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NTL FOOTBALL: WYALUSING PULLS AWAY IN THE SECOND HALF TO DOWN CANTON (2024-10-05)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
CANTON — Wyalusing took advantage of break early to get a lead, then used the big play later in the game to pull away from Canton, 54-28, during NTL football action Friday.

It was just 20-14 at the half but a pair of kick-off returns for touchdowns plus a 72-yard Ayden Hunsinger run saw the Rams scored five second half touchdowns.

Leading the way early, though, was Wyalusing’s version of ‘slash’, Reuben Kinney, who accounted for three touchdowns today - a rushing score, a passing score, and a kick-off return to the house.

“It was pretty fun,” Kinney said about his career night. “We put in a couple new plays this week, and we ran that one where I throw to Ethan (Vanderpool). That worked out about perfect, so it was pretty cool.”

Both teams came in dealing with injuries, so they had different players in new positions, and Kinney was one of them.

“I knew we were going to run a couple plays that I haven’t run yet, but it went well,” he said.

The Rams practiced with 18 this past week, while bringing in a golfer to play some defensive back.

“We so desperately want to get some people healthy and back,” Rogers said. “But other than that the effort tonight, the right attitude coming. We talked about getting back on track, we saw what they were able to do against Troy.”

For the most part, though, Wyalusing stuck to their ground and pound game, running the ball 50 times for 321-yards. Hunsinger led the way with 25 carries for 185-yards and two scores, Vanderpool had 12 carries for 35-yards and two touchdowns, Kinney ran the ball five times for 59-yards with his score, and Johnny Earle ran the ball nine times for 22-yards.

Canton knows all about being short handed as they were missing two starting linemen and key defensive player Holden Ward this week.

“They’re in the same boat we are, they’re missing people left and right, and nothing but a great effort from them,” Rogers said.

Ben Fitch was 8-for-19 for 97-yards and a touchdown to lead the Warriors, while also running for 112-yards and two scores on 19 touches.

Bailey Gardner ran the ball eight times for 52-yards with a score, while through the air Aydin Holcomb had five catches for 77-yards and a touchdown. Rylan Wesneski had two catches for 21-yards.

However, they couldn’t get the breaks they needed defensively to get off the field. Twice in Wyalusing’s first two drives they fumbled the ball only to pick it up and run for first downs to keep drives alive, drives that ended in touchdowns.

“We’re just up against it right now with injuries,” said Canton coach Tyler Sechrist. “Some kids are getting some chances to play but it’s just been tough.”

Much like last week against Towanda they got down early, battled back to make it close at the break, but then ran out of steam in the second half.

“The biggest thing we have is giving up way too many points on special teams and defense right now,” said Sechrist. “Our offense hasn’t been playing terrible, it’s the defense that we’re having some trouble, and that’s putting us behind the eight ball.”

Canton got the opening kick-off but was forced to punt near midfield.

Wyalusing took over at their own 40-yard line but their drive didn’t look too promising when they were staring at 4th-and 6 at the 44.

Things went from bad to worse when a backwards pass from Earle to Kinney hit the ground. Canton thought it was an incompletion and stopped playing, but Kinney picked it up and ran 29-yards down the sidelines for a first down.

He finished off the drive four plays later with a 14-run on a jet sweep that ended with him sneaking inside the pylon, ending an 8-play, 60-yard scoring drive.

Earle punched in the 2-point conversion to make it 8-0 with 4:24 on the clock in the first quarter.

The Warriors went 3-and-out on their next drive with the Rams getting the ball back on their own 43-yard line.

This time another accidental fumblerooski play came up bit for the Rams. On third-and-6 Kinney was running the ball around the left side when he fumbled.

James Rogan was Jonny-on-the-spot, picking it up and running 19-yards for a first down to the Canton 34-yard line.

Seven plays later Vanderpool punched it in from 4-yards out to finish off the 57-yard, 10-play scoring drive. The 2-point conversion was no good as the Rams led 14-0 with 10:14 left to play.

Canton was finally able to get some offense going on their third drive, going to the option Fitch reeled off 21-yards on their first play from scrimmage.

The big play was the drive, though, was a 36-yard pass from Fitch to Holcomb, who dove back between two Wyalusing defenders to catch the ball while belly down on the ground, setting up first-and-goal at the 6-yard line.

Three plays later Fitch punched it in from two yards out to finish off the 9-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Alexis McRoberts added the point after for a 14-7 score with 7:09 left in the half.

A pair of penalties forced Wyalusing to punt on their ensuing drive. A facemask penalty on the return set the Warriors up at the Wyalusing 28-yard line.

They needed just four plays to hit paydirt as Fitch hit Wesneski for an 11-yard gain, then Gardner ran it 10-yards for first-and-goal.

Fitch finished it off with a 6-yard run. McRoberts’ kick was good to tie the game up at 14-all with 3:41 left in the half.

Wyalusing would take over at their own 34-yard line after the ensuing kick-off. A Hunsinger 14-yard run got them to midfield, but a Fitch tackle for loss appeared to stall out the drive.

That’s when the Rams went into their back of tricks. Earle threw a backwards pass to Kinney on the sideline, then Kinney hit a wide open Vanderpool behind the Canton defense for a 52-yard touchdown.

“We worked on this last week,” Kinney said about the play. “I saw (Canton defenders) coming. I was scared of getting hit so I made sure just to get it out there. He was wide open so all I had to do was get it out there, it was perfectly drawn up.”

Rogers was glad to see his fullback get in on the big play action.

“He said to me at halftime, ‘does that mean I’m the leading receiver on the team,’” mentioned Rogers. “I said, ‘I believe you are.’”

The 2-point conversion was no good but it did give the Rams a 20-14 lead late in the half.

Canton got the ball back with 1:46 left, and use da 32-yard run by Fitch to set up first-and-goal at the Rams six.

However, Wyalusing’s defense stopped Canton on four straight downs for a goal-line stand, keeping their six point lead into the locker rooms.

Kinney then had his biggest play of the night, a 78-yard touchdown return to start the second half.

“It was really good blocking,” he said. “I found a hole, and I just ran my fastest.”

The point after was no good but Wyalusing had the momentum, and up 26-14 with 11:47 left in the quarter.

After Canton’s drive went no where Wyalusing took over at their own-38 yard line. They would need 10-plays to get into the end zone, this time on a Hunsinger 1-yard plunge on 4th-and goal.

The key play, though, was a 4th-and-4 at their own 32-yard line where Hunsinger got the edge for a 17-yard gain and a new set of downs.

Hunsinger ran in the 2-point conversion for a 34-14 lead with 5:20 on the clock.

After another Canton punt Wyalusing took over at their own 31-yard line. This drive, though, ended with a fumble recovery by Wesneski near midfield.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, this drive came up empty, as well, giving Wyalusing the ball back at the Canton 43-yard line with 11:40 left in the fourth.

A 25-yard Hunsinger run on the first play from scrimmage set the tone for the drive. Canton nearly stopped, forcing a 4th-and-2 at the 10, but Hunsinger rattled off four yards to keep it going.

Three players later Vanderpool punched it in from a yard out to finish off the 8-play, 43-yard scoring drive. The point after was no good but the lead was now 40-14 with 7:32 on the clock.

Canton responded this time, using a 13-yard Fitch run to get into Wyalusing territory after starting at their own 27-yard line.

A pass interference call on fourth down kept the drive alive, and Canton got into the end zone when Fitch hit a wide open Holcomb for a 24-yard scoring hook-up to finish off the 11-play, 73-yard drive.

McRoberts’ kick was good and it was 40-21 with 3:51 left to play.

It didn’t take long for Wyalusing to answer as Earle took the ensuing kick-off to the house, going 90-yards as he weaved through the Canton defense. Hunsinger punched in the 2-point conversion for the 48-21 score with 3:33 left.

“We spent all week on kick return, believe it or not,” Rogers said. “I said this is a scoring play, we need to start treating it like that. Everybody had an assignment, and the pressure was on. They knew we didn’t start getting kick return going it’s meet me on the hill Monday, so I think they took that to heart, and got two of them.”

The Warriors would get back into the end zone after just three plays on the ensuing drive. A 23-yard Fitch run on second down set up a 29-yard Gardner rumble up the middle for a touchdown.

McRoberts nailed the point after and it was 48-28 with three minutes left.

The Rams got the final say, though, as on the first play from scrimmage Hunsinger broke through the Canton line for a 72-yard touchdown run. Wyalusing kneeled on the 2-point conversion for the 54-20 final.

The win snaps a 3-game losing streak by the Wyalusing (4-3), who will host Athens next week for their homecoming on Friday night.

“We’re constantly looking to improve,” Rogers said. “I don’t know if you noticed we didn’t have any fumbled snaps. That was what killed us our first drive against Troy last week, so, again, everything that we’re struggling with we just laser focus on every week in practice, get it improved, and just keep moving forward. We’ve just got to get some guys healthy.”

Canton (3-4) falls below .500 as they get ready to face Wellsboro next, and will also be hoping to get some members on their IR back on the field.

Right now, though, they’re going to keep moving forward regardless of who they have suiting up.

“It’s just, sometimes you get in a game, or a coupe games, and just know things aren’t bouncing your way, we just have to keep fighting, and hope things start to bounce our way,” Sechrist said.

WYALUSING 54, CANTON 28

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

W: Reuben Kinney 14-yard run (Johnny Earle run), 4:24

Second Quarter

W: Ethan Vanderpool 4-yard run (2-point failed), 10:14

C: Ben Fitch 2-yard run (Alexis McRoberts kick), 7:09

C: Ben Fitch 6-yard run (Alexis McRoberts kick), 3:41

W: Reuben Kinney 52-yard pass to Ethan Vanderpool (2-point failed), 1:52

Third Quarter

W: Reuben Kinney 78-yard kick-off return (kick field), 11:47

W: Ayden Hunsinger 1-yard run (Hunsinger run), 5:20