Southmoreland is 0-1 against Belle Vernon since October of 2022 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Southmoreland Scotties will look to defend their home field against the Belle Vernon Leopards at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Southmoreland fell on hard times earlier this season, but after back-to-back wins it seems like their luck might finally be changing. They took their matchup on the road on Friday with ease, bagging a 46-12 win over Greensburg Salem. With Southmoreland ahead 25-0 at the half, the contest was all but over already.
Dasjon Craggette continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 112 yards and three touchdowns. Craggette is on a roll when it comes to rushing yards, as he's now rushed for 100 or more in the last three games he's played. Wyatt Richter made the highlight reel by snagging an interception and taking it all the way to the house.
The team's defense also helped out by holding Greensburg Salem to a paltry 157 yards. A big part of that defensive dominance came down to Southmoreland's ability to keep the quarterback under pressure: the team laid him out four times before it was all said and done. Leading the way was Makai Trout-Lewis and his two sacks.
Meanwhile, everything came up roses for Belle Vernon on the road against Mt. Pleasant on Friday as the squad secured a 55-7 win. The win was familiar territory for Belle Vernon who now have three in a row.
Belle Vernon's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Quinton Martin led the charge by rushing for 88 yards and two touchdowns on only seven carries, while also picking up 44 receiving yards. Another player making a difference was Kole Doppelheuer, who gained 164 total yards and two touchdowns.
Their wins bumped Southmoreland to 5-3 and Belle Vernon to 6-1.
Friday's matchup will pit two of the most dominant backs against one another: Craggette and Martin. Craggette has put up some stellar numbers this year, and currently owns excellent season averages of 120.6 rushing yards per game this season. For his part, Martin has averaged 66 rushing yards per game this season.
Southmoreland was taken down by Belle Vernon 48-0 in their previous matchup back in October of 2022. Will Southmoreland have more luck at home instead of on the road?
