Westmoreland County senior spotlight: Southmoreland’s Taylor Klingensmith

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, September 20, 2021 | 9:40 AM

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Southmoreland has blossomed into one of the more potent offensive girls soccer teams in the WPIAL.

The Scotties’ Big 3 of Taylor Klingensmith, Kendall Fabery and Olivia Cernuto have combined for 24 of the team’s 31 goals.

Maybe they should have a catchy nickname like, “TKO.”

Klingensmith would prefer another name, for now.

“Section champions again would be nice,” she said.

Klingensmith, a senior midfielder, has five goals for the Scotties (3-0-2, 1-0-1), who outscored their first five opponents 31-2. They began the week ranked No. 2 in Class 2A.

She took a few minutes for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

How long have you been playing soccer?

Since I was 5. I have always played with (Cernuto).

Who or what got you interested in the sport?

My older brother played and my cousins played, too.

What other sports do you compete in at Southmoreland?

Track and cross country. I do the mile, 800, 4-by-4 (relay) and 3,200 relay in track. I don’t get to do cross country much because of soccer.

Why do you compete in sports?

I do it for me. But I like to be around all of my teammates.

What do you do for a hobby?

I run a lot.

How many miles do you run a week?

Oh, I don’t know. It’s different for every season. I just go.

How far can this (soccer) team go this season?

We want to get back to the (semifinals) and maybe further.

What is the best advice (soccer) coach Josh Pajak has given you?

No matter how tired you are, just keep going.

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

Tags: Southmoreland