RECAP >> Only once during his 11 years as head coach at Emmaus has Steve Yoder’s teams not qualified for post-season.
The Hornets certainly didn’t help their chances following their effort at Stroudsburg on Friday night.
Emmaus loss for the third time in its last four games as they allowed the second most points to an opponent all season in suffering a 71-59 defeat to the Mounties.
Facing a Stroudsburg team with a similar 5-10 overall record and a team that had had dropped four of its last five games, including a 93-52 defeat to Easton earlier this week, the Hornets had no answers to slow down an athletic Mounties team which put up a combined 42 points in the middle quarters.
The loss was damaging for Emmaus to keep their District XI playoff hopes alive as they dropped to 4-7 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. The Hornets will need to win four of their last five league games in order to reach the post-season for the 11th consecutive season.
Emmaus led 16-14 after one quarter and still only trailed by six (36-30) at intermission, but the second half was all Stroudsburg as they built up as much as 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter (67-47).
Senior Jayden Walsh led the Hornets with a team-high 14 points, while junior Danny Bohman had 10, but only two after halftime. Junior Patrick Tulio and senior Mason Boyd added 9 and 8 points, respectively for the Hornets who dropped to 2-7 on the road.
Stroudsburg (4-7 EPC, 6-10 overall) had a balanced scoring attack with four of its five players reaching double figures. Seniors Jahdari Kettrels and Del’Ron Card each scored a game-high 16 points, classmate Gerard Richburg had 15 and sophomore Qadir Mitchell 14 for the Mounties, who led by much as 20 points early in the fourth quarter.
Emmaus will return to action at 7 p.m. on Tuesday as they host rival Parkland at ‘The Hive’. The Trojans won the first meeting 61-49.
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Emmaus – Ryan Todd 1 1-4 3, Danny Bohman 3 2-2 10, Jayden Walsh 3 5-7 14, Mason Boyd 3 2-5 8, Patrick Tulio 4 0-0 9. Subs: Jadis Brevitt 1 0-0 2, Meech Rogers 1 0-0 2, Patrick Hunter 0 0-0 0, Shep Henseler 1 0-0 2, Alec Ward 1 0-0 2, Jake Fotta 0 0-0 0, Chase Marcks 2 1-1 5, Dylan Witkowski 0 0-0 0, Demetrius Stephanides 0 0-0 0, Ryan Diehl 1 0-0 2. Totals: FG 22, FT 12-20, 3s – 3 (Bohman 2, Walsh)
Stroudsburg – Gerard Richburg 4 5-6 15, Qadir Mitchell 6 2-5 14, Jahdari Kettrels 8 0-0 16, Del’Ron Card 6 4-6 16, Mikey Estecumber 3 0-0 8, Bryce Harrison 1 0-0 2. Totals: FG 28, FT 10-20, 3s – 3 (Richburg, Estecumber 2)
Emmaus – 16-14-11-18 – 59
Stroudsburg – 14-22-20-15 – 71