Emmaus has won in different ways this season.

Most times the Hornets rely on their offensive line and sophomore running back tandem. Sometimes they ask the defense to carry the load. Other times it’s been their special teams game.

Last week in a 23-13 District 11 playoff win over Liberty, Emmaus got contributions in all three phases of the game.

The Hornets scored nine quick points on special teams plays before the defense took over and held the Hurricanes scoreless through late in the third quarter. Emmaus’ offense came through when it needed to as quarterback Blake Reed, who was filling in for starter Derek Sheaffer, threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to halt a Liberty rally and seal the win.

Reed completed just five of 14 passes for 112 yards, but over the past two weeks when it’s mattered most he has made big plays.

“He did fine,” said Emmaus head coach Harold Fairclough. “He did a lot of things we asked. We asked everybody else to rise up around him.”

After Liberty closed an early 16-point deficit to just 16-13, the Hornets needed a score on a fourth-quarter drive. Facing a fourth and two at the Hurricane 32-yard line, Fairclough first sent out his field goal team before calling a time out and deciding to go for it.

Reed found Bryan Mantone on the fourth-down play and the senior wide receiver/defensive back took it 32 yards to give his team a 10-point lead.

“We came up big on that one,” said Fairclough. “We had to. We had no choice. It was two yards. I just made a decision and went for it.”

The Hornets opened the scoring when their defense forced its second straight three-and-out on Liberty’s second possession. The Hurricanes tried to punt from their own 23-yard line, but the snap went high and the punter had to fall on the ball in the end zone for an Emmaus safety.

On the ensuing free kick, Sone Ntoh took got the ball near midfield and took it 52 yards for a touchdown and a quick 9-0 lead with 5:01 left in the first quarter.

Ntoh also scored on a 10-yard run with 1:06 left in the first half to make it 16-0.

The Hornets held the Hurricanes scoreless in the first half. They allowed just three Liberty first downs in the first two quarters and just 36 rushing yards before halftime. The Hornets also came up with five interceptions in the game.

Liberty finally started moving the ball in the second half. Darian Street scored on a five-yard run late in the third quarter. And third-string quarterback Zion Whitehurst found Jay McGill for a 15-yard touchdown with 8:35 left in the game to make it 16-13.

The Hornets answered that second score with their final touchdown drive and the defense stopped Liberty on its final two possessions.

“We were good,” linebacker Noah Breidinger said of the Hornet defensive effort. “We had a couple mistakes, had some big plays go for them but we kept it up at the end of the game and got it done.”

Lubens Myers ran for 86 yards on 24 attempts in the game, while Ntoh had 74 yards on 11 runs and a 61-yard reception. Ntoh has also been playing some defense for Emmaus, assisting on a pair of tackles Friday night.

“He’s just another kid we asked to step up and raise his level of play,” said Fairclough. “We ask him to play offense, defense, special teams. He’s just playing. He’s an athlete and he has the ability to do that.”

After its first district playoff win since beating Delaware Valley 28-0 back in 2008, top-seeded Emmaus moves on to the district semifinal Friday night when it host No. 5 Freedom.