Emmaus football carried their 2-0 record into J. Birney Crum Stadium Saturday night to take on the 2-1 Vikings of Central Catholic. Emmaus was looking to get to 3-0 and get the bad taste out of their mouths from the loss last season against ACCHS.
For the third straight game, Emmaus started on defense and their defense did not disappoint. On the first drive Emmaus forced a fumble and set their offense up at the 22-yard line. It did not take long for Emmaus running back Brandon Camire to find success as he scored his 10th touchdown of the season from five yards out. On their next possession, Central’s Matt Rauscher was picked off by Emmaus’ Jameel Sanders. Emmaus’ offense struggled to move the ball, but the drive resulted in a 25-yard field goal from Alex Orlando making it 10-0 in favor of the Hornets.
In the second quarter, Central started to find success and Rauscher scrambled his way into the endzone from 18 yards out. This would make the score 10-7 late in the first half. Emmaus’ offense got the ball with 2:12 left in the first half. They wanted to put points on the board to carry momentum into the break. Jake Fotta and the offense did just that. Fotta, with 18 seconds left in the first half, had a goal to go situation and was about to be sacked in the backfield. He somehow escaped and leaped across the goalline making the score 17-7 Emmaus at the half.
The third quarter was all about defense. Both Emmaus and Central couldn’t get anything going in the third quarter. The score was 17-7 heading to the fourth. Central Catholic was set up fourth and goal at the Emmaus seven-yard line to start quarter four.
On the first play of the fourth, it was goal to go for the Vikings and Emmaus’ defense needed to make a play. They did just that. Emmaus’ Aiden Dougherty broke up a pass in the endzone and Emmaus took over on downs. Emmaus’ offense would not find any momentum and gave the ball back to Central Catholic. The two sides exchanged punts throughout the fourth quarter. With only 1:34 left in regulation, Rauscher looked to throw but found Emmaus’ Tanner Ritter who returned the interception to the endzone resulting in a Hornet touchdown. The score was now 24-7 with 1:18 to play and it was all smiles on the Emmaus sideline.
Central was the last team to touch the ball as time expired and Emmaus stormed the field. Harold Fairclough and the Hornets improve to 3-0 and the Vikings fall to 2-2. Next up the Hornets will host the Whitehall Zephyrs and Central will play Dieruff at J. Birney Crum Stadium.
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