KITTANNING — With a section title for the taking, the Yellowjackets swarmed Bishop McCort on Thursday night.

Freeport built a six-goal cushion through two periods and coasted to an 8-1 PIHL Class A victory over the Crushers at Belmont Ice Complex.

The lopsided triumph clinches a Section 3 title for the Yellowjackets (15-4-1). Freeport holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over second-place Kittanning (12-6-1), which trails by six points with three games to play.

“It's very good for the program. We're excited about it because that's what you play for. You try to win the section and go from there,” said Freeport coach Dave Hepler. “You want to be a high seed, so you can have the best opportunity in the playoffs to keep moving on.”

The Yellowjackets struck early and often against the Crushers with three first-period goals. Freeport enjoyed a 16-1 advantage in shots on goal through the first 17 minutes.

“We did what we wanted to do,” said Hepler. “We got some early goals and got a lead.”

Less than three minutes into the game, freshman standout Michael Frazetta sparked the scoring with his team-high 17th goal of the year off an assist from Greg Newman.

Eric Waddell made it 2-0 with 11:08 remaining in the first, thanks to a spot-on pass from Devin Christy in front of the net. Freeport extended its lead to 3-0 when Jared Kapustik fed Cole Hepler for a goal.

“They skate well together. They have a nice team,” said Bishop McCort coach John Bradley of Freeport. “They have some guys that can move the puck and put it in the net.”

Hepler added his second goal on a breakaway and Hunter Kepple padded the advantage to 5-0 with 11:26 remaining in the second frame.

Bishop McCort (3-17) broke through when Ryan Siwy poked one in during a scrum in front of the net off an assist from Daniel Formica.

It was the last time Bishop McCort pushed the puck past Freeport goalie Katie Hill.

“We're young and it's hard to overcome that,” said Bradley. “We're a couple seasons away from where we need to be.”

The Yellowjackets answered with goals from Newman and Brendon Zack before the end of the second period.

Freeport gave its top-two lines a rest in the third frame, allowing its younger players to close out the win.

“They get shorted sometimes when we're playing one of the better teams,” said Hepler of his third and fourth lines. “They'll always get time, but they get shorted if we have to match lines or something. We got a lead and got the top-two lines off the ice and let them play the game.”

“They probably took it easy on us,” admitted Bradley.

Thomas Intrieri — the smallest player on the ice and a fan favorite — rounded out the scoring when he knocked in a puck trickling by the net for a power-play goal to complete a two-point night. He also assisted on Kepple's goal.

Hepler and Frazetta led the 'Jackets with three points apiece, while Newman and Ethan Waddell each notched two points.

Bishop McCort's R.J. Slifko stopped 25 of Freeport's 31 shots on goal.

“We knew it was going to be tough coming in here,” said Bradley. “We were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, so we just come in to keep working and getting better and take it one shift at a time.”

Hill, typically a reserve goalie, finished with six saves and stopped all four shots in the final frame. She is 4-0 on the year with a 1.75 goals-against average.

“She does a nice job and she's coming along,” said Hepler. “She's going to be a good goaltender.”