Experienced core has Freeport thinking big

By: Michael Love
Sunday, August 15, 2021 | 6:01 AM

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The Freeport football coaching staff met a number of times over several days toward the end of last year and took a close look at the personnel it would have at its disposal for the 2021 season.

Those planning sessions, coach John Gaillot said, got the coaches excited as a number of key pieces are back on both offensive and defense.

“It’s nice to come back with a lot of returners on both sides of the ball and be able to continue to work and improve on last year,” Gaillot said. “With that experience, staying healthy is an important thing.”

Freeport hopes to be right in the mix in the Class 3A Allegheny Seven Conference after going 3-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play in a 2020 season plagued by covid restrictions, cancellations and other slowdowns.

Junior Ben Lane was a force at multiple positions last year, leading the team in passing and rushing and earning all-conference honors at defensive back after making 37 tackles and picking off a pass over six games.

Gaillot expects him to be all over the field again this year.

Lane is excited for what this season can offer him and his teammates.

“I am really ready to go for this season because we have a lot of talent that can do many things,” Lane said. “We want to make defenses tired by the end of the first half.”

Senior Garrett King returns to his dual-threat role as a running and passing quarterback after missing last year with a testicular cancer diagnosis, surgery and recovery.

“He is a driving force for the team this year,” Gaillot said. “Missing last year, the mechanics were a little rusty at times at the beginning of the summer. But now, we are fine-tuning things, and he’s made a lot of progress. His dual-threat capabilities can pose a lot of problems for defenses. He has a cast of really good athletes around him, too.”

Seniors Vinnie Clark and Cole Charlton and junior Brady Sivenson paced the offense in receptions a season ago.

“It’s a great feeling to know we will be back to a normal season after last year with all the changes because of covid,” Clark said. “We can concentrate on just getting ready for the season and having a full season. We’ve been so hyped up in workouts all summer, and we can’t wait to get started.”

There is experience along the offensive line with the return of seniors Elijah Freeman, Aiden Lindsey and Logan Jendrejewski.

Freeport entered camp knowing it would be without a key defensive cog in linebacker Billy Lyons, last year’s leading tackler with 64 stops, as he recovers from injuries suffered in a car accident early last month. Gaillot said the team is supporting Lyons’ recovery and hopes he can return to the field by the end of the regular season.

In addition to Lane’s defensive return, Gaillot expects players such as Freeman (54 tackles in 2020) and Jendrejewski (37 tackles) in the trenches, junior linebacker Jacksen Reiser (59 tackles) and sophomore Colton Otterman (33 tackles, six sacks) to lead the charge.

Gaillot said a number of players have the ability to show their versatility.

“With such good athletes like we have, we can put them in different positions if needed,” he said. “That is important for us if we lose players to injury.”

Freeport’s mission to again reach the WPIAL playoffs will go through the likes of perennial power North Catholic, a WPIAL Class 3A semifinalist last year, as well as conference runner-up East Allegheny.

Freeport also will do battle again with Derry and local rivals Burrell, Valley and Deer Lakes.

“The conference is expected to be very competitive this year,” Gaillot said. “East Allegheny lost some kids, but they also have a lot returning. Deer Lakes’ quarterback was young, but I know he’s improved. North Catholic just reloads every year. Derry was young last year, so I expect them to be better. Valley beat us in a 7-on-7, and they have a lot of skill. Burrell always has a high-powered offense that can create problems.”

Freeport

Coach: John Gaillot

2020 record: 3-3, 3-1 in Class 3A Allegheny Seven Conference

All-time record: 562-381-47

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.27 Armstrong, 7

9.3 at Knoch, 7

9.10 Avonworth, 7

9.17 at Apollo-Ridge, 7

9.24 Derry*, 7

10.1 at Valley*, 7

10.8 East Allegheny*, 7

10.15 at Burrell*, 7

10.22 North Catholic*, 7

10.29 at Deer Lakes*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Ben Lane

46-81, 769 yards, 7 TD

Receiving: Vinnie Clark

20-383, 3 TDs

Rushing: Ben Lane

76-348, 6 TDs

FAST FACTS

• Ben Lane accounted for more than 1,100 yards and 13 offensive touchdowns last year.

• Eight of the nine top tacklers from 2020 are back.

• Freeport is hoping to make the WPIAL playoffs for the third year in a row after missing the postseason in 2018.

• John Gaillot has the longest current tenure at the same school of any coach in the Alle-Kiski Valley. He begins his 14th season in 2021.

ROSTER

No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.

1, Zach Clark, QB/WR/DB, 5-9/160, Jr.

2, Ben Lane, RB/DB, 5-11/155, Jr.

3, Taylor King, WR/LB, 5-7/150, So.

4, Gavin Croney, QB/WR/DB, 5-10/135, Jr.

5, Brady Stivenson, WR/DB, 5-7/135, So.

6, Cole Charlton, WR/OLB, 6-3/210, Sr.

7, Vincent Clark, WR/DB/K/P, 5-11/175, Sr.

8, Garrett King, QB/DB, 6-1/195, Sr.

9, Parker Lucas, WR/DB/K/P, 6-1/180, Jr.

10, Brady Sullivan, RB/DB/K, 6-0/130, So.

11, Andrew Sullivan, HB/OLB, 6-0/180, Sr.

12, Sean Selinger, QB/LB, 5-11/170, Fr.

13, Riley Blair, WR/LB, 5-8/140, So.

15, Brady Paga, TE/OLB, 6-0/185, So.

16, Billy Lyons, HB/LB, 5-8/150, Sr.

18, Johnathan Campbell, WR/DB, 5-10/150, So.

21, Justin Jack, WR/DB, 5-11/150, So.

22, Jacksen Reiser, HB/TE/LB, 6-1/185, Jr.

26, Colton Otterman, WR/OLB, 5-10/160, So.

28, Evan Gasbarro, WR/DB, 5-8/135, So.

32, Jacob Bollinger, HB/LB, 5-9/200, Jr.

43, Shane Jack, HB/DB, 5-10/170, Sr.

44, Cyprian Selinger, WR/DB/K, 5-8/135, So.

50, Isaac Woods, G/DL/LB, 5-11/240, So.

51, Ethan Lacinski, OL/DL, 6-3/200, Sr.

52, Logan Jendrejewski, C/DL, 6-2/230, Sr.

53, Aidan Lindsay, OL/LB, 5-8/215, Sr.

54, Carson Wheeler, OL/DL, 5-10/195, Sr.

55, Brady Dodds, OL/DL, 5-10/215, So.

56, Bear Freeman, OL/DL, 6-1/215, Sr.

57, Mason Lowes, OL/DL, 6-0/190, So.

58, Paul Micelli, OL/LB, 5-7/165, Fr.

66, Jackson Buterbaugh, OL/DL, 5-11/230, Jr.

70, Payton Westendorf, OL/OLB, 6-4/220, Jr.

74, Dane Dimond, OL/DL, 5-6/170, Fr.

76, Hunter Lang, OL/DL, 6-0/260, Fr.

87, Owen Seagriff, WR/DB, 5-8/110, Fr.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Freeport