Bethlehem Press

After taking care of business in the first week of the season, Freedom’s volleyball team is now ready for their first real test of their EPC schedule with Tuesday’s city rivalry contest with Bethlehem Catholic.

The Pates are off to 2-0 start after wins over Dieruff and Allen to start the year, but head coach Donna Roman knows the heat will turn up in their match against the Hawks (1-1).

After the first full week of action, Liberty’s field hockey team is one of the few teams in the area to be sitting with an undefeated record.

The Hurricanes are 2-0-1 following a 2-2 weekend draw with Lehighton, as they prep for a week with Pocono Mountain West and Easton.

Friday’s showdown with the Rovers (4-0) will be big for the division lead, as well as the team’s biggest challenge of the season.

After enduring the early heat this season, head coach Mary Kate Omdahl is looking forward to what her team can put together this week.

It didn’t take long for a shakeup in the poll, as Parkland jumps to the top after only two weeks.

Freedom proved it is for real this season, while Emmaus needed a miracle play to survive against Nazareth.

A new Colonial team enters the fold, while this team pits together excellent matchups for a bevy of competitive games this early in the season.

1. Parkland (2-0)

Last week’s rank: #3

Looks like Parkland is our version of Alabama.

The Pick: Parkland 28- Freedom 24

2. Freedom (2-0)

Last week’s rank: #5

There may not be a better way for Bethlehem Catholic and Liberty to open up their volleyball seasons than with a city rivalry match right off the bat.

That’s how both teams started their East Penn Conference slate for the fall in Tuesday’s contest, which was past Press deadlines.

However, the anticipation of the match and what it means to both programs both unveiled similar characteristics from both sides.

Liberty is off to a 2-0 start to the year, but the Hurricanes finally get their first test of the season this weekend.

After impaling Pleasant Valley 42-0 in the season opener and then handling Pocono Mountain East in last week’s 42-7 demolition, the Hurricanes now have to deal with an angry Bethlehem Catholic squad Saturday night at BASD Stadium.

With the Hawks coming off a 37-20 loss to Freedom last week, the stakes for Saturday’s city rivalry contest enhances for both teams.

Bethlehem Catholic recently announced the hiring of long time area assistant Scott McClary to take over the boys’ basketball program.

After the first weekend of field hockey action, Liberty head coach Mary Kate Omdahl hopes her team can keep building with confidence throughout the season.

The Hurricanes started with a demolition over Dieruff last Friday and looked to keep it going on Tuesday in a showdown with Northampton.

With the success last year’s team had, Omdahl hopes that will permeate as this season gets underway.

Bethlehem Catholic football coach Joe Henrich might not be shy to put out his kicker from any distance this season when the Golden Hawks take the field.

That’s because senior kicker Anthony DaSilva will be heading to Happy Valley next fall, as apart of Penn State’s 2019 class as a preferred walk-on.

DaSilva has developed into the area’s top kicker heading into his senior season after making four of six field goals last season to go along with 65 extra points and 23 touchbacks.

Week one saw predictable results in the EPC and the opposite in the Colonial League, as Notre Dame and Southern Lehigh got the boot from this week’s poll.

This week provides more intrigue in the EPC South with quality matchups over Labor Day weekend.

Let’s see if Bethlehem Catholic can stay unhinged in its city rivalry, while Emmaus has a tricky matchup against Nazareth.

1. Becahi (1-0)

Last week’s rank: #1

Best game of the week with city showdown on Saturday night.

The Pick: Becahi 31 — Freedom 20

2. Emmaus (1-0)

Last week’s rank: #2

Bethlehem Catholic and Freedom will have plenty of big games throughout the football season, but both kick off week two in grand fashion under the BASD lights Saturday night in a 7 p.m. city rivalry tilt.

After torching their week one opponents, the Hawks and Patriots are now set to square off in a difficult EPC South battle that will certainly be a driving factor in the conference race, as well as the city championship.

Becahi opened the season with a 54-6 win over Dieruff last week, while Freedom handled East Stroudsburg North 68-14.