Bethlehem Press

The 2019 PSFCA East-West football game will take place this Sunday, May 5, in Altoona.

The contest features some local flare with Liberty running back Nasir Legree (Bloomsburg) being the only Bethlehem native on the roster.

Nazareth’s Nick Viva (TE, Lackawanna College), Emmaus’ Izaiah McPherson (DB, West Chester) and Ethan Mordaunt (DT, Jim Thorpe) will join Legree on the East squad.

The head coach of the West will be Larry Wiser from Clarion High School and the East head coach will be Joe Headen from Susquehanna Twp. High School.

Freedom’s boys lacrosse team will be fighting for their playoff lives with only days left in the regular season.

The Patriots came into the week at 5-8 overall needing wins to solidify a spot, as they take on Saucon Valley (6-5), Northwestern (14-6) and Parkland (14-0) this week.

Getting to the .500 mark would be crucial for the Pates chances, but that may be slim, considering Thursday’s affair comes against Parkland, who has had its way with each of their opponents this season.

Freedom’s volleyball team is winners of eight-straight and the Pates want more.

Equipped with a 13-2 mark on the season heading into the week, John Yanek’s troops will have an opportunity to prove themselves this week with a pivotal match against Parkland (10-2) on Friday night.

The matchup with the Trojans will give the Pates an opportunity to get some revenge, or at least gauge their strength since losing in three games to Parkland earlier this season.

Freedom’s girls lacrosse has been at the top of the District 11 power rankings all season, but the Patriots will get to see what their status is on Wednesday when they take on arguably the league’s top squad in a rematch at Easton.

Freedom (10-2) lost to the Rovers (7-2) earlier this season by a 20-10 count.

Freedom’s boys lacrosse had won three-straight games and pushed themselves back into the playoff mix with their latest string of victories.

Unfortunately that streak ended with a 13-2 loss to Central.

The Pates, now 5-6 overall, topped Pleasant Valley, Liberty and Nazareth in their recent win streak, including last Monday’s 13-12 win over the Blue Eagles.

Whitehall has been a nemesis to all three Bethlehem schools this season on the volleyball court, but you can say the Zephyrs have been a tough out for every team thus far.

Liberty became the latest victim last week when the Hurricanes (7-3) dropped a three-game sweep to the Zephs (10-0), just like nearly everyone else this season.

They say pitching is the key to baseball and Liberty’s staff has certainly devoured teams through the team’s 11-1 start to the season.

The Hurricanes completed another unblemished week, after handling Whitehall, Freedom and Emmaus last week. It pushed them to five-straight wins coming into this week, as the pitching staff has allowed only 2.5 runs per game this season.

If you take out their two nonconference games against Wilson (8-7 win) and Williamsport (5-1 loss), Liberty has given up a staggering 18 runs in 10 league games.

With summer around the corner, Legion and Carpenter Cup tryouts are on the horizon.

The Lehigh Valley Carpenter Cup team will hold its first tryout from 8:30 a.m.-noon on May 12 at Limeport Stadium. The second and third tryouts will take place on May 19 and May 26 at the same times and location.

The LV squad is set to play their opening game of the tournament on June 12 against Suburban One American/Continental.

When it comes to knowing where his team is in the landscape of District 11 volleyball, Freedom’s John Yanek has the pulse of his Patriots.

Freedom comes into the week at 7-2 overall with wins over everyone they expected to beat, but losses to Whitehall and Parkland, in contests that Yanek would like to reverse.

Momentum can be a powerful force in sports and Liberty’s girls’ lacrosse team is riding the wave heading into this week.

The Hurricanes (5-5) were winners of three-straight entering the remaining week’s action and are keeping themselves near the .500 mark as the season winds toward the midpoint.

Head coach Laurie Ann Muller saw some of the steps toward progress in the beginning of the season, especially after an early win over Nazareth.