This story was updated at 9 a.m. Sunday 10/21 to correct the name of the player who caught the winning touchdown.

corrected at 9 a.m. Sunday 10/21 toFREEPORT – Rhys Eddy’s diving catch in the end zone with six seconds remaining Saturday gave Yarmouth a dramatic 14-8 come-from-behind victory against Freeport and a berth in the Western Class C playoffs.

Leading 8-6, the Falcons (4-4) faced a fourth-and-16 at the Yarmouth 45. Nate Shields-Aubles had blocked the previous Freeport punt, so this time Dan Burke took the short snap out of the punt formation but was stopped after a 9-yard gain.

“I didn’t want to give them anything,” said Falcons Coach Rob Grover, “but we needed one more first down.”

Instead the Clippers (2-6) took over at their 36 with 1:40 left. On second down, Brady Neujahr scrambled and found Shields-Aubles for a 55-yard pass to the Freeport 9.

“I started left and slipped, nearly put my hand on the ground, and saw he had his hand up so I flung it up there,” said Neujahr.

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Neujahr swept right to the 1 on first down and Thomas Lord was then stopped inches short of a TD.

Neujahr then hit Eddy in the corner for the lead and Matthew Woodbury ran in a 2-point conversion.

“(Neujahr) called that play,” said Yarmouth Coach Chris Pingetore. “I have confidence in him and let him call some of his plays. He’s really grown up.”

“I had the option of running it,” said Neujahr, “but when I saw him I put it up. I knew he’d catch it — we call him Glue in practice. Football is the most important thing in my world and this is what we live for. That was the best moment of my life.”

Asked what he was thinking with the ball in the air and nearly out of reach, Nason said, “I really didn’t have time to think. I just knew I had to get it and then show the ref I had it. You have to make plays at a moment like that.”

Ben MacMillan’s 2-yard run and Dan Burke’s 2-point conversion gave Freeport (4-4), which failed to make the playoffs, an 8-0 lead in the first quarter.

Neujahr and Shields-Aubles combined for a 6-yard score halfway through the fourth period to make it 8-6.

 


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