Prexies’ season ground to halt against Freeport
Wash High’s Andrew Mercer leaves the field Friday after the Prexies fell to Freeport in the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals.
Wash High’s Kurt Adkins carries the ball Friday during the first half against Freeport.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High coach Mike Bosnic heads off from the field during halftime on Friday night’s game.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash HIgh’s Kurt Adkins leaves the field upset after Wash High lost to Freeport on Friday, November 13.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High’s Isaiah Robinson catches a pass for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game.
Katie Roupe/Observer-Reporter Wash High’s Kurt Adkins cries after losing to Freeport on Friday, November 13.
HEMPFIELD – Washington High School overwhelmed opponents all season with a physically dominant linemen and a rushing attack that was one of the best in the WPIAL.
No team could match the combination of size and speed, but Freeport found a way to neutralize both Friday night.
Sixth-seeded Freeport gave senior quarterback Ryan Weigold plenty of time to throw two touchdown passes and its defense was suffocating in a 24-14 upset win over third-seeded Washington in a WPIAL Class AA quarterfinal game at Hempfield High School’s Spartan Stadium.
With the Yellowjackets putting 11 players near the line of scrimmage on defense, Prexies’ senior running backs Kurt Adkins and Jordan West were held to just 80 rushing yards and no touchdowns. The duo entered the night with more than 2,000 yards and 35 touchdowns, while averaging 13 yards per carry.
Wash High (10-1) was limited to 188 total yards, had two turnovers and didn’t score until the fourth quarter, when it faced a 24-point deficit.
“We figured out the one guy who took us to the play,” Freeport head coach John Gaillot said. “There’s one guy that took us to it every time and we concentrated on him to lead us to the misdirection in the one set. They’re great athletes, but our kids just took a step and read.”
Freeport (10-1) advanced to the semifinals, where it will face second-seeded Aliquippa (11-0) next Friday at a site and time to be determined. The Prexies, meanwhile, saw their storybook season turn into a nightmare and their greatest strength turned into a weakness.
Wash High failed to pressure Weigold and allowed Freeport running back Ian Miller to pick up critical first downs in the first half.
Weigold was sacked twice, but had plenty of time to make throws through the gusts of wind. He completed 16 of 25 passes for 165 yards and was rarely under duress.
That was apparent on Freeport’s first score.
Facing third-and-goal from the 10, Weigold took the shotgun snap, rolled right and took his time; going back to the left sideline until Josh Beale got open. Weigold fired a pass for the touchdown with 7:26 remaining in the first half.
“That was the key; we were giving him too much time tonight,” Wash High head coach Mike Bosnic said. “We couldn’t put enough pressure on him. They protected really well.”
It only got worse.
Two plays after the ensuing kickoff, Washington’s senior quarterback, Markel Pulliam, fumbled a handoff and Freeport senior Logan Thimons, a West Virginia recruit, fell on the loose ball to give the Yellowjackets possession at the Prexies’ 20-yard line.
Washington’s defense held, however, and Freeport settled for Jacob Sarver’s 25-yard field goal to make it 10-0.
Mistakes continued to mount for the Prexies and they turned the ball over again.
Pinned back at his own 8-yard line after a penalty on the kick return, Pulliam took a snap, rolled right and heaved a ball into double coverage that was intercepted by Yellowjackets senior Justin Brestensky.
Wash High committed 10 penalties and could not recover two punts that Freeport fumbled. It also had only two first downs in the first half, while the Yellowjackets had nine.
“They took away our big plays,” Bosnic said. “We had chances to make some plays, but unfortunately, we didn’t capitalize on them early on and dug ourselves into a hole. We didn’t respond to adversity like we wanted to.”
Freeport drove to the Prexies’ 2. Facing fourth-and-goal with a little over a minute remaining until halftime, Gaillot chose to gamble on his linemen and Miller took it the ball over right tackle for the touchdown, giving Freeport a 17-0 lead.
Freeport scored on its fourth consecutive drive when Weigold threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Hochbein to begin the second half for a 24-point lead.
The deficit forced Washington to turn to its passing game. Pulliam led the Prexies into Freeport territory for the first time late in the third quarter, but he was sacked on fourth down. They marched to the Yellowjackets’ 5-yard line on the next drive after a 42-yard pass to Nate Swart, but failed to convert on fourth down.
Pulliam, who accounted for 112 yards was sacked seven times. He ran for a 15-yard score and threw a 26-yard touchdown to Isaiah Robinson in the fourth quarter.
But it was too little, too late.
“You hate to see it end that way,” Bosnic said. “This is such a great group of kids and a great group of seniors. It’s always tough.”