West Mifflin scores in bunches to beat Southmoreland

By: Jonathan Guth
Friday, November 4, 2022 | 10:33 PM

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West Mifflin’s trio of Shai Newby, Ty’Jeir Williams and Rich Fix was too much for Southmoreland to overcome in the Titans’ 54-28 victory over the Scotties on Friday night in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs at West Mifflin Stadium.

The Titans (6-5) advance to the quarterfinals, where they will play at No. 4 Freeport (9-1). The kickoff for next Friday’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“We have a challenge ahead of us,” West Mifflin coach Rod Steele said. “Obviously, as a conference champion, they are deserving to be where they are at. Every game is a new game, and every week is a new week of preparation. We will identify things we did good today, and we will identify things that we have to clean up from today. We will try to get better from this game. Overall, I am excited for the kids to come out here and perform, especially the seniors in their last home game. You have to take your hat off to Southmoreland. They were a gritty team and kept fighting.”

The Scotties’ season comes to an end at 4-7.

“We lost a lot to graduation, and everybody picked us to finish last in the conference,” Southmoreland coach Tim Bukowski said. “I am proud of these guys. They battled and made the playoffs two years in a row, and it is something for us to build on in the future. We will miss our seniors.”

Newby was 9 of 9 for 353 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 39 yards on 10 carries. Williams pulled in four receptions for 163 yards and three scores. Fix caught three passes for 145 yards and one score. He also ran for a touchdown and returned a kickoff for a score.

“I thought our quarterback did an excellent job with his reads and putting the ball where our guys could make plays,” Steele said. “I think our team speed really showed tonight. There are always pros and cons to every game.”

Southmoreland had a solid drive going to start the game, but Kadin Keefer’s attempted screen pass was intercepted by Kejuan Shields and taken 65 yards into the end zone for a 7-0 lead at 8 minutes, 12 seconds of the first quarter after Nicholas Kosuda made the first of six PATs.

The Scotties had picked up a first down on a 28-yard screen from Keefer to Tray Whetsel, but the Titans snuffed out the second opportunity.

West Mifflin showed its speed on its next score as Williams caught a pass in the flat from Newby and raced 51 yards for a 13-0 advantage at 2:04 of the first.

“A lot of athletes on that team, and they have a big, strong line that gave us some trouble,” Bukowski said. “You could see the difference on the field, and once they got in the open, we just couldn’t catch them.”

Jake Kaylor’s punt to the Titans’ 1 at 7:52 of the second quarter had Southmoreland feeling pretty good about itself, but West Mifflin completed the 99-yard drive for a score on DelRon White’s 1-yard run for a 19-0 lead with 5:37 left before halftime.

The Scotties didn’t let the long drive deter them as Keefer found his favorite target, Ty Keffer, for a 41-yard touchdown pass at 3:43 of the second. Kaylor made the first of four PATs to cut the deficit to 19-7.

Keffer had seven catches for 87 yards and one score. Keefer was 13 of 26 for 153 yards and two touchdowns.

Keffer finished his junior season with 73 receptions for 1,009 yards and 18 touchdowns. Keefer threw for 1,586 yards and 18 touchdowns.

“I’m glad Ty got 1,000 yards,” Bukowski said. “That’s a school record for us in receptions and yards. We will build off that and glad to have both those guys back.”

Fix got the touchdown right back for the home team as he returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards and a 26-7 advantage at 3:29 of the second.

Newby and Williams hooked up again, this time from 49 yards, after the Titans forced a punt for a 33-7 lead at 2:25 of the second.

Southmoreland kept battling and cut the deficit to 33-14 at halftime as Michael Oravetz pulled in a 4-yard touchdown reception from Keefer with 18 seconds left in the first half.

The Scotties had an opportunity to force a punt on West Mifflin’s first drive on the third quarter as the Titans faced a third-and-25 from their own 20, but Newby found Fix across the middle and the speedy wideout took it into the end zone for a 40-14 advantage at 9:48.

Newby and Williams connected for a third scoring strike, a 44-yarder, to increase West Mifflin’s lead to 47-14 at 6:13 of the third.

Southmoreland scored with 2:44 left in the third on fourth-and-2 as Whetsel rumbled in from 11 yards to make it 47-21. Whetsel gained 102 yards on 13 carries in his final high school game.

“Whetsel, he is a tough kid both ways,” Bukowski said. “He is a bull out there and always gives us everything he has.”

Fix scored on a 3-yard run at 7:55 of the fourth for a 54-21 lead.

The Scotties’ Cameron Phillips closed the scoring on a 44-yard run with 6:14 remaining.

Watch an archived broadcast of this game on Trib HSSN.

Tags: Southmoreland, West Mifflin