FREEPORT — Freeport had a glimmer of hope of making the WPIAL Class AA football playoffs entering Friday evening.

After losing the first three games of the season, the Yellowjackets were riding the high of a five-game winning streak and needed a victory and help to make the playoffs.

The Yellowjackets defense kept that hope alive for much of the evening, giving undefeated Ford City all it could handle.

But the Sabers were ultimately too much for the Freeport defense as Ford City finished its perfect regular season by posting its sixth shutout of the year with an 18-0 win.

"That is the No. 3 team in the state and we played them great," Freeport coach Bill Dillen said. "I am proud of the kids. After we were 0-3, we could have folded, but we didn't.That says a lot about our seniors. They never quit."

Freeport's defense never quit against Ford City, especially inside the 20-yard line.

Ford City moved the ball well between the 30s, but that is when Freeport's defense buckled down., making the Sabers work for every yard in the red zone. In all, Ford City ran 23 plays inside the 20 and scored two touchdowns in three trips.

Ford City coach John Bartolovic praised Freeport's stingy defense.

"Freeport is a tough team," he said. "We played great (defense)."

Freeport showed that it was ready to play on its first defensive stand, when the Yellowjackets' Alex Isenberg intercepted a Jordan Eckman pass.

As good as Freeport's defense was, Ford City's played stronger, surrendering only 66 yards and five first downs.

"We felt we had a good, sound scheme," Dillen said. "Their defense played a great game. We just couldn't get any rhythm."

Ford City held Kirk Naedele to 24 yards on 13 carries, and, as a team, Freeport rushed for only 40 yards.

Ford City finally broke through Freeport's defense with 8:07 left in the first half by executing a 76-yard, 7 minute, 46-second drive to take a 6-0 lead.

Freeport held strong with less than a minute left in the first half by keeping Ford City out of the end zone as the Sabers ran five plays inside the 10-yard line. But on a fourth and goal from the 1-yard line, Eckman's pass fell short.

In the second half, Ford City's time on offense seemed to wear down Freeport. In all, Freeport's defensive unit was on the field for nearly 31 of 48 minutes.

"The kids kept plugging away," Dillen said. "They are a good football team. They have been playing that Wing-T for years."