It was another typical Emmaus-Parkland boys lacrosse match. Two teams that have been at or near the top of the boys lacrosse standings for the last decade were involved in yet another memorable matchup last Wednesday night at Emmaus High School. The Trojans having won the final Lehigh Valley Conference title last year, and the Green Hornets took the District 11 championship.

In last week's meeting, the first of this season between the two teams, three quick first-quarter goals by Parkland were matched by Emmaus, as the Green Hornets took back the lead and held on late for a 9-8 win.

"It felt great," said the Hornets' Collin Tucker. "We just had to stay composed and just do what we do and we knew we could pull this one out. It was nice to get the win, but I know we'll see them again."

Luke Summers, Gavin Saylor and AJ DiPasquele all scored within three minutes of each other to give the Trojans a 3-0 lead before the Green Hornets could get anything going offensively.

But sometimes in sports, all you need is one. Tucker, a sophomore, got Emmaus on the board with 1:30 left in the opening quarter, and that's when his team began to show some life.

Within the opening five minutes of the second quarter, Emmaus got one more goal closer when Tucker added his second. Jacob Baker tied the game and Ed Kelly gave the Green Hornets the lead for the first time with 3:29 left until halftime.

Each team went through goal droughts at separate times during the contest.

After Parkland's three-goal spurt, it scored just once in the next 29 minutes. Ethan Howell's goal midway through the third quarter tied the game at four.

Emmaus did not score until there was 6:34 remaining after Kelly's second-quarter goal.

Parkland took back the lead when Mike Warg scored off a turnover. Colin Mason tied the game a minute later and the two teams combined for nine goals in the final quarter with Emmaus getting three in a 67-second span late in the quarter.

Tucker, Andy Davidson and Tyler Corpora scored to give Emmaus a 9-6 lead with 2:45 left. And just as it looked like the game was dead and buried, senior Preston Saylor woke up his sidelines with a goal. Then Warg's third goal of the quarter, with 32 seconds to go, set up for an exciting finish.

A faceoff win for the Trojans was followed by a time out by Trojan head coach Brad Schifko. Parkland got a clean look just before time ran out, but goalie Matt Horton (11 saves) came up big once again and preserved the victory.

"It's always like this," said Emmaus head coach Scott Ketcham. "It's fun. We were smiling as soon as the game started. It felt like we were back in it again. I have a lot of respect for what they do over there, and this game is like seeing an old friend."