Hornets Overcome Scoreless Third Quarter To Edge Canton

By: Ed Weaver  /  January 30, 2025

Despite a scoreless third quarter, the Wellsboro Varsity Boys Basketball team edged Canton 49-46 to even their season record back up at .500 on Wednesday to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Right now the Hornets currently sit in 9th place in the District IV Class 3A power rankings behind Bloomsburg (10-8).

"We played flat, especially in the third quarter," head coach Ron Doughtie said. "When we ramped up the pressure and went full court man it made a big difference in the energy."

The game was close early on as the Hornets held a 12-10 lead after the opening quarter. Wellsboro then put up a 13-9 second quarter to take a 25-19 lead into the half.

Then the wheels fell off.

Canton went on a 12-0 run coming out of the locker room, led by six points from Ben Fitch, to take a 31-25 lead. Wellsboro then initiated their press to work back into the game. Senior Mitchel Lechler and sophomore Colin Fletcher combined for 18 points (9 points apiece) over the final eight minutes to lead the Hornets on a 24-15 run to not only retake the lead, but to hold on for the win in their final NTL cross-over game of the season.

"The team really struggled from deep, but hit some mid range shots to keep it close against a packed in Canton defense," added Doughtie. "The efficiency from the foul line was a big.part of our ability to close the game."

The Hornets shot 9-for-11 from the foul line, with 10 of the 11 attempts coming in the fourth quarter.

Lechler led all scorers with 19 points. Fletcher and freshman Griffin Morral finished with 9 points apiece, junior Marek Mascho added 6 points, junior Luke Rothermel pitched in 4 points, and sophomore Max Mascho rounded out the scoring with 2 points.

Marek Mascho and Morral both finished with 4 rebounds, Lechler made 3 assists and came away with 3 steals, Rothermel and Max Mascho each grabbed 3 boards, freshman Ransom Schultz added 2 rebounds and blocked a shot, sophomore Ethan Keane made 2 steals and an assist, and Fletcher added an assist and 2 steals.

Fitch led Canton with 16 points.

Wellsboro's JV team ran their win streak to five games after a 49-38 win. Freshman RJ Doughtie led Wellsboro with 18 points (on six 3-pointers) while sophomore Gideon Lawton added 10.

The Hornets (9-9, 8-5 NTL Large School Division) host rival North Penn-Mansfield Friday.