KEATHLEY, BIG PLAYS PROPELS ATHENS TO 55-0 WIN OVER NORTH PENN-MANSFIELD
By: Tim Birney / October 7, 2022 / Photo: Matt Patton
MANSFIELD — Sophomore Kolsen Keathley touched the ball four times, and
rushed for four TDs, including runs of 75 and 61 yards, to lead Athens
to a 55-0 win over North Penn-Mansfield here Friday night in NTL Large
School Division football action.
Keathley rushed for 156 yards,
and also had TD runs of 18 and 2 yards, while senior tailback Caleb
Nichols rushed for 38 yards and one TD on 10 carries, and had one
reception for 70 yards in a night of big plays for the Wildcats.
Athens
got on the board early on a 23-yard TD pass from senior QB Mason Lister
to junior Josh Martin. Lister’s PAT kick made it 7-0.
Keathley’s first TD run of 2 yards made it 13-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Keathley broke loose on a 75-yard TD run on Athens’ next possession, and Lister’s PAT boot made if 20-0.
Athens cashed in on a North Penn-Mansfield with a short scoring drive, capped by a Nichols 5-yard TD run, to make it 27-0.
Lister and senior Lucas Horton hooked up on a 71-yard TD pass with 4 minutes remaining in the half to extend the lead to 34-0.
Keathley tacked on an 18-yard TD run in the final minute of the first half to make it 41-0.
Keathley
added a 61-yard TD run in the third quarter, and freshman Cooper
Robinson scored his first varsity TD with a 15-yard run in the fourth
quarter. Lister, who made seven of eight PAT kicks in the game, tacked
on the final point of the contest for the Wildcats.
Athens amassed 519 yards in total offense — 278 through the air, and 241 on the ground.
Lister completed 9 of 13 passes for 242 yards and two TDs, and Horton completed his only throw for 36 yards.
Martin
led Athens with four receptions for 41 yards and one TD, while Horton
had two catches for 79 yards and one TD, and senior Matt Machmer had two
grabs for 65 yards.
Robinson added 42 rushing yards and on TD on eight carries for the Wildcats.
NP-M had 133 yards in total offense, including 39 rushing yards on 19 carries.
Defensively, Nichols had two interceptions, and Martin had one for the Wildcats.
Athens, now 5-2, is on the road at unbeaten Canton Friday.
About the Author
Tim Birney
Tim Birney is the founder / owner of River Road Media Group. He was born and raised in the Valley, graduating from Waverly High School in 1984.
Birney earned an Associate's Degree in Journalism from SUNY Morrisville in 1986 and a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism / Public Relations from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1988. He began his newspaper career at The Daily Review in Towanda in 1989, before moving on to The Evening Times in 1995. He spent more than 10 years at the Times, the last four as Managing Editor.
River Road Media Group includes five sites in "The Sports Reports" family that cover 24 school districts in five counties: Valley Sports Report (launched Aug. 10, 2009), Tioga County (NY) Sports Report (Aug. 13, 2018), and Northern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 31, 2020); Northern Tier West Sports Report (March 15, 2021) Southern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 16, 2021).
