Greensburg Salem boys soccer team trounces Jeannette

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, September 22, 2022 | 10:53 PM

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Maybe it was the energy from Senior Night or the realization this year is far from over, but Greensburg Salem decided to play its best soccer game of the season.

In contrast, Jeannette may have played its worst.

Seniors Daishaun Alexander, Owen Gall and Taylor Edwards scored two goals apiece as the Golden Lions brushed aside the visiting Jayhawks, 6-0, in a Section 2-2A game Thursday night in light rain and cool temperatures at Offutt Field.

Greensburg Salem dropped a classification from 3A, and Jeannette is playing up from A.

Greensburg Salem looked like the larger school from the onset, using a number of breakaways to produce goals.

“We have a very cohesive team, and we played selfless soccer tonight,” Golden Lions coach Dan Anderson said. “We set that aside, and there were no egos.”

Greensburg Salem (4-6, 2-6), which started the night a game from the bottom in the section, suddenly has a refurbished goal after its third shutout: make the playoffs.

Yes, it still can as the second wave of section play gets going.

“We only lost to Shady Side Academy, 4-2, the other night, and we were playing some underclassmen because we had some (starters) out,” Anderson said. “In the games we lost, we have beaten ourselves. Our guys have to realize we can still make the playoffs if we play like this.”

Jeannette (4-5, 2-5), meantime, had just knocked off Leechburg, a returning playoff team, 3-2. But the momentum did not carry over, and the Jayhawks took a hit to their bid to return to the playoffs after qualifying last year for the first time in program history.

After taking a big step forward with the Leechburg win, “We took three back tonight,” coach Art Cicero said. “It was a complete team meltdown. We didn’t come to play tonight.”

Jeannette senior goalkeeper Mitchell Steele left the game with a knee injury with 21 minutes, 26 seconds to play in the first half. He was replaced by senior Deyton Conrad.

The Golden Lions took advantage of the lineup change about five minutes after it happened, canning two goals in a two-minute span.

Senior Landon Anderson sprinted down a loose ball in the Jeannette defensive third and crossed to Edwards, who finished past Conrad for the opening goal.

After Jeannette standout junior Jordan Taylor was stuffed on a breakaway, Gall made sure he wasn’t when he broke out to make it 2-0.

Gall’s second score, in the 38th minute, gave the Golden Lions a 3-0 lead at the half.

With Jeannette still flat offensively and rain picking up in the second half, the Golden Lions kept attacking.

Steele returned briefly, with his left leg wrapped, but exited again and gave way to Conrad.

After a yellow card was pulled on Jeannette, Alexander scored on another breakaway before he delivered a perfect cross to Edwards to make it 5-0 in the 70th minute.

“We’re looking to make a statement to the teams that beat us (in section),” Alexander said. “Teams are going to look down on us, but we’ll be ready.”

Alexander wasn’t done, though. He saved the highlight goal of the night for last when he sent a sinking liner past Conrad upper 90, leaving him hands on face and stunned.

“I can’t believe it went in,” Alexander said.

“Everyone kind of felt it tonight with Senior Night and everything. I don’t think (Jeannette) expected that from us. When other guys score for us like that it brings the team together.”

Jeannette had a flurry of early opportunities but could not score. Taylor dribbled in close, but has his shot was clutched by senior goalkeeper Patrick Galvin, who made seven saves.

Soon after, Taylor clanked a shot off the far post, and senior Shane Mickens’ putback attempt was stopped by Galvin.

“They executed well,” Cicero said of Greensburg Salem, “but we handed the game to them in the first 20 minutes by not playing to our potential. You can’t take anyone lightly.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Greensburg Salem, Jeannette