Hornets top Athens, win NTL Large School title

By: Ed Weaver  /  February 3, 2018  /  Photo: Johanna Vogt

The Wellsboro Varsity Boys Basketball team won their second straight NTL Large School Division title with a 75-46 win over Athens on Friday, February 2.

"It was one of our goals for the season and we played a great game tonight, especially the first half," said senior Quinn Henry.

"It feels great to get the first step of our journey," said senior Nic Ingerick.

"It's a special night any time you can win two NTL championships in a row," said senior Dalton Prough. "We played really well tonight. It's the first game we've played well in a while so were hoping we can continue that success."

"That was one of our goals, but we have to move on now," senior Collin Pietropola said. "We're never satisfied and the next goal is a a District title, so that's what we're going for."

Right from the opening tip the Hornets took care of business at they outscored Athens 23-6 in the opening quarter. Wellsboro then kept the pedal down in the second as they outscored the Wildcats 19-5 to build a 42-11 halftime lead.

Wellsboro continued their pressure, despite their 31-point lead, in the third quarter and put up another 20 points to increase their lead to 62-29. Athens managed to outscore Wellsboro 17-13 in the final quarter, but the Hornets' lead was to big to overcome.

Junior Brandyn Tuttle led the Hornets on the night with his 15th double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. Prough scored 16 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and made 7 assists. Junior Hunter Brown scored 10 points and had 4 rebounds of the bench, junior Andrew Brelo scored 9 points off the bench, Pietropola scored 7 points grabbed 5 rebounds, and made 4 assists, Ingerick had 5 points and 2 assists, junior Tanner Button scored 4, junior Bergen Weiner added 3 points, and Henry and junior Holden Kennedy scored 2 point seach.

Henry also added 6 assists.

Athens won the JV game 54-36 to drop the Hornets to 11-7. Freshman Joseph Grab led the Hornets with 20 points.

The win improves the Varsity team's record to 20-1 (15-0 NTL Large School Division). The team will be back in action on Monday, February 5 against rival North Penn-Mansfield in their final regular season game of the year.