PA EAST WEEK 3 FEATURED GAME • POSTGAME
Parkland Gets Its Revenge, Dominates Easton 44-14 in District 11 Showdown
Parkland visited Easton Friday night for a highly anticipated District 11 showdown.
The Trojans entered the game looking for revenge after falling to Easton in last year's PIAA District 11 6A Championship Game. On Friday night, Parkland got exactly that — and did it in dominant fashion.
The Trojans controlled much of the game on both sides of the football, defeating the Red Rovers 44-14.
FIRST HALF
Easton seemed to be moving the ball well on its opening drive until a fumble brought the possession to an abrupt end. Parkland recovered near midfield, giving the Trojans their first opportunity of the night.
Easton's defense came out on fire. Senior Jeffrey Davis made several plays around the line of scrimmage before senior safety Sean McPeek intercepted Parkland quarterback Finn Coen, giving the football right back to the Red Rovers.
Easton couldn't get much going offensively on the ensuing possession, and Parkland quickly got the ball back.
It didn't take the Trojans long to find the end zone.
Coen connected with junior wide receiver David Scherb for a 14-yard touchdown, giving Parkland the first points of the night and a 7-0 lead.
The Trojans weren't finished.
After another short Easton possession, TJ Lawrence ripped off a run of around 30 yards to move Parkland deep into Red Rovers territory. Lawrence then hit the edge and found the end zone from five yards out, extending Parkland's lead to 14-0 to begin the second quarter.
Parkland quickly got the ball back — and needed just one play to score again.
The Trojans reached into the playbook for some trickery. Scherb took the ball and launched a 40-yard touchdown pass to Blake Nassry on a flea-flicker, giving Parkland a commanding 21-0 lead.
That's when Easton began to find its rhythm offensively.
Quarterback Zahviay McGurn connected with McPeek for a huge 50-yard reception. A few plays later, McGurn went back to McPeek for a nine-yard touchdown, cutting Parkland's lead to 21-7.
But Parkland's offense didn't let up.
Senior Jackson Geroulo delivered an excellent kickoff return out near midfield, immediately swinging the momentum back toward the Trojans. Coen then connected with Nassry for a key 20-yard reception to move Parkland to around the Easton 30-yard line.
Lawrence finished the drive by bursting up the middle for a 17-yard touchdown, his second of the night, putting Parkland ahead 28-7.
Easton answered.
McGurn and McPeek continued right where they left off, connecting for another big gain of around 35 yards. McGurn then found sophomore Amin Fideen for a 10-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 28-14.
Parkland began driving again with only a few minutes remaining before halftime, but McPeek came up with another massive play.
The senior safety intercepted Coen for his second interception of the night, this time around Easton's own five-yard line, preventing Parkland from potentially adding another score before halftime.
Things started getting chippy after the play. Both teams were called for unsportsmanlike conduct as pushing and shoving continued after the whistle.
Parkland entered halftime leading 28-14, although Easton had gained some momentum from McPeek's interception to close the half.
SECOND HALF
Parkland received the ball to begin the third quarter and came out firing, but a crucial fumble gave Easton possession around its own 40-yard line.
It was the perfect opportunity for the Red Rovers to climb back into the game.
Easton moved the football into Parkland territory, but that's when Trojans senior OLB Matt Scott took over the drive.
Scott made a key tackle for loss to put Easton behind the sticks. He then sniffed out a screen pass to Fideen and helped shut down the Red Rovers' possession, giving the ball back to Parkland.
Scott played a pivotal role in stopping the momentum Easton had started to build.
From there, Parkland pulled away for good.
Lawrence broke loose for a huge 35-yard run into Easton territory. He then exploded up the middle for a 27-yard touchdown, extending Parkland's lead to 35-14.
It was Lawrence's third touchdown of the night.
After that, it was all Parkland.
The Trojans controlled the tempo throughout the second half. Running back Tycen Norman also found the end zone from 12 yards out as Parkland continued to pull away.
Parkland closed out a statement 44-14 victory over Easton.
PA EAST TAKEAWAYS
PARKLAND
Parkland played an outstanding game from start to finish Friday night.
The Trojans showed off their physicality, speed and quick-strike ability on offense, while their defense made big plays throughout the night. After avenging last season's District 11 championship loss, Parkland will look to carry that momentum into next week when it welcomes Stroudsburg.
TJ Lawrence — SR, RB
22 carries • 187 yards • 3 TDs
Lawrence dominated all night for the Trojans. He runs with tremendous power and is extremely difficult to bring down. He also makes an impact defensively, where his physicality allows him to help stuff the run and create pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
This was another outstanding performance from Lawrence.
David Scherb — JR, WR
Receiving TD • Passing TD
Scherb showed off his athleticism throughout the game. He made several key receptions and then stepped up from his wide receiver position to throw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Nassry on Parkland's trick play, putting the Trojans ahead 21-0.
Matt Scott — SR, OLB
Scott came up huge during one of the most important defensive possessions of the game. With Easton threatening to cut into Parkland's lead early in the second half, Scott made a key tackle for loss and then helped blow up a screen pass to stop the drive.
He stepped up exactly when the Trojans needed him.
Blake Nassry — SR, WR
Nassry was a major factor in Parkland's offense throughout the night. He made several key receptions, including the 40-yard touchdown from Scherb, and consistently gave the Trojans another dangerous option in the passing game.
Other Notable Performances
Lyan Dume — JR, NG: Recorded a sack and was a major factor up front against Easton.
Jaren Sanchez — SR, OLB: Created pressure throughout the night and played an important role in limiting Easton's rushing attack.
Finn Coen — SR, QB: Made several impressive throws and showed an ability to extend plays with his legs. His toughness also stood out throughout the game.
NOTE: PA East Player to Watch Michael Carr was injured and did not play for Parkland.
PA EAST TAKEAWAYS
EASTON
Easton falls to 1-2, but one thing that stood out was how the Red Rovers continued to fight despite the score.
They never stopped competing and continued looking for opportunities to make plays throughout the game. Easton will look to get back on track next week when it welcomes Bethlehem Catholic.
Zahviay McGurn — JR, QB
13/25 • 180 yards • 2 TDs
Despite the loss, McGurn put together an impressive performance. He is extremely fun to watch because of his ability to escape pressure and turn what looks like a negative play into something positive. He can hurt a defense through the air or with his legs and showed why he is a true dual-threat quarterback.
Jeffrey Davis — SR, OLB
Davis made his presence felt defensively throughout the night. He excels at setting the edge and made several impressive tackles against the Trojans. His energy on the field was another thing that stood out.
Sean McPeek — SR, WR/FS
6 receptions • 129 yards • 1 TD • 2 INTs
McPeek had an incredible all-around performance for the Red Rovers. He was a constant threat offensively, consistently creating chunk plays in the passing game. He was just as impressive defensively, intercepting Coen twice and preventing Parkland from adding another score just before halftime.
Other Notable Performances
Amin Fideen — SO, WR: Made a nice touchdown catch and added several other key receptions throughout the night.
Zach Martenis — JR, WR: Made several impressive catches and contributed to Easton's passing attack.
PA EAST PLAYER OF THE GAME
TJ Lawrence — Parkland
22 carries • 187 yards • 3 touchdowns
Lawrence was the driving force behind Parkland's dominant performance. His combination of power, physicality and big-play ability helped the Trojans take control of the game and never look back.
FINAL
Parkland 44, Easton Area 14
Parkland: 2-1 • Easton Area: 1-2
WE COVER. WE TELL. WE ARE. PA EAST.