The Parkland High School football team has been playing with fire over the course of its first two weeks. The Trojans trailed in both games in the fourth quarter, and at some points by double digits, but came back to win. That was once again the case in its most recent game, behind to Freedom in the final quarter before staging a comeback to win the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference South Division matchup, 19-15, last Friday night at Parkland School District Stadium.

The teams went into halftime with Parkland (3-0 overall, 2-0 EPC) leading 13-9. Following the intermission, Deante Crawford ran into the end zone for a one-yard score to put Freedom (2-2, 1-2) on top 15-13, a lead that held into the fourth quarter. The play capped a 12-play, 55-yard drive that took up over five minutes off the clock.

“I thought we could’ve played with a little more energy in the first half and controlled the line of scrimmage more,” Roeder said. “We said to them at halftime we had to answer the bell, and we did that.”

But the Trojans connected on two field goals by its kicker, Gryffin Mitstifer, from 41 and 40 yards respectively, and they were able to hold on and get the victory without scoring an offensive touchdown in the second half.

Freedom jumped on top early with nine straight points in the opening eight minutes of play.

Sophomore Noah Pierre returned the game’s opening kickoff 60 yards to Parkland’s 25. Crawford then took a handoff 14 yards on the first play from scrimmage, but the Patriots settled for a 23-yard field goal from Zeyad Ragab.

Two possessions later, quarterback Brian Taylor zipped a pass to Owen Johnson-McCormick, who caught the ball, broke to the left sideline and dashed 87 yards for a touchdown. The point after attempt was blocked, and Freedom led 9-0.

But, as the Trojans have done in the past, they relied on their run game and blocking to make headway. Dahlir Adams scored from two yards out, on his sixth carry of the drive, and Mitstifer’s PAT made it 9-7 with 1:50 remaining in the first quarter. Sophomore backup quarterback Luke Spang found classmate Trey Tremba for the only score of the second quarter as Parkland went ahead 13-9.

“You can’t give up some of the negative plays and penalties we did tonight and expect to win,” said Roeder. “Next week in practice is about finding solutions. It’s time to be less patient. The message of saying ‘we’re trying to figure it out’ is getting old.”

Taylor was 13-of-24 for 157 yards and a touchdown. Crawford finished with 15 carries for 88 yards and a score.

Freedom has another test in the competitive EPC South Division as it travels to take on a 3-1 Nazareth team on Friday night.