Hornets Mercy Rule Rival North Penn-Mansfield To Retain Morton Jones Trophy

By: Ed Weaver  /  October 31, 2026  /  Photo: Dr. Robert Bair

The Wellsboro Varsity Football team tied their highest point total of the season as they defeated rival North Penn-Mansfield, 41-0, to close out the regular season with a win on Senior Night Friday.

The win also means the Morton F. Jones Trophy stays in "The Boro" for another year.

"Our guys came out and played Wellsboro football," head coach Matt Hildebrand (89-57) said. "They were fired up from the start and it's a great way to have our seniors go out. The trophy means a lot to not only our kids here but guys that have played in the past and the community. I'm proud of the guys and how they played tonight."

Wellsboro wasted little time as they only need three plays to find the scoreboard. On the second play from scrimmage senior Max Mascho hauled in a 25-yard pass from junior Griffin Morral. On the very next play, Morral called his own number and raced 45 yards to end Panthers' end zone. Wellsboro held a 7-0 lead until the beginning of the second quarter when they went on a 34-point run.

The Hornets kicked off the 2nd quarter by forcing North Penn-Mansfield to punt from their own 3-yard line. Junior Reed Richardson scored one play later on a 27-yard run to make it 14-0. Wellsboro added another score after holding the Panthers to a 3-and-out. This time, junior Kody Enck was on the receiving end of a 15-yard Morral pass to make it 20-0. Wellsboro added three more scores before the half: one on a 74-yard punt return by sophomore Christian Main, a 9-yard run by Mascho, and a 41-yard pass from Morral to senior Gideon Lawton.

Wellsboro held North Penn-Mansfield to 79 yards of total offense and registered 8 sacks on the evening, two each by senior Levi Champaign and juniors Jorden Hines and Gavin Carson, and one each by Richardson and sophomore Eli Nowak. Enck finished with 6 tackles and Richardson added 5 tackles. Senior Wyatt Davenport added an interception.

Morral completed 6-of-8 passes for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns and carried the ball 4 times for 58 yards and a score, Mascho rushed 6 times for 74 yards and a touchdown and caught 2 passes for 39 yards, and Richardson had 3 carries for 29 yards and a score. Lawton led the receiving corps with 3 catches for 51 yards and a score.

Peyton Greene was 9-of-24 through the air for 68 yards for North Penn-Mansfield and rushed 14 times for 2 yards. Bridger Lehman rushed one time for 9 yards and Logan Bitner caught 3 passes for 26 yards.

"This was really a team win," Hildebrand added. "We had a lot of guys get in there and contribute. It was a good night all around."

Next up for Wellsboro (4-6, 4-4 NTL Large School Division) is a date next Friday night at the Silver Bowl against top-seeded Mount Carmel.