BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Liberty High School Hurricanes defeated rival Freedom High School 42-14 on Saturday in the annual “Battle of Bethlehem” at BASD Stadium — marking Liberty’s first win over Freedom since 2018.
The Hurricanes led 27-7 at halftime and maintained control throughout the game, fueled by a high-powered offense and a disciplined defense that limited the Patriots’ scoring opportunities.
The victory capped a strong regular season for Liberty under head coach Shawn Daignault, whose team improved to 7-3 heading into the playoffs. The Hurricanes came into the rivalry matchup following a 35-20 win over Bethlehem Catholic.
Freedom, coached by Jason Roeder, entered the contest 5-4 on the season and had a challenging start, including a narrow loss to undefeated Easton the previous week.
For Liberty, quarterback Antonio Fontanez has led offense, throwing 28 touchdown passes this year, with top targets including Jake Pukszyn and Zyaire Davis. Running backs Gabe Green and Adriaan Deleon shared the ground duties, while linebacker Javian Pujals anchored the defense.
Freedom’s offense was led by quarterback Michael Stefanak, who passed for more than 1,200 yards this season, connecting with receivers Xavier DeJesus and Davyan Moore. Running back Leshawn Johnson led the Patriots’ rushing attack.
The rivalry game, one of the most anticipated events of the year in Bethlehem, drew a near-capacity crowd with only a few open seats scattered throughout BASD Stadium. The tradition dates back decades and holds significance for students, alumni and community members alike.
Ahead of the game, both coaches emphasized the importance of the matchup beyond the records.
“Regardless of record, regardless of anything, this is always a giant game for the city, for us, for them, for everybody,” Daignault said in a pregame interview with PA Football News. “We gotta focus on winning the football game and can’t worry about anything else.”
Roeder expressed similar sentiments.
“It means a lot to our team and our program,” he said. “To our school, community, and alumni base it means a lot. We’ll be down a couple of guys, but that’s par for the course this time of year.”
Following the game, the Bethlehem Area School District congratulated both teams on social media.
“Congratulations to Liberty High School on their victory in the Battle of Bethlehem,” district officials wrote in a statement. “Both Liberty and Freedom showed outstanding effort, teamwork, and school spirit in this beloved community tradition. It was wonderful to see you all there.”
