'Jackets look to top 10-0 S. Fayette
FREEPORT Freeport coach John Gaillot acknowledged that last week's 30-22 victory over Jeannette in the first round of the WPIAL Class AA playoffs was the best game his team played all year.
With a matchup against South Fayette looming at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Seneca Valley, Gaillot knows a similar effort will be needed.
“That win was huge for our program,” said Gaillot, whose Yellowjackets teams were knocked out of the first round the previous two years by Greensburg Central Catholic, which won the title in 2009.
“It was hard to explain because some of the kids weren't around for the postseason. I'm very proud of them,” he added.
Last week, South Fayette (10-0) blanked Ellwood City 35-0
The Yellowjackets' main concerns will be quarterback Christian Brumbaugh and running back Jeff Davis.
Brumbaugh has won 20 of 21 games for the Lions the past two seasons, throwing for more than 5,000 yards and 59 touchdowns.
This season, Brumbaugh has completed 147-of-222 passes for 2,229 yards and 30 touchdowns while Davis has 1,043 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Throw in fullback Trevor Fiorenti, whose two rushing scores in last week's game gave him 10 TDs, Tyler Challingsworth (42-606) and Davis (29-366), and Freeport will have its hands full.
“(Brumbaugh) basically does everything well,” said Gaillot. “If he has time, he'll pick you apart. He has a strong arm and they're on a rope when he throws it.
“(Davis) is a hybrid. He's very quick. He doesn't have the speed like Jeannette's team but he's shifty,” the coach added. “He's perfect for their offense, the motion spread. He has the speed he can go the whole way. He can make people miss.”
Brumbaugh has brought a lot of poise to the position, according to Lions coach Joe Rossi.
“He's brought winning,” said Rossi. “He throws the ball well. We run a lot of concepts and he makes three or four reads and goes through his progressions. Not too many high school quarterbacks can do that.”
South Fayette has scored at least 28 points per game while rolling up 399 points in its 10 contests. On the flip side, the defense has surrendered 148 points.
“They're aggressive and fly to the ball,” said Gaillot. “They're physical and we take pride in that, too. ... It should be a hard-hitting game.”
Rossi, who is familiar with the Freeport program back when he served five years as a coach at Riverview, always been impressed with the toughness of the Yellowjackets players.
“They have some good skill players, like running back (Jake) Campbell and the receiver, (Derek) Durand, he's a pretty good ballplayer,” said Rossi. “They have a few linemen who are really good players.”
Campbell has rushed for 719 yards and 12 scores on 142 carries, and Durand is tops among receivers with 28 catches for 682 yards and seven scores, making him quarterback Brendan Lynch's top target.
Lynch has completed 50-of-103 passes for 1,109 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions.
“If South Fayette's going to score, you have to make them dink and dunk and make them run the clock,” said Gaillot. “We need to control the clock as well.
“I don't think too many people are giving us a chance, but we'll play hard and see what happens.”
