ROCKFORD — The Freeport football team saw its fifth win slip out of its fingers several times Friday.
The Pretzels had key turnovers, allowed a late Guilford drive to tie the game in the final seconds and a disastrous offensive possession in overtime in their 35-28 loss to the Vikings at Guilford High School.
The loss means the Pretzels and Vikings will both have to win their final game next week to become playoff eligible. The Pretzels will travel to Jefferson and Guilford faces East.
ROCKTON — The difference between a win and a loss can be as small as a fingertip’s reach.
That was the difference Friday in Hononegah’s 27-21 win over Freeport.
On the final play of the game, Freeport quarterback Kevin Flack threw a Hail Mary into the end zone.
The ball bounced off the hand of an Indian defender, off the hand of Freeport’s Wes Gastel, then was batted to the ground by a Hononegah defender to end the game.
ROCKFORD - This wasn’t the same Auburn Knights football team of the past three weeks.
After three straight NIC-10 conference losses, Auburn nearly ran itself to a homecoming victory against Freeport on Friday.
Eddie Cade rushed for 217 yards, but Freeport’s pass-happy offense came through taking a 54-42 victory.
Cade, who was featured sparingly at running back in last week’s 45-6 loss against Guilford, played the entire game at the position and it paid immediate dividends.
He scored the Knights’ first two touchdowns on breakaway runs of 59 and 74 yards.
FREEPORT — The Freeport Homecoming crowd roared as Wes Gastel crossed the goal line in the waning moments of Freeport’s 37-28 win over Belvidere.
Gastel returned a Belvidere onside kick try 48 yards for a touchdown with 2:14 to play.
Gastel extended the Pretzels lead to nine when he caught the onside kick on a high bounce and had a clear path to end zone.
“I thought about just dropping because of the time situation,” Gastel said. “I just didn’t want to risk not getting the first if there wasn’t enough time.”
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.
