In 8-Man Playoffs, No. 2 Lions see last chance comeback foiled by No. 3 Holley, as great season of football ends after 16-14 Hawks win in Wellsville’s 1st home Sectional game in 13 years

By John Anderson/Wellsville Sun

WELLSVILLE — The Wellsville Lions football team ended the season with a 16-14 home playoff loss to Holley in 8-man football.

Holley, the #3 seed in the four-team tournament is now 6-2 and takes on No. 1 Pembroke (8-0) in the finals. Pembroke downed Red Jacket, 46-14.

Wellsville, the No 2 seed, finishes the season at 4-5. The Lions had a few players from Genesee Valley and Belfast this season. The program will graduate their two lone seniors in J.J. Howard and Terrence Benz.

No statistics were provided to the local media.

The Lions took a 6-0 lead on a 32-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Brennen Geffers to senior wide receiver J.J. Howard.

Holley answered when senior QB Destin Kuyal hit Vincent Golisano for a 47-yard touchdown and the two-point conversion made it 8-6 Holley.

In the fourth quarter, Geffers threw a 46-yard touchdown to junior receiver Trenton Green. On the play, Green caught the ball at the 15-yard-line, juked a defender who fell down, broke out of a tackle at the 10 and then Howard held a block long enough to allow Green to score with the final defender grabbing his back as he crossed the goal line.

On the conversion, Geffers found Howard with a defender draped on him for a 14-8 Wellsville lead.

With 5:49 left in the game, Kuyal hit Golisano with a 17-yard score to tie the game. Kuyal dove in for the two-point conversion.

The Lions drove down to the 16-yard-line when time ran out on their season.