Sep 20, 2008 3 min read

Would it be the Leopards who played well and dispatched Laurel Highlands and Southmoreland to open the season? Or would it be the Leopards squad that was, as Rood stated, “flat and went into a shell and had a total meltdown and forgot everything they worked on” in BV’s 62-0 loss to Char Valley last week. “We told the kids one game does not make or break a season and we had an intense and spirited week of practice this week, and the kids responded.” Until the wheels came off in the third quarter.

With Rood’s Leopards trailing 21-10 at the half, Greensburg Salem (2-2, 1-0) scored two third-quarter touchdowns in a 14-second span, and added a third less than two minutes later to defeat Belle Vernon 42-10.

BV took a 3-0 lead to open the game when Adam Gillingham booted a 27-yard field goal at 9:56 on the first period. After falling behind, 7-3, BV’s Matt Green scored on a 25-yard touchdown run to give the Leopards a 10-7 lead after one quarter. Greensburg Salem, however, responded with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns and three in the third period to put the game out of reach.

“We had opportunities in the first half and didn’t capitalize,” Rood said. “We needed to get some scores and didn’t, and Greensburg (Salem) took advantage, and everything snowballed in the third quarter.”

Despite trailing 21-10 at the half, BV’s locker room was “calm,” Rood continued. “We weren’t upset. We played a good half, but made a couple mistakes and it hurt. We have some people injured and we played a lot of young guys who made young guys’ mistakes. Those aren’t excuses and we have to live with what we have. These guys aren’t quitters and they kept battling. We have to get people healthy and work harder. There is no quick fix.”

In the fateful third quarter, GS took the opening kickoff and scored in five plays, with the touchdown coming on quarterback Steven Fagert’s 48-yard run. On the ensuing short kickoff, GS recovered at the BV 33 and scored in one play as Fagert connected with Jerry Cooley on a 28-yard touchdown pass. Following a BV interception, Fagert found Drew Manley slanting across the middle of the field for a 35-yard touchdown pass-and-run play.

Greensburg Salem’s Matt Adams took game rushing honors with 129 yards on 19 carries, while Fagert added 104 on seven attempts.

BV quarterback Cody Williams took team rushing honors with 46 yards on six carries, and completed 4-of-14 passes for 48 yards. BV sophomore Matt Green added a spark with a pair of kickoff returns of 44 and 60 yards.

Belle Vernon (2-2, 0-1) travels to West Mifflin next week to resume Big 7 Conference play.