Freedom football turns up turnovers, owns 2nd half in win over Nazareth

Freedom's Deante Crawford (25) tries to slip a Blue Eagle defender as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's Sonny Sasso (12) hit as he throws as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom's Brian Taylor (11) looks downfield as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom's Deante Crawford (25) puts his shoulder down in traffic as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's Matt Capobianca (11) tries to wrap up the Patriots Deante Crawford (25) as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom celebrate a first half touchdown as they visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's Sonny Sasso (12) throws to the flats as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's Sonny Sasso (12) finds running room around the left side as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's Tyler Rohn (26) about to score as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom's Joshua Ruela (4) drags the Blue Eagle's Jake Hilarczyk (13) as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth kicks an extra point as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom's Deante Crawford (25) is stood up by the Blue Eagle defense as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's Tyler Rohn (26) celebrates a first half touchdown as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom Head Coach Jason Roeder as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom Band perform as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom's Brian Taylor can't elude a sack as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom's Deante Crawford (25) finds a running lane as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's Jake Hilarczyk (13) runs a sweep as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Freedom's band perform as the Patriots visited Nazareth on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's band perform pre-game as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

Nazareth's student section as the Blue Eagles hosted Freedom on Sept. 24, 2021.

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FULL STORY: Crawford carries Freedom to success in 4-TD night

Freedom 38, Nazareth 21 – Rapid Recap

The Freedom High School football team’s defense set up its offense for success on Friday night.

The No. 6 Patriots forced five turnovers and scored 24 straight second-half points to defeat No. 3 Nazareth 38-21 in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference South Division contest at Andrew S. Leh Stadium.

Turning point: With the score tied 14-14, Freedom faced fourth-and-1 at its own 23-yard line on the opening possession of the second half. The Patriots went for it and succeeded, thanks to an 8-yard run by Deante Crawford.

That conversion highlighted a 14-play, 86-yard drive. Crawford ended the series with a 3-yard TD run and Zeyad Ragab’s PAT made the score 21-14 with 6:31 remaining in the third quarter.

Nazareth’s next two possessions ended in turnovers (an interception and a fumble), which the Patriots transformed into 10 points. Crawford’s 13-yard scoring sprint gave the visitors a 31-14 advantage with 10:15 remaining in the contest.

Top performers: To call Crawford a “workhorse” on Friday night would be a gross understatement. The senior carried the ball 46 times for 201 yards and four touchdowns.

Patriots quarterback Brian Taylor completed 7 of 10 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown. Ethan Neidig caught a 28-yard touchdown and snared an interception.

Tyler Rohn paced the Nazareth offense with 109 yards and a pair of TDs on 25 carries.

What it means: Nazareth, which fell to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the division, lost its first game at home since Sept. 28, 2018. The Blue Eagles travel to Liberty on Oct. 2.

Freedom improved to 3-2, 2-2. The Patriots host Allentown Central Catholic on Oct 1.

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Kyle Craig may be reached at kcraig@lehighvalleylive.com.

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