Working and hoping to get a second shot at state playoffs against all kinds of odds, Freedom’s Lady Pates fell to Parkland, 43-26, in the District XI Class 6A quarterfinal last Thursday at Parkland.

“You can’t have mental lapses in big games and we had a bunch. You can’t miss uncontested layups and we missed a bunch. It just wasn’t our night,” said Freedom coach Dean Reiman. “It was a strange year. It’s almost appropriate that it ends in a strange fashion.

“But I think as soon as the hurt goes away, you look at the body of work, and that’s what I’m proud of, really. For those six seniors, it’s been a model of commitment, totally dedicated to each other, a close bond. They’ll be dearly missed, all of them.”

Seniors Corrin Gill, Gabby Glick, Kayla Jefferson, Jewel Levy, Elsa Martin, and Brenna Ortwein were on their way to the PIAA State Class 6A quarterfinal as juniors last year when COVID-19 forced a Pennsylvania state lockdown. Upon their return to this year’s basketball season, Bethlehem Area School District imposed its own two-month shutdown of high school winter sports.

No sooner had BASD lifted its suspensions than Freedom High School was stricken with more COVID-19 cases than was safe to continue winter sports practices and games, followed by a winter snowstorm that impacted the Lehigh Valley for a week. So by the time the Pates returned to competition, it was with very little practice and with competitors having played several games.

How did Reiman and his coaching staff get the Lady Pates through it?

“Trying not to allow them to make it as an excuse, although everyone that’s rational understands that they were valid reasons,” he said, “but I didn’t want them to be a victim to their circumstance, and to frame it that they should be grateful for every practice and every game, no matter if it was 10 games or six.”

Riding the momentum of a big win over Bethlehem Catholic and another in the first round of district playoffs against Liberty, the Pates were hopeful in anticipation of taking on Parkland in the quarterfinal. But on this night, size beat out speed, among other things.

Freedom forward Kailey Turpening’s three pointer near the end of the first quarter narrowed a nine-point gap to that point. Most of the game’s second quarter points were scored with two minutes left as Turpening hit another three, and Ortwein made a nice drive to the basket for two more points.

The Lady Trojans, led by senior forward Lindsay Berger who had 14 points on the night, slowed things down in the third quarter, ahead 27-15, and lost the ball twice. The Patriots were unable to score on Parkland’s turnovers and on a subsequent steal, but Ortwein’s three pointer right before the buzzer set the stage for a fourth quarter push by the Pates.

Parkland had another idea, however, as its defense held Freedom to six points in the fourth quarter.

Despite the outcome, Freedom coach Dean Reiman said of this year’s Lady Pates, “Unselfishness, moving without the ball, always making the right play, not making it about individual things, always celebrating good basketball- I think that was always their strength.”