BUFFALO TWP — Offense? Who needs offense?

Sure, Freeport had some of it. Didn't need much, however.

Not with three punt returns for touchdowns.

Not with an interception return for a score.

Not with a defense that held Uniontown to zero yards of offense.

Half of the Yellowjackets' points in a 56-14 walloping of the visiting Red Raiders came from special teams and defense.

Ricky Hunter had two punt return touchdowns covering 58 and 59 yards. Luke Miller pitched in a 52-yard return on a punt midway through the second quarter that gave the Yellowjackets a 49-7 lead.

And Brodey Woods had a 63-yard pick-six to put Freeport up for good after Uniontown's Javon Davis returned the opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown and a brief 7-0 Red Raider lead.

It was a wild night in Buffalo Township for returners.

And it was a much-need win for the Yellowjackets, who for the second consecutive year have started in an 0-3 hole before beating Uniontown.

“If we lost, no playoffs for us,” Hunter said. “It starts with one game. We got it and now it's on to the next one. We're focusing on that game.”

Hunter is a throwback. He fashions a neck roll just as his father, Tom, did while playing for Freeport and even wears his father's No. 31.

Hunter had 43 yards on nine carries and a score and also caught a 41-yard pass from quarterback Garret Schaffhauser.

His main contribution, though, was on special teams with the punt returns and eight extra points.

“He's just hard-nosed,” said Freeport coach John Gaillot said. “I was in ninth grade when his dad was a senior. That was a very good team here.”

Gaillot said Hunter has a knack for setting up blocking on returns.

He was able to do so twice on his touchdowns and nearly broke another for a score.

“He sets it up and gets everyone to bite,” Gaillot said. “He just barely gets there every time, but he gets there.”

Schaffhauser also made an impact for Freeport in this must-win.

The senior completed 9-of-11 passes for 152 yards and touchdown strikes of 15 to Woods and 26 to Miller. He also rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on just three carries.

“He puts it where they can get it,” Gaillot said.

The Freeport coach pointed to a 32-yard connection from Schaffhauser to Woods in the first quarter as an example of that.

Schaffhauser arched a perfect pass down the sideline to Woods, who hauled it in as he was fading toward the sideline.

“That was a big-league throw,” Gaillot said.

Gaillot also credited Woods' work ethic for his emergence as the No. 1 target in the passing game.

“He's probably the hardest-working kid I've had in 12 years,” Gaillot said. “We've had great kids — we'll always have great kids — but this kid runs the jet probably 50 times during the week in practice and he runs it every time like it's a game and he runs every route at game speed. (The late) Derek Durand ran every route at game speed. So, that's something special.”

Freeport is hoping to turn a slow start into something special.

There is no room for error for the Yellowjackets.

And they know it.

“I'm really proud of the boys,” Gaillot said. “We can start building. If we win out, I think we're in. We have to win the next four.”

Uniontown 7 0 0 7 — 14

Freeport 35 28 0 0 — 56

First Quarter

U — Javon Davis 80 kickoff return (Clay Berkabile kick), 11:49

F — Garret Schaffhauser 1 run (Ricky Hunter kick), 7:45

F — Brodey Woods 63 interception return (Hunter kick), 7:24

F — Hunter 58 punt return (Hunter kick), 5:42

F — Miller 26 pass from Schaffhauser (Hunter kick), 5:42

F — Hunter 59 punt return (Hunter kick), :43

Second Quarter

F — Woods 15 pass from Schaffhauser (Hunter kick), 9:48

F — Miller 52 punt return (Hunter kick), 7:56

F — Hunter 9 run (Hunter kick), :39

Fourth Quarter

U — Davis 1 run (Berkabile kick), 10:31

Individual Statistics

Rushing:Uniontown, Javon Davis 21-64, Dakota Burkholder 1-12, Blade Witt 1-(-2), C.J. Soltis 2-(-3), Torry Robinson 7-(-32). Freeport, Garret Schaffhauser 3-63, Ricky Hunter 9-43, Jewlius Barnes 3-27, Brodey Woods 3-14, Ben Lane 2-10, Parker Lucas 1-1, Brady Stivenson 1-0, Shane Jack 2-(-2), Zach Clark 1-(-3), TEAM 2-(-9)

Passing:Uniontown, Torry Robinson 1-2-25-0-0, C.J. Soltis 0-3-0-1. Freeport, Garret Schaffhauser 9-11-152-0, Zach Clark 0-1-0-0.

Receiving:Uniontown, Jake Shiley 1-25. Freeport, Brodey Woods 3-45, Ben Lane 2-26, Ricky Hunter 1-41, Luke Miller 1-26, Matt Aulicino 1-17, Garrett King 1-(-3)