WELLSVILLE RACES PAST BEARS TO OPEN CONFERENCE PLAY

LEETONIA, OH – A week after a heartbreaking 6-0 loss to Malvern where nothing on offense seemed to click, the Wellsville Tigers dominated in the second half of a 25-10 win over EOAC and Region 25 rival Leetonia. 

The Bears got things going on their opening drive with a touchdown pass from quarterback Dylan Lennon to fullback Dylan Durick just three minutes into the game. After trading punts, the Tigers responded with a one-yard touchdown plunge from senior fullback Justin Sarge. The only other score to come in the first half was a 30-yard field goal by Leetonia kicker Gavin Steiskal with 27 seconds left before halftime. The three-pointer came after a Wellsville botched snap fumble deep in their own territory. The Bears took a 10-7 lead into halftime. From there, it was all Tigers. 

Wellsville received the ball to start the second half and wasted no time before taking the lead for good. Senior running back Jason Tice hit pay dirt with an 11-yard touchdown run just 2:08 into the second half. Tice would finish the night with 145 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries. One of those carries went for 80 yards to seal the game late in the 4th quarter. The 80-yard dash was the second-longest of the season for the Tigers. 

Senior receiver/defensive back Darien Suggs continued to impress on both sides of the ball. Suggs finished with 6 receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown through the air, four carries for 30 yards and a touchdown on the ground and finished second on the team in tackles for the night with seven. Caden Weekly led the Tigers in tackles for the fourth straight week with 14 – all solo. Draven Crow chipped in with three tackles and two combined sacks/tackles for loss. Crow now has eight combined sacks/tackles for loss on the season. 

Leetonia junior Marco Ferry continued his stellar season with 30 carries for 162 yards. Connor Hicks led the bears with 10 tackles including two sacks/tackles for loss. The loss puts the Bears at 3-1 for the season, while the win establishes the Tigers with the same record. Both teams sat in the top eight of Division 7, Region 25 of the OHSAA playoff race before the game. The Tigers visit Lisbon next week, While Leetonia heads to Columbiana. 

 

*Story contributed by YSN Wellsville’s Gary Althiser