Freeport linemen hoping to pave the way toward Allegheny 6 title defense

By: Bill Hartlep
Wednesday, August 16, 2023 | 4:20 PM

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It’s unlikely Isaac “Ickey” Woods will score a touchdown this season.

The Freeport lineman doesn’t get carries in the backfield, won’t catch any passes and isn’t going to take snaps at quarterback. He doesn’t return punts or kicks and probably isn’t going to be deep enough in the secondary to get a pick-6.

Like most linemen, he just doesn’t get to celebrate scoring a touchdown.

So, the most likely scenario for fans to get a look at his “Ickey Shuffle” celebration will be in a postgame huddle after the Yellowjackets reach their goal of defending their Class 3A Allegheny 6 Conference title.

“We want to go as far as we can in the playoffs,” said Woods, who was nicknamed “Ickey” — after the former Bengals running back — by a youth football coach at his very first practice more than a decade ago. “We want everything we can get.”

Woods will anchor the offensive line with fellow senior Brady Paga and sophomore Wade Potocnak. The group that is being counted on to pave the way for a Freeport offense in transition.

The Yellowjackets were led by a talented skill group a year ago, but the bulk of that production has graduated, including all-conference running back Ben Lane (102 carries, 1,075 yards, 23 TDs), the conference’s offensive MVP, and quarterback Gavin Croney (73-140, 1,001 yards, 11 TDs).

That offense averaged 32.7 points per game en route to a 10-2 record, including a 6-0 mark in the Allegheny 6 Conference.

“I think we’re doing good,” Woods said. “We have a lot of pieces to fill, but it’s coming together nice.”

Underclassmen have adjusted quickly, the players said, which will be key to the Yellowjackets’ success, especially early in the season.

“We’ve made a lot of improvements,” Paga said. “We have a lot of younger kids. We graduated a lot of seniors, a lot of starters. We’ve been trying to teach those kids. A lot of them have caught on well, especially this early. Those kids will continue to evolve and be the future of Freeport football.”

Paga, Woods and other senior leaders, along with assistant coach Mike DeZort, played a key role in getting young players up to speed, helping organize offseason workouts as part of their “Linemen Club.”

“After around March and April and going into June, we all came together,” Paga said. “We lifted. We did bonding activities. It was lots of fun. It was good to keep our team together. It really helps introduce the younger players what the culture is like at Freeport.”

On the field, the Yellowjackets will rely on the experienced offensive linemen for guidance, as well as their ability to push around opponents. Last season, Freeport averaged 192.1 rushing yards per game and 294.3 total yards per game.

“Those guys played a lot last year,” coach John Gaillot said. “That’s our strength — we can control the ball and take time of that clock.”

Gaillot cited the experience of Paga, Woods and Potocnak as returning starters, and that junior Sam Austin’s 350-pound bench press shows the type of strength he possesses. Junior Matt Wallish and sophomore Colton Mellish add depth to the group, which includes five seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and five freshmen.

“We want to get better every day,” Paga said. “We want to know who we’ll block every day. We want it to be game-like so we practice like it’s a game.”

Added Woods: “We want to be relentless. Play every snap like it’s your last. Don’t quit until the whistle blows. You have to be relentless in this sport.”

But will that relentlessness result in a conference championship celebration? Woods believes so, but he’s holding out hope for a touchdown celebration, as well.

“Maybe I’ll pick up a fumble.”

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Freeport