There were no shortcuts for Pleasant Valley this season — only effort, faith and persistence.

Although the Bears’ playoff run ended Wednesday night, their resolve never wavered.

The sixth-seeded Bears ran into a familiar Eastern Pennsylvania Conference foe in third-seeded Freedom, and fell 3-1 in the District 11 Class 4A quarterfinals.

It was the same Patriots squad the Bears battled into double overtime before earning a thrilling 3-2 win on Sept. 30. That victory capped a five-game winning streak, and helped the Bears rebound from a brief two-game skid. But since that meeting, Freedom has found its stride.

While Pleasant Valley bowed out of the EPC tournament with a first-round loss to Northampton, Freedom picked up two wins — including an overtime upset of top-seeded Parkland — before falling to Emmaus in the conference championship.

That momentum carried into Wednesday’s district clash, as the Patriots struck early and never looked back.

Despite the result, Pleasant Valley head coach Isaac Blagogee praised his team’s resolve and effort throughout the season.

“We worked really hard to keep the boys’ spirits high,” Blagogee said. “We always told them that wins and losses will come, but if you work hard and play your best game, you’ll have something to be proud of. The biggest part of this team is our faith and hard work. Without hard work, faith is just a belief.”

The Bears showed that belief when Matthew Slobodzian scored off a corner kick from Royce Thompson to tie the match in the first half.

“Matthew hit a beautiful side volley to tie the game,” Blagogee said. “We went into this one knowing it was going to be tough. Freedom played well as a team and came out on top, but there wasn’t one difference-maker — they just executed better on a few small moments, and that’s been our story this season.”

A senior sendoff

Pleasant Valley’s senior class — Steven Walters, Andrew Espitia, David Chamera, Adam Sopanski, Nick Burckman, Max Moscicki, and James Morton (who missed the playoffs due to injury) — started their varsity careers together as freshmen.

“It’s been an honor seeing them grow into young men,” Blagogee said. “They went through ups and downs and stayed committed. This group showed that Pleasant Valley belongs among the best in the EPC. There’s always been that notion that we’re a mountain school that can’t compete with the Lehigh Valley programs, but the boys proved that’s not true.”

Pleasant Valley finished 13-7-1, and qualified for both the EPC and district tournaments for the sixth consecutive season.

“This season didn’t end the way I would’ve wanted, but I’m proud of everything they accomplished,” Blagogee said. “For these boys, this is more than just soccer — it’s family. It’s where they come together to do what they love. Football isn’t about magic — it’s about hard work, planning, and persistence. Success is earned, not conjured.”

Blagogee, who completed his fourth year as head coach, also credited his assistants, John Mickens and Damarcus George, both Pleasant Valley alumni, for their dedication and leadership.

“I’m honored and grateful to be able to coach this beautiful game, and to share it with these young men,” Blagogee said. “We also want to thank Jesus Christ for giving us the opportunity to play, and our families for being there through the best and worst of times.”

A familiar foe

The Bears are now 0-3 against Freedom in district play since 2018. Pleasant Valley lost 4-1 to the Patriots in the 2020 opening round, and Freedom also edged PV 1-0 in the 2018 semifinals before going on to win the Class 4A title.

Freedom 3, Pleasant Valley 1

Records: Pleasant Valley (13-7-1), Freedom (13-3-3).