Following its opening week setback to Neshaminy in overtime, the Emmaus High School football team once again found itself trailing in the second half one week later.

But this time the Hornets were able to hold on and finish the job, taking down Bethlehem Catholic 31-21 last Friday night in the home opener at Emmaus.

Emmaus (1-1 overall) was behind 21-13 at halftime after the Golden Hawks (1-1) scored a touchdown with just 12 seconds left in the first half. The Hawks were set to get the ball to start the third quarter.

Thing were looking bleak, but Hornet head coach Harold Fairclough and his staff made some adjustments in the locker room.

“We made some minor adjustments,” said Fairclough. “There were some new guys in there. Some guys are down and banged up, and it was a matter of getting those new guys acclimated to playing under the lights on Friday night. Our defensive staff did a great job making minor adjustments, but the kids just did an even better job of coming out and executing in the second half.”

The defensive side of the ball is where it all started.

Becahi was moving the ball up and down the field in the first two quarters, but the Hawks were stopped on their opening possession of the third as the Hornets forced a three-and-out and a punt to get the ball back.

On the fourth play of the first drive, quarterback Jerek Cooper connected with Kai Jefferson-Rushing for a 25-yard touchdown as Emmaus trailed 21-20 just over four minutes into the second half.

The Hornets stopped the Hawks on their next possession, stuffing them on fourth down from their own 27.

The Emmaus offense put together a 13-play, 73-yard drive that concluded with a 13-yard touchdown run by Cooper to give Emmaus its first lead of the game. Cooper hit Daniel Duggan for the two-point conversion and a 28-21 advantage with 10:23 to play.

“The second half was a totally different story for us,” said Emmaus wide receiver/linebacker Cole Moreau. “We stayed together and played as a team. We knew they were talented, but that we could still win this game. Credit to our coaches at halftime and the guys just came out fired up for the second half.”

The Emmaus defense forced another Becahi punt and then put the game out of reach with a 28-yard field goal by Will Buck with 6:48 to go and a 31-21 lead.

The Hornets opening touchdown in the first quarter was highlighted by a 53-yard run by Reilly Bechtel that set up his team at the five-yard line, before Neo Michel found pay dirt from the two. Duggan caught a 37-yard pass for a score in the second quarter, but the ensuing PAT was missed.

Bechtel rushed for 134 yards on the night. Cooper added 80 yards, including the touchdown run and threw for 130 with two scores. Moreau had three catches for 24 yards.

Emmaus will host Reading in a nonconference game on Friday night.