The Parkland High School football team had its season-high four-game win streak snapped in a high-scoring, offensive battle with one of its biggest rivals. Emmaus used a strong second quarter where it scored 23 unanswered points to beat rival Parkland 40-25 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference regular season finale for both teams last Friday night at Emmaus High School.

“You saw a first half where mistakes and level of execution hurt us and put us behind early,” said assistant coach Mike Facchiano. “The second half you saw what seemed like a different team with higher energy and intensity that we are looking to roll into Friday night.”

The teams combined for more than 700 yards of offense.

Emmaus’s leading receiver and offensive MVP of the game, Dylan Darville, scored the game’s opening touchdown of 65 yards on a pass by Jake Fotta in the middle of the first quarter.

The Trojans (6-4 overall) responded as wide receiver Jack Harrison made a diving catch of a fade pass from quarterback Luke Spang in the left corner of the end zone for a 17-yard score to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive to tie the score 7-7.

Parkland never led in the game and that was the closest it would get the rest of the way as Emmaus (9-1) recorded three second quarter touchdowns and were the benefactors of a safety to go up 30-7 at halftime.

“We need to be able to play a solid 48 minutes of football on offense, defense and special teams,” Facchiano said. “We had a slow quarter and that really hurt us.”

Nakhi Bullock gave Parkland hope as his 61-yard TD reception early in the third quarter cut the deficit to 30-14. Following a Green Hornets field goal, the Trojans scored 11 straight to end the quarter. Trey Tremba caught a 16-yard pass from Spang for the score and a two-point conversion followed. Then Gryffin Mitstifer connected on a 42-yard field goal to bring Parkland to just within one score at 33-25 heading into the final quarter.

The Trojans had a chance to tie the game midway through the fourth, but turned it over on downs. Emmaus went the other way and scored on a 43-yard quarterback scramble.

Spang finished 20-of-32 for 305 yards and three touchdowns. Tremba rushed 15 times for 55 yards and had 10 catches for 95 yards and a score. Harrison recorded five receptions for 114 yards and Bullock added two catches for 65 yards. Spang and Tremba were presented with Parkland’s offensive and defensive MVP honors, respectively.

Parkland earned the sixth seed in the District 11 6A playoffs and will play at the three seed Nazareth on Friday night. The Blue Eagles (9-1) defeated the Trojans 28-10 in the season game back on September 2.