FREEPORT— This wasn't the way Freeport High School wanted to celebrate its 800th football game.

With a light fog hovering over Swartz Field, Valley High quarterback Jorel Burrell connected with Madison Harvey on a 25-yard touchdown pass on the game's final play Friday evening, giving the Vikings, who averaged 54 points in their first two games, a thrilling 15-14 win.

"I've never (complained) about officials, but that was a chicken call down there," Freeport coach Bill Dillen said of a holding penalty that moved the ball from the Freeport 35 yard line to the 25, setting up Burrell's heave. "You don't make that call with 20 seconds left in a ball game."

The officials did, and it moved Burrell close enough to find Harvey in the corner of the end zone. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound receiver made the catch over Freeports' Brian Zimmerman while falling out of bounds.

"It really hasn't hit me yet, but that's my job to make catches like that," Harvey said in the midst of Valley players, fans, cheerleaders and band members who stormed the field immediately after the catch. "(Our coaches) made the call for me, so, hey, I had to do it."

Just like Harvey did in the second quarter, he made an 18-yard touchdown catch in the same spot against the same defender to pull his team within 7-6 after the extra point was missed.

"Madison's the key guy. He'll go for the ball and catch it every time," Burrell said of his receiver. "I knew he was in as soon as I saw his foot drop in. I was just waiting for the (referee) to confirm it."

Burrell didn't have to wait too long. The capacity crowd stood in shocked silence as the Viking faithful celebrated after a memorable 800th game that saw Freeport (1-2 overall, 1-2 Allegheny Conference) lead most of the way.

The Yellowjackets took command in the second quarter on Kevin Turner's 2-yard touchdown run and led until Jordan Jack gave Valley (3-0, 3-0) a 9-7 lead on a 20-yard field goal early in the fourth.

Freeport, playing without running back Brady Sherrieb (undisclosed injury) and Kirk Naedele, who rushed for a team-high 57 yards before succumbing to cramps, took a 14-9 lead on a 54-yard Brian Zimmerman to Josh Schreckengost touchdown bomb halfway through the fourth quarter.

"(Freeport) battled. They put us through the test," Valley coach Troy Hill said. "We weren't at our best, but we had a couple calls go our way that changed the complexion of the game. I think today is the day the Valley High School football team grew up."

Hill will find out if the Vikings did when they host conference-favorite Ford City next Friday while Freeport travels to Northgate. Both games kick off at 7:30 p.m.