Football - Derry vs Freeport

August 30, 2019

Derry Jumps Out to 21-point Lead, Holds off Freeport for 35-27 Conference Win

Derry scored first and often on Freeport, taking a 21-point lead with 11 minutes left to play in the game. But the Yellowjackets were looking to flip the script of last years game, when the Trojans overcame a 13-point 4th quarter deficit to tie Freeport and win on the road in overtime. However, a valiant Freeport comeback attempt would come up short as Derry held off the Jackets, who had closed to within 8 points in the final minutes, beating Freeport 35-27 in the WPIAL Class 3A Conference opener for both teams.

After Derry won the coin toss and deferred, Freeport couldn't get anything going on their first drive and punted to the Trojans. Derry quickly went to work, with Justin Huss carrying the mail for a 31-yard gain to the 4-yard line in the drive, capping it off with a 1-yard plunge for the touchdown. Sophomore Chance Whie, who was 5-for-5 on the night with PATs, booted the extra point that made the score 7-0 with 7:26 to play in the opening quarter.

Freeport evened things up as Garret Schaffhauser avoided pressure and hit a wide-open Isiah Bauman for a 18-yard touchdown pass with 2:50 remaining in the 1st quarter. Ricky Hunter's PAT was true and it was a 7-7 ballgame.

On the next drive, Justin Huss quickly put the Trojans back on top 14-7, scoring on a 47-yard sprint to the endzone with 1:19 on the clock. A quick Freeport turnover on their next possession put Derry in business again deep in Freeport territory as time expired in the opening quarter.

On the first play of the 2nd quarter, Trojans quarterback Paul Koontz called his own number, carrying it in from 3 yards out, and suddenly Derry had opened a 14-point lead within a span of 81 seconds. Neither team scored after Koontz's run in the first 4 seconds of the quarter, and the teams hit the locker rooms with Derry up 21-7.

Derry opened the lead to 21 points with a Huss interception at under 4 minutes in the third quarter, followed by the Huss hat-trick on a 2-yard run at 3:12. Freeport closed the deficit to 14 points with 38 seconds left in the quarter as Ricky Hunter carried around right end for the 3-yard touchdown run. His PAT made it 28-14 as the quarter closed.

Huss added his fourth TD of the game with a 60-yard sprint up the middle as 59 seconds ticked off the 4th quarter clock. Down 21 points in the final frame, Freeport started to come back. Brody Woods snagged a 16-yard touchdown pass from Schaffhauser with 8:18 to play, but the PAT failed as the Yellowjackets tried to run out of kicking formation. Then Schaffhauser ramped up the excitement with his 1-yard TD run at 2:18 to play. Freeport attempted a two-point conversion, but was penalized on the play. The ensuing PAT kick attempt failed and the score was 35-27.

Derry covered Freeport's onside kick attempt and took over at midfield needing to run out a little over two-and-a-half minutes of clock. Freeport used their timeouts and good defense to force Derry into a fourth down punting situation, but the Yellowjackets were left with too little too late, and the game ended with Derry in victory formation, enjoying the 8-point margin of victory.

Derry (1-1 overall, 1-0 in conference) travels to South Park next week for a non-conference game. Freeport (0-1 overall, 0-1 conference) hosts North Catholic in a conference game next Friday.

Watch this link for a full gallery of action photos available for purchase or sharing 48 hours after the game.

Keywords: boys, derry, football, freeport, high school, westmoreland county