Three weeks ago the Parkland football team was in a bad spot. Getting beat by Liberty at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium, there seemed to be nothing good that the Trojans could do. It was the first loss of the season, and one that stings to this day.

“What happened to us a couple of weeks ago, we challenged the kids,” said head coach Jim Morgans. “They expect it to come from us, but our leadership, our captains, they were embarrassed by that. They stepped up their game.”

Two weeks later, the Trojans have won two pivotal Eastern Pennsylvania Conference games in a row over Easton and Freedom to claim a tie for the South Division lead at 7-1 with the Patriots.

Parkland used its special teams play, and the legs of seniors Devante Cross and Erik DiGirolamo, who combined for all five touchdowns, to roll past Freedom 38-7.

“The kids are feeling great after Friday night,” said Morgans. “We’re riding a high right now, but there are still two important games left to play for playoff seeding, and it begins this Friday night. We’ve got the ball rolling right now, and we want to keep it rolling along.”

If Parkland wants to keep rolling along, it will have to take down a 5-3 Nazareth team that, if the ball rolled the right way, could be one of the top teams in the league right alongside the Trojans.

“Nazareth is a good football team,” Morgans said. “They’re 5-3, but could easily be 6-2, or even 7-1. They beat Liberty so that just shows you something. They have two of the quickest players in the league at wide receiver. They can really put up points.”

The Blue Eagles put up points in a hurry last Friday night against Whitehall, taking a 14-0 lead after one quarter. But then the wheels fell off as the Zephyrs scored 38 unanswered points to take the game 38-20.

Nazareth quarterback Travis Stefanik threw for 211 yards and a touchdown. The two wide receivers that Morgans was speaking about both scored.

Jahan Dotson had a 53 yard reception from Stefanik, and Julian Liaci intercepted a Gianni Sinatore pass and ran back for a 61-yard touchdown. Running back AJ Vlasatay added a 24 yard scoring run for the Blue Eagles.

With Freedom squaring off against Easton Friday night, a win could put Parkland in the drivers seat for the EPC title.