POWNAL — Peter Lamagna is listed as a quarterback on the Freeport football roster, but Lamagna didn’t play that position Saturday in a Western Class C game against Gray-New Gloucester.

Lamagna’s value to the Falcons is as a runner and that’s where he lined up – at running back. Lamagna scored three touchdowns and rushed for 150 yards to spark Freeport to a 32-14 win.

Freeport (1-1) used a strong ground game and a defense that was stingy when it had to be. The Falcons put a lot of pressure on GNG quarterback Carson Hodsdon, who was sacked several times. Hodsdon had some success throwing the ball, but a good play was often followed by a sack.

“We needed that win after last week,” said Freeport Coach Rob Grover, whose team lost its opener to Spruce Mountain. “I’m proud of the way the kids played. We made some good blocks to give our backs some running room.”

Of Lamagna’s strengths, Grover said: “He runs hard and is a tough kid.”

Freeport jumped out to an 18-0 lead early in the second quarter. Gray-New Gloucester came alive in the second half to make it interesting, cutting the lead to 26-14 with 7:50 remaining.

Freeport then faked a punt at midfield, with punter Brady Lafrance running for the first down. On the next play, Tyler Julien, another of the Falcons’ talented backs, scored from the 23 to seal the victory.

After receiving the opening kickoff, Freeport needed only three plays to score, as Lamagna took it 48 yards to the end zone. The Patriots fumbled on their first play, and Freeport recovered.

GNG was plagued by penalties, turnovers and dropped passes in the early going. A pass interference call against the Patriots and then roughing the passer penalty set up Lamagna’s 14-yard touchdown run.

Early in the second quarter, Freeport quarterback Eli Fox found Jake Perry wide open in the left corner of the end zone to make it 18-0.

A perfectly placed punt by the Patriots led to their first points The ball was downed at the 1. On third down, defensive lineman Brandon Ruminski broke through to tackle Fox in the end zone for a safety.

Lamagna’s third touchdown came on a 4-yard run early in the third quarter. A Fox’s conversion pass to Nathaniel Cyr made it 26-2.

A scary moment happened on Gray-New Gloucester’s next series. Elijah Simmons, a freshman running back, was tackled and briefly knocked unconscious. He came to while being attended to by a Freeport rescue crew, and was put on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to Maine Medical Center. He was able to move his arms and legs and was aware of his surroundings.

Gray-New Gloucester scored two touchdowns in the second half – a 1-yard sneak by Hodsdon and a 41-yard pass from Hodsdon to Zack Haskell, who made an outstanding catch.

“We played much better in the second half,” said GNG Coach Mark Renna. “We started to hit and play much more aggressively.

“Freeport is a physical team. We’re a work in progress with new players and a new coaching staff. We’re taking little steps with the goal of getting better each day. We wanted to throw the ball against Freeport and we had some success.”

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