Geoff Mott
Sports Scene
FREELAND – When it comes to raising money for breast cancer research, the Freeland football players literally give the shirts off their backs.
The Falcons improved to 3-1 on the season September 20 after beating Shepherd 34-6 in their fourth annual Clash for the Cure game. Along with a variety of auctions, a raffle for a golf cart, and a kids carnival before the game, the Freeland players wear pink jerseys trimmed with green and the nameplate of a sponsor family of a cancer patient.
The players give their game-used jersey to the sponsor’s family after the game.
Freeland raised nearly $60,000 in its first three years and expects another big total this year. Last year’s rain-soaked game raised $14,500 and organizers expect more than that this year.
Jake Jankoska led Freeland’s ground attack with 11 carries for 129 yards and scored on a 61-yard touchdown run. He also recovered a fumbled reception in the end zone for a touchdown. Freeland, which also had Josh Schlak run 10 times for 125 yards and a score, led 14-0 by halftime and 27-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
“We have some young guys, and we feel we are working our way up to being a good team,” said Jankoska, one of many Freeland juniors who finished 9-0 on junior varsity last year. “We do [have a lot of good running backs], and you’d think there would be a lot of competition for carries. But we know it takes 11 of us to win.”
With the game well in hand, Freeland brought senior Kyle Guster in to take the final three snaps on quarterback kneel downs. Guster, a top returner for the Falcons, tore ligaments in his knee a week before the season opener and is out for the season.