Coaching change, player movement do not deter Southmoreland from playoff goal

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, August 14, 2025 | 6:01 AM

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Editor’s note: Trib HSSN will publish team-by-team previews for one conference per day until the start of the high school football season Aug. 22. Due to production schedule conflicts, the Elizabeth Forward preview will be published later this month.

There is a new car smell to the Southmoreland football program.

New coach. New staff. New quarterback.

What is not new, though, is the team’s drive to achieve a long-elusive goal.

Despite improvements and big numbers in recent years, the Scotties have not sniffed a playoff win in six decades of football.

“And no conference title here since 1979,” first-year coach Dustin Shoaf said. “It’s the constant message. We want to be in the mix and be that team that gets over the hump.”

Shoaf, a former standout at Yough and Mercyhurst, remembers watching his high school alma mater get its first playoff win in 2013.

“I’ll never forget the look on those kids’ faces up at Kittanning,” he said. “It’s about our guys putting in the work but also enjoying the process. It’s about the Jimmys and the Joes before the X’s and the O’s. The little things add up.”

Shoaf, one of the state’s youngest coaches at age 24, replaced Tim Bukowski, who went 17-16 in three seasons guiding the team. Bukowski resigned and is now the head coach at Uniontown.

Shoaf said his transition from an assistant at Jeannette to his first head-coaching job has been smooth.

“I have had great support,” he said. “We have great people here. I also have a nice mix of young and experienced guys on my staff. We’re excited to get going. We want to bring the culture these guys have been craving.”

Injuries piled up last year and cost the Scotties, who lost three straight to end at 7-4. They tied Greensburg Salem for second in the Class 3A Interstate Conference and lost to Highlands in the first round 56-20.

The Scotties, who finally ended a 40-year playoff drought in 2019, have made the WPIAL playoffs four straight seasons and five of the last seven.

“There wasn’t a weight room program here before, so we brought that in,” Shoaf said. “With a few coaches who played at the college level, we want to bring that structure and discipline. All 11 need to do their job, and all 40 need their arrow pointing in the right direction.”

Shoaf works on his family’s farm and recently purchased 30 cattle. He is also helping the Scotties replace their horse.

With standout Anthony Smith gone — he transferred to Seton LaSalle after throwing for 2,110 yards and 22 touchdowns as a freshman and was ruled ineligible by the WPIAL and PIAA for the season — the Scotties were looking for a starting quarterback during the summer months.

Senior Makel Darnell is the top returning passer, but he was only 1 of 2 for 41 yards.

Junior Dawson Wolfe was 0 for 1.

Freshman Nick Carbonara and Wolfe were competing for the job heading into camp, with Wolfe in the lead.

The Geibel co-operative remains intact, which means several key playmakers will continue to wear red and black.

Darnell also is the top returning rusher but with just 138 yards on 19 carries.

Sophomore Jackson Mickens (6-foot-0, 215 pounds) is drawing Division I attention. He holds offers from Sacramento State, Miami (Ohio) and Akron.

Mickens was the second-leading receiver with 35 catches for 485 yards and six touchdowns. Darnell, who has Division II PSAC interest, had 21 grabs for 384 yards.

The Scotties plan to work out of a spread offense and aim to be a running team.

“There is some new terminology,” Shoaf said. “Football is football. Whether it’s spread, West Coast, gap scheme … you want to put your team in the best position to win.”

Mickens, sophomore Avveryon Darnell, senior Cameron Lee and senior Ty Whoric figure into the running back mix. Makel Darnell, junior Gabe Kubasky (injured last year), junior Stanley Betters and Whoric are receiving targets, along with Avveryon Darnell and freshman Bredon Geho.

Sophomore Luke Stinnett (6-2, 205) and junior Stanley Chapman (6-3, 220) are tight ends.

“I like the size of these kids and the way they work,” Shoaf said. “Southmoreland is a lot like Yough.”

The offensive line was a work in progress with only one starter back in senior Jake Govern.

A number of potential starters include senior Kaden Shannon, sophomore Harrison Bechtold, senior Austin Jones, junior David Sager, senior Justin Hribal, senior Wyatt Corvin and freshmen Ben Causer and Tyler Provlic.

Whoric returns after racking up 71 tackles, second to volume run-stopper Ethan Shawley, who graduated. Whoric had 12 tackles for loss.

Wolfe had 65 stops, and Chapman 53.

Mickens led the team with 11 sacks, and Chapman registered 7¹⁄₂. Chapman is moving from defensive end to middle linebacker.

Darnell added four interceptions, and Wolfe had three.

Stinnett will play defensive end, and defensive linemen include Mickens, Govern, Bechtold, Shannon and senior David Sager, a heavyweight wrestler.

The secondary is athletic with the Darnells, Kubasky, Lee and Whoric and Geho. Kubasky, Lee and Whoric are in the running for safety.

Southmoreland

Coach: Dustin Shoaf

2024 record: 7-4, 3-2 in Class 3A Interstate Conference

All-time record: 202-374-12

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.22 at Valley, 7

8.29 at East Allegheny, 7

9.5 Laurel Highlands, 7

9.12 at Blackhawk, 7

9.19 Ringgold, 7

9.26 at Derry*, 7

10.3 at Yough*, 7

10.10 Mt. Pleasant*, 7

10.17 Elizabeth Forward*, 7

10.24 Greensburg Salem*, 7

*Conference game

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Anthony Smith**

129-244, 2,110 yards, 22 TDs

Rushing: Cam Phillips*

122-867 yards, 8 TDs

Receiving: Elliot Premus*

49-886 yards, 8 TDs

*Graduated

**Transferred

FAST FACTS

• New head coach Dustin Shoaf is the all-time leading rusher at Yough with 5,053 yards. He had a 428-yard game against Southmoreland. He was an assistant last season at Jeannette.

• The Scotties averaged 31.9 points per game.

• Southmoreland missed the WPIAL playoffs from 1980-2018, but has qualified five times in seven years.

• Russ Grimm Stadium is getting new turf, new lights and a new scoreboard.

ROSTER

No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.

0, Walter Higgins, WR/DB, 5-7/145, so.

1, Stanley Chapman, TE/LB, 6-3/215, sr.

2, Gabe Kubasky, WR/DB, 6-3/195, sr.

3, Mason Pergar, WR/LB, 5-11/160, fr.

4, Averyon Darnell, RB/DB, 5-10/175, so.

5, Cameron Gower, WR/DB, 5-8/140, fr.

6, Luke Stinnett, TE/DE, 6-2/205, so.

7, Brock Geho, WR/DB, 5-10/160, fr.

8, Ty Whoric, WR/DB, 6-0/185, sr.

9, Adam Ferrell, TE/LB, 6-0/185, so.

10, Nick Carbonara, QB/LB, 5-11/160, fr.

11, Jackson Mickens, RB/DE, 6-1/220, so.

12, James Patterson, TE/LB, 5-11/180, fr.

13, Wyatt Joyce, OL/DL, 5-8/165, so.

14, Stanley Betters, WR/DB, 5-10/160, jr.

15, Dawson Wolfe, QB/LB, 6-2/210, jr.

16, Seth Grosser, WR/LB, 5-8/140, jr.

17, Cam Lee, RB/DB, 5-10/180, sr.

20, Braylon Betters, RB/DB, 5-10/160, fr.

21, Zion Mitchell, WR/DB, 5-10/155, jr.

22, Nicholas Snyder, RB/LB, 5-11/170, so.

24, Makel Darnell, WR/DB, 5-10/165, sr.

44, Maddox Bann, RB/LB, 5-3/155, fr.

45, Daniel Busato, WR/LB, 5-9/165, so.

50, Harrison Bechtold, OL/DL, 5-9/210, so.

51, Bryan Williams, OL/DL, 6-3/245, jr.

52, Jake Govern, OL/DL, 6-0/250, sr.

54, Lane Keefer, OL/DL, 6-1/215, fr.

55, Noah Shoemaker, OL/DL, 6-0/185, fr.

56, Kaden Shannon, OL/DL, 6-2/250, sr.

59, Austin Jones, OL/DL, 6-0/255, sr.

66, Benjamin Causer, OL/DL, 6-1/265, fr.

70, Peyton Bann, OL/DL, 5-11/205, so.

71, Wyatt Corvin, OL/DL, 6-0/165, jr.

75, Justin Hribal, OL/DL, 6-0/250, jr.

77, Kohen Neiderhiser, OL/DL, 5-8/205, jr.

78, David Sager, OL/DL, 5-11/230, jr.

78, Tyler Provlic, OL/DL, 6-3/300, fr.

87, Liam Smith, K/P, 5-10/165, jr.

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

Tags: Southmoreland