It didn’t take long on Saturday night for Emmaus to get the bitter taste out of their mouths from last week’s heartbreaking 28-21 overtime loss to Easton.
In fact, it took them only one play to quickly forget about the disappointing loss to the Red Rovers.
It was that kind of bounce back night for head coach Harold’s Fairclough team.
Facing a Central Catholic squad looking to rebound following a 27-0 shutout loss to Bethlehem Catholic last week and missing numerous starters due to injuries, Emmaus raced out to a quick 21-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back as the Hornets routed the undermanned Vikings 38-6 during a misty rainfall at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown.
Senior running back Reilly Bechtel raced 67 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Jerek Cooper accounted for three scores and the Hornets defense stymied the Vikings offense as Emmaus returned to their winning ways, picking up their fourth victory in the last five games to improve to 4-2 on the season.
Emmaus scored touchdowns on its first three possessions of the night and four of their first five for the game as they had the mercy rule in effect at halftime.
Cooper was an efficient 8 of 10 through the air for just 52 yards, but did toss two touchdown passes in the first quarter and also ran for another. For his efforts, he was named the SportClips Player of the Game on the LIVE broadcast on The Eastern Pa. Sports Network.
The junior quarterback hooked up with senior tight end Sam Stephan on a 7-yard touchdown pass and a 21-yard scoring toss to senior Neo Michel in the opening quarter. Cooper also had a 31-yard touchdown run, his fifth of the season.
Sophomore Jay Santos also got involved in the scoring with a 48-yard touchdown run and senior kicker Will Buck booted a season-long 44-yard field goal.
Defensively, Emmaus allowed just 206 total yards of offense and one touchdown for the third time in six games. Senior Ben Dennis had a team-high four tackles, including three TFLs. Michel and seniors Zach Stephens and Chase Whitesell all had three tackles while classmates Dorrian McCargo and Jah’Khi Daves each had one interception. The Hornets also recovered an onsides kick.
Central Catholic dropped its second straight game and fourth in the last five as they fell to 2-4 on the season. The Vikings lone touchdown of the game came in the fourth quarter on senior quarterback Kyle Fleshman’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Luis Martinez. Head coach Rob Melosky’s team was without five starters due to injuries.
Emmaus will return to EPSD Stadium this Friday when they host Whitehall at 7 p.m.
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Emmaus 38, CCHS 6
Em – 21-14-3-0 – 38
CC – 0-0-0-6 – 6
Scoring:
Em – Reilly Bechtel 67-yard run (Will Buck PAT), 7-0 E
Em – Sam Stephan 7-yard pass from Jerek Cooper (Buck PAT), 14-0 E
Em – Neo Michel 21-yard pass from Cooper (Buck PAT), 21-0 E
Em – Jay Santos 48-yard run (Buck PAT), 28-0 E
Em – Cooper 31-yard run (Buck PAT), 35-0 E
Em – Buck 44-yard FG, 38-0 E
CC – Luis Martinez 12-yard pass from Kyle Fleshman (pass failed), 38-6 E
Individual stats – Emmaus
Rushing – Reilly Bechtel 3-67, TD; Jerek Cooper 5-67, TD; Jay Santos 4-61, TD; Jewlien Torres 3-12, Neo Michel 3-5, Daniel Duggan 2-4
Passing – Jerek Cooper 8 of 10, 52 yards, 2 TD/1 Int; Peter Sherman 0-1, 0
Receiving – Sam Stephan 3-23, TD; Kai Jefferson-Rushing 2-15, Ben Jones 1-8, Jah’Khi Daves 1-4, Neo Michel 1-21, TD
PHOTO GALLERY – Courtesy of Tom Ashelman
