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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

Shafnisky show spoils Hornet Homecoming

The blue print was set; the strategy was known stop Nick Shafnisky and have a chance to win. But the senior quarterback, and Lehigh commit, didn't cooperate. His four touchdowns, and 373 total yards of offense, powered Whitehall past Emmaus 27-14 on Homecoming night last Friday.

Earlier in the week, head coach Joe Bottiglieri noted the importance of slowing down the Zephyrs catalyst. The Green Hornets defense did all they can to keep them in the game, but Shafnisky moved the ball using his arm and his legs.

"He's a very good player, and he made plays when he had to," Bottiglieri stated. "You give him an inch, or make one little mistake, he's going to turn it into a big play. He's going to make something happen even if you do everything right on defense."

On the first series of the game, Shafnisky took off for 63 yards and the opening score. He had his hands in all four Zephyrs touchdowns on the night.

The Emmaus defense did a great job keeping Whitehall (6-2, 6-1 LVC) off the scoreboard the remainder of the first quarter. They were on the field a majority of the time because the offense went three-and-out the first five possessions. Tom Bisko, Jake Maehrer and Kevin Nguyen were in on seemingly every tackle.

The Zephyrs drove 87 yards at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second. The drive was capped off by a five-yard touchdown pass from Shafnisky to James Wah. Buying time, Shafnisky scrambled to his right and found Wah left open by a defender breaking towards him.

The Green Hornets (4-4, 3-4) delivered a late stop in the second quarter, and may have been switching the momentum their way. Then a defensive hold and a 12-yard hookup with Nick Sommer set up a final play from the 43 yard line and five seconds on the clock. Shafnisky again bought time with his legs and fired a Hail Mary into the left corner of the end zone. As a Green Hornet defender slipped on the wet grass field, Saquan Barkley came up with the catch while falling to the ground. Instead of a two-score deficit, Emmaus went into halftime down 20-0.

Emmaus showed some heart coming out of the locker room. The Hornets drove 80 yards on the opening series, and scored their first points on a three-yard touchdown run by Wyl Miller (16 carries for 72 yards). It was the first of his two scores on the night. The latter went for five yards with 3:48 remaining.

"He's improving," said Bottiglieri. "He's just a sophomore and he is really getting better. He always has been good at running on the outside, but now he's making the tough yards on the inside. We're real pleased with him."

Shafnisky, however, drove the field in 80 yards on one play the following series. He received the snap, hesitated, then took off, outrunning the defense for 80 yards and a 27-7 lead which all but ended it.

Emmaus now looks ahead to an away game at Nazareth this Friday night. The Green Hornets need one win over their last two against the Blue Eagles and Parkland for any shot at a postseason berth.

"Hopefully we have another good week of practice," said Bottiglieri. "We have two games left. We have to make the most of them. We have to practice hard. We have to play hard. There's not going to be anything at the end of the season unless you do that. One game at a time, but come to play every day."