Westmoreland County football Q&A with Southmoreland’s Zach Cernuto

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 | 4:51 PM

Before the season started, Zach Cernuto assessed what might constitute a good season, his first as the starting quarterback at Southmoreland.

He knew one win would outdo last’s year’s winless season. Two or three might send Alverton into a frenzy.

But personally speaking, the sophomore said 500 yards passing over a full, 10-game season would be realistic. His estimate came in a bit low.

Through five games, Cernuto has passed for 980 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Scotties, who sit 3-2 overall and 2-2 in the Class 2A Century Conference.

The team has not won more than three games in a season since 2014 and has not won five times since 2003, the last time the Scotties had a winning season.

The team has not made the WPIAL playoffs since 1979. The Scotties are in fourth place, and the top four teams in Class 2A make the playoffs.

Cernuto has spread the wealth, completing passes to a number of receivers, throwing out of power-I and spread offenses.

“He is one of our leaders,” Scotties first-year coach Dave Keefer said. “He is a smart kid and picked up our terminology right away. He has shown a lot of poise for a sophomore.”

The 5-foot-10, 165-pound Cernuto, who played wide receiver last year and saw minimal snaps as a backup quarterback to Jaden Datz, has taken the reins of the offense firmly, carrying over momentum from a strong seven-on-seven run in the summer.

The Scotties thumped Brownsville last week with a not-so-Scottie-like 59-0 victory. Cernuto completed 12 of 13 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns.

They also beat Mt. Pleasant, 18-14, in the opener, the potential once-upon-a-time moment that turned the arrow upward.

They also downed Carmichaels, 36-8.

Cernuto discussed a number of topics in this week’s Q&A.

Have you surpassed your expectations for not only the team but also yourself?

Yes. I focused on being a better player. I came in prepared and pushed myself in seven-on-sevens. Our coaches really helped me. (Quarterback) is a big responsibility, but I am comfortable with it now.

How surprised are you to be so close to 1,000 yards?

I thought 500 would be where I’d be. Our offensive coordinator (Tim Buchowski) said he guaranteed I’d have 1,000 by the end of the season. But to be honest, I am more focused on wins and losses.

What was winning the opener against Mt. Pleasant like?

There were ups and downs in that game. I threw an interception close to their goal line, but our defense stopped them from scoring, and that gave us a lot of confidence.

Did you anticipate this group of players could make a significant impact on the program?

In junior high, we thought we had a good group. We thought we could help change the culture. Our new coaching staff came in with a positive attitude. We didn’t want to be the same old Scotties.

What was it like going to Southmoreland games as a young fan?

The beginning of the game was exciting, but as it went on, you kind of knew the outcome would be the same. The score would go up.

What has helped you become a leader?

Sports have always driven me to push myself. My grades are really important to me. My parents taught me that.

Your mother, Amber (Weimer) Cernuto, was a good athlete at Southmoreland in basketball as a 1,000-point scorer and in softball. Is that where you get your athleticism?

From her and my dad (Michael). He was a good athlete, too. He played soccer.

You’re a teenager who doesn’t have a Twitter account?

Nope, I don’t do Twitter. I’m not big into social media. I’m one of those old-school pen-and-paper guys. I’m not big into technology.

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Southmoreland