Boys Basketball – Despite losing four starters and 92 percent of its offense to graduation, Yoder says 2019-20 squad will be highly-competitive and surprise some opponents.

Head coach Steve Yoder enters his 12th season at Emmaus with a tall task of replacing four starters off a team that reached the EPC finals a year ago and won 21 games.

Head coach – Steve Yoder (12th season, 173-112)

Assistants – Eric Farkas, Ara Hoderewski, Dean Schwartz, Matt Smereski, Bobby Campbell

Last year – 21-8 overall (13-3 EPC)….Reached EPC finals, District XI Semis and PIAA State Tournament

Players lost to graduation – Zack Sabol (17.9 ppg., 14-3 rpg, 1st Team EPC, East Stroudsburg), G Bryce Diehl (10.3, Lebanon Valley), F Mark Swedberg (14.1, 3rd Team EPC, ASA College, Brooklyn), G Ethan Parvel (9.9), G Cameron Brooks (3.8), G/F Devon Boyko (1.9, RPI Lacrosse), C Josh Moyer (1.9, SUNY Polytechnic Institute)

Returning players: Jr. G Danny Bohman (3.9), Sr. G Ryan Todd, Sr. G Mason Boyd, Sr. F Patrick Hunter, Sr. G Demetrius Stephanides

Newcomers: Jr. G/F Paddy Tulio, Soph. F/C Jaden Gallagher, Jr. G Jameel Sanders, Sr. G Jayden Walsh, Jr. G Alec Ward, Soph. G Meech Rogers, Jr. G Shep Henseler

Season-opener: Friday, Dec. 6 vs Solehi (Away)

Non-league opponents: Abington Heights (Dec. 7), Lebanon (Dec. 27), Cedar Crest or Oxford (Dec. 28), Pottstown (Jan. 25)

Coach Yoder on the prospects of this season: “These kids are doing everything we ask them to do through the first two weeks of practice. This team is very competitive and they really want to compete and get after it. They have a high basketball IQ and they absorb a lot and they’re fearless. They’ve been waiting their turn and now it’s their time. I’m really enjoying this group.”

“Talent-wise we’re going to run into a lot of teams that have more than we do, but we just have to out-execute them and as a staff really prepare them and put them in a good position to win games. The longer we are in games the more the pressure that’s going to be on our opponent. We will give some teams fits this season with how competitive this group is.”

“I’ve never had a team in my years of coaching that has had just one returning player with real varsity experience (Bohman) so despite that, we’re not looking at this year as a rebuilding year. As a program, our goals remain the same: qualify for the EPC, District XI and PIAA State Tournament.”