Montour’s fast start too much for Greensburg Salem in nonconference game

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, October 13, 2017 | 10:21 PM

Montour started fast against Greensburg Salem and never looked back.

The No. 4-4A Spartans (6-1) rolled to a 38-0 nonconference win over the Golden Lions after building a four-touchdown lead by the end of the first quarter.

“We came out and took advantage of their mistakes early,” Montour coach Lou Cerro said. “That seemed to spur us on to where we needed to be.”

Things could not have started much better for the Spartans as Ronald Deshantz returned the opening kickoff 76 yards to the Greensburg Salem 10-yard line.

Two plays later, Jake Tomas scored on a 5-yard run.

“We were a little flat in warm-ups, so I was a little worried,” Cerro said. “But when you have a big opening kickoff like that and score two plays later, it brings your confidence up. It fires everyone up.”

After forcing a Golden Lions three-and-out, Montour put together a 10-play, 77-yard drive capped off by a Kavon Morman 10-yard touchdown run.

Things went from bad to worse on the following Greensburg Salem offensive possession when a Trent Patrick pass was intercepted by Jaxon Schrenker, who returned it 55 yards for a touchdown.

“Being down 21-0 is not what you prepare for on Sunday morning when you start game planning,” Greensburg Salem coach Dave Keefer said. “It is tough to overcome.”

Dustin Snyder added a 1-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter to push Montour's lead to 28-0.

On its opening drive of the second quarter, Greensburg Salem found some success. Patrick picked up a chunk of yards on a 39-yard run. But on a first-and-goal on the Montour 1, the Golden Lions (3-5) were called for a false start.

Patrick was sacked on the next play, and Greensburg Salem came away with no points.

“That has been the story of our year,” Keefer said. “It happened to us multiple times. We are just not making plays inside the 10. We might be at a dozen times this year that we have been inside the 10 and came away with no points.”

Montour's next possession went 92 yards.

Morman capped it off with a 13-yard run despite losing his shoe on the scamper. The senior finished 6 of 7 passing for 114 yards and led the Spartans in rushing with 59 yards on seven carries.

“He makes plays with his feet and with his arm,” Cerro said. “He is a leader. He gets the job done.”

It was the fourth consecutive win for the Spartans. Over the stretch, the Spartans defense has allowed 17 points. The Golden Lions have dropped four of their last five games.

Patrick led Greensburg Salem with 126 passing yards and 48 rushing yards in his first varsity start.

Jake Hoyle, Greensburg Salem's usual starting quarterback, did not play because of injury. The senior has accounted for more than 1,000 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns this season.

“We're hopeful he will be back, but we are also realistic,” Keefer said. “We are realistic to the fact that the game of football is brutal. We'll get the evaluation and go from there. I know he wants to be on the field with his teammates.”

Nathan Smith is a freelance writer.

Tags: Greensburg Salem, Montour