Wells football comes back for wild win over Freeport

Wells Warriors Edge Freeport Falcons in Dramatic 28‑24 Finish

WELL – In a back‑and‑forth contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Wells High School Warriors pulled off a 28‑24 victory over the Freeport Falcons in a high‑stakes Class C matchup last Thursday night. The Warriors’ comeback came in the final 4 minutes and 26 seconds, turning a 24‑14 lead into a win after a series of questionable plays and penalties by the Falcons.

A Close‑Calling Game

The Warriors, the smallest school in Class C with an enrollment of 400, improved to a 4‑2 record, while the Falcons—whose 629‑student roster competes in Class D—also finished 4‑2. Wells head coach Tim Roche admitted he had no idea how the team managed to secure the win.

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure how we pulled it out,” Roche said after the game. “The momentum shifted in those last few minutes, and we had to stay focused to keep the ball moving.”

Freeport head coach Paul St. Pierre, who was on the sidelines when the Warriors erased a 10‑point cushion, expressed frustration at the Falcons’ late‑game mistakes.

“We had a chance to win on the road and finally beat Wells. We’re 0‑7 as a school, and now we’re 0‑8 against Wells,” St. Pierre lamented. “The game’s 48 minutes, not 45.”

Game‑Changing Moments

Freeport began the second half with a power‑running attack that helped the Falcons gain early control. Backup quarterback Sam Willard, who had already led two scoring drives, capped a 14‑play, 65‑yard run with a 5‑yard touchdown, giving the Falcons a 17‑14 lead early in the fourth quarter. Willard also threw an 18‑yard touchdown to Ben Gaddis with 5:50 remaining, extending the lead to 24‑14.

With 4 minutes 26 seconds left, the Falcons’ fortunes shifted. Willard dropped a potential interception on a pass from Wells quarterback Noah McDonough, and the Warriors were forced into a series of penalties and missed opportunities. A personal foul on the Warriors’ defense granted Wells a first down at the Freeport 12. Jacob Barry scored a 2‑yard touchdown, cutting the Falcons’ lead to 24‑20 after a failed 2‑point conversion.

The Warriors then executed a successful onside kick. Linesmen positioned at the midfield center, the Falcons’ kickoff bounced between two Warriors players, allowing Wells’ Robert Stevens to recover.

“I just saw the ball come out from a bunch of kids. Just jumped on it,” Stevens said. “It was a clean play; we took advantage.”

Following a Wells unsportsmanlike penalty, a sack of McDonough, and a third‑and‑26, the Warriors were forced to rely on penalties to stay in the game. A 15‑yard face‑mask penalty on Freeport defender Greyson Quigg gave Wells a first down at the 29‑yard line with 1:05 to play. The Warriors then completed an 8‑yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dylan Hudnull, who was unmarked. McDonough threw a 2‑point conversion to Liam Perkins, giving Wells a 28‑24 edge with 46 seconds left.

Freeport’s final drive began with a 44‑yard kickoff return by Jose Rosquette, followed by a 22‑yard pass from Willard to Colby Chipman, moving the Falcons to the Wells 11. However, Willard’s second‑down pass fell incomplete, and the clock ran out, sealing the Warriors’ win.

Players’ Resilience

Both teams had to adapt to injuries, forcing players into unfamiliar roles. Wells’ Robert Stevens, listed as a 5‑foot‑5, 120‑pound running back, played defensive tackle to fill a gap left by two other injured interior linemen.

“Every player had to step up,” St. Pierre said. “We had to learn from this because the playoffs are around the corner.”

McDonough echoed the sentiment, adding, “We started off slow in the first half, but we’ve been working since summer. We’re ready for these kinds of games where we have to push through until the very last minute.”

Statistics

Freeport Falcons

• Sam Willard: 25 carries, 118 yards, 1 TD; 4 of 7 pass attempts, 57 yards, 1 TD
• Landon Clark: 8 carries, 51 yards
• Keegan Haveran: 9 carries, 27 yards, 1 TD
• Bryson Jack: 38‑yard field goal, 3 of 3 PATs

Wells Warriors

• Jacob Barry: 12 carries, 74 yards, 2 TDs
• Quinn Finnemore: 5 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD
• Mason Miles: 11 carries, 67 yards
• Noah McDonough: 2 of 8 pass attempts, 31 yards, 1 TD

Looking Ahead

Both programs remain poised for the upcoming playoffs, though the Warriors’ late‑game heroics may boost morale. For Freeport, the loss will likely serve as a catalyst for focusing on discipline and execution in future contests. As Coach St. Pierre noted, “We had a chance to win that game and we let them off the hook. And we need to learn from this because the playoffs are around the corner.”

The Warriors’ victory, earned through grit and a few fortuitous plays, underscores the unpredictability of high school football—and the fact that a game can still be won or lost in its final minutes.