perfect time.

Montoursville couldn’t help but watch as the ball got out of harm’s way and from there, Montoursville was never able to get another threatening chance as Wellsboro escaped Montoursville’s Memorial Stadium with a thrilling 2-1 game on a cold October evening.

“I think for us these Wellsboro games are always a battle for us. I think we played them three or four times (recently) and it’s one way or the other each time. They beat us last time, we were looking to make up for that, but just didn’t go our way,” Montoursville coach Bryan Pauling said. “A couple mistakes in the back as some of those high balls were coming in. We got to work on that, and we had opportunities at the goal for us to tie it up at the end, but just couldn’t knock one in.”

Saturday’s game was tight and close throughout all 80 minutes. Both teams limited their opponent as Wellsboro held just a 7-4 edge in shots on goal.

Wellsboro coach Todd Fitch knew that in order to break the 1-all tie late in the second half, they would have to take advantage of any opportunity that presented itself, because there wouldn’t be many.

And, with 18 minutes, 44 seconds to play, that opportunity presented itself for the Green Hornets. Wellsboro’s Micaiah Fitch found himself with the ball just outside of the 18-yard box and from the right corner of the 18, Fitch fired a shot from 20 yards out and sent it perfectly inside the right post as Montoursville goalie Mason Morrow came out to try and block it.

“That broke the tie and they’re a good team. We weren’t able to generate many shots on them. Their defense was able to keep us from being a threat for much of the game,” coach Fitch said. “So for us to break through and then finish, that was huge. I think it really just gave us a spark to kind of lock things down to kind of come out with the result.”

And with how the game progressed throughout the first half and into the second, Fitch and the Green Hornets more than knew those shots had to count when they got them.

“When you have those games, that’s exactly right. Set pieces have been something that we have been able to score on this season and they just didn’t present themselves tonight,” Fitch said. “So for us to be able to break through, take advantage of that opportunity, advantage of opportunity early in the first half. Obviously it’s a 2-1 game, so they were significant.”

Wellsboro was the first to strike, and did so just three minutes into Saturday’s game. Wellsboro’s David Seeling got inside of the 18 and was able to fire a shot to the left for a fast 1-0 lead against the Warriors on Montoursville’s senior night.

Montoursville didn’t panic and kept playing their game and eventually were able to put in an equalizer midway through the second half. Quinn Winslow sent in a great corner kick to the far side of the 6-yard box that Hawley read perfectly, sending in a header to his right to tie the game up at 1-1.

For Montoursville, being able to go into the half tied and not trailing by a goal helped the team as well.

“I think it gives us an opportunity to come back out fresh if you’re not down. We had a little bit of momentum coming in, the kids were up,” Pauling said. “It got wet there a little bit and we just had a little bit of trouble with ball skipping and bouncing around a little on the turf. To come out at the half tied was a better spot than without that, but just couldn’t finish it up at the end here.”

Montoursville had a chance with 11:34 to put in a game-tying shot in the second half. Montoursville had the ball inside the 6 and the ball rolled past a Wellsboro defender, giving Montoursville a great look at the goal. Montoursville tried closing in to fire a shot, but Butler was able to fall on it and prevent a scoring opportunity.

“We really have a new back line this year. I think their chemistry and flow with each other, their communication, is great,” Fitch said. “So they’ve been able to just keep things pretty solid back there and limit the opportunity that a lot of our opponents have had.”

Montoursville had just one shot on goal throughout the first half. Montoursville’s other two shots went just wide of the goal, including one from Ryan Matlack 20 yards out that was sent just slightly wide to the left post.

While Wellsboro’s defense limited Montoursville’s chances, the Warriors’ back line did just the same. Wellsboro fired seven shots on goal, but only two came from inside the 18.

“Defensively we’ve been pretty lucky to have a main core there all season. It’s just a really good group of four, we have a fifth that rotates through as needed. They played well, communicated pretty well,” Pauling said. “I think they played a pretty tough D. We really had a hard time getting the ball through. Our team was trying to send the ball up and over which wasn’t going to work tonight and we just didn’t adjust the play for it.”

Wellsboro 2, Montoursville 1

W-David Seeling, 37:12. M-Gavin Hawley header (Quinn Winslow corner kick), 20:50. W-Micaiah Fitch, 18:44.

Shots: W 7, M 4. Corners: W 0, M 3. Saves: W 3 (Mitchell Butler), M 5 (Mason Morrow).

Records: Wellsboro (11-2-1), Montoursville (9-3-1).

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