Fast start lifts Freeport to 1st win of season

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 22, 2018 | 12:00 AM

Freeport avoided its first 0-4 start in 24 years in a big way.

The Yellowjackets scored 22 points in the first 4 minutes, 39 seconds of play Friday night and cruised to a 55-16 victory over Uniontown at Bill Power Stadium.

Freeport (1-3, 1-3) got a break on the opening kickoff as the Red Raiders returner didn’t pick up the ball and Jalen Brown was there to capture it for the Yellowjackets at the Uniontown 18.

Isiah Bowman took a pitchout five plays later from 3 yards out, and Freeport was on its way.

“I was shocked at that one,” Freeport coach John Gaillot said of the early Uniontown miscue. “Jalen Brown never stopped and dove on the ball. We’ll take it. We tell them to play to the whistle no matter what.”

Following a 19-yard punt, Conor Selinger raced 49 yards for another score and Austin Romanchak quickly scored his first of five touchdowns on the night with a 22-yard interception return.

After a 2-yard run by Selinger, Garret Ben’s fumble recovery at the Uniontown 19 paved the way for a Romanchak 8-yard scoring run and the Yellowjackets had a 36-0 lead after the opening play of the second quarter.

“We put our heads down after our first three losses and bounced back,” Gaillot said. “We were fired up about changing the season and I’m very excited with how this came out.”

After sophomore running back Ky’ron Craggette got the Red Raiders on the scoreboard with a 70-yard run, Romanchak answered with scoring runs of 74, 23 and 25 yards.

“We just wanted to focus on coming together as a team and coming out strong and finishing strong,” Romanchak said. “We executed all of our assignments and got it done tonight.”

Leading 55-8 at the half, Freeport looked like it might approach the school record of 72 points in a game set in 1925 against tiny Allegheny Township, but Gaillot went exclusively with reserves in the second half.

“We got a chance to put our JV’s in,” Gaillot said. “I’m happy with the way they played and feel positive about this team going forward.”

Uniontown (0-5, 0-4) has lost 17 in a row. The longest current losing streak in the WPIAL didn’t stop a large turnout on the home grandstand.

“We’re very grateful to our fans,” Red Raiders coach Cedric Lloyd said. “Eventually, we’ll give them a good show. It’s coming. We’re young right now, as we mature and get older, we’re going to be pretty decent.”

Uniontown has just three seniors on the roster.

Romanchak had 157 rushing yards and Selinger 93, all in the first half. Romanchak leads the team with eight touchdowns. Craggette ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns. He had another TD called back on an illegal block, but has 681 yards gained on the season.

“He is a special young man,” Lloyd said of Craggette. “Hopefully, at some point, we’ll put what he needs around him.”

Senior Jacob Leri and freshman Shane Jack recovered fumbles in the second half for the Yellowjackets.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

Tags: Freeport, Uniontown