Through the Years: 40 years ago, Freeport finally got the better of nemesis Jeannette

By: George Guido
Thursday, November 21, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Each week throughout the high school football season, the Valley News Dispatch has taken a look back at the players, coaches and events that shaped our scholastic legacy.

For decades, Freeport High School football experienced success against many local rivals, particularly in conference play.

But that came to a temporary halt in 1980 when Jeannette joined the Allegheny Conference.

Freeport lost five straight games against the Jayhawks – including the 1981 WPIAL Class 2A title game.

But things changed on Nov. 2, 1984 at Jeannette’s McKee Stadium.

The Jayhawks, defending WPIAL champs at the time, and the Yellowjackets entered the game undefeated in the conference and the winner would earn home-field advantage in the playoffs the following week.

Freeport had a 3-0 lead at halftime, thanks to Mike Brestensky’s 26-yard field goal. But Jeannette scored early in the fourth period on quarterback Matt Morrison’s keeper and it appeared Jeannette’s dominance would continue.

The Yellowjackets, however, regrouped and drove in for the winning score with 6 minutes, 36 seconds to go on Jim Charlton’s 7-yard run. Brestensky’s 24-yard pass reception and quarterback Mike Petras’ 14-yard run spurred the drive.

“It was a 25-cross buck,” recalled Brestensky of the winning score. “We went into the game with confidence, even though we had lost to Jeannette (before) and were the underdog.”

Jeannette wasn’t through, however. The Jayhawks were driving, but the Freeport defense rose to the occasion.

“Our defensive coordinator, Bill Dillen, said Morrison likes to throw a screen pass to Lester Frye when he got in trouble,” Brestensky said. “I saw Frye coming out of the backfield and I hit him.”

Freeport defeated Serra Catholic, 14-6, to open the playoffs before falling in the semifinals to Riverside, 27-0, as Todd Muntean scored all four Panthers touchdowns.

There was a sad note to the 1984 season: the illness of senior Brad DeBerry, who played one game but spent the remainder of the season on the sidelines due to cancer.

“The guys told me this (Serra) game and this season’s for me,” DeBerry told the Valley News Dispatch several weeks before his death in December 1984. Freeport captains wheeled DeBerry out to for the coin toss before the Riverside game.

Brestensky has been a Freeport assistant coach for 17 seasons and works at ATI in Brackenridge. Hunter owns a construction company and Petras lives in Bridgeville and is also in the steel industry.

100 years ago

• Visiting Oakmont surprised Arnold, 7-0, at the 18th Street grounds. A Cook touchdown and an Abraham extra point proved to be enough in an era where first names of players were rarely used in newspaper coverage.

• In what was the area’s fiercest rivalry at the time, Ken High defeated Parnassus, 6-0, on a 55-yard pass interception by Wolf.

75 years ago

• Tarentum’s season-ending, nonconference win over Meadville, 33-6, was bittersweet because the Redcats finished the WPIAL schedule undefeated but lacked sufficient Gardner Points to play for the title. Paul Blake’s 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was a highlight.

60 years ago

• Arnold (10-0) posted its first undefeated season by hanging on for a 7-6 victory at Springdale. On the game’s second play, Lions tackle Bill Baker swiped the ball and went 36 yards for a touchdown.

• With the mercury falling to 17 degrees at Har-Brack Field, Leechburg won the AIC Bowl, 20-0, over Ford City behind two Howie Crawford TDs.

50 years ago

• Freeport fell to Albert Gallatin, 41-13, in the WPIAL Class 2A title game at Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Bruce Sherrieb gave the Yellowjackets an early 7-0 lead with a 46-yard pick-six.

40 years ago

• Riverview lost a playoff heartbreaker in overtime to Slippery Rock Area, 21-20. Chris Bosser’s pass to Mike Juliano gave the Raiders a brief lead in the extra session, but the Rockets scored and hit the PAT.

Tags: Freeport, Highlands, Leechburg, Riverview, Springdale, Valley