Freeport looks to continue historic run

FREEPORT — The Freeport and Liberty County football teams have seemingly been on a crash course all season.

While the Bulldogs (10-1) laid waste to District 1-A with relative ease, Liberty County (10-1) was the class of District 2-A, ultimately dropping Blountstown and Port St. Joe – the only team to defeat them – a combined 37-6 in a shootout to take the district title.

After a pair of respective wins in the Class A regional semis, the two will decide the Panhandle’s best Class A football team on the field tonight at 7:30 at Freeport in the regional finals.

“They’ve got a bunch of speed,” Freeport senior quarterback Cole Weeks said. “They’re real powerful.”

Freeport coach Jim Anderson is prepping his group for an option-heavy attack not unlike the one run at Georgia Tech. With quarterback Terrance Evans leading the attack from under center, the Bulldogs will see an offense that runs almost exclusively out of the option.

While Freeport has seen plenty of run-first attacks this season, they haven’t seen anything quite like this.

“He’s a quarterback that really runs the option well,” Anderson said. “He’s got great speed, great size and he’s very intelligent.”

Evans has 988 yards on 124 carries this season to go with 16 touchdowns. He’s joined by back Kevin McCray, who has 703 yards rushing and seven touchdowns of his own. In contrast, Liberty County has thrown just a handful of passes this season and relies on its punishing attack up front on both sides of the ball.

“They’ll grind it out against you but they’re also able to make the big play,” Anderson said. “All the sudden they’re in the option and they pitch it and it’s a 70-yard touchdown.”

A rolling Freeport offense against a physical Liberty County defense could be the most intriguing matchup of the game. While the Bulldogs have had little trouble racking up points this season, Liberty County’s athletic defense has been a hallmark of its late-season surge.

“Their defensive plan is just to foul up everything you’re doing on offense,” Anderson said. “They’re very successful doing that. They’re well-coached.”

After losing their first district game of the season to Port St. Joe in week three, Liberty County didn’t allow another team within 10 points until a 24-17 come-from-behind win over South Walton last week. Meanwhile, Freeport blasted District 2-A runner-up Blountstown 48-12 in a shockingly easy romp over a Tiger team that went 8-2 in the regular season.

Those results are ancient history tonight.

“No one’s ever been in this position for Freeport in football at all, so it’s a great feeling,” Weeks said.