Hornets Top Athens, 2-1 In OT

By: Ed Weaver  /  September 15, 2022  /  Photo: Tim Birney

An overtime goal by junior Caden Smith turned a 1-1 tie into a 2-1 win for the Wellsboro Varsity Boys Soccer team against NTL nemesis Athens on the road on Wednesday, September 14.

"To beat Athens is one thing to beat Athens at Athens is a whole different thing," head coach Todd Fitch said. "It was a battle the whole time and the boys just thought they they wanted to beat Athens."

The Hornets struck near the midway point in the first half as senior Jack Poirier took a pass from senior Sam Rudy, off a Wildcat deflection, and found the back of the net for his 60th career goal. Wellsboro maintained their 1-nil lead until the 11:44 mark in the second half when Athens' Braydon Post sent a shot past senior Aiden Gehman, his first goal allowed this season, to knot the game up at 1-1.

Neither team found the back of the net the rest of the regulation forcing the overtime period.

"This game required us to play a full 80 minutes and we some issues related to conditioning and fatigue and so forth, but the boys they just kept fighting. That was that was a good goal that was scored but it wasn't like it was a fluky thing. I think that's one of those things where from that location against a good team like Athens you have to pressure on the ball and we just had a moment there where we just didn't have pressure on the ball and and they capitalized."

Once the overtime period began, Wellsboro was able to find the back of the net. With 2:41 remaining, junior Smith took a pass from Poirier and shot it through the back of the net for the game-winner.

Wellsboro took 12 shots on the goal on the evening while the Wildcats attempted 8. Gehman recorded 4 saves. Athens had an 8-7 edge in corner kicks.

In the JV game Wellsboro pulled off the sweep with a 2-1 victory. Freshman David Seeling scored both goals. Jude Cuneo assisted on the first goal and junior Wyatt Roth assisted on the second.

The win improves the Hornets' record to 6-0 (5-0 NTL). The team is back in action at Loyalsock on Saturday, September 17.