Freeport football’s furious comeback ends in heartbreak as West Mifflin wins WPIAL opener in OT
BUFFALO TWP — All of the momentum was with Freeport.
The Yellowjackets had come back from 17 points down in the final 16 minutes of regulation, then taken a three-point lead in overtime.
One play changed it all.
Zawaun Glover’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Terron White on third-and-goal handed West Mifflin a 34-31 WPIAL Class 3A football playoff victory Friday night at Freeport Stadium.
“We knew this might be our last game. No way were we gonna give up,” Yellowjacket senior linebacker Cam Schlegel said.
“We gave up big plays, but we kept on playing,” junior linebacker/quarterback Luke Selinger said. “One play wound up deciding it.
“Geez. ... We almost had it.”
The Titans had a 28-11 lead and the football with less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter. West Mifflin’s touchdowns came on plays covering 78, 76, 80 and 69 yards.
But WM (7-4) experienced trouble on its snaps from shotgun formation all night. Titans quarterback Zawaun Glover could not handle one of the high snaps on third down from his own 33-yard line. Schlegel broke through, scooped up the loose football and rambled 27 yards for a touchdown.
“We’ve been having trouble with those snaps on occasion, but not consistently,” West Mifflin head coach B.J. Pugh said. “Tonight, they almost cost us.”
The Yellowjackets forced a three-and-out, and Selinger took over for starter Danny King at quarterback in the third quarter.
“Danny had gotten a little beaten up tonight and just couldn’t pass the ball anymore. That’s why we made the change,” Selinger said.
Selinger found Schlegel for a 41-yard completion, setting up an 18-yard scoring pass to Canon Wisniewski that pulled Freeport (9-2) within three at 28-25 with 11:34 to play.
Yet another West Mifflin big play — a 73-yard pass to Maleec Cobb — set the Titans up with a first-and-goal from the Freeport 4-yard line. A holding penalty set West Mifflin back, and the Titans turned the ball over on downs at the 9 with 8:48 left.
Freeport embarked on a 14-play, 66-yard drive that ate 7:27 off the clock. A 17-yard completion to Chace Flynn on a second-and 17 play highlighted the march. A reverse on third down resulted in a 9-yard loss, but Judah Thompson booted a 35-yard field goal with 1:21 left to force overtime.
Each team gets a possession from the opposing 10-yard line in high school overtime. Taking the football first in the extra session, Freeport took a 31-28 lead on a 28-yard Thompson field goal.
“Hats off to that kid,” Freeport head coach John Gaillot said of his kicker. “Those were two kicks we had to have, and he delivered.”
On West Mifflin’s possession, Glover was sacked by Bryson Paga and Flynn on second down, leaving the Titans with a third-and-goal from the 13. That’s when Glover found White in the left corner of the end zone for the game-deciding points.
“I give credit to West Mifflin. They have a good football team,” Gaillot said. “But we showed we have a pretty good football team, too. I’m so proud of our comeback.
“Those big plays. ... We just dug ourselves too big of a hole.”
West Mifflin running back Armand Hill entered the game with 1,468 yards rushing this season. He was limited to 68 yards on 20 carries. But Glover rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown, and threw for 246 yards and three scores.
“Zawaun is such a talented player and a great kid,” Pugh said. “He does and says all the right things in the locker room. I’m so happy he could have a performance like that.
“We scored on big plays, Freeport matriculated the ball down the field. They got our quarterback for two safeties early. This game was a crazy one. But the way Freeport came back ... what a gutty effort.”
West Mifflin will play top-seed Avonworth, a 44-7 winner over No. 16 Deer Lakes, in the next round.
West Mifflin 14 7 7 0 6 0 — 34
Freeport 2 9 7 10 3 — 31
First Quarter
F — Zawaun Glover sacked in end zone for safety, 9:17
WM - Ellijah Rudolph 78 pass from Glover (Cooper Hilligsberg kick), 6:27
WM - Glover 76 run (Hilligsberg kick), 4:51
Second Quarter
F — Glover sacked in end zone for safety, 11:52
F — Luke Selinger 10 run (Judah Thompson kick), 7:58
WM — Glover 80 run (Hilligsberg kick), 6:26
Third Quarter
WM — Maleec Cobb 69 pass from Glover (Hilligsberg kick), 9:49
F — Cam Schlegel 27 fumble return (Thompson kick), 3:43
Fourth Quarter
F — Canon Wisniewski 18 pass from Selinger (Thompson kick), 11:34
F — Thompson 35 field goal, 1:21
Overtime
F — Thompson 28 field goal
WM — Terron White 13 pass from Glover
Individual Satistics
Passing: West Mifflin, Zawaun Glover 6-7-246-0. Freeport, Danny King 4-9-38-1, Luke Selinger 5-7-85-0.
Rushing: West Mifflin, Armand Hill 20-68, Zawaun Glover 12-132, TEAM 3-(-16), Brandon Taylor 1-(-1). Freeport, Danny King 14-9, Luke Selinger 14-57, Bryson Paga 4-19, Chace Flynn 7-9.
Receiving: West Mifflin, Maleec Cobb 3-151, Ellijah Rudolph 2-82, Terron White 1-13. Freeport, Bryson Paga 2-18, Canon Wisniewski 2-20, Cam Schlegel 4-68, Chace Flynn 1-17.
