Despite a 24-21 loss to Freedom last week, Bethlehem Catholic head football coach Kyle Haas believes his team may have turned the corner in a season in which the Golden Hawks appear to be snakebit.

Haas is confident his team may have played maybe its best all-around game. The Golden Hawks will enter Week 10 with an overall 2-7 record.

“Who knows, maybe it took this long,” offered Haas. “We showed a lot of fight, and we didn’t give up. We played well, and I was proud of them.

Haas has a good feeling about his team’s level of play two days before the Saturday afternoon contest.

“We changed things in practice Thursday, and it was a really good practice,” recalled Haas. “The kids responded very well. We had a positive feeling going into the game. Something really clicked for them.

“We were hoping they would work as hard in the game and they did.”

Haas noted a Freedom touchdown off a Hail Mary pass in which one of their receivers leaped up and caught a touchdown pass may have changed the complexion of the game. The Hawks had a 14-6 lead, but went into intermission with a small 14-12 cushion.

“There were three seconds left in the half, and one of their players pulled it down in a pile of players,” said Haas. “If we go into the half up 14-6, it could be a different mindset because we had a score in the third quarter.

“It’s just another one of the bad things that has worked against us all season.”

Haas highlighted the play of seniors running back Max Johnson, lineman Justin Kanyuk, and junior nose guard Mark Mulhern for their play.

“Johnson lost some confidence earlier in the season, but he had a very good game running tackle to tackle,” said Haas. “Kanyuk did a good job up front and our line play has improved.

Mark Mulhern had a strong game for us at the nose.”

The Hawks will head to Allentown Friday night for their annual “Holy War” battle with Allentown Central Catholic. The Vikings will enter the contest with an overall 6-3 mark, and they are the second seed in the district Class 4A bracket.

Vikings’ senior 6-4, 320-pound Lamar Johnson can be a one-man wrecking crew on the line.

“They have what I call a human eraser in Johnson,” stated Haas. “He definitely makes a difference. If you take him out of the equation, they (Central) are a different team. He is a man among boys out there. He forces you to preplan for him, and you have to know where he is.

“Offensively, they run a speed offense, and a short-punt offense. They mix both up just enough. It is a matter of preparing for two different offenses. It can make it difficult to prepare for.”

PREDICTION: With a win, the Hawks can still have an outside chance of a district 4A berth if Notre Dame beats Wilson … Becahi has been assured an Eastern Conference playoff berth regardless of the outcome ... Haas also praised the consistent play of sophomore linebackers Robert Williams, Tyriek Rivera, and Izzy Ramos ... Central is 2-2 over the past four weeks, winning their last two games over Whitehall (21-7) and Pocono Mountain East (49-0). The Vikings have been paced by Tamlin Ferguson, who has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season, and his favorite target is Griffin Patridge, who has more than 35 receptions ... Vikings need a win to hold onto the second spot in districts, as Pottsville is four-tenths of a percentage point behind them ... Hawks had a heroic effort against Freedom in which most projected a blowout, and this week on paper, it looks like another mismatch, but I still have a sentimental spot for the Hawks here ... Coach Haas, I am hungry for a Seward’s cheesesteak you can get me on your way home ... GOLDEN HAWKS, 28-24.