Freeport survives Baldwin surge

Freeport quarterback Rashad Tucker tossed a 54-yard pass down the left sideline to fellow senior Jaelin Hood to defeat Baldwin, 26-21, the last of five touchdowns scored in the waning minutes of a Conference I football semifinal at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium on Nov. 10.

The Red Devils kept the Bruins scoreless until 4:54 left in the fourth quarter, when senior running back Jonathan Debique, who rushed for 142 yards on 24 carries, barrelled over the goal line from three yards out to cut Freeport’s lead to 13-7. 

After Freeport had taken the ensuing kickoff to its 47-yard line, the speedy Tucker carried the ball 53 yards into the end zone, cutting, slashing and leaving defenders tackling air along the way, to extend his team’s lead 20-7. But it wasn’t enough to stave off Baldwin. 

The Bruins answered with a 6-play, 81-yard drive that ended when senior quarterback Norman Wilson hit junior receiver David Garcia on a slant for a 30-yard score. But the duo wasn’t done. 

Before Tucker connected with Hood for the game-winning touchdown, Baldwin recovered its onside kick at midfield, and Wilson threw a perfect 28-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Garcia to give the Bruins their first and only lead, 21-20 with 1:14 remaining. 

After the game, Freeport head coach Russ Cellan was as upset with his defense’s busted coverages as he was relieved that his offense mounted a late comeback. 

“I don’t know why but we lost our intensity,” he said. “We started giving up plays that we were making in the first half. I think we got on our heels. I think some of my younger guys got intimidated by the situation.”

The game ended on a contested call after the Bruins started their final drive at their 49-yard line with 58 seconds left to play. They drove down to Freeport’s 15-yard line with 11 ticks on the clock when Wilson hit senior receiver T’hki Wood-Smith near the left sideline. The referees ruled that Wood-Smith was tackled inbounds, though, and time expired along with Baldwin’s hopes to advance. 

Baldwin head coach Steve Carroll disputed the call but to no avail. Still, he was satisfied with his team’s late efforts despite a slow start in a decisive game.  

“We have a lot of inexperienced kids here that eventually got it together,” he said. “And you saw the results. I’m super proud of all our kids. I’m disappointed for all of them, but I’m not frustrated because they played a phenomenal game against a great football team.” 

After the game, Tucker — who racked up 145 yards rushing on 17 carries and two touchdowns and completed six passes on 14 attempts for 110 yards — just wanted to leave his team’s near collapse behind to focus on the next game. “Every week isn’t a given anymore,” he said. “You lose and you go home. So, we need a good week of practice.” 

Freeport will face Farmingdale in the Conference I title game this Thursday at 7 p.m. at Hofstra.