It’s amazing how quickly things can turn in a football game.

The Sheffield Wolverines learned that lesson the hard way in their 40-0 season-opening loss at Smethport on Friday night.

Sheffield’s opening drive looked like a three-and-out until punter Jihad Bennett ran around the right end to pick up the first down. That drive would stall but the Wolverine defense stepped up to force a fourth down incompletion on the Hubbers first drive of the night.

Wolverine quarterback Aujamier Slappy forced a third-down pass that was intercepted by Smethport, which immediately converted a 35-year touchdown pass to take the 7-0 lead at the 4:20 mark.

Sheffield looked to be in business early in the second when Slappy threw into double coverage and Mirahn Price came down with the ball for what would have been a 26 yard gain but a holding penalty wiped out the play and stifled the drive.

It was then that the Wolverines learned how quickly a game could change – Smethport quarterback Noah Lent fired two touchdown passes just 37 seconds apart to stretch the 7-0 lead to 20-0.

The Wolverines came back though with their deepest thrust into Smethport territory in the late second quarter. Slappy found Caden Smead on a short pass that Smead turned into a 49 yard gain to the Smethport nine. After two rushing plays were stuffed at the line of scrimmage, Slappy took the ball to the six on a quarterback keep but threw a pass on fourth down that was intercepted in the endzone.

Smethport’s Braedon Johnson stretched the lead further on the last play of the first half. He took a short pass from Lent and went sideline to sideline to sideline en route to a 45-yard touchdown.

The Hubbers started the second half with a touchdown that took less than three minutes and would score just two minutes later after Sheffield botched the ensuing kickoff.

Smethport rounded out the scoring early in the fourth quarter, tackling Jacob Disshon in his own end zone when the Wolverines were pinned back at the goal-line.

Slappy threw for 107 yards while Bennett led the Wolverines in rushing with 61 yards on seven totes. Caden Smead paced Sheffield in receiving yards with 60.

– – –

Sheffield 0 0 0 0–0

Smethport 7 19 12 2–40

First Quarter

Sm – Burritt 35 pass from Noah Lent (Lent kick), 4:20

Second Quarter

Sm – Braedon Johnson 26 pass from Lent (Lent kick), 5:55

Sm – Burritt 18 pass from Lent (kick failed), 5:18

Sm – Braedon Johnson 45 pass from Lent (2-point fail), 0:00

Third Quarter

Sm – Hunter Lent 31 run (2-pt. fail), 9:12

Sm – Bryant Johnson 16 pass from Lent (2-pt. fail), 7:00

Fourth Quarter

Sm – Safety, 11:41

——

Sh Sm

First downs 7 15

Total Net Yards 159 378

Rushes-yards 28-52 27-183

Passing 107 195

Comp-Att-Int 12-24-4 9-15-0

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-Yards 6-44 96-47

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Sheffield, Kevin Marfink 6-9, Aujamier Slappy 12-(-17), Johaf Bennett 7-61, Jurrell Osbourne 3-(-1). Braedon Johnson 8-61, Noah Lent 10-28, Hunter Lent 7-78 TD, Logan Christie 1-10, Ryan Kelsey 1-6.

PASSING–Sheffield, Slappy 12-24, 107 yards, 4 INT. N. Lent 9-15, 195 yards, 5 TD.

RECEIVING–Bennett 2-(-4), Jacob Disshon 3-7, Walker Kyler 2-18, Caden Smead 2-60, Mirahn Price 2-19, Jurell Osbourne 1-7. Ryli Burritt 3-72 2 TD, Johnson 3-70 2 TD, Richard McDowell 1-25, Bryant Johnson 2-28 TD.