Greensburg Salem beats Southmoreland, joins wild-card conversation

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, October 25, 2024 | 11:10 PM

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With its first winning season since 2011 secured, Greensburg Salem is ready to take the next step.

The question is, will the WPIAL think it deserves to?

Southmoreland, on the other hand, is playoff bound but isn’t sure if it will have a full lineup next week after a blitz of injuries and illness.

The Golden Lions moved into the wild-card conversation for the playoffs with a 28-21 victory Friday night over banged-up Southmoreland in the WPIAL 3A Interstate Conference finale at Offutt Field.

Since the Golden Lions (7-3, 3-2) didn’t win by nine or more points, they don’t get an automatic playoff berth.

Instead, Southmoreland (7-3, 3-2), which scored late with backups on the field, clinched its fourth straight playoff spot.

The teams tied for second with Mt. Pleasant in the conference. Elizabeth Forward and Mt. Pleasant earned the other guaranteed spots.

The WPIAL committee will release playoff pairings Saturday afternoon.

“We put ourselves in the best position to have a chance, and that’s all I can ask for,” Greensburg Salem coach Ty George said. “Let the chips fall where they may. This was a great win tonight.”

Greensburg Salem hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018.

Brody Chismar threw a pair of 24-yard touchdown passes to Dom Rosensteel in the second half as Greensburg Salem won its sixth home game of the season.

“Me and Dom have a connection,” Chismar said. “We have been working since December in the weight room to be in this position.”

Southmoreland is flooded with injuries and illness to starters.

“It’s bad. I mean, we’re decimated,” Southmoreland coach Tim Bukowski said. “I don’t have a quarterback right now. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Southmoreland played without a pair of two-way starters in running back/linebacker Ethan Shawley and tight end/linebacker Dawson Wolfe.

Both are out with mononucleosis. Bukowski said they could miss more time moving forward.

Go-to receiver Elliot Premus injured his shoulder in the first half and did not return.

To make matters worse, quarterback Anthony Smith went to the hospital with a possible concussion.

Wolfe is the backup quarterback.

“We fought hard tonight and kept it close,” Bukowski said. “We had a chance and didn’t give up. But we’re really, really beat up.”

The Scotties had five turnovers and 12 penalties for 135 yards, compounding their injury situation.

Peyton Chismar’s pick-6 early midway through the third quarter gave the Golden Lions a 14-6 lead.

Cam Phillips, who ran for 110 yards, scored on a 40-yard burst, then added the 2-point run to tie it 14-14 with 3 minutes and 22 seconds left in the third.

The Golden Lions answered the score when Brody Chismar tossed a 24-yard strike to Rosensteel, who caught a jump ball over two defenders. The score gave the Golden Lions a 21-14 lead with two minutes to go in the third.

Chismar was 7 of 12 for 103 yards and two TDs, and he ran for 71 yards and a score. Rosensteel caught five passes for 60 yards and two scores.

“Our communication was better tonight,” Rosensteel said. “Everyone was talking and got on the same page. The energy was so pure. Everyone wanted to win.”

The pair hooked up again with 9:10 to go in the fourth to give the Golden Lions a 28-14 lead.

Had the lead held or been increased, the Golden Lions would have been in the postseason without leaving their playoff fate in the committee’s hands.

But Sincere Bowens scored on a 3-yard run for Southmoreland with 3:21 left to cut it to 28-21.

“Balance is a big key for us,” George said. “It gives us option on offense. Dom stepped up big … That broke it open for us. I am proud of our kids. We can only control what we can control.”

Despite four turnovers, Southmoreland only trailed 7-6 at halftime.

Ty Whoric took an interception out of the air on a tipped ball for the Scotties to set up the opening score.

Southmoreland went 59 yards in seven plays, with Smith finding Makel Darnell for a 42-yard gain.

That set up a 1-yard score by Smith on a sneak.

The extra point was wide left.

Smith finished 12 of 27 for 138 yards and three picks. Jackson Mickens had six catches for 99 yards.

Smith broke Zach Cernuto’s single-season program record for yards in a season with 1,983.

Greensburg Salem responded and took the lead.

Brody Chismar hit Max Topper for a gain of 27 yards, then took off for a 35-yard run. That set up his 1-yard score, and the Golden Lions took a 7-6 edge on Tanner Schmidt’s extra point.

Ahkeim McCreary recovered a fumble for the Golden Lions in the second quarter, but it did not produce points.

Keegan Young and Dom Rosensteel had interceptions for the Golden Lions before halftime.

Kai Brunot ran for 72 yards for Greensburg Salem.

Greensburg Salem’s Tyrese Lewis was ejected late in the first quarter for a personal foul.

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

Tags: Greensburg Salem, Southmoreland