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Second Half Surge Carries Freedom Patriots Past Rival in the Christmas City Showdown

Tagged under: District 11, Gameday Hub, News, pfn

| October 29, 2023

A 27 Point Spurt Provides the Margin of Victory for Freedom Patriots in Capturing Bethlehem City title.

BETHLEHEM- It’s been a tale of two seasons for the three-time District XI 6A championship finalist-Bethlehem Freedom Patriots, after starting 1-4 including two of those losses came after having multiple score leads for the 2021 District champions. Then the resurgent Patriots put it all together after disposing of East Stroudsburg South and another city rival Bethlehem Catholic, both by shutout. With wins over Easton and Emmaus solidified a spot in the district playoffs in 6A.

On a unseasonably warm Saturday after at Bethlehem School District Stadium and facing their nemesis the Hurricanes of Bethlehem Liberty, who came into the contest with seven straight losses after opening up the 2023 campaign with two wins. In these rival games, you can throw the records out the window. Freedom opened up a 14-0 lead, but then Liberty tied the score midway through the third quarter before the Patriots pulled away in a convincing 41-14 victory to clinch a home playoff game next week.

Freedom got on the board first with a 44 yard touchdown pass from Chase Walker to Amare Duboise, who was wide open along the home sidelines and cruised in for a 7-0 lead at the 4:44 mark of the opening quarter.

Running back Noah Pierre added an eight yard touchdown with just under two minutes left to make it 14-0. Pierre ran for 84 yards on 24 carries on the afternoon.

Liberty then drove inside the Freedom five yard line but were stopped on a fourth-and-goal at the one. Freedom then looked like maybe they would score one more time in the half on their ensuing drive. After a “tush push” on a 4th and one from their own 14 yard line, they drove into Liberty territory but an interception by Jahsi Cole ended the threat.

QB Caden Vermuelen then completed two big plays one for 22 yards and the other for 34 yards to set the Hurricanes inside the five again, this time Gabe Green took it over from a yard out to cut the lead in half at intermission at 14-7.

Vermulen using his arms and legs in the second half tied the score at 14 with an eight yard score at the 6:57 mark of the third quarter. Vermuelen threw for 126 yards on 14 of 23 passing and rushed for another 118 yards on 13 carries.

After a short kickoff gave Freedom the ball at their own 47, they went into the bag of tricks as WR Shacre Colwell connected with Jelani Fedrick on a 53 yard touchdown that started the rally making it 21-14.

QB Chase Walker would score from 4 yards out to make it 28-14 with eleven seconds left in the third quarter. Walker went 12 of 20 passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

Freedom found the end zone twice in the fourth quarter with a short two yard run by Jiovanni Richardson and a touchdown pass from Walker to Colwell to close out the win. Not only their fifth win in a smany games, but it was also the Patriots fifth straight over Liberty.

Freedom is now the fourth seed for the district playoff and will be at home Friday night againsst Emmaus Green Hornets, a team they knocked off at EPSD Stadium 25-19 back on October 20th.

Freedom coach Jason Roeder had this to say about the win Saturday.

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