FOX CHAPEL - Freeport's Kiel Conjack can't remember the

last time he accomplished what he did against Shady Side Academy Saturday.

The senior rushed for two touchdowns, caught two touchdown passes and threw for a score as the Yellowjackets rolled to a 40-12 road win over the Indians.

"It's been a while," Conjack said. "It felt like last year in the first half."

Last season, Conjack was a multiple threat for the Yellowjackets. But for the first portion of the 2004 season, he stuck primarily to the quarterback position.

All that has changed the last two weeks, particularly against Shady Side Academy.

"We felt we needed to open up a little but with our offense," said Freeport coach Bill Dillen. "The last couple of weeks have been the right time to do it."

Conjack caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Bryan Zimmerman midway through the first quarter, added a 2-yard run moments later and then hauled in a 63-yard scoring pass at the start of the second quarter to give Freeport a 20-0 lead.

He later threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Kory Micholas to complete the scoring trifecta.

"That's what we decided we needed to do when we started going down hill there for a little bit," Conjack said of new offensive role. "We realized our offense needed to be more productive."

Freeport (4-3 overall, 2-3 in the section) racked up 465 total yards against the overmatched Indians (1-6, 0-5).

While Conjack was scoring those five touchdowns, Nate Kurtz was doing much of the legwork.

The senior running back gained 224 yards on 30 carries. He capped the scoring with a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

"Oh, he's tough," Dillen said. "He's a beast."

Zimmerman also enjoyed a solid game. He was 3-for-6 passing for 91 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an interception. But the sophomore showed poise and accuracy.

"He stepped up real big," Conjack said. "He throws a real nice ball. We just sort of threw him in there a few weeks ago and he's been doing real well."

Freeport's defense, which has been tough all season, again performed admirably. Shady Side managed just 122 yards, but 107 came through the air. Jordan Foley, a Meridian native, hit Justin Young on a 35-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter for the Indians.

Coming into the game, Freeport had given up just 55 yards passing this season.

Shady Side's only other touchdown came on a 35-yard interception return by J.T. Taylor.

"They hit two big plays," Dillen said. "I'm happy with the way the defense is playing. A couple of tough losses or we could easily be 6-1 right now, but we're not. The kids know what they have to do."

The win was the second in a row for Freeport after narrow losses to Burrell, which clinched a playoff spot, and Kittanning.

Freeport 40 Shady Side Academy 12

Freeport 14 12 7 7-40

Shady Side 0 6 6 0-12

First Quarter

F - Kiel Conjack 18 pass from Bryan Zimmerman (Mike Zeidler kick), 6:38

F - Conjack 2 run (Zeidler kick), 1:45

Second Quarter

F - Conjack 63 pass from Zimmerman (run failed), 10:32

SSA - J.T. Taylor 35 interception return (run failed), 2:29

F - Conjack 3 run (kick blocked), :12

Third Quarter

SSA - Justin Young 35 pass from Jordan Foley (kick failed), 6:41

F - Kory Micholas 17 pass from Conjack (Zeidler kick), 2:41

Fourth Quarter

F - Nate Kurtz 2 run (Zeidler kick), 9:48

Individual Statistics

Passing

: Freeport, Bryan Zimmerman 3-6-91-1, Kiel Conjack 3-7-52-1. Shady Side Academ, Jordan Foley 4-12-86-1, Jake Klinvex 2-6-21-1

Rushing

: Freeport, Nate Kurtz 30-224, Ian Kaminski 6-44, Josh Schrecengost 4-31, Kory Micholas 5-28, Kiel Conjack 2-5, Brady Sherrieb 1-3, Brandon Schweiger 4-2, Chris Ittner 1-0, Bryan Zimmerman 2-(-6), Tom Douglas 2-(-9). Shady Side Academy, Fonz Costa 6-20, Phil Scott 2-6, Jack Dingess 3-5, Jake Klinvex 1-(-2), J.T. Taylor 2-(-4), Jordan Foley 8-(-10)

Receiving

: Freeport, Kiel Conjack 2-81, Jake Lassinger 1-29, Kory Micholas 2-23, Brady Sherrieb 1-10. Shady Side Academy, Justin Young 2-70, Jake Klinvex 1-15, J.T. Taylor 1-12, Jim Ambrose 1-9, Fonz Costa 1-1