Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Southmoreland’s Ethan Kenney

By: Anthony DiFilippo
Monday, October 7, 2024 | 1:13 PM

Last year, Southmoreland’s boys soccer team finished with just four wins, which followed a winless campaign.

Coming into this season, expectations were not high.

Then, the Scotties won the South Allegheny classic at the beginning of the year, immediately reaching half their win total from the previous two seasons combined.

“I think when we got there, no one really expected us to win it,” senior Ethan Kenney said. “As a team, winning that first one on Saturday (Aug. 24) and that second one on Sunday (Aug. 25), we just had good hopes for the season.”

Now, they have five wins in their section alone — and are in prime position to play their first playoff match since 2020.

Kenney, who was a part of the winless group two seasons ago, credits the turnaround to several key factors.

“Getting used to our coach in Brad Smith,” Kenney said. “The relationships that we’ve built as a team and the hard work that everyone puts in every day.”

Smith is in his second season leading Southmoreland, which has shutouts in six of eight overall wins.

“He teaches us how to be a family and work together,” Kenney said. “If we have any questions, he’ll help us with everything.”

Kenney is one of just four seniors on Southmoreland this year, which means his leadership role will be elevated.

“Me, along with the other three seniors, as a group, we’ve always tried picking the (freshmen) up,” Kenney said. “They’re a good freshman group, and the next two coming up through middle school, they’ll both be good. We’re obviously just trying to grow the entire program to have good seasons in the future.”

As the season heads into its crucial final stretch, Southmoreland is set to face all section opponents, including a rematch with Mt. Pleasant on Oct. 10.

Despite a tough loss in the previous matchup—a 3-2 double-overtime decision—Kenney is optimistic.

“We need to work on our conditioning,” Kenney said of the key for that game. “We were just tired. If we can come out strong and hard and catch them off guard again … But we proved at our stadium that we can hang with them. I think it’ll be a pretty close game.”

Kenney has not made a decision on his future after high school, but he is attending a technical school for welding. As we enter the final stretch of the season, Kenney took some time for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

How did you get started with soccer?

My dad played soccer when he was younger and when I was younger, he took me out to our local Scottdale soccer league. It kind of started from there, and I’ve enjoyed it ever since.

What kind of motivation do you have coming into this year?

I mean, definitely a lot of motivation. Our team has so much more fight in them, so much more grit. We showed that in our game against Eden. Last season, it was a rough end to the season. We played a good team, but this year we look like we want it way more. It has a lot to do with going out early.

What’s the biggest key as you head down the stretch?

The biggest key will obviously be trying to make it to the playoffs. These next five games should all be competitive. We hope to come out 5-0 out of these last five. Hopefully finish top two or three in the section.

What is one thing that people may not know about you?

Me and two of the other seniors started coaching a kids soccer league over the summer, just trying to help the soccer club we all started at, just to help them grow and help kids get into it.

How’s the experience being on the sideline and not on the pitch?

Oh, it’s much different. When you play, you always get aggravated because you make a mistake or coach says something. Here we are, we’re on the sideline and we’re the coach. It’s a big difference being told and then telling people what to do.

Tags: Southmoreland