In what will go down as one of the most exciting District 11 6A championship games of all-time, the Parkland High School football team ended up on the wrong end as a fourth-quarter lead slipped and Nazareth stunned the previously unbeaten Trojans 24-17 last Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.

In a game that ended in some wild plays, top seed Parkland (12-1 overall) broke a tie score with a 14-yard touchdown run by Trey Tremba with 3:31 left to play to take a 21-14 advantage.

But the second-seeded Blue Eagles (12-1), with no timeouts left, drove 80 yards and scored with just 1:08 remaining on the scoreboard on a 25-yard scamper by quarterback Peyton Falzone.

Instead of kicking the extra point to tie the game, Nazareth went for two points and was successful. Wide receiver Mason Kuehner took the direct snap and ran toward the goal line like he was looking to score, but ended up throwing to offensive lineman Frankie Mroz for the conversion that confused the Trojans.

“Muddle huddle,” said head coach Tim Moncman of the Blue Eagles’ game-winning play, which used a formation that had five linemen wide left and Mroz as the end and snapper. “We’d gone over, but it was just a different version. We lost track of one guy, and our edge rusher came inside and let [Kuehner] scramble.”

Parkland had one more chance to take back the lead and win the game as it got the ball with 1:03 to play, but after a penalty on the kickoff, the Trojans started the drive from the five-yard line. They gained four first downs and moved the ball to the Blue Eagles’ 40-yard line, needing just one more first down to have a shot at a game-winning field goal.

But the Trojans’ chances ended when a fumble was recovered by the Blue Eagles and taken back the other way for a score.

“It was an amazing game across the board,” Moncman said. “They did all the right things and made plays in the end. We came back and still had a shot there. We made the catch. Unfortunately, we fumbled. Maybe, we get to spike it and take a shot at a field goal.”

The senior duo of Tremba and Spang highlighted a talented senior class that Moncman will surely miss as the group made their mark with multiple Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District 11 crowns in their time at Parkland.

“These seniors are just a phenomenal group of kids,” said Moncman. “They battled; they showed leadership. It’s one of the greatest groups of kids I’ve ever been around. I would have loved to see them get a gold, but it’s a life lesson.

“They should be proud of what they accomplished. We’ll have our work cut out for us next year. The younger kids will have to get in the weight room, get after it. This senior class was special.”

Tremba finished with 108 yards on 20 carries and the score. Spang completed nine passes for 164 yards and a 36-yard touchdown pass to Dauberman early in the first quarter that was the first score of the game for any team. It was a scoreless first half from both teams and they each traded 30-plus yard field goals in the third quarter.

Nazareth advances to the state tournament and will take on St. Joseph’s Prep on Saturday.