The most successful season in Emmaus Green Hornets football history ended with a thud Saturday as the Hornets were beaten by Freedom 49-17 in the District 11 Class 6A final at Andrew S. Leh Stadium in Nazareth.

The Hornets ended the season 11-2, while Freedom (12-1) claimed the school’s first-ever District 11 championship and advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals to play District 12 representative St. Joseph’s Prep.

Emmaus’ only two defeats this season came to Freedom. The first loss, Oct. 12, was a 32-31 heartbreaker and a thoroughly dramatic game. The rematch proved heartbreaking to the Green Hornets, but had little drama.

The game turned for good in the second quarter. Freedom had run off 14 straight points to lead 14-3. Emmaus running back Sone Ntoh’s 5-yard touchdown run cut Freedom’s advantage to 14-10 with 2:31 until halftime. On the ensuing Freedom possession, the Emmaus defense got tough, forcing a Patriot punt. The Hornets were moving down in hopes of one more score before the halftime gun. The drive proved to be the beginning of the end.

Freedom’s Rontay Dunbar intercepted an Ethan Parvel pass and raced 27 yards for a score and a 21-10 lead with 1:03 remaining.

Emmaus got the ball back and once again tried to cut into the lead before halftime. But Freedom’s Tristian Wheeler stormed in on Parvel and stripped the ball. The opportunistic Wheeler pounced on it at the Emmaus 41-yard-line.

The Patriots then marched to the Emmaus one-yard-line with little time remaining. Wheeler, who was now playing running back, slammed into the end zone on the half’s final play. The Patriots had scored two touchdowns in just over one minute for a 28-10 lead. The first turnover hurt the Green Hornets. The second one killed them.

Freedom won almost every statistical category. Specifically impressive was their charge on defense. All season the Green Hornet offense was practically uncontrollable. The Patriots won the line of scrimmage and limited the Hornet rushing attack to 68 yards on 30 carries.

Almost forced to pass, Parvel had a respectable night, going 14-for-27 for 191 yards and one touchdown, but he was intercepted twice.

Freedom’s offense averaged 7.3 yards per carry and gaining 293 yards on 40 runs. The week before, against Easton, the Emmaus defense stymied the Red Rover rushing game. Seven days later, the Hornets were dominated. Patriot running back Jalen Stewart scored four touchdowns on runs of 2, 8, 1 and 1 yards. He gained 181 yards on 18 carries.

Patriots’ quarterback Jared Jenkins proved efficient, connecting on nine of 12 tosses for 140 yards and one touchdown.

Finally, Freedom did not commit a turnover. Emmaus had three.