Westmoreland County high school football notebook: Short-handed Southmoreland could be without 8 starters

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, October 31, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Southmoreland could be down eight starters for Friday’s WPIAL playoff opener.

The eighth-seeded Scotties (7-3) have been gutted by injuries, illness and transfer ineligibility on the eve of their Class 3A first-round home game against No. 9 Highlands (5-4).

“We’re trying to get 11 healthy bodies out there who are ready for the varsity level,” coach Tim Bukowski said. “The thing that is tough is having so many guys in positions they haven’t played. We’re going to have to work through it.”

The load of absences affects 17 of 22 starting positions.

This does not bode well for a team still looking for its maiden playoff victory.

Freshman quarterback Anthony Smith, the leading passer in Westmoreland County, was cleared to return from a concussion he sustained last Friday night at Greensburg Salem.

But senior lineman Jimmy Carson (concussion), sophomore tight end/linebacker Dawson Wolfe (illness), senior running back/linebacker Ethan Shawley (illness) and junior linebacker Stanley Chapman (illness) are likely out.

Shawley and Wolfe are the team’s top two tackle leaders.

Senior receiver/defensive back Roman Riccelli and junior Makel Darnell (WR/DB) are ineligible for the playoffs because of transfer rules. They transferred to Geibel, which has a co-op with Southmoreland.

The list of questionable players includes senior lineman Jarrell Braxton (hand) and senior receiver/defensive end Elliot Premus (shoulder), who is the top pass catcher in the county.

Braxton is the center, and if he has to wear a cast, he won’t be able to snap the football, Bukowski said.

Carson plays right guard on the offensive line.

Premus is the plug-and-play guy for the wildcat formation.

Wolfe is the backup quarterback, so Bukowski could have to go with another freshman under center in Averyon Darnell, the junior varsity QB.

Bukowski said sophomore Stanley Betters and senior Jake Kaylor, the kicker, could see increased roles in the secondary.

“You try to have that next-man-up mentality,” the coach said. “But it’s tough when you have so many guys down.”

Southmoreland scrimmaged Highlands in August.

“Their QB is for real,” Bukowski said of Menage Lucas (1,258 yards rushing, 18 TDs; 1,257 yards passing, 18 TDs). “He is one of the best I’ve seen run it.”

Thousand island

Yough’s Raidon Kuroda became the first local quarterback this year — and first in his school’s history — to pass and run for 1,000 yards in the same season.

Kuroda finished with 1,388 passing yards and 1,006 rushing and accounted for 28 touchdowns.

Jeannette’s Kymon’e Brown, Samir Crosby of Greensburg Central Catholic and John Wetzel of Latrobe also are in the hunt to join the 1,000-1,000 club.

All three have playoff games Friday.

Brown has 1,325 yards passing and has run for 945 (31 total TDs).

Crosby has 1,150 through the air and 931 on the ground (32 TDs).

Wetzel has 945 rushing and 686 passing.

Rematch possible

A pair of Westmoreland rivals could meet in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

If 13th-seeded Jeannette (7-3) upsets No. 4 Neshannock (9-1), and No. 5 Greensburg Central Catholic (7-2) gets past No. 12 Monessen (7-3) in the Class A first round, Jeannette and GCC will meet in the quarterfinals.

GCC beat Jeannette, 44-27, during the Eastern Conference schedule.

Streaking

GCC (7-2) and Penn-Trafford (8-2) have won six straight games each going into the playoffs. Greensburg Salem (7-3) and Jeannette (7-3), meanwhile, are on three-game winning streaks.

Tatsch offered

Latrobe junior Andy Tatsch now has a pair of Division I scholarship offers.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound wide receiver and safety received an offer Akron of the Mid-American Conference.

Tatsch made a recent game-day visit to Akron’s InfoCision Stadium.

In June, West Virginia offered Tatsch, who is the younger brother of senior Alex Tatsch, Latrobe’s prized linebacker who has committed to Penn State.

The elder Tatsch is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Latrobe (5-5) visits Bethel Park (8-2) Friday night for a WPIAL 5A first-round playoff game.

Rushing title

Franklin Regional workhorse running back Kyle Dupill was the leading rusher in Westmoreland County for the regular season.

Dupill ran for 1,773 yards and 15 touchdowns on 252 carries and recorded 10 100-yard games, including four 200-plus performances.

For his career, Dupill has rushed for 3,117 yards and 21 scores, topping 100 yards 16 times.

Franklin Regional (7-3) visits North Hills (8-2) Friday night in the WPIAL 5A first round.

Tasso Whipple of Penn-Trafford came in second with 1,490 yards and 13 TDs on 182 carries.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Jeannette, Latrobe, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, Yough