It's now the top 3 teams in the league remaining in the District 1 quarterfinals. I was a bit surprised by the Neshaminy score last week, but when you throw that many picks, that's what you get. North Penn handled Ridley without too much trouble, they got some bounces go their way and Ridley didn't get their scores until late in the game. South was the most predictable outcome, and West's defense put up their best effort of the year to blank Pennsbury.

CB South vs Plymouth Whitemarsh - This one seems to be on a lot of people's upset watchlist. Coach Chang is a bit of a mad genius and I'm sure he'll have some wrinkles offensively that give South issues. They are pretty big upfront, have some nice athletes and played a tough schedule. South hasn't been putting up a lot of points against good teams, and if the PW defense can keep this one close... who knows?

North Penn vs Haverford - To me, this is a nightmare matchup for North Penn. They've had a history as of late of giving up some huge rushing numbers in the playoffs, being knocked out in 2021 and 2022 with 330+ yard games from the opposing running back. Liam Taylor is already over 2000 yards (actually almost 2500) and they'll have a steady diet of him right up the middle. First rule of defending an option attack is to stop the dive back. Quakertown seemed to forget about that last week... can North Penn not make the same mistake?

CB West vs Downingtown East - Not sure of the last time these two met, but it's been a long time and should be a very good matchup. West is without their second leading tackler and top LB, Gavin Todd, who was declared ineligible after transferring last January. He's been fantastic defensively and gave them a spark on offense at times too. There were a couple of other injuries last week that looked serious, so we'll see who is suiting up for West at game time. I think at this point the injuries to the OL are all season ending, so they'll roll with the 4 backups that have played together for the past 4-5 weeks. Credit to the OL coaches for still racking up big rushing numbers. A healthy West team would be a big favorite in this one, but I expect it to be tight under the current circumstances. You'd expect all eyes on Clemens as usual, so West will need a big game from the QB Miller and Vance Morelli at the other RB spot. Devin McGowan has given them a spark with his return to the slot receiver spot, but he's been week to week all year with a shoulder injury. D East is a good enough team that West won't squeak by with a poor effort. They can mix it up offensively and have been stellar defensively as of late.

Looks like we've got a perfect night for football!

#4 Emmaus Green Hornets (9-2) at #1 Easton Red Rovers (10-1)

Regular Season: Easton 28-21 (OT)
Emmaus raced out to a 14-0 lead, jump started by a Jerek Cooper 74 yard touchdown run on their opening drive, then converted a short field after a shanked punt. The middle of the game was all Easton, however, as the Rovers scored 21 straight points to take a fourth quarter lead. But Reilly Bechtel got loose on another big play for Emmaus, this time a 63 yard run down to the 1, and Emmaus threw a short touchdown with 3:52 left to tie the game. Emmaus had a shot at the win at the end of regulation, but a high snap on a 25 yard field goal attempt forced Will Buck to push the kick wide right. In overtime, Easton scored on their first play from scrimmage, and a diving Will Day interception in the end zone ended the game for the Red Rovers. Day was the star, carrying 23 times for 147 yards and ran for and caught a touchdown, while Dorian Thomas “chipped in” with 129 yards on 18 carries and the game winning TD in overtime. Easton ran for 312 yards and 19 first downs on the night, while Emmaus gained 137 of their 293 yards on two plays.

Playoff History: Easton leads 2-1
In 2004, Emmaus earned their first ever D11 playoff appearance (in the old four team bracket) after a 9-1 regular season. They traveled to Cottingham to take on the top seeded and 10-0 Easton team. After torrential downpours moved the game to Saturday, Emmaus hung around all afternoon and looked like they might play spoiler when Mike Brusko threw a 34 yard touchdown pass with 2:46 to go in the game. But Easton responded with a 65 yard touchdown drive, highlighted by a 40 yard run by Zack Pizarro down to the five on third and short to set up an Ovid Goulbourne TD with 44 seconds left for the win. Pizarro and Goulbourne combined for 226 yard (136 and 90) and both Easton scores while the defense held Emmaus to 165 yards of offense. In 2018, Emmaus earned their first ever trip to the District 11 finals when it beat Easton 31-24 in the D11 semifinals on their home turf. This time, it was Easton who scored to tie the game with 6:44 left on a touchdown run by quarterback Nate Nimeh, but Emmaus struck right back with a 54 yard scoring drive, capped by a Lubens Myers touchdown run with 5:11 left. Emmaus made plays in the margins, with a third quarter interception in the end zone and a touchdown pass on 4th and 21 to knock out the Rovers. In 2020, a 2-4 Easton team pulled a massive upset over undefeated Emmaus when Marcus Williams scored four touchdowns to upend the Green Hornets 28-23. Williams ran for 103 yards and a touchdown, caught a screen pass for a TD, and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Easton Lineup
Offense
QB: Cole Ordway (Jr. 5’11 170): 96-164, 1,561 yards, 14 TDs, 4 INTs/66 carries, 405 yards, 6 TDs
RB: Dorian Thomas (Sr. 5’9 170): 188 carries, 1,298 yards, 19 TDs/3 catches 6 yards
RB: Will Day (Sr. 5’10 185): 155 carries, 1,026 yards, 19 TDs/7 catches, 81 yards, TD
WR: Jasir Frutchey (Sr. 6’4 215): 27 catches, 455 yards, 6 TDs
WR: JC Wilson III (Sr. 6’3 205): 21 catches, 413 yards, TD
WR: Andrew Biddle (Jr. 5’10 165): 19 catches, 344 yards, 3 TDs
TE: Kurtis Crossman (Jr. 6’3 225): 6 catches, 124 yards
TE: Justin Cosover (So. 6’1 190): 3 catches, 22 yards, TD
LT: Algee Macon (Jr. 6’2 205)
LG: Marquis Labossiere (Sr. 5’10 255)
C: Gavin Crosson (Jr. 6’1 290)
RG: Jackson Fuhrer (Sr. 6’3 240)
RT: Elijah Grovesnor (Jr. 6’4 250)
They ran for over 300 yards against Emmaus last time out, and the calling card all year has been the run game with two-headed monster Dorian Thomas and Will Day. The wrinkle of course, was last week Cole Ordway set the single-game program record for passing yards with 326 in the win over Stroudsburg. They’ve got weapons on the outside, with physically huge receivers who can run a little bit and are almost always open in 1-on-1 match ups because of their size advantage on corners. Ordway has struggled with his deep ball accuracy, but he’s improved a ton on short to intermediate throws, and has really improved in making decisions in the run game whether to give or keep on option plays. He’s got some wiggle (he’s probably a college infield as a baseball player) and how he steps up is probably their offensive key to the game.Thomas, Day, Crossman, Macon, and Fuhrer were all First Team all EPC picks, and Crosson joined them on the All Northampton County team.

Defense
DE: Algee Macon (Jr. 6’2 205): 34 tackles, 12 TFL, 7 sacks, INT
DT: Marquis Labossiere (Sr. 5’10 255): 25 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks
DT: Omar Mahmoud (Sr. 5’11 255): 16 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks
DE: Kurtis Crossman (Jr. 6’3 225): 33 tackles, 5 TFL, 4 sacks
DE: Anthony Diaz (Jr. 6’3 215): 13 tackles, 3 TFL
LB: Mekhi Grant (Sr. 5’10 215): 48 tackles, 11 TFL, 4 sacks
LB: Mason Fleming (Sr. 5’11 195): 50 tackles, 8 TFL, INT
LB: Jasir Frutchey (Sr. 6’4 215): 36 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 INTs
DB: Cael DiSora (Sr. 6’3 195): 48 tackles, 3 TFL, 3 INTS, FF
DB: Andrew Biddle (Jr. 5’10 165): 30 tackles, 2 TFL, 5 INTs
DB: Will Day (Sr. 5’10 185): 53 tackles, 2 TFL, sack, 3 INTs, FF
DB: Sean McPeek (So. 6’ 4195): 22 tackles, INT
DB: JC Wilson (Sr. 6’3 205): 15 tackles
The defense got absolutely torched by Nazareth, but has otherwise been stout. Their pass rush overwhelmed Stroudsburg last week and was the difference maker in their game with Freedom in week 9. Emmaus doesn’t throw the ball a ton, but Easton will have to be really disciplined in how they defend the option game, as Jerek Cooper can take it to the house anytime he pulls the ball, and Bechtel is a physical back who is going to be the down-to-down bellcow. Frutchey is probably the most important chess piece because of his versatility, they’ll need him as a run defender more than ever. Crossman, Grant, Frutchey, and Day were All Conference picks and Grant was selected as the Northampton County Defensive Player of the Year.

Emmaus Lineup
Offense
QB: Jerek Cooper (Jr. 6’2 190): 67-128, 898 yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs/92 carries, 619 yards, 8 TDs
RB: Reilly Bechtel (Sr. 5’10 195): 133 carries, 1,153 yards, 17 TDs
RB: Jay Santos (So. 5’8 175): 49 carries, 392 yards, 5 TDs
WR: Kai Jefferson-Rushing (Jr. 5’11 170): 21 catches, 264 yards, 4 TDs
WR: Daniel Duggan (Sr. 5’7 160): 9 catches, 201 yards, 2 TDs
WR: Jah’Khi Daves (Sr. 6’1 170): 8 catches, 94 yards
TE: Samuel Stephen (Sr. 6’0 230): 9 catches, 101 yard, 2 TDs
LT: Brady McHugh (Jr. 6’2 280)
LG: Connor Soos (Sr. 6’2 190)
C: Joey Glover (Jr. 6’1 250)
RG: Mason Weber (So. 6’1 255)
RT: Robert Edwards (Jr. 6’2 290)
It’s a ground and pound offense, most in read-option from Cooper and Bechtel. They bludgeoned Nazareth last week – it’s a good offensive line with monsters in McHugh and Edwards, and Weber is going to be a really good one. Like Easton, they also use the tight end a lot in the run game and he gives them essentially an extra tackle who can run a little bit. They’re not going to throw it a ton, but Jefferson-Rushing is the major target. Easton has huge defensive backs, so Emmaus is going to have to create space and make them tackle 1-on-1. No first team all conference picks, but Bechtel, Cooper, Stephens, and McHugh all earned second team nods, and joined them Weber and Jefferson-Rushing on the all Lehigh County team. Cooper was the Lehigh County offensive player of the year

Defense
DE: Robert Edwards (Jr. 6’2 290): 71 tackles, 17 TFL, 6 sacks, INT, TD
DT: Brody McHugh (Jr. 6’2 280)
DE: Ben Dennis (Sr. 6’7 235)
LB: Reilly Bechtel (Sr. 5’10 195): 36 tackles, 7 TFL, 2 sacks
LB: Sam Stephen (Sr. 6’0 230)
LB: Neo Michel (Sr. 5’10 190)
LB: Chase Whitesell (Sr. 6’1 200)
DB: Daniel Duggan (Sr. 5’7 160)
DB: Zack Stephens (Sr. 5’7 150)
DB: Jah’Khi Daves (Sr. 6’1 170)
DB: Cole Moreau (Jr. 6’2 190)
K/P: Will Buck (Sr. 6’4 210; Cornell)
Since giving up 28 points to Easton in their overtime loss during week 5, the Emmaus defense has yielded 27 points, including back-to-back shutouts of Parkland and Nazareth in the last two weeks. This unit is the best in the Lehigh Valley, led by EPC Defensive Player of the Year, and All State candidate Robert Edwards. The massive junior defensive end leads the Valley with 17 tackles for loss and is a run stopping monster as a 3-4 defensive end. He plays with a ton of motor, and makes an astonishing amount of plays for a down lineman. He had 14 solo tackles against Easton during their regular season match-up. Reilly Bechtel is also an all-league defender from his linebacker spot, and they’ve gotten great play from Daniel Duggan and Jah’Khi Daves in the secondary. They are huge up front with Edwards, Brody McHugh, and 6’7 Ben Dennis on the defensive line, but are pretty light in the secondary, so their smaller back seven defenders will have to tackle against a big and physical group of skill players from Easton. Edwards was the EPC Defensive Player of the Year. Edwards and Bechtel were first team all conference on defense, while Duggan and Daves joined them on the Lehigh County team. Bechtel also was co-Lehigh County DPOY with Edwards. And Will Buck was both the all conference kicker and punter.