For more than 44 minutes, the Emmaus football team was the better football team in its battle against Freedom last Friday night at East Penn School District Stadium. The stats showed it and for more than 44 minutes the scoreboard proved it.

When Lubens Myers (20 carries for 148 yards) took it to the house on a 4-yard run with 3:39 left in the fourth quarter, the Hornets led 24-9. The Patriots were in position for a very quiet bus ride back to Bethlehem.

Emmaus was simply the better football team. Until they weren’t.

After 48 minutes the scoreboard in the south end zone stated the cold, hard facts: Freedom 32, Emmaus 31. An unbelievable rally kept the Patriots undefeated (8-0, 6-0 EPC) and leaves them one game up on Emmaus (7-1, 5-1). The Hornets have two games remaining in the regular season, against Bethlehem Catholic and Parkland.

After taking it on the chin most of the contest, the Pates had somehow, someway managed to pull within one point at 31-30 in overtime with the ball. In the moment of truth, Freedom coach Jason Roeder went for two. Freedom quarterback Jared Jenkins went back to pass and noticed tight end Jack Gawlik running free in the right side of the end zone. Calmly, Jenkins flipped a pass that Gawlik cradled like a baby for the winning two-point conversion. It was the only time Freedom led all night.

Freedom concluded an incredible comeback and in the process wiped out a 15-point deficit with nearly flawless execution and Emmaus mistakes in a mere 44 seconds.

All night the Hornets had shot themselves in the foot. Yes, they led by 15 points late, but the advantage could have been much larger.

Emmaus blitzed the Patriots for a 341-to-121 yardage advantage in first half, yet led only 14-6. Two costly turnovers deep in Freedom territory and a badly-timed clipping penalty erased a beautiful 40-yard punt return for a touchdown by the elusive Brandon Camire. The second half was closer, but the Green Hornets still outplayed Freedom. They gained more than 552 yards in offense and chalked up 24 first downs for the game. However, the Green Hornets also committed 18 penalties for 162 yards.

In the final three minutes, Emmaus paid dearly for their transgressions. Missed assignments, a penalty, a botched snap and the rest of the apocalypse followed.

Down 15 points, Jenkins,who had spent most of the evening running lukewarm, got hot. He led Freedom on a touchdown drive, culminating in a 13-yard touchdown pass into the waiting hands of Gabe Caton to close to 24-16 with 1:11 left. Still, the Patriots were in deep trouble. An on-side kickoff failed. All Emmaus had to do was acquire one first down and run out the clock, or run three plays, punt and pin the Patriots in a deep hole.

Emmaus committed a penalty, threw an incomplete pass that stopped the clock, and then had a high snap on a punt attempt. The gift gave Freedom possession at the Emmaus 17-yard line.

Jenkins hit Vince Reph for a 17-yard touchdown pass and then converted a two-point pass to Matthew Russin to tie the contest.

Lost in the Freedom comeback is how well Emmaus played for most of the game against a quality opponent. Quarterback Ethan Parvel was solid, completing 14 passes out of 23 attempts for 271 yards and one touchdown. He also gained 66 yards rushing on just 10 carries, including scoring one touchdown in the overtime period.

Myers played his typical awesome game, running hard, breaking tackles and using his elusiveness to bedevil Freedom tacklers all night. He also scored two touchdowns - a 10-yarder to put Emmaus up 14-6 and the previously mentioned final Emmaus touchdown in regulation to give the Green Hornets a 24-9 lead.

Wide receivers Deonte Castro (7-117 yards, 1 TD) and Izaiah McPherson (4-79 yards) ran crisp routes and at times made superlative catches. Jameel Sanders also contributed with a 42-yard reception.

Defensive tough guy Adam Heiserman had another solid football game in a season of solid football games, registering six tackles and one assist. Timmy Higgins always gives you everything he has and made four tackles on the night, one for a loss. McPherson and Sanders also gave strong support from their secondary positions.

But in the end this night belonged to a courageous Freedom squad.