Senior LB Sean Selinger ready to step up, get Freeport back to playoffs

By: Jerin Steele
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Sean Selinger is a lead-by-example type, which is a trait that runs in the family.

It’s the method his older brother Conor used when he was a senior, and he is trying to emulate it as he gets ready to play his final season at Freeport.

Leadership is a role Sean Selinger has been ready to fill, especially with how young of a team the Yellowjackets have.

Selinger, the middle linebacker on defense and a tight end on offense, is one of only five seniors on the roster.

“It’s my senior year, so it’s my year to be the leader of everybody and show them how I wanted to be shown when I was a younger guy,” Selinger said. “I’ve taken them under my wing, like I would’ve wanted when I was younger. Show them right from wrong, what they’re supposed to do day-in and day-out and that hard work eventually pays off.”

Freeport coach John Gaillot credited Selinger with helping foster a positive, hard-working attitude within the team over the summer.

Selinger played outside linebacker last year because there was a need at that position, but his more natural home growing up has been inside.

“It feels good to be back in the middle,” Selinger said. “It feels like where I’m supposed to be.”

One of Selinger’s main goals is to help restore Freeport into a contender after a rare down year in 2023. The Yellowjackets went 3-7 and missed the playoffs.

Freeport has been in the playoffs four of the past six years and in 2022 made a run to the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals before falling to eventual state champion Belle Vernon.

Last year’s struggles left a sour taste.

“I don’t think I’ve ever gone through a season with only three wins in my career, and it’s definitely something you don’t want to get used to,” Selinger said “This offseason we had to decide if we wanted to put in the work to get better or fall again like we did last year. I think everyone agrees that we didn’t like the feeling of seven losses last year, so we’ve all been putting in the work to get back to that 10-2 season we had when I was a sophomore.”

An added bonus for Selinger is getting to play against many local rivals in the Class 3A Allegheny Seven Conference. Deer Lakes and Valley have been mainstays on the Yellowjackets’ schedule, but they’ll reignite rivalries with Highlands and Burrell this fall.

“When I saw the conference, I was definitely excited, because I’ve been playing against those kids since I was 4 years old in youth football,” Selinger said. “To go back and play against all those kids at all the same fields is really cool. It’s kind of a full-circle moment.”

Selinger has received some interest from colleges and hopes to continue his playing career after this season. Regardless of what lies ahead, he intends to give everything he has in his final high school season.

“Even if I do go play in college, I’ll never get to play on this field (at Freeport) again,” Selinger said. “You have to dig deeper inside of yourself each day and maybe dig to a point where you didn’t know you had it and just give it your all every day. You just have to live up every moment that you get.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Freeport