Easton holds off Bethlehem Catholic, 49-35

BETHLEHEM – Easton Area’s Shane Simpson scored four touchdowns in a 49-35 win over Bethlehem Catholic Saturday night at Frank Banko Field.

Simpson rushed for two touchdowns, returned a punt and interception for a score.

The Red Rovers took their opening drive and marched 54-yards on six plays as Simpson capped off the drive with a two-yard run. Matt Semanick extra point was good and Easton led 7-0.

Bethlehem Catholic (2-1) answered right back on a Julian Spigner screen pass to Freddie Simmons who went 73-yards for the score. Eric Ho kick with 6:13 remaining in the first quarters tied the game up at 7.

On Easton’s next possession they took the lead on a Kyle Bambary six-yard touchdown run.

After a three-and-out by Bethlehem Catholic. Simpson took the punt and dazzled the crowd with a spectacular 68-yards return. With 2:42 left in the first quarter Easton led 21-7.

Easton was threatening again when Joey Ford hit Kyle Walsh on the flea flicker for a big play down to the Golden Hawks 8. But the Beca defense came away with a big stop and took over on downs at their 3-yard line.

Bethlehem Catholic had three big stops late in the second quarter, but only mustered one score before halftime. Spigner hit Simmons for a 25-yard touchdown pass with 0:36 seconds left in the first half. The Golden Hawks cut the lead to seven, 21-14 at halftime. “It took us a little while to catch up to the game speed. Easton comes at you fast and they come at you hard. It seems like they come at you with 30 kids. It took our kids a little time to get in a rhythm and catch up to the speed of the game,” said head coach Joe Henrich.

Easton could have put the game away early but missed opportunities in the second quarter kept Beca close. “We need to throw the ball down the field and we have to work on that phase of our game or people are going to gang up on our running game,” said head coach Steve Shiffert. “We over threw the ball and didn’t finish drives.”

Any momentum the Golden Hawks had coming out of halftime went away quickly. They drove to mid-field when Simpson picked the ball off and went 55-yards for the score. Easton went up by two touchdowns, 28-14. “Shane is a great player and great players make plays,” said Henrich.

As fast as Bethlehem Catholic had to punt the ball, they got it right back when the ball went off a Red Rovers’ player. Beca’s Mike McDaniel recovered the punt on the Easton’s 23.

But the Red Rovers defense came up big in the third quarter picking off Beca’s quarterback twice and turning both turnovers into points. Nolan Kilpatrick’s intercepted a Spigner pass and returned it to their 49. They capped off the eight-play drive with a Bambary 12-yard touchdown right up the gut.

Beca came right back on a McDaniels’ six-yard touchdown run. The big play was a Spigner to Simmons 38-yard pass play during the drive. Beca trails 35-21.

Bambary’s 38-yard kickoff return down to Beca’s 31 gave the Red Rovers good field position. One play later Simpson went in for the 31-yard score with 10:24 remaining in the game.

The Golden Hawks big play ability continued in the fourth quarter. They only needed three-plays to cut into the Red Rovers lead. Spigner hit Simmons for the third time of the night on a 66-yard touchdown play. Easton now leads 42-28 with 9:15 left in the game.

Simmons finished the night with five catches for 212-yards and three scores. “We couldn’t contain Simmons,” said Shiffert. “He made play after play and we couldn’t tackle him.”

The Red Rovers drove into Beca territory when Bambary took a big hit and fumbled the ball. It was recovered by Beca’s Sean Moroney on their 36.

But Kilpatrick second pick of the half ended the Golden Hawks drive. “He’s a very consistent football player. He makes those plays because of his discipline and works hard,” said Shiffert.

After the turnover, the Red Rovers scored on a  Kilpatrick 32-yards touchdown run putting Easton up 49-28.

Spigner scored late in the game on a 24-yard run and Easton (3-0) holds on for the 49-35 win in a Lehigh Valley Conference battle Saturday night. “Easton is a great team and we respect them. But we fought, and we fought. In years past our kids would have hung their heads. But we kept battling all night,” said Henrich.

Spigner finished the night completing eight of 20 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for 94 yards on 18 carries and one score.