Despite falling behind by two touchdowns in the first seven minutes of the game, Bethlehem Catholic didn’t panic last Friday against defending league champ Emmaus.

The Golden Hawks quickly answered with three unanswered first-half touchdowns then held off Emmaus in the fourth quarter for a 28-21 win over the host Hornets.

“All coach talked about all week was battling and adversity,” said Beca quarterback Javon Clements. “No one put their head down. We kept it up the whole game. We’ve got to keep fighting each and every drive and that’s how we got the win.”

Down 14-0 with the first quarter winding down, the Hawks (3-0) capitalized on their third possession of the game when Clements (12-for-22, 191 yards) hit Daizhun Rhodes for a 78-yard touchdown with 1:05 left in the quarter.

They tied the score after Emmaus fumbled a snap deep in its own territory, setting up Beca with a first down at the Hornet 10-yard line. Tavion Banks ran in from 10 yards out to make it 14-14 with 5:54 left in the first half.

The Bethlehem Catholic defense got into the scoring column when Shamus Williams II intercepted a Blake Reed pass and took it 58 yards for a touchdown and a 21-14 lead with 1:15 left in the second quarter.

Emmaus (1-2) tied the game early in the second half on a 25-yard Reed run for a score early in the second half.

The Hawks finally broke the tie when Zahir Seabrooks broke free for a 69-yard run with 6:09 left in the game.

“Defensively we played pretty decent in the second half we just gave up one big run for a touchdown,” said Emmaus head coach Harold Fairclough. “We’re capable of doing it. We just have to do it consistently, stop the run and not give up those big plays that allow teams right back in the game in close games.”

The Hawk defense seemed to get better as the game went on. After allowing seven first downs on the Hornets’ first three possessions, they allowed just seven over Emmaus’ next 11 drives.

“The defense did exactly what they’re supposed to do,” said Clements. “They kept fighting each and every play. That’s all you can ask from the defense. When Emmaus scored we told them we’d pick them up. That’s what we do. We’re all brothers and we’re a family. Sone [Ntoh] is a great back and he’s going to get his yards, but the defense did a great job.”

The Hornets accumulated 311 yards of offense, but 138 of that came on the early touchdown drives.

Ntoh, Emmaus’ junior running back who is carrying a larger load with teammate Lubens Myers injured, piled up 154 yards and a touchdown in the game, but he only had two runs over 15 yards in the game.

“He did break that one for a touchdown,” said Bethlehem Catholic head coach Joe Henrich. “Our goal was not to give up those 40-, 50- or 60-yard touchdown runs. I couldn’t care less about yardage. It’s about score. It’s about field position. We were able to do those things and I thought after the beginning we really settled down defensively and did a better job.”

Banks finished the game with 147 rushing yards on 33 carries, including one touchdown. Rhodes had nine catches for 148 yards and a touchdown in the game.

Bethlehem Catholic hosts Nazareth (1-2) next Saturday.