Nobody expected Freedom to mercy rule Easton last week, but you can’t put anything past this year’s group of Patriots following another impressive performance in last week’s 35-7 thumping over the Rovers at BASD Stadium.

The win pushed the Pates to 7-0 heading into a massive showdown with undefeated Emmaus (7-0) this week on the road Friday night, but there was no looking ahead of Easton last week, as Freedom raced to the game’s first 35 points in dominating fashion to put the game into the mercy rule by halftime.

“To come out and have the week of practice we had and to explode out here, I’m proud of their intensity, focus and physicality,” said head coach Jason Roeder. “I thought we were going to play well, but I didn’t expect a score like that at halftime against Easton.”

The Pates started off fast on the opening drive, taking it 65-yards in six plays before Tristan Wheeler plunged in from a year out to cap off the drive and put them in front 7-0 with 9:44 in the first period.

Quarterback Jared Jenkins then threw a 25-yard dart to Vince Reph for the game’s second score with 2:51 in the first quarter to push Easton into a 13-0 hole early.

But the most critical play of the game came on the Rovers (5-2) ensuing drive when quarterback Nate Nimeh threw a pick into the hands of Rontay Dunbar at the Freedom 35-yard line. Dunbar darted up field for a 62-yard return, setting up Freedom inside the Rovers five-yard line.

Jalen Stewart then plowed his way home from three-yards out for the opening quarter’s third touchdown to put Freedom ahead 20-0 with a significant gut punch coming on Dunbar’s pick to thwart Easton’s best drive of the quarter.

“It’s hard to pin point one play when you play at that level,” said Roeder, “but that play was huge. To flip the field like that and keep momentum, it’s a huge play.”

Jenkins finished the night an efficient 10-of-14 for 170 yards and three touchdowns, not attempting a pass in the second half of the blowout, as he threw a pair of TD’s in the second quarter to put the game away at 35-0 heading into intermission.

Freedom held Nimeh to 56 yards passing and picked him off twice and sacked him four times in the process, limiting Easton’s offense to 178 total yards.

With the focus now on battling Emmaus on the road, Roeder expects his team to continue to prep for the biggest game of the season just like they have all year.

“We’re used to games like this,” Roeder said of the Emmaus contest. “That’s where our program is at now. We’re used to big games and let’s go play in another one.”