Easton High football team blanks Freedom to reach District 11 4A final

After Steve Shiffert praised his players for another dominant effort, Easton athletic director Jim Pokrivsak approached the Red Rovers' postgame huddle.

Pokrivsak handed a game ball to Shiffert, a gift to commemorate the coach's 200th career win. Friday's victory came in a similar fashion to many of Shiffert's first 199 with Easton.

Senior running back Shane Simpson plowed for 205 yards behind an offensive line that has owned opponents all season. The Red Rovers also maintained their defensive stinginess, forcing five turnovers in a second straight playoff shutout.

Fourth-seeded Freedom never stood a chance against No. 1 Easton, which rolled to a 28-0 win in a Districts 2-11 Class 4A subregional football semifinal at Cottingham Stadium. The Red Rovers (12-0) earned one final home game next week, when they will take on No. 7 Parkland for the District 11 4A title and a spot in the state quarterfinals.

Parkland (10-2) advanced to its third straight District 11 4A final with a 31-7 win over No. 3 Delaware Valley. The Trojans have won the last two district titles, including a 42-0 demolition of Easton in the championship game last year.

The Red Rovers have been the group crushing opponents this year. They ran for 311 yards to beat Freedom (9-3) for the second time this season.

Easton also limited Freedom to 165 yards of total offense. Ninety of those yards came in the fourth quarter, by which point the Red Rovers already owned a 28-point lead.

"Defense was the name of the game tonight," Shiffert said. "The field position was excellent."

Simpson did much of his damage in the first quarter, running eight times for 123 yards and two touchdowns. His second score, a 69-yard romp on a third-and-two carry, gave the Red Rovers a 14-0 lead.

Simpson's latest 200-yard game moved him into second place on Easton's single-season rushing list. His unofficial total for this season stands at 1,856. The only player ahead of Simpson is Juan Gaddy, who ran for 1,894 yards as an Easton junior in 1991.

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Easton High football team blanks Freedom to reach District 11 4A final

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