Highlands blocks extra-point attempt in OT, knocks off previously unbeaten Freeport

By: Michael Love
Friday, October 3, 2025 | 10:39 PM

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Freeport and Highlands needed overtime to decide their Allegheny 7 Conference clash Friday at Freeport Area Athletic Stadium.

The teams’ heavyweight runners — Yellowjackets senior Amos Glenn and Golden Rams sophomore Tevin Owen-Cratsenberg — each scored TDs in their overtime possessions.

Jackson Babinsack drilled Highlands’ point-after kick.

But on Freeport’s point-after attempt, Owen-Cratsenberg blocked Judah Thompson’s kick, and Highlands earned a dramatic 28-27 victory.

“Before the play, I said, ‘I am going to block this (kick), and I just went after it,” said Owen-Cratsenberg, who scored four rushing touchdowns for the second game in a row and finished with 235 yards on 32 carries.

“I saw the hole, and just jumped up, and the ball came into me. My head is still spinning. But it feels good, and it is a great way to spring forward for Burrell next week.”

Highlands improved to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in Allegheny 7 Conference play. Freeport rallied from down two touchdowns at halftime to tie the score in the fourth quarter.

“We talked about it at halftime. We knew Freeport wasn’t going to quit,” Highlands coach Matt Bonislawski said.

“We knew they were going to make adjustments. We had our way with them in the first half. They are a well-coached team. They play hard. They’re good kids. Tough kids. We preached all week about discipline, staying focused, and taking care of the ball. We did just enough. Too many mistakes and too many turnovers. I told the kids after the game that in years past, we would’ve folded up. In the face of adversity, we would’ve folded up. But the culture’s a little different this year with these guys. They just kept battling.”

The Highlands win put a damper on Freeport’s homecoming festivities and sent the Yellowjackets to their first loss after six straight wins to start the season.

Freeport fell to 3-1 in conference play. It will attempt to rebound at home next week with a nonconference matchup against Hopewell.

Freeport punted on its first two possessions of the second half, but on two of its next three drives, it found the end zone.

Drew Ross threw touchdown passes of 73 and 39 yards to Amos Glenn and Owen Neistein, respectively. The scoring strike to Neistein tied the score at 21 with 6:42 left.

Ross, who was banged up on a defensive play in the fourth quarter, finished 8 of 13 passing for 151 yards and three total touchdowns.

In addition to his TD reception, Glenn carried the ball 31 times for 139 yards. He lost two fumbles in the second half that snuffed out Freeport drives.

While the Yellowjackets rallied, Highlands punted three times, turned it over on downs at the Freeport 28 with 8:40 left in the fourth quarter and lost a drive inside the Yellowjackets 20 on a fumble with 6 minutes to go in regulation.

“I was proud of the guys for coming out in the second half and taking control. The guys didn’t worry about what happened in the first half and just came out and made plays,” Freeport coach John Gaillot said.

“I didn’t prepare the kids well enough over the first two quarters. My coaches made some major adjustments that really worked out for us in the second half and gave us a shot. But in the end, this one really hurts.”

It didn’t take Highlands long to put the first points of the game on the board. The Golden Rams needed just three plays to find the end zone, all on runs by Owen-Cratsenberg, who took it in from 2 yards.

Jackson Babinsack added the point-after kick, and with just 57 seconds gone in the game, Highlands led 7-0.

But Freeport responded. Glenn got the call on the Yellowjackets’ first nine plays on their first drive. He collected 55 yards as Freeport drove to the Highlands 5.

Ross capped the drive with a 5-yard TD pass to Chace Flynn. Thompson added the PAT kick to tie the score at seven with 6:50 left in the first.

Owen-Cratsenberg finished the first half with 140 yards on 16 carries, and he helped the Golden Rams extend their lead. He scored on an 11-yard run with 2:17 on the first quarter clock and found the end zone for a third time in the half with a 13-yard scamper with 27 seconds to go until the break.

The Highlands’ scoring drive, which totaled nine plays, came on the heels of a Thompson field-goal attempt from 37 yards that hit the left upright.

“The willingness to survive and compete; I give our kids all the credit,” Bonislawski said.

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, Highlands