The Emmaus boys basketball team proved to the Lehigh Valley that it would be just fine without two of the program’s all-time great players in David and Matthew Kachelries, who graduated this past May.

New leaders have emerged this summer, and the Green Hornets haven’t skipped a beat.

During the first big test of the summer, the inaugural Cedar Beach Bash at the Beach, played last weekend, Emmaus achieved its yearly goal of advancing to play on Sunday. Not only were the Hornets playing on the final day, but they also were one of the last few teams standing, reaching the final four before falling to Archbishop Carroll last weekend.

Head coach Steve Yoder was pleased with another solid tournament showing.

“It’s a new look, but I think we’re going to be a competitive team,” said Yoder. “I like the competitiveness I’m seeing. One of the hallmarks of our program is consistency. We’ve made it to districts nine straight years and states three of the last four. We lost some tremendous talent, but I think we have the kids ready to step in and compete with anybody.”

Senior Josh Artis and junior Zach Sabol are the lone returning starters and major contributors from a year ago, and the frontcourt duo gave the Green Hornets plenty of production during the three-day run last weekend. But guys like Cole Ferguson, Corey Riegel, Bryce Diehl and Cameron Brooks all provided valuable contributions for Yoder as the team finished 4-2 and the two losses came to the championship game finalists Berks Catholic and Carroll.

It looked as if the Hornets would bring local flavor to the final, as they led Archbishop Carroll by as much as 15 points in the first half, but the warm weather and consecutive games got the better of them and they lost 54-42.

“I thought we played pretty well,” said Sabol. “We played well early against Archbishop Carroll. They’re a great team, but I think fatigue just set in for us.

“Coach Yoder just told us to keep fighting. He said he was proud of us after the game. Anybody who counts us out this year is just dumb. We have so many pieces and we have so much depth. Personally, I think we can match up with anybody in the [Eastern Pennsylvania Conference]. We just need to build on our chemistry and keep grinding in the gym.”

Sabol was selected as a member of the all-tournament team. He had a 21-point performance in a win against Dieruff on Sunday, and 13 in the victory over Allen, who the Green Hornets got the better of twice during the tournament. They also beat Bethlehem Catholic in their opener on Friday night. Diehl had a team-high 19 points in that win.

The Emmaus girls team also had a successful weekend.

In a transition after previous head coach Carl Scheitrum stepped down, the Green Hornets opened up the tournament winning their first two games. They dropped the next two, but still were able to advance to the final day.

Briana Hart led the team in scoring in both wins. She scored ten in the 48-28 victory over Panther Valley on Thursday, and 10 against East Stroudsburg North, where they were 36-18 winners Friday.

The Green Hornets fell to eventual champion University City, of New Jersey, on Saturday, They dropped their second game in a row Sunday morning to Salisbury.

But with a successful run, the future is bright for the Emmaus girls basketball team.