Matchup: No.1 seed Emmaus (10-1) vs No.4 seed Freedom (9-2), District XI 6A Semifinals
When/Where: Thursday/EPSD Stadium
Time: 7:05 p.m. (6:30 p.m. pregame show)
Coverage: Internet web broadcast – http://mixlr.com/easternpasportsnet/events/football-district-xi-6a-semifinals-freed
How they got here: Emmaus defeated Wilkes-Barre 42-14; Freedom defeated Hazleton 38-0
Coaches: Emmaus: (Harold Fairclough, 7th season, 53-20); Freedom: (Jason Roeder, 18th season)
Head-to-Head: Emmaus won 19-13 on August 26
Points for: Em 37, Free 33
Points against: Em 13.7, Free 13
Players to keep an eye on: Emmaus – Sr. QB Jacob Fotta (110 of 176, 1,887 yards, 22 TD, 2 Int), Sr. RB Tylik Jarvis (137 rushes, 757 yards, 8 TD), Sr. WR Dylan Darville (52 rec., 966 yards, 12 TD), Sr. WR Chase Fotta (20-498-6), Sr LB Aidan Garrett (89 TKL, 5 sacks), Sr FS Ryan DeJohn (66 TKL, 2 Int), Jr LB John Wassel (67 TKL), Jr. LB Reilly Bechtel (58 TKL), Sr. K Owen Garcia (2/3 FG, 43/46 XPT)
Freedom: Sr. QB Ethan Neidig (79 of 135, 1,317 yards, 10 TD/5 Int., 111 rush, 575 yards, 9 TD), Sr. WR/OLB Owen Johnson (24 rec., 376 yards, EPC South Def. MVP), Sr. RB/DB Jalen Fletcher (162 car., 1,230 yards, 20 TD), Sr. ILB Kyle Johnson (49 car., 209 yards, 5 TD), Sr. DE Nick Ellis, SR OL/LB Ryan Hoffman, Sr. WR/DB Alexie Sangster
EXTRA POINTS – Emmaus and Freedom meet for the second time this season with a berth in the District XI Class 6A championship on the line. Tonight’s game is a rematch of the finals from a year ago where the Pates captured the title with a 28-14 win over the Hornets at Whitehall High School. The two also met in the 2018 championshp with Freedom winning 49-17 at Nazareth… The Pates have been Emmaus’ biggest nemesis in recent history, ending the Hornets season five of the past six years in districts …In the last 10 meetings between the two schools, Freedom is 7-3 vs Emmaus …The Hornets are in search of their first-ever District XI title in school history. They are appearing in districts for the seventh straight year. Emmaus’ only championship in the post-season came back in 2015 when they defeated Reading 56-13 to win the Eastern Conference title.