The Emmaus football team is still looking for its first win after a 35-14 loss to Bethlehem Catholic last Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.

The Hornets had trouble containing the Golden Hawk offense, giving up 558 yards (301 rushing, 257 passing).

“We missed a lot of tackles,” said Emmaus head coach Harold Fairclough. “When you do that against good athletes, that’s the result. They’ve got some great football players and they executed well today.”

Bethlehem Catholic quarterback Cayden Vassa led his team with 264 rushing yards while running for four of his team’s touchdowns and throwing for the other.

The Hawks scored on both of their first two possessions of the game, with Vassa breaking free for an 18-yard touchdown scamper on his team’s first drive then breaking free for an 88-yard sprint on the Hawks’ third possession for a 14-0 lead.

Emmaus answered the first drive when quarterback Jerek Cooper ran 49 yards for a touchdown to close the margin to 14-7 with four minutes left in the first half.

Beca answered with a nine-play touchdown drive. Vassa hit Carter Vassa for a 25-yard touchdown with 24 seconds left in the second quarter.

The Hawks started the second half with the ball and needed just two plays to extend their lead as Cayden Vassa escaped for a 55-yard touchdown run just 43 seconds into the third quarter for a 28-7 lead.

Emmaus responded later in the quarter after Will Daves picked off a Cayden Vassa pass to set up his team at the Bethlehem Catholic 23-yard line.

Four plays and one Beca personal foul later Cooper ran in from 11-yards out to cut the lead to 28-14 with 5:59 left in the third quarter.

The Hawks pushed the lead right back to three scores when Cayden Vassa got loose for a 66-yard touchdown run with 3:39 left in the third quarter to cap the scoring.

Javier Santos led Emmaus with 146 rushing yards on 23 carries, while Cooper ran for 84 yards on 15 totes. The Hornets had just two completed passes in the game along with two interceptions.

“Couldn’t get it going,” Fairclough said of the passing game. “We were doing well enough running the ball. We struggled getting guys open.”

On defense, Asher Dougherty led the Hornets with five solo tackles, including two for loss.

The Hornets were shut out by Neshaminy in a nonleague game to open the season and will head to Reading for another nonleague contest next Friday against the Red Knights.

Emmaus will look to get in the win column against a Reading team that’s scored just six points this season after a season-opening 28-6 loss to Phoenixville and last week’s 48-0 setback against Muhlenberg.