The second-seeded Emmaus football team welcomes the third-seeded Easton Red Rovers in a District 11 Class 6A semifinal game at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9 at East Penn School District Stadium.

The Rovers are one of the most consistently successful programs in the Lehigh Valley. At times, coach Jeff Braido’s 2018 squad has struggled, suffering consecutive defeats to Freedom and Bethlehem Catholic. However Easton has won three consecutive games, including a 39-19 District 11 Class 6A quarterfinal win Nov. 2 over Northampton. At one point, during a driving rainstorm, Eason led 39-0.

“They have a storied program and traditionally they have hard-nosed kids,” said Emmaus coach Harold Fairclough. “This is usually the most physical game of the season.”

The two teams met in the season’s fifth game, won by Emmaus 30-28. The game was noted for the Hornets’ final drive, when they ran the ball 13 consecutive times to run out the clock.

The Rovers have a fearsome running attack led by talented running back Harold Reynolds. Reynolds is capable of breaking a big gainer at anytime and averaged 6.4 yards per carry this season. In the Cottingham Stadium slop last Friday night, he gained 146 yards on 13 carries and four touchdowns. His backfield mates are Makhi DeSilva and Nahjee Adams. Both players can cause problems and combine with Reynolds give Easton a formidable ground game.

Emmaus’ defensive line and linebackers will be tested. Fairclough acknowledges his kids up front are not as big as most of the teams they play, and that’s true for Easton.

“We’re going to have to play with leverage up front,” he said. “We’re also going to have to be very physical.”

The Easton passing game is predicated on the success of the run. Fairclough said quarterback Nathan Nimeh “likes to use the play action to open up the passing game.” Emmaus linebackers, cornerback and safeties will need to stay alert and not bite on fakes.

Nimeh is a competent field general with a good arm, and this season he has completed nearly 59 percent of his passes. His targets include Damion Smith and Aidan Harrison.

The Red Rover defense plays with a penchant for violence. Defensive tackle Albert Gayle, defensive end R.J. Gisler and outside linebacker Dominic Falcone hit early and often.

With two quality football teams, the margin between victory and defeat can be decided by intangibles.

“The team that doesn’t want to see their season end is going to win this,” said Fairclough. “The team that plays with more energy and effort and wants to keep their season going will do it.”

The winner will play in the District 11 Class 6A championship Nov. 16 against the winner of the Parkland-Freedom semifinal.