Seton LaSalle uses 2 late interceptions to rally past Freeport

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 14, 2017 | 12:27 AM

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Just when it appeared Freeport made the defensive play of the game, Seton LaSalle came up with a couple of bigger ones.

Tyler Hillebrand's and Dominic Popa's fourth-quarter interceptions set up the go-ahead and game-clinching scores as No. 2 Seton LaSalle rallied for a 21-10 victory over Freeport in a WPIAL Class 3A Allegheny Conference first-place battle at Thomas Jefferson.

“We showed that we're aggressive, and we'll stay in the game,” Hillebrand said. “We're always driving, and (work hard) for each other. We want this championship.”

Lionel Deanes rushed for 285 yards and three touchdowns for the Rebels (7-0, 6-0), who clinched a playoff spot and at least a share of the conference title with Friday's win.

The defense paved the way. After Freeport stopped Seton LaSalle quarterback Matt Banbury inches short for a turnover on downs inside the red zone midway through the fourth quarter, the Rebels dropped Yellowjackets quarterback Austin Romanchak for a 7-yard loss on first down, and Hillebrand intercepted him on second down, holding onto the ball even as Freeport wideout Isiah Bauman tried to pry it loose.

“I was just trying to hold on to the ball and make sure I don't fumble it,” Hillebrand said.

Deanes capped a five-play, 30-yard drive with a 12-yard score, and Popa's interception on the next drive set up a Deanes 5-yard run to seal it.

“We've been preaching, is this defense going to help us get to where we need to be, because we're going to have tight games where we're not going to be able to put up 35 points,” Seton LaSalle coach Rob Carter said. “I think the defense came to play.”

Freeport (5-2, 4-1) led the conference in scoring defense, and the Yellowjackets held down the Seton LaSalle offense for much of the night. But the late turnovers and resulting short fields ultimately helped the Rebels rally.

“This game's on me,” Freeport coach John Gaillot said. “The kids played their hearts out. I made some bad calls, and I didn't prepare them well enough to face the adversity that we faced all day getting here. That's on me. I've got to do a better job preparing them.”

Romanchak passed for 67 yards and three interceptions. His 8-yard rushing score tied the score midway through the third quarter, and Jake Sarver's 34-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth gave the Yellowjackets the lead.

But Seton LaSalle's defense stood strong against short fields for much of the game and limited Freeport to 84 rushing yards. About the only negative for the Rebels were 13 penalties.

“(It was) very defensive-oriented,” Carter said. “Both teams did their homework. It was just a matter of time before one of us split here and there.”

Seton LaSalle led 7-0 after a penalty-marred first half. The teams combined for 15 penalties, including a pair of offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct infractions.

The only score came midway through the first half, when Deanes took a draw handoff and exploded up the middle for a 37-yard touchdown. The Rebels held Freeport to 36 yards in the first half.

Despite missing two practice days this week with a forearm infection, Deanes now has 1,565 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns.

“Train keeps rolling,” said Carter, whose team hosts Quaker Valley next week in a marquee nonconference matchup.

Freeport slipped into a second-place tie with Keystone Oaks for the Allegheny's second guaranteed playoff spot. The Yellowjackets host the Eagles (5-2, 4-1) next week.

“We look at this film (Saturday), and we look at Keystone Oaks next,” Gaillot said. “One game at a time.”

Doug Gulasy is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at dgulasy@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dgulasy_Trib.

Tags: Freeport