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Emmaus’ Defense Shines in Blowout of Nazareth

Tagged under: District 11, News, pfn, Playoffs

| November 5, 2024

Emmaus expelled copious amounts of energy in Week 10, shutting out archrival Parkland and moving up in the playoff power rankings to host a playoff game. It would’ve been reasonable to expect the emotion let off a bit or an early hangover from last week. Instead, Emmaus channeled that energy and it snowballed into another dominant performance over first round opponent Nazareth. And it started, once again, with the defense.

Head coach Harold Fairclough commented on that energy: “Our kids are dialed in. We just carried some of that momentum into this one. Our coaches did a great job of putting together a gameplan and our kids did an even better job executing and playing with a lot of energy and a lot of effort.”

Daniel Duggan returned the opening kickoff to the Emmaus 45. It took the Green Hornets just six plays to find the end zone from there. Reilly Bechtel, who surpassed the 1,000 rushing yard mark last week, picked up eight on his first carry. Kai Jefferson-Rushing added a seven yard chunk on a jet sweep to the left side. On 3rd & 6, Jerek Cooper faked a handoff and rumbled through the line 37 yards to pay dirt. With 9:32 to go in the first, Emmaus had set a tone and led 7-0.

Nazareth entered the playoffs coming off a 63-55 loss to Easton. In that game, Peyton Falzone passed for 280 yards and six touchdowns, while his team averaged nine yards per carry on the ground. It was a different story altogether against the Green Hornets defense. The opening drive was a three and out. Falzone picked up four yards on a designed run to the left side, but his first two passes sailed high over the head of the intended targets.

Cooper found more success getting around the outside on Emmaus’ second drive, but a holding call ultimately doomed any progress. On the night, Emmaus went on to commit 12 penalties for well over 100 yards, the only blemish on an otherwise impressive night at EPSD Stadium. After a 3rd & 22 screen pass was nearly picked off, Emmaus punted the ball away.

Falzone completed a first down pass to Caleb Newsome on the Blue Eagles’ next possession, but a holding call stunted the drive. The Green Hornets, who averaged 8 tackles for loss per game in the regular season, kept the trend going when Daniel Duggan caught Marquez Wimberly in the backfield on 3rd & 1, forcing another punt and keeping Nazareth on their own side of midfield.

Nazareth’s defense forced a three-and-out, followed by an impressive punt return from freshman Luke DePietro 50 yards inside the Emmaus red zone. Still, the Blue Eagles would not score. In fact, Nazareth would lose four yards on the drive and receivers dropped two passes. On fourth down, Wimberly had a ball sail through his hands for the turnover on downs.

The teams went on to exchange punts in what became a bit of a sloppy game all around. A broken play on third down halted Emmaus, while a drop by Newsome killed a Nazareth drive that began on their own 48. The ensuing punt return deep into Nazareth territory by Kai Jefferson-Rushing was called back on a block in the back.

Midway through the second quarter, the Emmaus defense struck. Cole Moreau had excellent position on Ayden Davis on a 3rd & 6 play. Falzone threw the pass and Moreau was in front of Davis by a step to pick it off and go 38 yards to the house.

“They were in the mesh route two plays before that and my coach told me to stay on it and play the ball. They ran the same exact play and he threw a little bit behind him and I capitalized on it. We have such confidence. When we do our jobs, we do great on defense. We know they have a great team. We had to put our hearts out on the field, because we knew this was one of the last games we’d play on our field. We wanted to go out with a win, and we did.”

Leading 14-0 with 5:29 to play in the half, what many thought would be a shootout, morphed into a suffocating Emmaus victory and a night of frustration for the Blue Eagles. EPC Defensive MVP Robert Edwards Jr. hit WImberly on the next drive, holding him to just a yard gain.

Following the fourth three-and-out for the Blue Eagles, Emmaus pulled away further. After driving to the Nazareth 22, Reilly Bechtel took off over the left side for 15 yards. Two plays later, he was in the end zone from six yards out and Emmaus was ahead 21-0. Nazareth’s ensuing possession saw WImberly get his longest run from scrimmage of 15 yards and a Falzone 21 yard completion, but time ran out on the half with Emmaus leading 21-0.

At the half, Nazareth had been held to 88 total yards and Wimberly had just 16 on the ground. Not much would change in the final two quarters.

An Emmaus personal foul to end the first half allowed Nazareth great field position to open the third quarter. Taking over on the Hornets 41-yard line, the Blue Eagles had a golden opportunity to stem the tide and get back in the ballgame. A holding call on first down quickly backed them up, but Falzone completed a 21-yard pass to Newsome. As he streaked down the sideline, he was horse-collared out of bounds, moving the ball to the Emmaus 11. After the run game was once again stuffed and a pass fell incomplete, Falzone dropped back on 4th & Goal from the six. He was met by Reilly Bechtel for a loss of 11 and Nazareth was turned away one more time.

The penalty situation crescendoed on Emmaus’ next drive. Bechtel picked up 21, but the play was called back for a personal foul blindside block. Three more flags would fly, bringing the game to a snail’s pace. The Hornets drive covered 12 plays and 50 yards, eating up 5:30 of the third quarter clock. A fourth down incompletion ended the possession.

While Falzone did convert a 4th & 3 on a 15 yard scramble, the Eagles were again held short on their ensuing drive, barely crossing midfield. A fourth down deep ball sailed over the head of Falzone’s intended receiver. After three quarters, Emmaus continued to led 21-0.

Early in the fourth, Bechtel went off again, this time for a 41-yard jaunt to the house. It was one of his most patient runs of the night, waiting on blocks to be set as he leaked through the trenches and into green space.

Nazareth put together an impressive drive, going 55 yards in 11 plays, but a fourth down Falzeon run came up short in crunch time. Jay Santos added the finishing touches and put the game into the mercy rule after he ripped off a run of 43 and then dashed 17 yards on the next play for the touchdown.

On the night, Emmaus ran for 314 yards and for the second week in a row, barely needed to pass the ball. Jerek Cooper was 3/6 for all of eight yards, but scrambled for 81 on eleven carries. Bechtel finished the night with 141 yards on carries and Santos was 7-81. The defense held Marequez Wimberly to a season low 24 yards and just 111 on the ground overall. Falzone finished his night and season with a 16/33 performance for 139 yards.

Emmaus advances to next week’s DXI 6A semifinal at Cottingham Stadium, where they will face the Easton Red Rovers. Easton defeated Emmaus back in September by a final count of 28-21. Nazareth’s season closes with a 7-5 record.

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