‘Best friends’ collide when Jeannette, Greensburg Central Catholic QBs meet

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, October 3, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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When Kymon’e Brown and Samir Crosby played on the same youth football team with the Jeannette Midgets, they accounted for more than 50 touchdowns in one season.

“Nobody could stop us that year,” Brown said.

Crosby threw scoring passes to Brown, and Brown helped block for Crosby on long runs.

While they parted ways when high school began, Brown and Crosby remain close and still hang out in the summer.

“Known him since we were like 2,” Brown said. “Best friends.”

On Friday night, the pair of juniors will go against each other as opposing quarterbacks when Brown’s Jeannette team travels to play Crosby and Greensburg Central Catholic.

The longtime rival teams are battling for playoff berths in the WPIAL Class A Eastern Conference.

Jeannette (4-2, 1-2) is looking to shake off two straight conference losses, to Leechburg and Clairton, while GCC (3-2, 2-1) has a two-game winning streak after defeating Brentwood and Riverview.

“It’s bragging rights,” said Crosby, who grew up in Jeannette and still lives there. “We played Running Rebels basketball together, too. We have a bunch of guys who like to goof around, hang out, go out to eat.

“It’s just another game to me. I think we can take it if we trust in our team discipline.”

Brown said containing Crosby and others is a must for the Jayhawks to break a three-game losing streak against the Centurions.

Jeannette’s last win against GCC was in 2020, a 55-0 rout.

“All he does is talk crap,” Brown playfully said of Crosby. “Whoever plays better defense will win this game. We have to stop their key players like Samir and Landon Honick.”

Brown has completed 33 of 63 passes for 602 yards and eight touchdowns and has rushed for a team-high 475 yards and five scores.

Crosby, who has six Division I college offers (Harvard, Fordham, Miami of Ohio, Kent State, Buffalo and UNLV), is 41 of 74 for 806 yards and 11 TDs. He also leads GCC in rushing with 581 yards and 10 TDs.

“We know Samir well,” Jeannette coach Tommy Paulone said. “But we have to worry about some of their other talented guys, too.”

Paulone is a former Jayhawks’ quarterback. He said each year the schedule comes out, he circles the GCC game first.

“Some people say the rivalry has changed, but I feel the same way about it now as when I played,” Paulone said. “It means a lot to us.

“We have to know our assignments and take care of the ball. We can’t give them opportunities.”

GCC second-year coach JT Thompson still is learning about the rivalry, which dates to 1965. Jeannette leads the series, 21-11-1.

A former college coach, Thompson has heard from players about the game’s yearly friction.

“I didn’t really know what it was,” he said, “so it was hard to perceive it. I am used to a rivalry like Mercyhurst and Gannon. But I can see it when you have schools (4.8) miles apart.”

Thompson agreed that Crosby’s situation is unique going against his friends, but is resolute when he says, “Samir is a Central kid.”

“We want to let him play, let him be him in this game,” Thompson said.

Crosby thinks the teams could trade long scoring plays, but hopes the defense can bottle Jeannette’s playmakers.

His coach knows his unit could have its hands full.

“Jeannette is fast and athletic,” Thompson said. “Tackling will be a big key. We have to keep mistakes to a minimum and don’t turn over the football. We can’t allow the big play.”

GCC has benefited from the return of senior middle linebacker Tucker Lloyd, who has a hip injury. He also plays running back.

“Samir can’t be making 12 tackles a game,” Thompson said. “Tucker takes some of that pressure off.”

Crosby leads GCC with 45 tackles and also has three interceptions, while Lloyd has 40 tackles.

Sophomore Jace Powell is a big-play receiver for Jeannette, with 21 receptions for 435 yards and six touchdowns.

In reality, while the rivalry bubbles up each year, Jeannette-Central hasn’t been close for more than a decade. The margin of victory hasn’t been less than 14 points since Jeannette won 7-6 in 2012.

The average score since then is 47-10.

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

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Jeannette