Football – Hornets begin second half of season with stiff test Friday hosting unbeaten Bethlehem Catholic. PREVIEW:

Photo courtesy of Tom Ashelman.

Matchup: Bethlehem Catholic (5-0) vs Emmaus (2-3)

When/Where: Friday/East Penn School District Stadium

Time:  7 p.m.

Coverage: LIVE Internet webcast: The Eastern Pa. Sports Network (Pregame: 6:40 p.m.)

Coaches: Emmaus: Becahi: (Ty Ward, 1st season); (Harold Fairclough, 8th season)

Last week: Emmaus defeated Dieruff 38-0; Becahi defeated Easton 20-19

Players to keep an eye on: Becahi – Soph. QB Cayden Vassa (36-70, 677, 12 TD, 1 Int), Sr. RB Jacob Sutton (89-494-5), Fr. WR Carter Vassa (20-460-7), Jr. Carlos Perez (25 tackles), Sr. Ariel Awuah (16 tackles), Sr. Sammy Ayache

Emmaus – Sr. QB Josiah Williams (38 of 87, 572 yards, 6 TD/4 Int); Sr RB Jasiyah Banks (24 car., 189 yards, 3 TD); Sr. WR Cael Kratzer (16 recept., 265 yards, 4 TD); Sr. RB Riley Guiffre (33 car., 265 yards, TD), Sr. OL/DL Mario Landino (39 tackles, 2 sacks); Soph. DL Robert Edwards (28 tackles), Jr. RB/LB Reilly Bechtel (27 tackles), Sr. LB/TE John Wassel (30 tackles)

GAME NOTES – Emmaus snapped a three-game losing streak last Thursday and won at home for the first time this season with a 38-0 shutout win over Dieruff behind sophomore quarterback Jerek Cooper who threw for a career-high 115 yards and two touchdowns in his first varsity start. The Hornets outgained the Huskies 382-56 and for the first time this season, Emmaus did not commit a turnover ….Becahi is averaging 34.4 ppg., while allowing just 12.4. The Golden Hawks are on the road for just the second time this season. They will close the regular-season with Freedom at home (next week), followed by road games at Parkland, Nazareth and Central Catholic …Emmaus has won four straight in the series. Becahi last won in 2017 (28-21 @ Emmaus)