Easton Area High School football team ends regular season by thumping Bethlehem Catholic

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

The Easton Area High School football team wanted two things heading into the playoffs -- momentum and a home game.

Check and check.

Ryan Williams ran for three touchdowns, Shane Simpson returned a punt for a score and Matt Mowad recovered a fumble for a TD as the Red Rovers concluded their regular season with a convincing 55-6 Lehigh Valley Conference victory over Bethlehem Catholic on Saturday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.

Easton (8-2 overall, 7-2 conference) is penciled in as the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Districts 2-4-11 Class AAAA sub-regional, though the official seeding meeting is 11 a.m. today.

Tentatively, the back-to-back district champions will host No. 6 Freedom, which rallied to be rival Liberty 45-42 earlier on Saturday, in a first-round match-up on Friday at Cottingham Stadium.

The official bracket for all classes will be released tonight.

"That's huge. Home field advantage in playoffs is a big factor," senior running back Kevin Griffin said. "We want a three-peat; that's been our goal since the beginning of the season."

"It feels great we get to play another game at home," junior defensive back Shabarreon Banks said. "It was good to make a statement for the playoffs."

Momentum swung Easton's way with barely two minutes gone in the game. Bethlehem Catholic (3-7, 2-7) went three-and-out on the opening drive and Simpson returned the ensuing punt 56 yards for a touchdown.

The Golden Hawks got to the Easton 38 on their next possession, but turned the ball over on downs. Easton churned out 61 yards on seven plays as Austin Brown's 1-yard TD run made it a quick 14-0 with 5:15 left in the first.

After another Becahi three-and-out, Ian Hayden connected with Griffin for a 33-yard gain to the Hawks' 23, setting up a 13-yard play-action touchdown pass to Zach Herres.

"I think our confidence is building and we're playing to our potential," said Griffin, who had 38 rushing yards and 60 receiving yards. "We have a lot more confidence than we did in the first couple of games. Everything's starting to click and our chemistry is building."

Down 28-0 midway through the second quarter, Bethlehem Catholic quarterback Connor Casey was sacked and fumbled on third-and-9 from midfield as Mowad, a junior defensive end, scooped up the ball at the 39 and ran it in for a score.

Banks, who picked off Casey in the end zone with 1:18 left before half to preserve the halftime shutout, also intercepted the quarterback early in the third, leading to a 16-yard TD run by running back James Middleton.

"It's really turning your head around and staying focused on the ball and watching the quarterback's eyes," Banks said. "I just jumped the route."

The Golden Hawks avoided a shut out as Casey connected with junior wideout Evan Blair for a 34-yard TD with 9:34 left in the game, making it 42-6.

Williams, who had earlier touchdown runs of 8 and 10 yards, scored on a 57-yard TD as time expired to cap Easton's regular season. He finished with 109 yards on 12 carries.

"You have to give our seniors credit," coach Steve Shiffert said. "When we were 2-2 they could have let things go south for us, but they got the kids going in the right direction.

"Freedom's going to be a tough football team to play. We had a hell of a game with them a couple of weeks ago (21-14 in OT) and we should have another one this week."

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