In a matchup of two of the top teams contending for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference South Division, special teams miscues hurt the Freedom football team last Friday night at Parkland School District Stadium.

Issues in the punting game put the Patriots in difficult situations for much of the first half. Parkland began three of their first four drives on Freedom’s side of the field, and they took advantage, scoring two touchdowns and a field goal in building a 17-0 lead right out of the gates.

The Patriots couldn’t dig themselves out of the early hole, dropping their first game of the season 38-7.

“When you play a good team like Parkland, to be down two scores is one thing,” head coach Jason Roeder. “To have them come out and score the way they did in the third quarter, that’s tough to come back from.”

The special teams play puzzled Roeder, stating that they used the same players in the same spots they had done all season long.

Parkland’s Palmer Kerch stormed in and blocked the first punt, and then later took down Patriots punter Steven Rold for a 10-yard loss after a bobbled snap on the second punt.

A 27-yard field goal by Donovan Berger ensued after the punt block. And then the Trojans found the end-zone in the second quarter as Devante Cross ran in from a yard away after the bobbled punt.

When Erik DiGirolamo crossed pay-dirt on their next possession, Parkland had 17 straight points.

Freedom was already put into a hole when they found out in pregame warm-ups that starting quarterback Joe Young couldn’t go.

Jonah Gundrum did his best when called upon, but was sacked six times during the game and never had time to make plays.

A 67 yard pass from wide-receiver Alec Huertas to Brennan Reinert was the only scoring the Patriots did. They amassed 133 yards of total offense.

But just as Freedom thought they had built momentum heading into halftime, Parkland opened the second half by going on a 10-play, 80 yard drive capped by another DiGirolamo touchdown, his second of three on the night.

“Our kids kept battling,” noted Roeder. “But give Parkland credit. They got the best of us tonight.”

Cross put the game away midway through the third quarter with a 52-yard dash for a touchdown and a 31-7 advantage.

“No one wants to admit it, but they beat us in all three phases of the game,” added Roeder. “We needed to play our best football game and we didn’t do that. We’ve got to bounce and focus on Easton. We told the kids that this (Parkland) was our biggest game of the year. Well, next week’s game is even bigger. We have to prepare to play our best game.”

Parkland (7-1 overall, 5-1 EPC), who handed Freedom (7-1, 5-1) its first loss last year, is tied for first-place in the EPC South Division.