Breswood Runs Green Bay Past Atlanta as Freeze Stay Unbeaten
Riley Kade — JRSports One
Clay Breswood's 23-yard touchdown run in the third quarter started a 21-point Green Bay surge that carried the Freeze past Atlanta, 35-24. The win kept Green Bay unbeaten at 7-0 and dropped the Firebirds to 2-5.
Atlanta led 21-14 at halftime after Travis Hertrick's 1-yard touchdown pass to Connor Cheater at 1:16 of the second quarter. The turning point came at 4:50 of the third quarter, when Jairo Jarrena ran 2 yards for a touchdown that put Green Bay ahead 28-21, the lead it never gave back.
Breswood opened the scoring with a 3-yard run at 8:13 of the first quarter. Ernesto Rus answered with a 6-yard run at 3:31 to tie it 7-7. In the second quarter, Leonel Peales intercepted Ryan Harkton and returned it 2 yards. Atlanta scored on Hertrick's 2-yard pass to Peyton Foosby at 6:46 to lead 14-7. Harkton's 3-yard pass to Joel Groom at 3:22 tied it 14-14 before Cheater's score put Atlanta back on top.
Breswood's 23-yard run at 11:49 of the third quarter tied the game 21-21, and Jarrena's run followed at 4:50. Green Bay added to its lead in the fourth quarter when Harkton threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jesse Tood at 2:54, making it 35-21. Eric Graicklin's 24-yard field goal at 0:17 set the final score.
Harkton completed 28 of 39 passes for 309 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Breswood carried 20 times for 130 yards and two touchdowns and added three catches for 24 yards. Groom caught 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. Hertrick completed 25 of 33 for 234 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, and Jordan Thann carried 13 times for 90 yards. Green Bay finished with 487 total yards to Atlanta's 322.
Peales led the Atlanta defense with nine tackles and the interception. Wes Crannby added nine tackles and a forced fumble. Brady Crardley had eight tackles and two sacks for Green Bay. Green Bay committed one turnover and Atlanta none.
Marcell Peluez, Green Bay's right guard, suffered a shoulder sprain and is out two weeks, and Aaron Gendworth replaced him. Santiago Merales, Atlanta's defensive tackle, has an MCL sprain and is out one week, and Spencer Croockrick replaced him. Yunior Vurano, Atlanta's fullback, is questionable with an ankle injury.
Green Bay has won all seven of its games this season, and Atlanta has dropped five of its last six. The Freeze now sit alone atop the standings with their unbeaten start intact.
