Southmoreland ends 3-game losing streak with win over South Allegheny

By: Paul Brittain
Friday, October 6, 2023 | 10:59 PM

On a night when Ty Keffer joined Maddie Brown as Southmoreland’s homecoming king and queen, Keffer caught three touchdown passes from quarterback Kadin Keefer to help lead the Scotties to a 42-20 Interstate Conference win over South Allegheny.

But lost in the excitement was a controversial goal line stand by the Scotties. Without that defensive stop, there might have been more drama late in the contest.

Southmoreland (1-1, 4-3) was aggressive in the beginning, recovering an onside kickoff to start the game. Three plays later, Da’sjon Craggette ran 39 yards down the left sideline to the end zone for a 7-0 lead with Jake Kaylor’s conversion kick.

South Allegheny (0-2, 1-6) responded by driving inside the Scotties’ 5-yard line.

But on fourth and inches inside the 1-yard line, Ryan Cortes was ruled short of the goal line, much to the chagrin of the Gladiators players.

The Scotties then drove more than 99 yards to score on Keefer’s 43-yard touchdown pass to Keffer for a 13-7 lead after Kaylor missed the conversion kick.

The Gladiators answered with their only scoring drive of the first half as Cortes passed to Brandon Guest in the end zone on fourth and goal at the 5-yard line. The 2-point conversion try failed, leaving the score at 13-6.

The rest of the half was all Southmoreland as Craggette broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run, and Keefer passed to Keffer for a 48-yard scoring play for a 28-6 halftime lead.

The touchdown passes to Keffer were Keefer’s only first-half completions.

The Scotties activated the mercy rule when Keffer completed a 33-yard touchdown aerial to Keffer and a 26-yard touchdown pass to Ronnie Collins for a 42-6 lead, running the clock.

Southmoreland’s first-half goal-line stand became crucial because the Gladiators refused to quit.

Cameron Epps returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards up the center of the field to the end zone to cut the lead to 42-12.

The Gladiators recovered an onside kick of their own, with Guest recovering the kick at Southmoreland’s 49-yard line.

The Scotties helped the visitors’ cause by committing two personal fouls during the drive, and Cortes passed 3 yards to Austin Shane for the touchdown, followed by Epps’ 2-point conversion run to cut the lead to 42-20.

Neither team moved the ball the rest of the quarter, and the Scotties ended their three-game losing streak, with a trip to Greensburg Salem’s Offut Field in line next Friday.

Tags: South Allegheny, Southmoreland