Southmoreland’s Anthony Smith throws for 3 TDs as Scotties top Mt. Pleasant, move closer to title

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, October 11, 2024 | 11:06 PM

Southmoreland moved closer to its first conference title since 1979 with a sound victory over rival Mt. Pleasant in the teams’ 50th meeting.

Anthony Smith threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns as visiting Southmoreland brushed aside the Vikings, 28-7, in a Class 3A Interstate Conference game Friday night at Viking Stadium.

The Scotties (7-1, 3-0) have four straight wins as they get set to face Elizabeth Forward next week.

Mt. Pleasant, which had won two straight, fell to 4-4 overall and 2-1 in conference.

“Our defense set the tone early for us,” Southmoreland coach Tim Bukowski said. “It was big for us to establish the run. We had a lot of people touch the ball.”

The Vikings have lost two in a row in the all-time series for the first time since 2019, and they moved to 40-10 against the Scotties since their first game in 1964.

“They got the ball to some kids,” Mt. Pleasant coach Jason Fazekas said. “They have some nice plays and have some nice athletes.”

Smith, the budding freshman, was 16 of 27.

Makell Darnell caught four passes for 112 yards and a score, and Elliot Premus caught a TD and ran for another.

“They were doubling (Premus), and we had other guys step up,” Smith said. “Our line stepped up and did their job.”

The Scotties set the tone with an impressive first half when they held the Vikings to one first down and 11 total yards while building a 20-0 lead.

Neither team scored in the first quarter.

Early in the second, Premus capped a 10-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal.

Premus ran out of the wildcat formation.

“A lot of guys played well on defense; it was assignment football against the Wing-T,” Bukowski said. “We finally put together a full game (defensively). Our offensive line also had a solid game.”

Later in the quarter, Smith delivered a 29-yard strike to Jackson Mickens. The extra point was blocked by Jarret Garn, and the Scotties led 13-0.

With Smith in rhythm and Mt. Pleasant battling center-quarterback exchange issues, the Scotties found the end zone again on their next drive. He lofted a 12-yard jump ball into the corner of the end zone to Premus to make it 20-0 at the half.

The throw broke the Scotties’ single-season record for TD passes in a season with his 20th.

“We’re blessed to have him,” Bukowski said of Smith.

Mt. Pleasant’s touchdown came in the fourth when Jarett Garn went in motion and ran in from the 2.

“Our kids fought hard, and I appreciated their effort,” Fazekas said.

But Southmoreland wasn’t finished scoring. Smith threw a 46-yard score to Makell Darnell, who broke several tackles and dragged defenders into the end zone.

“(Mt. Pleasant) thought we were going to try to beat them with (Ethan) Shawley and Cam (Phillips), but we beat them one-on-one over the top,” Darnell said. “Anthony and I are equal together.”

Smith and Darnell hooked up for a 30-yard gain earlier.

Stanley Chapman’s 2-point catch made it 28-7.

Premus caught five passes for 50 yards.

Phillips ran for 68 yards on 11 carries, and Shawley rushed for 54 yards.

Richard Shawley had an interception for the Vikings, while Dawson Wolfe picked off a pass for the Scotties, who outgained the Vikings, 430-109.

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

Tags: Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland