Boys Soccer – Two-time defending champs open up District XI Class 4A Tournament hosting Easton Thursday

Photo: Alice Adams.

Matchup: No.5 seed Easton (12-7 overall) vs No.4 seed Emmaus (11-4-5)

When/Where: Thursday 7:15 pm/Memorial Field, Emmaus

Coverage: LIVE www.easternpasportsnetwork.com, 7 p.m. pregame

What’s on the line: Winner advances to the semifinals vs winner of No.1 Freedom or No.8 Stroudsburg

Head-to-Head: Teams didn’t meet

Coaches – Easton – Stephen Gorski, Emmaus – John Cari (17th year)

Key players:

Easton: Soph. Jacob Borluca (6g), Sr. Michael Lopez-Zabala, Sr. Matt Clarke (3g), Jr. Joe Morsillo (2g/2a), Sr. GK Andrew Perhamus

Emmaus – Sr. Def. Jaeden Amato, Sr. GK Ty Bleiler, Soph. F Ryan Kieran (13g), Sr. Def. John Hanvey, Sr. Def. Ryan Santos

NOTES: Emmaus enters the District XI playoffs as the two-time defending champions. The Hornets have won 17 titles in program history …..Emmaus is coming off a 1-0 overtime loss to rival Parkland in the EPC semifinals back on October 20 ….The Hornets went 1-3-1 in its last five games, including being held scoreless in four of those games ….Easton lost in the quarterfinal round of the EPC playoffs 6-0 to the eventual champ Freedom. The Red Rovers last played on Oct. 23 defeating rival Phillipsburg, NJ 2-1 … A year ago Easton went 5-5-2 ….Emmaus and Easton last met back in 2019 with the Hornets winning 5-0. The Red Rovers last won in 2018 – 3-2 in OT