Hornets claw Wildcats, 81-47

By: Ed Weaver  /  January 10, 2018  /  Photo: Brian Fees

The Wellsboro Varsity Boys Basketball team picked up their ninth straight victory of the season in an 81-47 road win in Athens on Tuesday, January 9.

The win was also the 151st of head coach Todd Outman's career.

Wellsboro was in control right from the opening tip as they outscored the Wildcats 22-12 in the first quarter. It wasn't until the second, however, until the Hornets did the most damage of the night. The Hornets turned up the heat in the second and forced the Wildcats to turn the ball over 7 times.

Those turnovers led the 26 Hornet points, including three-pointers from seniors Dalton Prough and Nic Ingerick and junior Brandyn Tuttle. Senior Collin Pietropola also added 7 points in the quarter, backing up a 10-point first quarter, to put the Hornets firmly in control.

At halftime, Wellsboro led 48-26.

The second half saw much of the same as the first half as the Hornets continued hot outside shooting. Senior Quinn Henry hit a pair of three's and Pietopola added one of his own while Tuttle added his final 4 points of the evening in the quarter. Wellsboro outscored Athens 18-11 in the third to lead 66-37 entering the fourth.

As the Hornets began to substitute in the final quarter, Prough took over with 8 points and junior Tanner Button made two baskets to lead Wellsboro in scoring in the final minutes. The Hornets outscored Athens 15-10 in the quarter as they held their opponents to 50 of fewer points for the 9th straight time and 10th overall this season.

Pietropola finished with a career-high 21 points and 8 rebounds, Tuttle had a double-double of 16 points and 10 boards, and Prough and Henry both finished with 14 points. Prough added 7 assists, 3 blocks, and 5 steals and Henry had 2 assists.

Button and Ingerick both finished with 5 points, junior Andrew Brelo had 4 off the bench and freshman Joseph Grab pitched in with 2 points in the fourth quarter. Also pitching in off the bench were juniors Holden Kennedy and Hunter Brown with 4 rebounds each.

Athens started off the night by winning the JV game 52-35 to drop the Hornets to 6-3. Grab had 14 to lead Wellsboro.

The win improves the Hornets' record to 10-1 (7-0 NTL Large School Division) and sets up the game of year between rival North Penn-Mansfield (7-4, 7-0 NTL Large School Division) for the Margaret (Peg) Berguson Memorial Trophy on Thursday, January 11 at Mansfield.