BUFFALO TWP — Drew Ross' 1-yard touchdown run to open the fourth quarter demonstrated progress for Freeport's football program. A week after the Yellowjackets melted down in the second half against Mount Pleasant, Ross' touchdown completed a rally from 10 points down to take the lead against Shady Side Academy.

The final step in the process for Freeport will be learning how to finish those games. Turnovers ultimately doomed the Yellowjackets in a 31-28 loss to Shady Side Academy during their Allegheny Six Conference opener Friday night at Yellowjackets Stadium.

“We never gave up,” Freeport receiver Brady Sullivan said. “We are always thinking about the next play. We don’t focus on the past and are always looking straight forward.”

Freeport had to spend much of its matchup against the Bulldogs trying to shake off adversity. Shady Side Academy controlled the game by turning Freeport miscues into points. The ‘Jackets had four passes intercepted and a punt block

The Bulldogs scored 17 points off Freeport's turnovers. Shady Side Academy’s first touchdown, a 17-yard run by Carter Simko in the first quarter, was set up after Nate Mallory intercepted Ross.

“It was really our defense, making huge stops,” Bulldogs coach Chuck Dinardo said. “That was really the story of it. Our defense doing this.”

The ‘Jackets tied the game when Cyprian Selinger hauled in a 31-yard touchdown from Ross in the second quarter. Ross finished with 231 passing yards and threw two touchdown passes.

Shady Side Academy scored the next 10 points, including a 22-yard field goal with 50 seconds left in the half. Just when the Bulldogs (4-2, 1-0) appeared ready to go into halftime with a 10-point lead, Ross and Sullivan made another wild play.

With 11 seconds left in the half, Sullivan hauled in a deep pass from Ross and turned it into a 55-yard catch-and-run touchdown where he fended off several Shady Side Academy defenders. That cut Freeport’s deficit at half to 17-14.

“I was thinking no one was going to take me down,” said Sullivan, who finished with a game-high 124 receiving yards on six catches. “I was thinking about the end zone. 100 percent of the time. That’s what I think about every play.”

Sullivan’s touchdown didn’t provide quite the surge Freeport (2-4, 0-1) hoped for. After forcing the Bulldogs into a three-and-out to start the third quarter, the ‘Jackets’ offense stalled. The Bulldogs would then block a punt and have Simko return it for a 3-yard score to stretch the lead back to 10.

Freeport defender Isaac Woods restarted the momentum after the ‘Jackets were forced to punt. He intercepted a deflected pass and went 40 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to cut the lead to three points.

“He’s catching passes in seven-on-sevens this year,” Freeport coach John Gaillot said. “I knew he had athletic ability and he makes plays.”

The ‘Jackets would get another stop on defense before going on a long touchdown drive that resulted in Ross’ go-ahead touchdown.

However, the Bulldogs got an excellent play from quarterback Devin Harris to go back ahead. He was scrambling down the sideline and managed to stay inbounds after being pushed by a Freeport defender. Harris would end up going 40 yards for a big first down.

A few plays later he found Simko on a 16-yard strike in the corner of the end zone to go back ahead, 31-28 with 10:53 remaining. The ‘Jackets had a late drive to the Bulldogs’ 28, but Shady Side Academy defensive back Deacon Durham intercepted a pass to seal the win.

Freeport was happy with the effort.

“We really grew up a lot today,” Gaillot said. “We couldn’t be happier with the effort we give.”

Shady Side Academy 7 10 7 7-31

Freeport 0 14 7 7-28

First Quarter

S — Carter Simko 17 run (Harran Zureikat kick), 2:36

Second Quarter

F — Cyprian Selinger 31 pass from Drew Ross (Judah Thompson kick), 10:43

S — Deacon Durham 32 pass from Devin Harris (Zureikat kick), 9:03

S — Zureikat 22 field goal, :50

F — Brady Sullivan 50 pass from Ross (Thompson kick), :03

Third Quarter

S — Simko 3 blocked punt return (Zureikat kick), 8:24

F —Isaac Woods 40 interception return (Thompson kick), 5:21

Fourth Quarter

F — Ross 1 run (Thompson kick), 11:57

S — Simko 16 pass from Harris (Zureikat kick), 10:34

Rushing: Shady Side Academy, Devin Harris 8-42, Carter Simko 5-13, Isaiah Beckham 3-(-3). Freeport, Justin Jack 12-48, Colton Otterman 9-29, Drew Ross 12-24, Cyprian Selinger 2-(-8).

Passing: Shady Side Academy, Devin Harris 16-27-188-1. Freeport, Ross 14-30-231-4.

Receiving: Shady Side Academy, Deacon Durham 3-64, Carter Bonner 4-61, Carter Simko 3-53, Charlie Johnson 2-13, Isaiah Beckham 1-(-2), Eddie Debruce 1-(-1). Freeport, Brady Sullivan 6-124, Madden Wisniewski 4-51, Cyprian Selinger 2-41, Danny King 1-15, Colton Otterman 1-(-1).