The Parkland boys basketball team has dominated the East Penn Conference thus far this season. The Trojans are undefeated in the conference and have won 12 of their 13 league games by double digits.

Last Friday night at Parkland High School, Emmaus was looking to put a blemish on that league record before the Trojans showed their might and took another double digit win, 72-49.

The two teams were tied at halftime, but the Trojans heated up and outscored the Green Hornets 27-4 in the third quarter to take over the game and hold on for the victory.

It was an even game, back-and-forth in the first 16 minutes with the Green Hornets holding leads on different occasions.

Led by sophomore point guard David Kachelries, who scored 17 points, Emmaus (10-10 overall, 10-4 EPC) played Parkland on even terms in the first half. Tyler Prescott's pull-up jumper from the elbow gave the Green Hornets a 30-28 lead late in the second quarter.

Emmaus shot 65 percent (13-for-20) in the first two quarters and it took a put-back by Parkland's Sam Iorio just to create a 30-30 tie at the break.

But the second half was a completely different story, beginning with the opening whistle of the third quarter.

Iorio started the third-quarter explosion just the way he ended the second, with a put-back basket off a missed shot, and then hit a 3-pointer. Devante Cross then hit a pull-up 3 from the wing and scored in transition off a steal by Iorio.

Cross (25 points) and Iorio (24 points, 15 rebounds) combined for 20 points during a 22-2 third-quarter run that carried the Trojans.

A couple of quick baskets later it was suddenly 45-30 in favor of Parkland.

"When it was 35-30 I called a timeout because I saw it coming," head coach Steve Yoder said. "We're not the first team that's seen this. Then Iorio bangs a three and all of a sudden we're down 15. They're so good that the moment you go into a little lapse, they get you."

Kachelries finally ended Emmaus' drought by dropping two free throws. But the Trojans scoring just kept coming in bunches. Justin Jones dropped a three-pointer and Kyle Stout scored on a put-back at the buzzer to give the Trojans a commanding 57-34 lead heading to the final quarter.

Yoder, his staff, and his players just could not figure out how to stop Parkland that quarter, especially Cross and Iorio.

"They're 18-1 so nobody's done it yet," said Yoder. "If you figure out the formula, let me know."

Aside from this lopsided loss, the Green Hornets have two league games remaining against Whitehall on Tuesday and Central Catholic on Friday to gain some momentum and prepare themselves for the first East Penn Conference tournament the following week.

Joey Polczynski contributed 13 points and eight rebounds and Prescott finished with 10 points.

"I'm very proud of our kids," Yoder added. "They played their butts off. They played until the end. We just have to keep fighting the good fight and try to get better."