Last Time They Met:
Freedom took a 7-0 record into their week 8 match up with Parkland last season, but lost quarterback Joe Young for the season during their upset win over Whitehall. The Trojans held on for a 21-13 victory, getting an interception deep in their own territory in the last two minutes to seal the win. Devante cross threw for 147 yards and rushed for 143 yards in the win.
Parkland Leaders
Passing: Devante Cross: 98-157, 1,342 yards, 13 TDs, 5 INTs
Rushing: Devante Cross: 97-545-11
Receiving: Kenny Yeboah: 29-369-5
Freedom Leaders
Passing: Joe Young: 55-98, 833 yards, 5 TDs, 4 INTs
Rushing: Andres Santos: 67-293-9
Receiving Alkhion Dunkins: 13-256-1; Jonah Gundrum: 11-220-2
Freedom Offense: The big question tonight is the health of quarterback Joe Young. The 6’3 dual threat junior suffered a lower leg injury last week against Whitehall and his status is unknown. With Young, the Patriots run a spread option attack. Young is a pass and run threat, though he hasn’t piled up carries like he did as a sophomore. Freedom doesn’t have a standout receiver, but spreads the ball around to four major targets, Alkhion Dunkins, Jonah Gundrum, Brennan Reinart, and tight end Cordell Cotto. If Young can’t go, Gundrum will play quarterback, a position he filled last year when Young was lost for the season with a hip injury. The running game took a major hit when Roberto Diez was lost for the season during week 3, but Andres Santos has filled in admirably. He’s a much smaller back than Diez, but a good fit for their scheme. Freedom had to replace all five offensive linemen, but it’s been a strong group that is starting to really gel. Sophomore tackle Tijir Bleam is one to watch going forward, at 6’2 250 and athletic, he’s certainly on college radars.
Parkland Defense: The Trojans completely shut down Easton last week, after getting torched by Whitehall and Liberty in back to back outings. Parkland’s strength is their beef up front and the sideline to sideline play of Eric DiGiralomo behind them. Nose tackle Billy Danko was helped off with an injury last week, and I’m unsure if he can go this week. Danko has been one of the best defensive linemen in the league this year, and would be a major loss. Freedom’s offense has much more in common with Whitehall and Liberty than it does with Easton, so it’s a scheme that gives the Trojans problems. Their big issue is that although they have size and physicality in the secondary, there’s not a lot of speed in the back unless Devante Cross is playing corner, something they understandably only want to do in emergencies (though he committed to Boston College to play DB).
Parkland Offense: Pure and simple, Devante Cross is the best player in the Lehigh Valley, and he touches the ball on every play. In the passing game, he’s matured immensely since his sophomore year, and is an accurate QB with a big arm and command of the offense. He has a huge corps of receivers, and they like to string long drives together and possess the football with short passes. In the running game, Cross is the man. In short yardage, they’ll empty out the backfield and run him behind their 275 pound left tackle and 315 pound left guard every single time, and nobody has been able to stop in. Cross is the home run hitter, so teams desperately try to make him give it up in the zone read. Parkland hasn’t really drawn up ways to get him the ball on the outside, and I’d actually like to see them do more designed QB runs besides just the plow straight ahead short yardage stuff. The biggest running threat shouldn’t be broken down pass plays.
Freedom Defense: The Patriots have the best defense in the Lehigh Valley. Brady Hornbaker leads in the conference in tackles at linebacker, and the 6’1 230 pound junior will be key on Friday. Freedom runs a 3-3-5, with a pair of huge defensive ends in 230 pound Joshua Ortiz and 270 pound Cordell Cotto, then they walk up linebacker Brennan Reinart as a pass rusher. Cotto’s match up with Noel Brouse should be excellent, as its not too often that they face an opponent with the same kind of size and athleticism. In the back, Freedom’s secondary leads the EPC in interceptions, and Alkhion Dunkins has taken three back for TDs. The five DB set is built to stop the spread, though Parkland is an unusual match up because they have three tight end sized wide receivers, not the normal little fast guys you see in an offense designed like that.
Special Teams: Neither team has a kicking game to write home about, though it’s not a liability either. Alkhion Dunkins is a dangerous return man, and scares you much more than anybody Parkland is going to put deep.
Parkland Wins If: They get another monster performance from Devante Cross, they take care of the football, and they can limit the Freedom passing game.
Freedom Wins If: They get consistent pressure rushing only four, they can exploit the Parkland secondary, they can protect their quarterback.
The Pick: They don’t set lines in Vegas if the quarterback situation is up in the air, but I’ll take a shot anyway. I think Joe Young plays tonight and plays well. Teams with a strong passing game are Parkland’s Achilles heel, and Young is good enough to pick them apart. I also am a big believer in the Freedom defense. Expect a dog fight.Freedom 28-21
Freedom took a 7-0 record into their week 8 match up with Parkland last season, but lost quarterback Joe Young for the season during their upset win over Whitehall. The Trojans held on for a 21-13 victory, getting an interception deep in their own territory in the last two minutes to seal the win. Devante cross threw for 147 yards and rushed for 143 yards in the win.
Parkland Leaders
Passing: Devante Cross: 98-157, 1,342 yards, 13 TDs, 5 INTs
Rushing: Devante Cross: 97-545-11
Receiving: Kenny Yeboah: 29-369-5
Freedom Leaders
Passing: Joe Young: 55-98, 833 yards, 5 TDs, 4 INTs
Rushing: Andres Santos: 67-293-9
Receiving Alkhion Dunkins: 13-256-1; Jonah Gundrum: 11-220-2
Freedom Offense: The big question tonight is the health of quarterback Joe Young. The 6’3 dual threat junior suffered a lower leg injury last week against Whitehall and his status is unknown. With Young, the Patriots run a spread option attack. Young is a pass and run threat, though he hasn’t piled up carries like he did as a sophomore. Freedom doesn’t have a standout receiver, but spreads the ball around to four major targets, Alkhion Dunkins, Jonah Gundrum, Brennan Reinart, and tight end Cordell Cotto. If Young can’t go, Gundrum will play quarterback, a position he filled last year when Young was lost for the season with a hip injury. The running game took a major hit when Roberto Diez was lost for the season during week 3, but Andres Santos has filled in admirably. He’s a much smaller back than Diez, but a good fit for their scheme. Freedom had to replace all five offensive linemen, but it’s been a strong group that is starting to really gel. Sophomore tackle Tijir Bleam is one to watch going forward, at 6’2 250 and athletic, he’s certainly on college radars.
Parkland Defense: The Trojans completely shut down Easton last week, after getting torched by Whitehall and Liberty in back to back outings. Parkland’s strength is their beef up front and the sideline to sideline play of Eric DiGiralomo behind them. Nose tackle Billy Danko was helped off with an injury last week, and I’m unsure if he can go this week. Danko has been one of the best defensive linemen in the league this year, and would be a major loss. Freedom’s offense has much more in common with Whitehall and Liberty than it does with Easton, so it’s a scheme that gives the Trojans problems. Their big issue is that although they have size and physicality in the secondary, there’s not a lot of speed in the back unless Devante Cross is playing corner, something they understandably only want to do in emergencies (though he committed to Boston College to play DB).
Parkland Offense: Pure and simple, Devante Cross is the best player in the Lehigh Valley, and he touches the ball on every play. In the passing game, he’s matured immensely since his sophomore year, and is an accurate QB with a big arm and command of the offense. He has a huge corps of receivers, and they like to string long drives together and possess the football with short passes. In the running game, Cross is the man. In short yardage, they’ll empty out the backfield and run him behind their 275 pound left tackle and 315 pound left guard every single time, and nobody has been able to stop in. Cross is the home run hitter, so teams desperately try to make him give it up in the zone read. Parkland hasn’t really drawn up ways to get him the ball on the outside, and I’d actually like to see them do more designed QB runs besides just the plow straight ahead short yardage stuff. The biggest running threat shouldn’t be broken down pass plays.
Freedom Defense: The Patriots have the best defense in the Lehigh Valley. Brady Hornbaker leads in the conference in tackles at linebacker, and the 6’1 230 pound junior will be key on Friday. Freedom runs a 3-3-5, with a pair of huge defensive ends in 230 pound Joshua Ortiz and 270 pound Cordell Cotto, then they walk up linebacker Brennan Reinart as a pass rusher. Cotto’s match up with Noel Brouse should be excellent, as its not too often that they face an opponent with the same kind of size and athleticism. In the back, Freedom’s secondary leads the EPC in interceptions, and Alkhion Dunkins has taken three back for TDs. The five DB set is built to stop the spread, though Parkland is an unusual match up because they have three tight end sized wide receivers, not the normal little fast guys you see in an offense designed like that.
Special Teams: Neither team has a kicking game to write home about, though it’s not a liability either. Alkhion Dunkins is a dangerous return man, and scares you much more than anybody Parkland is going to put deep.
Parkland Wins If: They get another monster performance from Devante Cross, they take care of the football, and they can limit the Freedom passing game.
Freedom Wins If: They get consistent pressure rushing only four, they can exploit the Parkland secondary, they can protect their quarterback.
The Pick: They don’t set lines in Vegas if the quarterback situation is up in the air, but I’ll take a shot anyway. I think Joe Young plays tonight and plays well. Teams with a strong passing game are Parkland’s Achilles heel, and Young is good enough to pick them apart. I also am a big believer in the Freedom defense. Expect a dog fight.Freedom 28-21