Romanchak’s 1-yard sneak seals Freeport victory over Shady Side Academy
By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, September 23, 2017 | 12:00 AM
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports' Austin Romanchak dives into the end zone against Shady Side Academy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Logan Bitar (21) gains yardage against Apollo-Ridge on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Owens Field. Apollo-Ridge won 28-19.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin grabs a pass over Freeport's Luke Kennedy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Jacob Sarver breaks into the clear against Shady Side Academy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Austin Romanchak defends on Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin in the fourth quarter Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports' Austin Romanchak rolls off the tackle attempt by Shady Side Academy's Skyy Moore on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Austin Ronamchak defends on Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin in the fourth quarter Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin dives over Freeport's Austin Romanchak in the third quarter Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Conor Selinger runs through the tackle attempt by Shady Side Academy's Ethan Critchlow on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports' Austin Romanchak gains yardage agaisnt Shady Side Academy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports' Evan McCrea avoids Shady Side Academy's Skyy Moore during their game Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Josh Bollinger grabs Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Austin Romanchak reacts after Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin scored a touchdown in the third quarter Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Evan McCrea runs over Shady Side Academy's Ivor Wood on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports celebrates with Autin Romanchak after his third-quarter touchdown against Shady Side Academy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Shady Side Academy's Mason Tomlin stiff-arms Freeport's Miles Troup on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Louis Raggiunti | For the Tribune-Review
Plum's Colt Robb (21) turns the corner against McKeesport's Canaan Baldinger (10) on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Plum.
Freeports' Austin Romanchak dives into the end zone against Shady Side Academy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Jack Fordyce | Tribune-Review
Burrell's Logan Bitar (21) gains yardage against Apollo-Ridge on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Owens Field. Apollo-Ridge won 28-19.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin grabs a pass over Freeport's Luke Kennedy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Jacob Sarver breaks into the clear against Shady Side Academy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Austin Romanchak defends on Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin in the fourth quarter Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports' Austin Romanchak rolls off the tackle attempt by Shady Side Academy's Skyy Moore on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Austin Ronamchak defends on Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin in the fourth quarter Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin dives over Freeport's Austin Romanchak in the third quarter Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Conor Selinger runs through the tackle attempt by Shady Side Academy's Ethan Critchlow on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports' Austin Romanchak gains yardage agaisnt Shady Side Academy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports' Evan McCrea avoids Shady Side Academy's Skyy Moore during their game Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Josh Bollinger grabs Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Austin Romanchak reacts after Shady Side Academy's Dino Tomlin scored a touchdown in the third quarter Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeport's Evan McCrea runs over Shady Side Academy's Ivor Wood on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Freeports celebrates with Autin Romanchak after his third-quarter touchdown against Shady Side Academy on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Shady Side Academy's Mason Tomlin stiff-arms Freeport's Miles Troup on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Freeport High School.
Louis Raggiunti | For the Tribune-Review
Plum's Colt Robb (21) turns the corner against McKeesport's Canaan Baldinger (10) on Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, at Plum.
Freeport’s offensive players knew exactly what they wanted to do on fourth-and-goal with the game on the line. They just had to convince their coach first.
Score one for youth.
Austin Romanchak’s 1-yard quarterback plunge with 2 minutes, 17 seconds remaining gave Freeport the go-ahead touchdown as the Yellowjackets beat Shady Side Academy, 24-17, in a Class 2A Allegheny Conference thriller Friday night at Freeport Area Athletic Stadium.
“We had to talk (coach John Gaillot) into it — he wanted to kick it,” said Romanchak, who rushed for 88 yards and all three Freeport touchdowns. “But we told him we would get the ball in the end zone on that play, and we came through.”
Shady Side Academy took the lead late in the first quarter. After a lengthy Freeport drive stalled in Indians territory, SSA scored on its fifth play from scrimmage when Moore’s deep pass eluded a leaping Romanchak and found Tomlin near midfield; the receiver coasted for an easy 89-yard TD.
Freeport tied it on Romanchak’s 5-yard run midway through the second, but SSA took a 10-7 halftime lead on a Connor Lemmhuis field goal. The Indians extended their advantage on the opening drive of the second half, as Moore hit Tomlin for a 29-yard score, but Jake Sarver’s 26-yard field goal in the third and Romanchak’s 3-yard run in the fourth tied the score.
Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at dgulasy@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dgulasy_Trib.
