Freeport defense smothers Highlands football for third straight win; Drew Ross accounts for 3 TDs
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport defeated Highlands 28-7 in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeport reciver Madden Wisniewski secures a catch in the end zone in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeports own Dawson Gaillot with a sack on the opposing quarterback in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
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Freeports own Drew Ross celebrates with teammates after batting down a pass in the end zone in a football game Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, at Highlands High School. Eddie Clancy/Special to the Eagle
NATRONA HEIGHTS — Freeport football spoiled homecoming day for Highlands with a 28-7 drubbing on their home field in a crucial late-season game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicated.
Freeport’s defense swarmed quarterback Menage Lucas and the Rams’ offense for the entire first half, setting the tone for a game the Yellowjackets (5-2, 3-1 section) controlled nearly from the start.
The win keeps Freeport in the hunt for the WPIAL Class 3A section crown behind undefeated Imani Christian (7-0, 3-0). Deer Lakes (6-1, 3-0) was handed its first loss by Beaver but remains unbeaten in section play.
“I believed in our defense all along,” Freeport’s Sean Selinger said. “I think we haven’t shown our full potential yet. We’re a really good team. I think we’re underestimated. People think we’re undersized. I think we just make up for the size in heart.”
The first quarter ended scoreless, but not for lack of trying from the Rams (2-4, 1-3). Lucas led the Rams on a promising drive to start the game, and it looked like Highlands would draw first blood. The drive fizzled out within the Yellow Jackets' 10, as the Rams failed to convert on a fourth down at the 5-yard line. Lucas’ pass into the end zone was deflected.
On their first drive of the second quarter, Freeport's offense finally came to life and drove inside the 10-yard line, sparked by a long pass from quarterback Drew Ross to Selinger. The drive ended with a 10-yard touchdown run by Ross for the game's first points.
Freeport’s defense swarmed quarterback Menage Lucas and the Rams’ offense for the entire first half, and eventually forced the beleaguered quarterback to throw an interception to Madden Wisniewski late in the second half. Ross made the Rams pay on the very next play with a 65-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Danny King for a 14-0 lead.
On their first possession of the second half, another promising Rams’ drive came to a stop on fourth down. Highlands drove into the red zone before two consecutive sacks — the Jackets’ fifth and sixth of the game to that point — put an end to the drive.
The Jackets subsequently put the game out of reach with a long 14-play drive, capped off with a 1-yard touchdown run by Amos Glenn to make it 21-0.
The final dagger came when Lucas threw his second interception of the game, this one to Owen Nelstein. The Jackets converted this turnover into one last touchdown, as Wisniewski made a spectacular catch on a fourth-and-8 pass from Ross.
“The kids are tenacious and relentless,” Freeport head coach John Gaillot said. “We hit it a lot in practice, and the kids buy in. I’ve had great kids for 17 years, but I’ve never had a group that wanted to condition more. We’re still young, but I could not be more pleased.”
Overall, Ross finished with a 75% completion percentage for 167 yards, two touchdown passes and one touchdown run, and no interceptions.
The Jackets’ bid for a shutout ended with 1:46 left in the game as Lucas hit Montrell Jackson for a 25-yard touchdown, but that was all for Highlands.
Box score
Freeport 0 14 0 14 — 28
Highlands 0 0 0 7 — 7
Second quarter
F — Drew Ross 10 run (Cole Troutman kick) 9:07
F — Danny King 65 pass from Drew Ross (Cole Troutman kick) 2:03
Fourth quarter
F — Amos Glenn 1 run (Cole Troutman kick) 8:09
F — Madden Wisniewski 25 pass from Drew Ross (Cole Troutman kick) 4:53
H — Montrell Jackson 25 pass from Menage Lucas (Jackson Babinsack kick) 1:46
Passing: Freeport, Drew Ross 9-12-167-1. Highlands, Menage Lucas, 10-21-150-1.
Rushing: Freeport, Drew Ross 11-52, Owen Neistein 1-0, Amos Glenn 15-45. Highlands, Kyren Veasley 4-9, Menage Lucas 14-112.
Receiving: Freeport, Madden Wisniewski 4-51, Sean Selinger 2-40, Danny King 1-65. Highlands, Montrell Johnson 3-52, Aiden Buford 2-27.
