Freeport opened the season with a pair of shutouts in non-conference action.

Then, once Allegheny Conference play began, the Yellowjackets have lost a pair of heartbreakers - a 13-6 defeat to Ford City and a 14-7 game in overtime on Monday to Kittanning.

Now, Freeport will travel to Burrell for a 7 p.m. kickoff Saturday. Both teams played on Monday from postponed games on Friday.

Burrell (4-0, 2-0) is coming off a victory over Ford City in which Tyler Henderson rolled up 291 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns. He also scored on a 91-yard kickoff return.

"He's a good running back. He's more of a slasher," said Freeport coach Bill Dillen. "He sees the holes real well. He's got good speed. He's a track runner."

But the Yellowjackets can ill-afford to give Henderson all their attention.

"They have a nice balanced offense, but no question he's the key," Dillen said.

Henderson led the team last year with 639 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. Aaron Brown, also a junior this year, was the team's top receiver a year ago with 32 catches for 564 yards and six TDs.

Senior quarterback Garyn Ehrlich completed nine of 17 passes for 134 yards in the Ford City win. Joe Makara's 3-yard score late in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference.

Freeport (2-2, 0-2) will try to rebound against the Bucs, but Dillen has seen this before.

"We still have five ballgames left," said Dillen. "This time last year we were 0-3.

"Sure it hurts, but this is a good group of kids. They'll be ready to go Saturday. We'll get through tough losses. We could very easily be 4-0 right now," he added.

Union (0-3) at Clarion (3-0), 7 p.m. Friday

- The task doesn't get any easier for Union.

After being held to minus-33 yards by Moniteau, the Golden Knights face undefeated Clarion, which has outscored its opponents 80-26 in three games this season.

Clarion does it with a ball-control offense led by Chris McSwain, who rushed 35 times for 159 yards in a 13-6 win over Redbank Valley Sunday.

McSwain has gained 468 yards on the ground in three games this season.

Union's offense has sputtered all season. Against the Warriors Saturday, the Golden Knights got only one first down, and that was on a penalty.

Conneaut Lake at A-C Valley, 7 p.m. Friday -

For the second straight week, the Falcons (1-2) will take on a Class A team from District 10.

Last week's 19-18 overtime victory over West Middlesex snapped A-C Valley's six-game losing streak. Rocco Crapis leads the team's offense with 125 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Conneaut Lake (0-3) is coming off a 39-0 defeat to Lakeview and has been outscored 115-35 in its three contests.