It just wasn't Freedom's kind of night during last Friday's 28-0 defeat to Easton in the District 2-4-11 4A subregional semifinals.

The Patriots turned the ball over five times on the night and struggled to deal with Easton's barreling and athletic offensive line that helped the Rovers run for 311 yards on the ground to go along with three rushing scores to end Freedom's season on a cold night at Cottingham Stadium.

The loss finished Freedom's season at 9-3, nearly reversing their 2-8 mark from 2013.

Pates head coach Jason Roeder admitted that Friday wasn't a night for the black and gold.

"We ran into a very good football team and our kids battled till the end but we came up a little short," said Roeder. "We'll be back. Our seniors are the guys that led this and laid the groundwork for a tremendous season. They'll be a tough group to replace."

Easton's Shane Simpson ran for 205 yards and three touchdowns (two rushing) on the night and helped propel the Rovers to an early 14-0 first quarter lead, as his second TD of the night came on a 69-yard burst with 1:15 left in the quarter.

Freedom was marching into Easton territory on a late drive to end the first quarter, but a pass by Jonah Gundrum (15-of-24, 110 yards and three interceptions) was intercepted by Simpson to halt a chance at picking up points.

Easton may have put the nail in the coffin for Freedom on the opening kickoff of the second half, when Simpson returned the kick 79-yards to make it 21-0.

Freedom managed only 165 yards of offense on the night, as nothing was working for the Patriots.

The defeat was a somber ending for the Patriot program, who witnessed their first playoff victory since 2008 this season and pushed themselves back into the forefront of the East Penn Conference upper echelon.

Unfortunately, the ride came to an end against a superior Easton team.

"Character and leadership wise this is going to be a tough group to replace," said Roeder of his senior class. "How to work, prepare, practice, how to act like men, be gentleman in the school, it's a lot that we're going to miss from this group.

"It's hard to put things in perspective right now, but I'm proud of what they were able to do this season."