Tackling machine Ethan Shawley brings snarl to Southmoreland defense

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, August 21, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Southmoreland’s senior tackling savant makes backyards look nicer in the summer as a landscaper. Come the fall, he demolishes backfields.

Disruptive, elusive and violent, Ethan Shawley is a senior middle linebacker whose motivation grows out of being undersized and wanting to be a play ahead of everybody else on the field.

“It makes me really mad when I hear (from college coaches) that I am too small (to play high-level college football),” said the 5-foot-9, 200-pound Shawley, who attends Geibel Catholic. “They overlook me and say they want to see my senior film. I don’t like hearing, ‘If you were three inches taller…’”

He’d like to hand coaches the remote and hit play on his junior film. Shawley, after all, ripped through opposing blockers for 134 tackles — 65 solo — an impressive number that MaxPreps showed as the most in the WPIAL and a total that ranked him among the nation’s top volume tacklers.

Shawley also had seven sacks, his nonstop motor keeping him active on just about every play of that junior film. He works at Seven Springs Resort in the winter and enjoys skiing. Maybe that’s why he makes so many plays going downhill.

“He goes 100% every play,” Scotties coach Tim Bukowski said. “He makes great reads and flies to the football. He’s in the other team’s backfield every game.”

Southmoreland has a number of potential playmakers, and Shawley is among them. He also will play running back for the Scotties, who are chasing a fifth WPIAL playoff appearance in seven seasons after missing the postseason for 38 straight years.

The Scotties never have won a playoff game in 60 years of football.

Shawley was ineligible for the playoffs last year because of transfer rules.

“My goal last year was 100 tackles,” said Shawley, a team captain. “I just hustle to the ball every play, and good things happen. I have the same mindset every game. If a team runs the ball more, I am going to make a lot of tackles.

“This year, I have been working hard in the weight room. I want 100 tackles and 1,000 yards rushing. In the first game, I want 15 tackles or 100 yards rushing.

“We have four senior linemen, and that is going to help us a lot.”

Watching film is part of his run-stopping strategy — he also had two interceptions as a junior — as Shawley is just as active watching instant replays.

“I watch 14 hours minimum of film every week,” he said. “I call out our run plays. I would say, because I watch film, 85% of the time I know what teams are going to do on the field. I have a mean streak, yeah, but you can’t just rely on that. You need more than that.”

Shawley attended Mt. Pleasant in middle school and then went to Greensburg Central Catholic for two years before transferring to Geibel, which has a football co-operative with Southmoreland.

“Southmoreland has been very accepting of the Geibel kids,” he said.

His father, Troy, played football at Southmoreland. His sister, Lexi Shawley, was a championship-winning softball catcher at Mt. Pleasant. She went on to Gannon but did not play because of knee issues.

Shawley, a Mt. Pleasant native, had 100 tackles as a sophomore at GCC.

“Ethan has a nose for the football,” Bukowski said. “He is relentless. Wherever the football goes, you see Ethan.”

Or, you see “Shawley-wood,” as former teammate Ty Keffer called him.

“He had 22 tackles against Mt. Pleasant last year,” Bukowski said. “He was in their backfield the whole game. He does it every game. He never has a bad game.”

Just a bad mood on game days.

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

Tags: Southmoreland