Westmoreland high school football notebook: GCC comes together in win over Jeannette

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, October 5, 2024 | 6:11 PM

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Greensburg Central Catholic proved Friday night it is more than a one-man team. It is more than junior quarterback Samir Crosby. A lot more.

Sure, Crosby was a force in a 44-27 win over rival Jeannette on senior night in Carbon, but the Centurions (4-2, 3-1) saw several players pitch in to their third straight victory.

“With any good team, you have to get contributions from a number of people,” GCC coach JT Thompson said. “It can’t just be one guy.”

Crosby ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 151 yards and two scores.

But he had help:

• Senior Jackson McMullen caught both scoring throws and also pitched in to the rushing attack.

“Jackson McMullen really stepped up,” Thompson said. “We moved him from linebacker to defensive end, and he played well there.”

• Senior Tucker Lloyd, recently back from injury, recorded a safety just before halftime and helped to open running lanes.

He also had a fumble recovery.

“He’s tough as nails,” Thompson said.

• Junior Jerry Davis took a kickoff back 65 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter, after the safety, and had a couple of receptions.

“Jerry’s fast. He can run,” Crosby said. “His return gave us a lot of momentum.”

• Juniors Landon Honick and Jackson Lowden each had 30-plus-yard catches, Lowden pulling in a circus grab to set up a touchdown.

• Sophomore Luke Semelka carried the ball eight times for 26 yards.

• Junior offensive lineman Matt Mazowiecki played his first game of the season, returning from a knee injury.

He wore a brace and helped to create space and protect Crosby.

“Mazowiecki and (junior) James Botti had a really good game blocking,” McMullen said. “They deserve a lot of credit.”

A pair of freshmen also ran the ball in Blase Bugosh and Bobby Smithnosky, both brothers of outstanding female athletes at Mt. Pleasant (Rylin Bugosh, Mary and Sophia Smithnosky).

“We’re still getting better and improving,” Thompson said. “We’re young. We had inexperienced guys in there step up and make plays. I am proud of their effort. They had to keep pushing for 48 minutes.”

GCC has three regular-season games left, all on the road. It plays Springdale next Friday at Burrell’s Buccaneer Stadium.

Fourth and 32

Southmoreland had a quarter to remember Friday, and all Yough could do was watch.

The Scotties moved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the 3A Interstate Conference as they scored 32 fourth-quarter points to get past the Cougars, 53-34.

Southmoreland turned a game that was 21-21 at the half and one they trailed 28-21 after three quarters on its ear.

Elliot Premus caught a touchdown pass from Anthony Smith, Cam Phillips scored on a run, Ethan Shawley broke away for two scoring runs and Jake Kaylor, the kicker, caught a score.

Budding freshman Smith threw for 215 yards and three scores, and Phillips ran for 131 yards and three TDs.

Yough’s Raidon Kuroda had another terrific game with 120 yards rushing and three TDs, and he threw for two scores.

Whipple wheel

Penn-Trafford senior Tasso Whipple carried the ball 28 times for a season-high 249 yards in a win at Gateway, but the tailback didn’t get into the end zone despite the Warriors scoring 34 points.

“It’s just the way it went,” Warriors coach John Ruane said. “They were hard yards. He had two called back (by penalty).”

Whipple, who went over 1,000 yards for the season, has the Warriors’ single-game rushing record of 300 yards.

He moved past Cade Yacamelli into fifth place on the program’s career rushing list with 2,941 yards. He is 211 yards shy of fourth-place Manny Simpson.

Dynamic duo

Franklin Regional might have the most consistent quarterback-running back combination in the WPIAL.

Quarterback Chase Lemke and running back Kyle Dupill just put up numbers — and win.

Lemke was 11 of 15 for 225 yards and three touchdowns, and Dupill ran for 272 yards and four TDs on 22 carries in a 51-14 victory over Fox Chapel.

Lemke did not throw an interception.

Dupill, the third-leading rusher in the WPIAL, scored on runs of 32, 68, 3 and 30 yards.

Carrying the load

A number of Westmoreland County rushers were busy Friday.

Burrell’s Trey Coury tops the list. He ran 53 times for 266 yards and two touchdowns.

Penn-Trafford senior Tasso Whipple had 28 carries, Kiski Area’s Landon Kucic ran 36 times for 131 yards and three scores and John Jablunovsky of Ligonier Valley had 28 rushes for 184 yards and two TDs.

Leps drop 68

Belle Vernon put up a school record for points Friday in a 68-21 mercy-rule victory over Chartiers Valley. The Leopards scored 33 in the first quarter and 20 in the second to take a 53-7 lead into halftime.

The Leopards had 61 points over their first four games.

The 68 points are the most for Belle Vernon since it had 66 in a game in 2015.

In ’19, the Leopards scored 63 twice, and 61 another time.

Scoring has been up around the WPIAL in recent years, so high point totals are not as uncommon. Twenty years ago, those totals would have been outrageous. In 2005, for example, Belle Vernon scored 35 for the entire season.

Extra points

Alex Tatsch of Latrobe missed his second straight game with a shoulder injury. The Penn State commit hasn’t played since the first half against Armstrong. … Garrett Eicher of Mt. Pleasant had a 90-yard kick return touchdown in a win over Greensburg Salem. The Vikings scored all 28 points in the fourth. … Southmoreland honored its 1979 conference championship team Friday. … Hempfield’s Dom Detruf is known for his pocket presence, but he rushed for 103 yards in a win over Norwin, including a 71-yard TD run.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Burrell, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland