Westmoreland high school notebook: Greensburg Salem boys soccer in win-and-in scenario

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 13, 2018 | 9:03 PM

Greensburg Salem’s boys soccer playoff fate will come down to the last night of section play.

The top four teams in each section go to the WPIAL postseason. The Golden Lions are tied for fourth place with Trinity at 6-5 and both teams play Tuesday night.

Greensburg Salem hosts Laurel Highlands, and Trinity travels to Belle Vernon.

It’s a win-and-you’re-in scenario for both, but since they split their section series, both can advance if they lose.

Two local girls teams also are on the playoff bubble: Franklin Regional (4-6-2 Section 1-AAA) and Mt. Pleasant (6-6 Section 3-AA).

Playoff pitch

Local boys teams headed to the WPIAL soccer postseason include Norwin in Class 4A, Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional and Kiski Area in 3A, Mt. Pleasant and Southmoreland in 2A and Greensburg Central Catholic and Monessen in A.

Westmoreland teams to qualify on the girls side are Norwin, Penn-Trafford and Hempfield in Class 4A, Belle Vernon, Greensburg Salem and Kiski Area in 3A, Burrell and Yough in 2A and Greensburg Central Catholic in A.

Hartman out

Belle Vernon junior quarterback Jared Hartman revealed Saturday that he tore his ACL, MCL and other ligaments in his right knee. He is done for the season.

Hartman was injured in the first half and had to be carried off on a stretcher Friday night in a 28-12 win over West Mifflin. He came into the game with 449 passing yards and six touchdowns.

He ran for 58 yards and a score Friday before the injury.

Delay of game

With his pregnant wife, Kelly, in the hospital Friday night, Scott Wood decided to coach his Yough football team against Derry with his cellphone ringer cranked up and by his side.

“We have a job to do,” he said.

His gamble paid off, and he didn’t miss a thing. Keigen Timothy Nate Wood was born Saturday morning.

Wood posted a photo of their new baby on Twitter with the message: “Welcome to the Cougar family.”

“Kelly is a great woman,” Wood said about his being able to coach amid the tense moments. “She is so special. It was a hectic morning.”

Wood said he already sees a future football player in Keigen, whose roster specs came in at 6 pounds, 14 ounces and 20-1/2 inches.

Big scoring night

Southmoreland football set a school scoring record Friday night in a 72-28 win over Shenango.

The program used to have trouble scoring 72 points over several games, let alone one game. They put up 43 in the second quarter Friday.

Senior running back Ronnie Robinson ran for four touchdowns and threw for another.

Sophomore quarterback Zach Cernuto continues to put up big numbers in the Scotties’ fast-paced passing game. He threw for 197 yards and two scores to Riley Comforti, who had seven catches for 113 yards.Southmoreland scored 10 touchdowns, which is quite impressive, but that is only two more than Derry’s Justin Flack scored by himself in another wild game at Yough. Derry won, 63-20. Flack had six rushing touchdowns, a kickoff return for a score and returned an interception for another score. He had 159 yards rushing on 11 carries.

It was the Justin and Dustin Show at Cougar Mountain Stadium. Hard to say he was outdone, Yough’s Dustin Shoaf maintained his WPIAL rushing lead as he gained 289 yards and three TDs on 25 carries, giving him 1,728 yards for the season.

Regional golf

The golf individual postseason moves ahead Monday with the annual PIAA Western Regional tournaments at Tom’s Run Golf Course, Chestnut Ridge Resort, in Blairsville.

It is the middle round between the WPIAL and state finals.

The top 22 boys in Class AA and top 12 in Class AAA; and top 11 girls in each class; advance to the PIAA championships Oct. 22-23 at Heritage Hills Resort in York.

Local boys players in the field include: Palmer Jackson of Franklin Regional, Brady Pevarnik of Latrobe and Alex Turowski of Penn-Trafford in Class AAA; and Tiger Hubbard of Burrell, and Zach Boote of Greensburg Central Catholic.

Girls from the county include sisters Abby and Meghan Zambruno of Greensburg Central Catholic (Class AA).

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Hempfield, Jeannette, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford