Coming off playoff berth, strong offseason, Freeport building momentum

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, August 13, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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The Freeport football team returned to form in 2024.

After a 2023 season that saw the Yellowjackets win just three games and suffer a rare playoff miss, last year’s team grew and learned from its tough fortunes, finished third in a strong Allegheny 7 Conference and returned to the WPIAL postseason.

Freeport beat Mt. Pleasant at home in the first round before falling to No. 2 Central Valley in the quarterfinals.

With starters back at key positions and others ready to step into increased or new roles, veteran coach John Gaillot is encouraged with the prospects of what 2025 can become.

“We had a really positive offseason here,” Gaillot said. “We got a lot of good work in with the 7-on-7s. We caught the ball a lot better. Just overall with the conditioning, we would start before 8 in the morning. We did a lot on the field, and there weren’t too many who missed. That was very positive for us.”

Gaillot said he’s excited with the core of starting talent coming back on both sides of he ball. That includes four — seniors Drew Ross, Amos Glenn, Wade Potocnak and Cole Troutman — who earned all-conference recognition last year.

Ross, a dual-threat quarterback, combined for 25 touchdowns — 13 rushing, 12 throwing — and more than 1,900 total yards last year.

“He is just very poised. He doesn’t get rattled. I’ve seen him take shots in the chest, and he jumps right back up,” Gaillot said. “He’s just a tough, hard-nosed kid. This summer, he was able to get his reads down better than they were last year.”

Glenn had a breakout season in 2024. He scored a team-best 15 rushing touchdowns.

“We expect more from him this year,” Gaillot said.

Potocnak, a tackle, was voted last year’s Allegheny Conference offensive lineman of the year. He also was a first-team pick along the defensive line and led the Yellowjackets with four interceptions.

Troutman was a first-team selection at guard and a second-team honoree at defensive end.

“Those two will be difference-makers again for us (on the line),” Gaillot said.

Graduate Sean Selinger fronted the receivers last year in terms of yardage, but talent returns with seniors Madden Wisniewski and Owen Neistein and junior Danny King leading the way.

Wisniewski collected a team-best 31 receptions and three receiving scores a season ago.

Senior Dawson Gaillot (tight end/inside linebacker) was second to Selinger in total tackles last year.

Junior outside linebacker Bryson Paga had a team-leading six sacks.

Others Gaillot said will help form the nucleus on both sides of the ball include juniors Chace Flynn (tight end/linebacker), Cameron Manke (center/guard) and Karter Kemp (center/guard).

Gaillot said King, who suffered an ankle injury during the last basketball season, is returning to health and should be ready for the beginning of the season.

King last year caught 16 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown and added 62 tackles and two interceptions.

“He can be a slash person for us with running the ball and catching passes,” Gaillot said. “He will be another good target for Drew.”

However, Gaillot sounded a somber tone when talking about junior linebacker Camden Schlegel, a second-team all-conference selection last year who will miss the entire season because of a torn ACL from the lacrosse season.

“Cam did a great job for us last year. It’s going to be hard to replace him,” Gaillot said.

Imani Christian is the favorite to repeat as conference champions, but last year’s runner-up, Deer Lakes, and Freeport will be among those who will have something to say about it. Burrell, Highlands and Valley again will give the conference a local flair.

“The conference is going to be more competitive this year than even last year,” Gaillot said. “Imani seems to be the favorite. We are going to do our best to try and upset them. We played them really tough last year, and the score (44-14) really didn’t show how well we played against them. They just have so many weapons.

“Deer Lakes has been on a run the past couple of years and have turned that program around. Highlands, Burrell, everyone down the line, you have to bring your ‘A’ game every Friday. You can’t take anyone for granted.”

Freeport opens in Week Zero at home against Indiana. Derry, Quaker Valley and Hopewell round out the nonconference schedule.

Freeport

Coach: John Gaillot

2024 record: 8-4, 4-2 in Class 3A Allegheny 7

All-time record: 590-399-47

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 Indiana, 7

8.29 Derry, 7

9.5 at Quaker Valley, 7

9.12 Deer Lakes*, 7

9.19 at Burrell*, 7

9.26 at Valley*, 7

10.3 Highlands*, 7

10.10 Hopewell, 7

10.17 East Allegheny*, 7

10.24 at Imani Christian*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Drew Ross

91-164, 1,372 yards, 12 TDs

Rushing: Amos Glenn

204-1,354 yards, 15 TDs

Receiving: Madden Wisniewski

31-249 yards, 3 TD

FAST FACTS

• With its postseason appearance in 2024, Freeport has made the WPIAL playoffs five out of the past seven seasons. The Yellowjackets made it to the WPIAL semifinals in 2022 before falling to eventual state champion Belle Vernon in the semifinals at Gateway.

• Drew Ross enters his senior season with 2,702 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. He also is poised to surpass 1,000 rushing yards as he has 847 yards and 16 ground scores on 162 total rushes.

•John Gaillot is the dean of high school head coaches in the Alle-Kiski Valley. He begins his 18th season at the helm of the Yellowjackets. He owns a 103-68 overall record and has guided Freeport to the WPIAL playoffs 12 times.

•Freeport was more of a ground-attack team last year with a collective 360 attempts for 2,260 yards and 33 touchdowns.

ROSTER

No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Year

1, Owen Neistein, WR/DB, 6-1/150, sr.

2, Bryson Paga, WR/OLB, 5-11/150, jr.

3, Luke Logsdon, WR/DB/OLB, 6-0/160, so.

4, Luke Selinger, OLB/QB, 5-7/145, so.

5, David Shipman, WR/DB, 5-8/130, fr.

6, Alex Claditis, DE/RB/TE, 6-0/185, so.

7, Chace Flynn, TE/LB, 6-1/210, jr.

8, Danny King, QB/WR/OLB, 6-0/170, jr.

9, Braydon Pomaybo, RB/DB 5-9/160, jr.

10, Kason Barker, WR/CB, 5-7/155, sr.

11, Drew Ross, QB/DB, 5-10/165, sr.

12, Nick Jones, WR/LB, 6-0/174, jr.

13, Madden Wisniewski, WR/DB, 6-1/185, sr.

14, Camdem Schlegel, WR/DB, 5-11/135, jr.

15, Caden Patterson, TE/DB, 6-1/160, so.

16, Julian Onstad-Graise, WR/CB, 5-10/165, so.

18, Canon Wisniewski, WR/DB, 6-0/155, so.

20, Luca Pollino, MLB/RB, 5-8/170 , fr.

21, Aaden Alcorn, WR/DB, 5-10/155, so.

22, Anthony O’Donnell, TE/LB, 5-10/170, sr.

23, Dawson Gaillot, TE/LB, 6-0/200, sr.

24, Eli Perroz, WR/DB, 5-9/135, jr.

25, Judah Thompson, WR/K, 5-5/115, jr.

27, Eli Waugaman, WR/CB, 5-7/120, fr.

28, Paxton Cene, HB/MLB, 5-10/195, so.

30, Jack Hosten, WR/DB, 5-10/150, so.

32, Aaron Lovgren, WR/DB, 5-9/145, fr.

33, Amos Glenn, RB/LB, 5-7/160, sr.

34, Tripp Gourley, QB/SS, 5-7/125, fr.

35, Parker Pomaybo, RB/LB, 5-8/145, fr.

44, Gabriel Lichtenfels, TE/LB,6-1/190, jr.

51, Jonny Turk, OL/DL, 5-10/230, fr.

52, Cameron Manke, OL/DL/LB, 6-1/200, jr.

53, Nathan Hadad, OL/DL, 5-10/200, so.

55, Kaiden Spahr, OL/DL, 5-11/185, jr.

56, Cole Troutman, OL/DL/K, 6-0/230, sr.

58, Hunter Frantz, OLB, 6-2/145, jr.

61, Andrew Ruffner, OL/DL, 5-8/225, so.

62, Karter Kemp, G/DL, 5-10/230, jr.

64, Maddex Tresco, OL/DL, 5-7/180, so.

65, Nick Suder, OL/DL, 5-11/185, so.

66, Zach Lasko, K, 5-8/150, fr.

67, Maddox Christy, OL/DL, 6-0/220, so.

70, Avery Westendorf, OL/DL, 6-3/215, fr.

77, Wade Potocnak, OL/DL, 6-1/240, sr.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Freeport