Freeburg Kicks T-O Past Republic, 30-27
The Tekoa-Oakesdale Nighthawks might have to take a longer look at this new offensive weapon.
One week after kicking the first field goal in school history, Tim Freeburg kicked the second, a 31-yarder with 62 seconds to play, lifting the Nighthawks to a 30-27 victory over Republic Friday night in the first round of the WIAA/U.S. Bank State B-11 football playoffs.
“Coming in, we felt we’d win all the way. We had to stay positive,” the 5-foot-10, 158-pound senior said. “I knew I had to make it. I just kept my concentration.”
That wasn’t easy on the sloppy field since the game was played in a steady rain and enough wind to put a bite in the 32-degree night.
T-O (9-1) faces Davenport (9-1) in Medical Lake next weekend.
The Nighthawks beat Republic (7-3) with two long drives. The second one came after the Tigers overcame a near-critical blunder to score on a 1-yard run by junior quarterback Jason Baldwin. His sprint around right end for the two-point conversion tied the game at 27 with 7:30 to play.
After the kickoff, the Nighthawks started on their 32 and and steadily marched downfield behind senior Nate Perrins. The 5-8, 149-pound running back pounded out most of the yardage - he finished with 208 yards on 36 carries, and played every down on defense. But his 5-yard TD run was wiped out by a holding penalty. That put the burden of winning on Freeburg.
“We’ve had a few chances, but we’ve always went for it,” said Freeburg, who kicked a 24-yarder last weekend on a frozen field. “I’ve been waiting the whole season for a chance to kick it, and I finally got it. It was a perfect situation. I’ve waited my whole life for something like that.”
The first key drive by the Nighthawks consumed almost half of the third quarter, with Joel French’s 2-yard run and Freeburg’s kick making it 27-13.
“We were a little banged up on the defensive line and it showed tonight,” Republic coach Don Beazzio said.
However, the Tigers came right back, with Baldwin connecting with Mark Rickard for their third TD of the game, a 38-yarder. That cut the deficit to 27-19.
T-O moved into Republic territory when John Wall floated a ball into the right flat and Danny Hanks, a freshman, intercepted it, juked Wall at about the 30 and went 59 yards for a TD. The ball was moved back to the 30 because of a clipping penalty.
The Tigers overcame the blunder thanks to a long fourth-down completion to Richard, setting up Baldwin’s plunge over left guard.
Tekoa-Oakesdale 30, Republic 27
Republic 7 6 6 8 - 27
Tekoa-Oakesdale 14 6 7 3 - 30
TO - Perrins 1 run (Freeburg kick)
R - Richard 15 pass from Baldwin (Eich kick)
TO - Perrins 4 run (Freeburg kick)
R - Richard 18 pass from Baldwin (kick failed)
TO - Perrins 1 run (pass failed)
TO - French 2 run (Freeburg kick)
R - Richard 38 pass from Baldwin (pass failed)
TO - Freeburg 31 field goal
, DataTimes