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.
It was the Pretzels’ third straight loss, but none was more heartbreaking than Friday night’s. Freeport took a late lead when Josh Lewis leaped over his defender in the end zone to snag a jump ball to put Freeport up 28-21 with just 2:01 remaining.
It was Flack’s fourth touchdown pass of the night, and his 25th on the season, breaking the previous NIC-10 record of 22.
Lewis had what looked to be an easy touchdown reception earlier in the fourth quarter as he caught a pass in open space, but the ball was knocked out of his arms and out of the end zone, giving Guilford a touchback and keeping the score tied.
“I caught the ball, thought the end zone was right there but it was 10, 15 yards further,” Lewis said.
It was one of many mistakes the Pretzels made in the second half and overtime. The half got off to a bad start when Brandon McShane caught a pass from Flack but fumbled, and the Vikings returned it to Freeport’s 1-yard-line. Two plays later, Vikings running back Zane Gilfillan plunged in to give Guilford a 21-14 lead. The Pretzels would tie it on Flack’s third touchdown of the day, a 27-yard strike to Wes Gastel, and they took the lead on Lewis’s reception late.
But Guilford quarterback Jeff Janusevic led the Vikings 62 yards in just 1:26, capping the drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Avery Sherman to tie the game. Freeport coach Terry Werntz said his team wasn’t mentally tough enough to come out with a win.
“I’m disappointed that my kids can’t find enough tenacity to finish strong,” Werntz said.
The Pretzels looked to have a prime opportunity to stop Guilford and hold the Vikings to a field goal try when Guilford faced third-and-goal from the 14. But Janusevic scrambled to his right, cut up field and easily made it into the end zone to put the Vikings ahead, 35-28.
The Pretzels turn on offense ended in disaster. After a Guilford pass interference penalty, Freeport had first-and-goal at the 5, but Flack was sacked twice, threw an incompletion, and the Pretzels had two procedure penalties called on them to turn that manageable first-and-goal into a near-impossible fourth down from the 26. Flack’s pass down the middle of the field was knocked down to end the game.
- Jeremy Anders, GateHouse News Service
