FREEPORT HIGH SCHOOL running back Max Doughty, center, runs into a hole as several Mountain Valley defenders look to bring him down. The Falcons dropped to 2-4 with a 42-7 Class C South loss to the Falcons on Saturday at Pownal Recreation Field.
It’s hard enough for the Freeport High School football team.
With limited numbers, injuries and inexperience, the last thing the Falcons needed was a deceptive, time-consuming offense like Mountain Valley’s.
Saturday afternoon’s Class C South clash came down to frustration for Freeport, which struggled to keep the visitors off the field and shot itself in the foot one too many times.
Ultimately, Mountain Valley ran away with a 42-7 win.
“We’re on a three-game losing streak now, so the frustration’s getting high,” Freeport coach Paul St. Pierre said. “We have a few of our better players that have been out with injury and that’s really tough to overcome.”
The lone offensive bright spot for Freeport (2-4) came on its first possession of the second half. Down 22, the Falcons’ defense forced an early turnover on downs and gave quarterback Josh Burke and the offense just 52 yards to go. With the passing game struggling, St. Pierre dialed up run play after run play and marched down the field slowly.
After 13 rushes of nine yards or less, the Falcons were finally on the board through Max Doughty.
“We had a very intense halftime meeting,” St. Pierre said. “We had to get some energy going with the guys. They know that the playoffs are in sight and it’s a really big potential, so they know they can’t just give up. That’s the one we’ve encouraged is not to quit. We’re still a young, up-and-coming team and the biggest key is to just show fire and heart and keep pushing.”
Mountain Valley (3-3) responded with a Kyle Farrar touchdown on the next drive, but the nail in the coffin came when Freeport got the ball back. After just two plays near midfield, a screen pass was caught and then fumbled. The visitors recovered, marched right down the field and put the game away with another score that made it 35-7.
In all, St. Pierre’s team committed seven penalties and turned the ball over three times.
“We don’t have that big-play capability that we would like,” St. Pierre said. “When you’re moving the ball and gaining momentum, you can’t do something dumb and have it bring it back. They weren’t stopping us — we stopped ourselves. Unfortunately, that’s what happened last week and it’s carried over to a second week.”
Rolling Valley
Mountain Valley had its run-first offense moving early and often. On just its third play of the game, Elijah Turner broke free and scored a 60-yard touchdown. Two drives later, after capitalizing on a Freeport turnover on downs, Farrar punched in another touchdown from the goal line.
The visitors rushed 29 times in the first half.
“I was pleased with just getting back to basics,” Mountain Valley coach Patrick Mooney said. “We ran our offense the way it’s designed to be run. We don’t need touchdowns on every play — we want to control the clock. Eat up time of possession, control the tempo of the game. That’s what we did.”
Constant movement behind the ball, fake snaps and option plays kept Freeport off-balance and highly frustrated.
With seven seconds left in the first half, Mooney called a fake pitch that turned deadly. Farrar ran out wide, set his feet and launched a 31-yard pass up to Avery Bradeen, who caught it in stride and ran into the end zone. The play made it a three-possession game.
“Mainly, if the defense is reading our backs, they have no chance,” Farrar said of the offense. “Backs going separate ways and all the sudden you see the ball going down the field for a touchdown. It’s hard.”
“We have great athletes,” Mooney said. “We have fast kids. When we’re clicking, when our line’s blocking, good things happen.”
Farrar led the way for Mountain Valley, rushing 14 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns on top of the touchdown pass. Nick Newman rushed for 69 yards on 17 carries and Jacob Blanchard chipped in with 27 yards.
For Freeport, it was Doughty carrying the load with 14 carries. Burke added 26 yards on the ground, completed two passes and had a long run called back on a holding penalty.
St. Pierre said despite the result, Saturday had a much different feeling than it might have last season. Part of the rebuild at Freeport is simply changing the attitude.
In the end, the visible frustration on the sideline has two meanings.
“That’s honestly a good thing,” St. Pierre said. “Because we have higher expectations. If you have higher expectations, you’re not going to just settle for this. Last year, we were 0-8 and we settled. We have an up-hill struggle most weeks, but we expect better results.”
Mountain Valley 42,
Freeport 7
At Pownal Road Recreational Field
Mountain Valley — 6 16 0 20 — 42
Freeport— 0 0 7 0 — 7
First quarter
(MtV) — Elijah Turner 60 run (kick
missed), 7:40.
Second quarter
(MtV) — Kyle Farrar 1 run (kick
missed), 11:56.
(MtV) — Kyle Farrar 22 field goal,
2:27.
(MtV) — Avery Bradeen 31 pass
from Kyle Farrar (Kyle Farrar kick
good), 0:01.
Third quarter
(F) — Max Doughty 1 run (TJ Morrill
kick), 3:20.
Fourth quarter
(MtV) — Kyle Farrar 6 run (Kyle Farrar kick), 10:50.
(MtV) — Elijah Turner 19 run (Kyle
Farrar kick), 7:29.
(MtV) — Jasper Turner 9 run (kick
missed), 0:47.
Records — Mountain Valley 3-3,
Freeport 2-4.
Up next for the Falcons — This
upcoming Saturday at home against
Lake Region, 1:30 p.m.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
