OAKLEY -- A strong game from junior quarterback Joe Sweeney and three crucial plays in less than a minute in the third quarter helped make Friday's Bay Valley Athletic League opener a happy one for the Freedom High football team.

The Falcons led the whole way in a 27-16 win over Antioch, with two quick scores to start the second half putting them in control after holding a precarious halftime lead.

Sweeney capped off Freedom's first drive of the second half by scrambling for a 9-yard touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, the Falcons recovered an Antioch fumble.

On Freedom's next play from scrimmage, Sweeney connected with Ronnie Rivers for a 23-yard touchdown and a 19-0 lead. The two touchdowns were scored 13 seconds apart.

"I just liked that everyone competed tonight," Freedom coach Kevin Hartwig said. "That's been our goal this year, just compete every down. We had our ups and our downs, but we played well."

Sweeney, who missed much of the Falcons' final nonleague game with a stinger that was initially thought to be a concussion, was sharp in his return. He completed 13 of 16 passes for 225 yards and accounted for all four of the Falcons' touchdowns.

The Falcons, who led 27-8 with 3:10 to play, moved the ball much better in the second half after being outgained by the Panthers in the first half.

Freedom (4-2, 1-0 BVAL) has now defeated Antioch (4-2, 0-1) in five straight seasons.

Thanks to good field position and a couple of Antioch penalties, Freedom needed just one play from scrimmage to take an early 6-0 lead. Isaiah Williams hauled in a 26-yard touchdown pass from Sweeney on the play.

But neither team scored the rest of the half.

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Freedom uses third-quarter surge to beat Antioch in Bay Valley Athletic League football opener