Despite challenges, Southmoreland girls soccer emerges as perennial playoff program

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, October 10, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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No matter the roster turnover or how many star players it loses, Southmoreland manages to stay in the thick of the WPIAL girls soccer playoff race.

While some programs stall out after a few playoff runs, the Scotties keep on trucking.

“This is my fourth year here, and the hope is that we’re building a culture,” coach Josh Pajak said. “Playoffs every year needs to be the standard. It needs to seem like a guarantee. The girls take lot of pride in that.”

The team stayed afloat when players such as 100-goal scorer Olivia Cernuto and team leader Kendall Fabery went down with injury or headed off to college.

They kept pushing when Gabby Fabery decided not to play this season over health concerns.

New players emerged, but the winning continued.

Are the Scotties a ranked team? No, but they are preparing for a postseason push just like the rest of the Class 2A qualifiers.

“We’ll be underdogs for sure,” junior midfielder Aubrey Seder said. “But we’re going to play hard and give a lot of effort. We’re not going to quit.”

Southmoreland (9-3, 8-1) might not have the talent to match top-ranked Mt. Pleasant in 2A — the teams meet again Wednesday night in Section 3 play — but it has secured a postseason berth with the hopes of playing darkhorse.

“The girls get up for every game,” Pajak said. “And we prepare. We never go into a game blindly. We’re a team that is tough to play against.”

While the Scotties lost to Mt. Pleasant the first time 6-0, they also had a 1-0 slip-up against Penn Hills that bothers Pajak.

But then the team turns around and rallies to edge Woodland Hills in a game that really tested their mettle.

“We were up 2-0, and Woodland Hills had a 3-2 lead with eight minutes to play,” Pajak said. “We won it 4-3. Our girls kept after it.”

Seder and sophomore Megan Mehall have emerged as the leading goal scorers, and junior Autumn Bartos has settled into her role at goalkeeper.

Seder had five goals in a 6-0 win over Ligonier Valley.

Seven wins have come via shutout.

Southmoreland brought back six starters, but junior defender Lizzie Boone is the only one playing the same position.

“We have some new girls playing new positions,” said Seder, a three-year starter who went from outside back two years ago to the midfield. “But we have a good plan right now. We make simple passes. We’re not a direct team. With my role now, it’s easier to get the ball to more players.”

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

Tags: Southmoreland