FREEPORT — West Shamokin running back Zac Horner scored his third touchdown of the second half to cut the Freeport lead to two with 1:01 remaining in the fourth quarter.

With a 2-point conversion pending, Yellowjackets head football coach John Gaillot called time out.

“Coach (Todd) Durand called over everyone on defense and told them what he wanted,” Gaillot said. “We needed to make a play.”

Horner got the ball again, but a group of Yellowjackets' defenders stopped him inches short of the goal line to preserve a 28-26 victory at Swartz Field Friday night.

“It was close,” Gaillot said. “It looked like he was going to get in, but we had a few guys that held him and started pushing him back.”

The final stop by the Yellowjackets' defense put an end to a furious second-half rally by the Wolves (0-4, 0-4).

“We knew we were going to be playing a tough team after seeing them on film this week,” Gaillot said. “They were like a mirror of us. They are a ferocious team.”

Down 14-0 at the half, the Wolves got the opening possession and scored on what seemed to be a harmless screen pass, but receiver Adam Crise broke a couple of tackles and made it to the end zone to cut the Freeport (3-1, 3-1) lead in half.

“We knew we'd be right in the game if we took the first possession of the second half and scored,” West Shamokin coach Jon McCullough said.

They not only scored to get back in it, but the Wolves defense stepped up, too. They were intercepted Freeport quarterback Andrew Romanchak on three straight possessions.

West Shamokin turned the second interception into points when Horner got his first touchdown from 4 yards out to tie the game heading into the fourth quarter.

A turnover on downs after the third turnover gave Freeport the ball on its own 22 and, undeterred by the interceptions, Romanchak led a five-play drive that was highlighted by a 56-yard pass to Dylan Hochbein.

That set the Yellowjackets up with a first and goal at the 10. Two plays later, Romanchak connected with Hochbein again from 5 yards out to put the 'Jackets back up 21-14.

The Wolves quickly responded with a two-play drive and Horner scored on a 51-yard run, but a bad snap led to a blocked extra point to keep Freeport on top, 21-20, with 9:03 remaining.

“It was no surprise to see (Horner) play as well as he did in the second half,” McCullough said. “He's been doing that for us for years.”

Horner had 99 yards on seven carriers in the second half.

The teams traded punts and with less than six minutes remaining the Yellowjackets turned to the ground game to eat up clock and march the ball down the field.

They ran it seven straight times and went 53 yards, scoring on a Josh Brestensky 10-yard run to put Freeport ahead by eight with 2:39 left.

The Wolves got the ball at their own 42 and were aided by a roughing the passer penalty on their way to the Horner score that cut the lead to two before the failed two point conversion.

“We were hurt by some penalties late, and we have to clean that stuff up,” Gaillot said.

Needing a first down to put the game away with under a minute remaining, Romanchak broke free for a 20-yard run.

“I'm proud of our guys,” Romanchak said. “We have some guys down and others are stepping up for us. It was great to get this win.”

Romanchak had two touchdowns passes in the game with his first one coming on a 6-yard pitch and catch with Logan Thimons in the first quarter. Ian Miller also had a score for the 'Jackets on a 1-yard run in the second quarter.