Aug 26, 2022 4 min read

CLAYSVILLE – McGuffey’s 44-28 Week Zero win over Southmoreland was, for the most part, a solid team effort.

Highlander coach Ed Dalton hopes to see a lot of those this season.

But he probably won’t see many players score four touchdowns three different ways as Kyle Brookman did.

Brookman scored twice rushing, once receiving and ran back a kickoff 90 yards to score four touchdowns in three different ways.

“I was just going out there to play ball,” Brookman said. “Worked hard this summer, and it paid off.”

Brookman had some excellent numbers, but Dalton feels his senior needs to work on his discipline this fall.

“He’s a great player; he just lacks some self-discipline,” Dalton said.

Dalton pointed out a play where Brookman reeled off a 35-yard run that went away because of Brookamn’s personal foul penalty after the play.

“His rage is part of what makes him really good,” Dalton said, “but it’s also part of what makes him a little vulnerable. Why wouldn’t a team just start to go after him then and try to get him off his game?”

Though McGuffey had a lot of good to take from its win, the fourth quarter wasn’t positive.

The Highlanders lost the last 12 minutes, 21-6, and though it didn’t affect the outcome, Dalton wasn’t happy about it.

“We didn’t perform very well at the end,” he said.

McGuffey is known to run the football all night.

If Week Zero is any indication, Dalton’s team will keep running it – a lot – in 2022

But the play that swung the outcome in McGuffey’s favor was a pass.

A long pass.

With 2:05 left in the first quarter, McGuffey started its second possession on its 27-yard line with Southmoreland having just tied the game at 7.

Highlander quarterback Phillip McCuen hit Tristan McAdoo for a 73-yard touchdown pass to give McGuffey a lead it wouldn’t lose.

Before that, McGuffey drew first blood on its first possession when Ethan Dietrich scored on a 13-yard run. Dietrich finished the night with a team-leading 64 yards on eight carries along with the score.

Southmoreland answered on its next drive. Aided by a roughing penalty on what would have been a Jake Kaylor made field goal, the Scotties got a new set of downs and cashed in with a 3-yard touchdown run by Ty Keffer on fourth and goal. Kaylor’s extra point went through, and the Scotties tied the game.

It wouldn’t stay tied for long. On the first play of McGuffey’s second possession, quarterback Phillip McCuen hit receiver Tristan McAdoo for a 73-yard touchdown. The PAT made it 14-7.

McCuen finished the night with 6-9 passing for 118 yards and two touchdowns. McAdoo caught three passes and ended with 89 yards and a score.

Things only got worse for Southmoreland. The Scotties fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and McGuffey kicker Dylan Stwart recovered it to set McGuffey up at the opponents’ 22.

The Highlanders made it 3-for-3 in touchdown conversions on a one-yard run by Kyle Brookman.

McGuffey scored again on its next possession on another short run by Brookman, this one from 1-yard.

“We really came out of the gate well,” Dalton said. “I was very impressed by the way we came out of the gate. We came to play.”

Brookman and McCuen put the nail in the coffin in the second half with a 38-yard pass that increased the Highlander lead to four touchdowns.

Southmoreland played with heavy hearts Friday.

On Feb. 2, Ron Frederick learned he’d be Southmoreland’s next football coach. He died suddenly the next day at 40.

Tim Bukowski became the team’s head coach in the worst circumstance imaginable.

“They know that we care about Coach Fred and his family,” Bukowski said. “We wanted to go out and win for him. Next week, we’re going to honor him at the home game. So I know those guys will respond and come out ready to play.”

Southmoreland’s home opener is against Ligonier Valley.

McGuffey remains in Claysville and out of conference next week, when it hosts Ringgold.

“We expect a handful,” Dalton said. “It’s a local rivalry. We play them in other sports, so it should be a great night.”