The second Battle of Bethlehem between Liberty and Freedom’s boys soccer teams resulted in a second victory for the Patriots on Oct. 8, Senior Night, at Freedom.

Senior Gabe Maldonado scored twice in the first seven minutes for the Pates, the first on an assist by Gavin Lynch and the second on an assist by Luke Twiggar.

“It’s special,” Maldonado said. “Me and the boys have been working hard, especially the last six or seven games. Should’ve made it three, but it’s all right. We ended up with the win.”

Maldonado just missed a hat trick late in the match.

“A lot of effort, aggression led to two quick goals in the beginning,” he said. “Overall, Liberty was pretty organized in cleaning up the balls that came through, but we were able to break through and capitalize on some chances.”

Logan Espinal made the score, 3-0, on Caden Grimmer’s assist, but Liberty was able to convert on Brody Hunsberger’s penalty kick to avoid the shutout.

“To start the second half, our message was, at least in the first 10 minutes, to eradicate any sort of hope [Liberty] might have,” said Freedom coach Tyler Nolan, “and for us to give up a goal in the first 30 seconds was a little bit of a lack of focus, so that’s the one thing I want to focus on going into playoffs.”

(The city rivals will have met for the third time in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Boys Soccer Playoffs on Oct. 14, past Press deadlines.)

Diego Almanzar found the back of the net for the Hurricanes on an assist by Fineas Brown in the 41st minute.

Lynch’s free kick put the Patriots back in control, and Dylan Shupp put the match out of reach for Liberty on an assist by Ben Soleymani in the 63rd minute.

“It bobbled around, and then I saw it come to my feet, and so I put it on target, and luckily it went in to help secure the game. It pretty much went right down the middle, but the keeper was a little bit out of position so I was able to pass it in,” said Shupp. “It was really thrilling for me because last year I was able to score against Liberty, and then this as well. Especially being my Senior Night, it put us over the edge of what we needed. There were a couple people who were a little rough, a couple yellow cards, probably a little rougher game than I would have liked, but in the end, we came away with it.”

Murilo Santana tacked on a goal for the Hurricanes in the 76th minute for a 5-3 final score.

“It’s the end of the season and you’re competing for positioning in playoff spots,” said Coach Nolan. “We got two quick goals, and then I think [Liberty] brought some energy back into it. We tried to match that, and at times there were fouls on both sides, and it’s sometimes hard to control the mindset of a 16 and 17-year-old, so that certainly played a role. It was a lot of emotional moments of goals or free kicks or refereeing decisions that played a role, but I think it’s all down to the fact that both teams desperately want to win and it’s a rivalry game.”

Liberty goalie Thomas Horvath made 7 saves, and Dario Cantelmi made 4 saves, also for the Hurricanes.

Freedom goalie Ben Rodriguez made 5 saves.

“They’re always so helpful,” said Rodriguez of the Patriot defenders. “I can’t play my spot without them, and I always appreciate them. I would say they’re my best friends on the line.”