Liberty Hurricanes get Beete up by impressive Freedom Patriots performance
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Brian "Hollywood" Ptashinski | October 27, 2024
Elite tailback puts on a show with a 359 yard outburst for sixth straight win in the Battle of Bethlehem.
BETHLEHEM- It was the Aaron Beete show on Saturday afternoon for the Freedom Patriots before a capacity crowd at Bethlehem School District Stadium, much to the dismay of their cross-city rivals- Liberty Hurricanes. At the end of the day Beete rushed for a near-school record of 359 yards on 29 carries and reached the end zone four teams in a much needed 44-24 victory, their sixth straight win in the Christmas City rivalry. The win also gave Freedom the city championship, as they defeated Bethlehem Catholic earlier in the season.
On its’ opening drive, Liberty drove from their own 30 yard line to inside the Patriots’ ten but could not punch it in and had to settle for a field goal by Christian Hackett from 27 yards for a 3-0 lead at the 6:56 mark of the opening quarter.
That score was answered by Beete on the Patriots first drive as he rocketed in from 50 yards out for a 7-3 lead at the 3:12 mark. The first of the four long distance runs for scores in the contest, three coming in the first half alone.
50yd @aaron_beete touchdown @FHSFBBGGC 3:12 left 1st quarter 7-3 over @LIBERTYATHCLUB @PaFootballNews
Updates brought to you by @SLUHNSportsMed pic.twitter.com/ZZqnEOBojf
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) October 26, 2024
QB Antonio Fontanez would hook up with WR Xyaire Davis for a 32 yard touchdown pass giving the Hurricanes the lead at 10-7 early in the second quarter. Fontanez, a junior completed 18 of 24 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw four interceptions in the game.
A 25 yard touchdown run by Beete would follow, as he dove just inside the pylon for his second score gave the lead back to the Patriots 14-10 at the 9:24 mark. Beete just missed the all-time single game rushing mark of 367 set by Darius Webb back in 2009 in a game versus Parkland.
Freedom would extend the lead to 20-10 as Beete’s running mate Lashawn Johnson ripped off a 59 yard scoring run down the sidelines. Johnson rushed for 98 yards on five touches. Freedom finished with nearly 520 yards of total offense on the afternoon.
59yd Lashawn Johnson touchdown @FHSFBBGGC 20-10 lead over @LIBERTYATHCLUB 5:00 till Half @PaFootballNews
Updates brought to you by @SLUHNSportsMed pic.twitter.com/yj1Lq6d5pj
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) October 26, 2024
Zyaire Davis was on the receiving end of a Fontanez scoring strike, as he caught a pass across the middle getting sandwiched between two defenders, keeping his balance crossed the goal line completing a 76 yard play making it a 20-17 game. Davis would finish with 129 receiving on 4 receptions
Again Beete would answer right back as he sprinted in from 63 yards to push the lead back to ten at 27-17 with still 3:17 left to play in the second quarter. He was held to just 99 yards in a loss to Easton last week certainly took out his frustrations on the Hurricanes defense.
63yd @aaron_beete touchdown @FHSFBBGGC 3:17 left 2nd quarter 27-17 lead over @LIBERTYATHCLUB @PaFootballNews
Updates brought to you by @SLUHNSportsMed pic.twitter.com/OHqZXHhmZJ
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) October 26, 2024
WR Jake Pukszyn would then haul in a 35 yard touchdown pass from Fontanez, on a flea-flicker play to make it now a 27-24 game with still 1:22 left before halftime.
25yd touchdown pass @AFontanez1_ to @Jakepuks for a @LIBERTYATHCLUB touchdown 1:22 left before halftime in a 44-24 loss to @FHSFBBGGC @PaFootballNews @CCHastings1863 @ScipScip @LindseyB_PFN @NittanyPete pic.twitter.com/FVZhhWGduN
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) October 26, 2024
Patriots’ place-kicker Nathan Stannard added a 28 yard field goal with no time remaining to end the half for a 30-24 lead for the black-and-gold.
The Patriots defense then pitched a shout-out in the second half, while also scoring twice more with a 1 yard Chase Walker quarterback sneak and then to cap of his afternoon Beete would take it to the promised land from 75 yards out for the final margin of victory. Freedom finished with an impressive 445 yards rushing as a team.
Freedom finished the regular season 9-1 and will be the number 2 seed in the District XI 6A playoffs and will face the number 7 seed in the tournament the Konkrete Kids of Northampton. Freedom defeated Northampton by a score of 42-21 back on October 11th. Northampton (5-5) defeated Bethlehem Catholic 21-20 Friday night
Liberty also made the eight team post-season as a sixth seed and will face Parkland in the opening round, but will be without starting quarterback Fontanez, because of transfer rules as he played for Allentown Central Catholic last season and also spent time at a school in Maryland he is ineligible for the playoffs and back-up signal-caller junior Christian Contakes will be under center when the face the Trojans. Parkland (8-2) was shutout by rival Emmaus Friday night 27-0.
My post-game interview with @aaron_beete 359 yards rushing 4 touchdowns in a 44-24 @FHSFBBGGC win over @LIBERTYATHCLUB @PaFootballNews @ScipScip @CCHastings1863 @WilliePAFN @LindseyB_PFN @LSVSports @NittanyPete pic.twitter.com/Pp5E3Wqlh4
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) October 26, 2024
My post-game interview with HFC Jason Roeder of @FHSFBBGGC after a 44-24 win over City Rival @LIBERTYATHCLUB @PaFootballNews @ScipScip @NittanyPete @LindseyB_PFN @LSVSports pic.twitter.com/RtGZvF4AhI
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) October 26, 2024
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