Home Page Sports

This is it! Tonight’s game between the Wellsboro Green Hornets and the North Penn Mansfield Panthers is the game everyone has been waiting for. The 8 and 1 Panthers say they are ready to take on the 7 and 2 Hornets. Fans on both sides are saying that this is the biggest game of the season. Home Page had the opportunity to visit with both teams as they prepared for this BIG SHOWDOWN. We found the coaches and players on both sides cautious, but confident.

Coach Tom Dickinson of the Panthers said that their team has come together to play. He didn’t think that many people were talking about the Panthers at the beginning of the season. Obviously that has all changed. Coach Dickinson said that it has been an exciting year. If the Panthers are going to win tonight’s game, Coach Dickinson said that they will have to contain Wellsboro’s big three – Pietropola, Smethers and Marple.

Coach Matt Hildebrand said that the Panthers are a great football team and that the Hornets will need to play solid football tonight in order to win. Coach Hildebrand also said that this game will mean a lot regarding the season standings. “If Wellsboro wins tonight, we may see the Panthers again next week,” said Hildebrand. “But the important thing is to take one game at a time.” He added that tonight the Hornets need to come out ready to play.

Home Page tried to get Coach Hildebrand to elaborate on some of the brand new secret plays that the Hornets have prepared for the Panthers, but for the most part he remained silent. He did clarify that the play named “Secret Code 704” is actually “703” and that it has to do with some very unusual passing routes. We shall see.

Game time is 7:00 PM. Get to the Wellsboro High School early, because thousands of people are expected to show up for this one. At least that was the word on the street today from both Hornet and Panther fans.