Greensburg C.C. prepares for South Side’s vaunted rushing attack

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, November 8, 2023 | 3:46 PM

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In a way, Greensburg Central Catholic can’t entertain the thought of pulling an upset until it can prevent South Side’s football team from pulling its guards.

“They can run it so well,” GCC first-year coach JT Thompson said of the top-seeded Rams (11-0), who will play No. 8 GCC in the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals Friday night at Peters Township. “They come at you with traps, sweeps, dives, veers. They’re a little like West Greene that way.

“It’s 85% run and 15% pass. They’ll run it all day, then hit you with a big pass play. We have to be ready for that, too.”

GCC (8-3) is coming off its first playoff win since 2011, a 41-22 victory over West Greene.

A big, physical, power running team awaits now in South Side, which averages 44.7 points and allows only 7.3.

Union scored the most points against the Rams with 15 in Week 8.

“We have gone against similar (scheme) running teams like Derry, Mt. Pleasant, Riverview (and West Greene),” Thompson said. “We have to be disciplined and know our assignments. We have to stop the run. I think last week I overcomplicated the defensive game plan.”

Against Monessen in a 39-0 first-round win, Ryan Navarra ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries for South Side, which had not won a conference title since 1999.

Quarterback Brody Almashy only had three completions, but two went for touchdowns.

Navarra and Almashy are seniors with experience. The Rams reached the semifinals last season before falling to Bishop Canevin, 49-21.

Navarra has 1,186 yards and 23 TDs and also leads the team with 45 tackles. Almashy also has rushed for 568 yards and 14 scores.

And don’t sleep on running back A.C. Corfield, who needs 6 yards to reach 1,000 for the season.

“These kids are intelligent,” Thompson said of his players. “They know what is in front of them.

“We know we’re underdogs. We have been all season. I mean, why would we be favored? We’re the eighth seed, and we won one playoff game.”

Though South Side has five straight playoff appearances, it has not won a WPIAL title since 1999.

“They are very big up front; we need to go out and play a perfect game and have a lot of discipline,” GCC senior center and defensive end Cam Petrunak said. “We need to make a statement early and punch them in the mouth.”

South Side also has a challenge in slowing down GCC’s quick-strike offense led by quarterback Tyree Turner, all-purpose athlete Samir Crosby and a supporting cast that includes Aidan Allison, Landon Honick and Evan Stasko.

“Offensively, they have dynamic athletes who are able to score from anywhere on the field,” South Side coach Luke Travelpiece said. “They also have a scheme that utilizes the strengths of those athletes. Defensively, they are schematically sound and disciplined. Their players all do their job and execute efficiently.”

Last week, Turner passed for a career-high 247 yards and three touchdowns, and Crosby scored three touchdowns, finishing with four receptions for 131 yards.

Turner and Allison, who had a 79-yard TD catch in the first round, both recovered fumbles.

Turner has thrown for 1,249 yards and 14 touchdowns — against one interception — and leads GCC with 600 yards rushing and 11 TDs.

Crosby has 1,026 yards of total offense and 15 TDs.

GCC did allow over 300 rushing yards as West Greene hung around and flirted with a comeback in the second half.

But the damage was limited.

Middle linebacker Pete Mazowiecki was relentless defensively for GCC, making 19 tackles, the most by a Centurion in a game all season.

“He was all over the place. Monster game,” Thompson said.

GCC will try to key on the run, but it will be ready for the pass. The Centurions have 15 interceptions, six each by Turner and Crosby.

GCC has not been to the semifinals since 2011.

Travelpiece said his team will have to play with GCC’s discipline.

“Coach Thompson is doing a great job in Year 1 of establishing that mindset,” he said. “They work together as one unit, and we will need to do that as well. We need to eliminate mistakes, whether it be penalties, turnovers or being out of position. Each member of our team will need to execute his job this week in order for us to be successful.”

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., South Side