NTL FOOTBALL: WYALUSING WELCOMES CANTON FOR HOMECOMING (2022-09-30)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
It’s homecoming week for Wyalusing (2-3), as they welcome the red hot Canton Warriors (5-0).

The Rams are coming off a big 26-0 win over Montgomery last week to break a 3-game losing streak, while Canton rolled over South Williamsport 50-0 for their fourth straight shutout.

“We had a great team win on Friday,” Wyalusing coach Henry Laboranti said. “The players did a great job doing their job on all sides of the ball.”

In Wyalusing’s two wins this year they’ve shutout their opponents, a sign of how important their defense is to their success.

“The defense has really been the star of the show for our two wins, and we hope to see that continue,” remarked Laboranti.

The Rams know this is going to be a heavy lift, taking on the Warriors, who haven’t allowed a point in over 16 quarters of play.

“Canton is obviously a well-coached and strong team,” said Laboranti. “They’re disciplined, and sprint to the ball on every play. We look forward to a good challenge on Friday.”

The Warriors know what to expect when they come to Ray Raffin Stadium on Friday.

“They are a team that is improving every week,” said Canton coach Tyler Sechrist. “They play hard, and have a physical running game.”

The Warriors have been breaking out new looks every game, and plan on trying to fine tune them this week.

“We are going to continue to focus on the execution of our passing, and running games,” Sechrist said.

As for the second half of the season, Sechrist wants them to focus on getting better.

“We need to stay humble, and continue to improve every week,” he said.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bailey Ferguson, Canton, QB, RB, WR, DB. K - Ferguson does it all for the Warriors. He’s 7-for-9 with a touchdown pass from the pocket, has run for a touchdown, caught a pass, is 3-for-3 on field goals, and 20-of-22 on extra points, plus has 12 tackles and a pick. It’s hard not to watch him.

Ken Warfle, Wyalusing, OL - The lone senior on the Wyalusing line, when they have success on the ground, it starts with him. He has the experience to take on the tough Canton defensive front.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Canton - Start fast. Canton has started a little slow the last two weeks, and, with this being Wyalusing’s homecoming, they’ll be pumped to play. They don’t want to let them hang around.

Wyalusing - No big plays. Easier said than done, but Canton relied on the big play last week to score and keep drives alive. When Wyalusing has a chance to end a Warrior drive, they need to take it.