In a game that featured 89 points and 885 yards combined between Whitehall and Emmaus, it would be safe to assume that offense played a vital role in the outcome.

But it was actually the specials teams where the impact was felt the most in deciding the eventual winner when the Green Hornets invaded Zephyr Stadium last Friday night.

In a span of about four minutes, the kicking game took center stage. The first instance was on a fake punt, followed by an onsides kick, both successfully executed by Emmaus that set up the game-tying score and potential go-ahead score, respectively. The final fateful special teams moment came on a blocked field goal attempt that would have given the Green Hornets the lead with just over a minute left to play.

That game-changing moment was provided by Zach Hixson who burst through the middle of the line and got a hand on the ball, erasing Emmaus' hopes for a win on senior night. Instead, the Zephs took over at their own 20-yard line and drove 80 yards as Gianni Sinatore capped the 7-play drive with a one-yard plunge to give the Zephyrs a thrilling 48-41 victory.

The Zephs have made a habit of deflecting PATs and field goal attempts this year; most times it's been from the edge, but this time the pressure came up the middle. Hixson said they executed the play after the middle block was called.

Hixson said that once Orlando Bonilla opened a hole along the defensive line, both he and Jake Buskirk were able to slide through which led to the block.

"Me and Jake Buskirk ... it's some thing that usually always works; we knew we had to get it and we came hard," said Hixson. "We came through."

Hixson's contribution to the win didn't end with the blocked field goal. The senior also caught a pass on the game-winning drive that put the ball on the one-yard line, allowing Sinatore to punch it in from there. Hixson finished the game with three catches for 58 yards.

"I really give credit to our offensive line; they stepped up big these last couple of weeks," said Hixson. "They really did a good job keeping Gianni [Sinatore] from getting touched, setting up a wall, and then our receivers did the job."

That final stand was spearheaded by senior Danny Roustic who made two big stops to force the field goal attempt. Roustic corralled both Andy Davidson and Alex Minnich on consecutive plays for no gain. That was no small feat considering that Davidson had already rushed for 286 yards, and Minnich had 47 on the ground.

"We had to come out hard and tackle right there; we just needed some big stops," said Roustic who finished the game six tackles. "We had to make a play and not let him [Davidson] score."

Roustic said that winning the game in the fashion they did on senior night will be something they can build on as the playoffs approach.

"This stadium means so much to us," said Roustic. "It would have been so hard to come away with a loss. But we won."

The Hornets didn't do anything unpredictable, sticking to a ground game that amassed 407 yards on the ground. They only attempted five passes the whole game, with two of those coming on their final possession when they were deep in their own territory and needed a touchdown to tie the game.

Despite their success on the ground, the Zephs kept trying to force them into kicking situations, achieving that goal when it counted the most.

"We knew what to expect," said Hixson. "They have a good running back, and they run the ball every play. They were tough up front and they came right at us.

"We knew it was going to be tough, and we adjusted when we needed to, and we just came back."

Roustic said that while Emmaus kept moving the chains, they just had to stick to their assignments and play hard.

"You can't give up," said Roustic. The game's forty-eight minutes. You can't stop. You just have to keep playing."

It seemed nothing could stop Davidson who took the hand-off on the first play from scrimmage and raced 70 yards for the score. He battered and banged his way for 286 yards and five TDs.

Whitehall's remedy was Dalton Burrows. The senior only had two catches, but both of those were for scores, the first coming on the Zephs initial possession to answer Emmaus' opening drive. That pass covered 44 yards.

Amid the euphoria surrounding the last-second win, Whitehall head coach Brian Gilbert actually enjoyed their final possession.

"That was such a fun drive there at the end," said Gilbert. "We practice going fast, and our guys really buy into that. So it was really fun."

While Hixon's catch put them on the doorstep during that final drive, Saquon Barkley's effort got them in position to win the game. The senior rushed for 48 yards as they marched down the field for the game-winning score. Barkley finished the game with 180 yards on 19 carries.

Sinatore was also clutch as the seconds ticked away. He completed the 18-yard strike to Hixson, and also rushed for 14 yards, finding pay dirt at the end to send the Whitehall faithful home jubilant. Sinatore finished the game 9-16 for 189 yards, including four TDs. He also had 50 yards on the ground.

It was the third game this year that came right down to the wire, with the other two decided in the overtime period. With Friday's win, the Zephs can claim two of those heart-pounding victories.

"This definitely helps set us up for the playoffs, "said Hixson. "It was a big game, especially for the seniors; we did it for ourselves."

As they prepared for Emmaus this week, Gilbert knew they were going to get a big dose of Davidson.

"We were hoping we were going to get more stops, but we didn't," said Gilbert. "We did better in the second half, we got the two stops.

"Those two series in the first half, and then those series in the second half. Those were key."

Even after the Hornets recovered the onsides kick and seized the momentum, Gilbert said his team never lost hope.

"They never for once hang their heads," said Gilbert. "They never think they're out of it."

The Zephs now prepare for Northampton to close out the regular season.

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