Freedom football finds way to victory
34 unanswered points put away depleted Whitehall
It may have taken two frustrating losses until it happened, but Freedom has definitely figured out how to beat a quality opponent on the road.
After aggravating defeats at Emmaus and Parkland left the Patriots at 2-2 on Sept. 17, the Patriots have put together a three-game winning streak and two of them have come away from Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.
The latest was Friday night’s 41-12 win over an injury-depleted Whitehall team at Zephyr Stadium.
Freedom got three touchdown runs from Deante Crawford and two TD passes and a rushing score from quarterback Brian Taylor in scoring 34 unanswered points to hand Whitehall its third straight loss after a 3-0 start.
“The difference in our team starts at practice,” Freedom coach Jason Roeder said. “Coming off the [19-15] Parkland loss, we made a concerted effort to be better at practice. I told the guys I tolerated the level of practice we were at and I’ll take the blame for that. But I also said here’s how we are going to fix it and we’ve played well since.”
Roeder said the changes were in intensity, pace and the expectations.
“They are coachable kids and they did what we asked and they’re seeing the results, so it validates it,” Roeder said. “They know we handle the weekend and then come Tuesday at practice that pace has to be there for us to be successful.”
Roeder didn’t like the pace of his defense early against Whitehall.
The Zephyrs, who were again missing top running back Nigel Linton and forced to use quarterback Quinn Wentling only as a ball carrier, were able to take a 12-7 lead with nine minutes left in the first half.
Whitehall’s first score was a 75-yard bolt into the end zone by Damonte Foreman, who rushed for 140 yards on 19 carries.
The Zephs’ second scoring drive was much more methodical, consuming 13 plays, 78 yards and 7:11 and resulted in Wentling’s 8-yard TD run. Wentling carried six times for 52 yards on the drive and finished the night with 80 yards on
12 carries.
He was also of help to sophomore Trey Dogmanits, who got his first start at quarterback.
“I was really proud of the way our kids played tonight,” Whitehall coach Matt Senneca said. “We had a lot of sophomores in the mix and it wasn’t just the quarterback. There were a lot of other positions where we had kids who had only been in JV games so far this year. So, I thought we came out and fought really well. I thought we played physical and then we just got wore down in the second half.”
Freedom regained the lead on two Crawford TD runs in the second quarter.
A bad punt set up the Patriots for a 30-yard drive capped by Taylor’s 10-yard TD run. Taylor then hit Ethan Neidig for a 22-yard TD pass to make it 34-12 in the third period.
Whitehall was threatening early in the fourth period but Lorenzo Feliciano picked off a Zephyrs pass and ran 90 yards to the Zephs 5. A penalty and two Crawford rushes put the lid on the scoring as reserves finished out the rest of the contest.
“Week by week, we’re trying to improve and day by day we’re getting better at practice,” Taylor said after completing 7 of 10 passes for 143 yards. “We try to treat every week like it’s a championship. It’s a credit to all of the guys. I’d be nothing without them.”
Taylor credited his offensive line, Crawford, and an athletic receiving group.
“I’m getting opportunities to make plays and the receivers are catching the ball,” Taylor said. “I trust my receivers. It’s especially great to connect with Ethan [Neidig} because he was a quarterback. But w[inlinenote]thith our line up front and Deante running like he does, you can’t ask for more.”
Roeder wasn’t pleased with the whole effort, especially the defense in the first half, but he’ll take another win in a tough league.
“We didn’t like where we were after four games, but it’s about the commitment to improvement,” he said. “We can’t just talk, you have to walk it and that’s what our guys are doing on the practice field. And it has turned into W’s on Friday nights. We have a lot of good football players and they’re stepping up.”
What’s next
Whitehall will visit Allentown Central Catholic at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16. The Vikings won the 2020 meeting between the longtime rivals, 34-13. Freedom returns to Bethlehem Area School District Stadium to host Pleasant Valley in their final cross-division game of the regular season. The Patriots routed Allen 54-12 in their other game against an EPC North opponent.
The series
The Zephyrs and Patriots entered Friday’s game having split their last 14 meetings at seven wins apiece. The series has been remarkably close since the two became East Penn Conference members in 1976. Prior to Friday’s game, Whitehall held a 19-18 edge. In 2014, the teams met twice. The second meeting came in the District 11 4A quarterfinals when Freedom edged the Zephyrs and Saquon Barkley 17-14.