FREEPORT — If Freeport coach Terry Werntz had any questions about how his team would adapt to a spread offense, they were answered on Friday.

“After tonight we can be believers in it,” Werntz said.

Quarterback Kevin Flack led the offense with 277 passing yards, three touchdowns and an interception, and running back Tony Thompson scored on his first two carries and rushed for 161 yards to lead the Pretzels to a 42-12 win and hand East its 21st straight loss.

“It probably went maybe even a little better than I thought,” Werntz said. “Our kids ran the correct routes, and Kevin was on the money. Our line did a formidable job.”

Flack was efficient, completing 14 of his 21 passes. He found success early, especially on reads to his inside receivers in the four-wide set. Receiver Wes Gastel was lined up in the slot when he caught a 33-yard touchdown pass to put Freeport on the board in the first, and slot receivers were open often for Flack.

“They were all covered by linebackers, and they can’t cover that speed out there,” Flack said.

“I’ll take a shot here and there, but if they’re giving me the short, underneath lanes I’ll take that too,” Flack said.

While the passing game was successful, the Pretzels running game, led by Thompson, also had a strong day. Thompson scored on his first two runs of 52 and 51 yards to put the Pretzels ahead 21-6 and build a lead they would not relinquish. Both of Thompson’s runs came to the outside, and he said he took advantage of the running lanes the four-wide set opened for him.

East stayed close for awhile thanks to a 90-yard kickoff return by Dontell Allen that set up Martin Hyatte’s fourth-down TD run and a 59-yard TD run by Joe Johnson to make it 28-12.

-- Jeremy Anders, GateHouse News Service