Freeport will be top seed

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Domination on both sides of the football has positioned Freeport as the top seed for the upcoming Conference I playoffs.

The unbeaten Red Devils (7-0) enter their final regular season game this Saturday at Uniondale outscoring opponents 279 to 64. Longtime Freeport head coach Russ Cellan said the team is benefiting from increased experience gained last year during an 8-3 season that ended just short of a county crown.

“It has been a great team effort,” said Cellan, who has won more than 200 games during his 32 years as Freeport head coach. “They have done everything we have asked of them.”

Cellan was able to turn to reserves in last Saturday’s commanding win after jumping out to a 35-0 lead in just the second quarter. Junior quarterback Terrance Edmond completed 6 of 6 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns during an abridged afternoon under center. Sophomore slotback Jayvian Allen rushed for 57 yards on just six carries as part of a three-touchdown afternoon.

“When he gets his number called this year he has come to play,” said Cellan of the versatile Allen, who recorded a rushing, receiving and defensive touchdown in Freeport’s 41-12 win at Hempstead on Sept. 29. “He is a very good player.”

Allen is part of a deep Freeport skilled unit that combined as team to rush for nearly 200 yards in 40-0 home win against East Meadow on Oct. 13. Allen led the potent rushing attack with 44 yards and two touchdowns in his only two carries of the day. Chris Richardson was also explosive in the commanding win with 38 yards on the ground including one touchdown.

Edmond is an additional running threat at quarterback and has shown improvement with his arm as the season has progressed. In Freeport’s 39-12 home win against Massapequa on Oct. 5, Edmond had 185 yards rushing with two touchdowns and completed 6-of-10 passing.

The Freeport defense has also proved dominate at times this season with two shutouts including limiting East Meadow to just 41 yards led by nine tackles from junior linebacker Makhai Jinks. The Red Devils’ also held defending county champion Oceanside to just 65 yards of total offense in a 38-0 victory on Sept. 21 that featured interceptions returned for touchdowns by Jinks and Shamel Howard.

Freeport closes the regular season with a 2 p.m. kickoff at Uniondale (5-2) before beginning the postseason journey in early November. The Red Devils will host their first-round playoff game on Nov. 2 or 3, and with a win would advance to the semifinal stage at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. Cellan hopes last year’s run to the county finals against Oceanside proves beneficial for the returning players.

“Now the games start for real,” said Cellan, who has won five Long Island championships during his heralded coaching career and was inducted into the Nassau County High School Athletics Hall of Fame last year. “I hope we keep this going.”