Franklin Regional notebook: Girls golf team wraps up another strong season

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, October 23, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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Based on the level of competition at the WPIAL Class 3A girls team golf finals, coach Kane Daignault was thrilled to see his Franklin Regional team card a top-five finish.

“You look around and there are so many good players and teams here,” Daignault said on Oct. 14 at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Rostraver. “We came in hoping to finish in the top half. I knew if we played well enough, we could do that.”

Franklin Regional took a 13-0 record into its fifth straight playoff appearance.

Its second straight trip to the championship saw them register a fourth-place finish out of nine teams with a score of 353.

Fox Chapel (327), Peters Township (332) and North Allegheny (339) finished ahead of them.

Senior Caroline Tragesser led the Panthers with an 80, while freshman Anna Qin, the heir apparent to Tragesser as the team’s No. 1 player, added an 82.

Four of the five girls who started in the finals are set to return next season, including sophomores Ali Boyle and Cam Alexander and junior Gwen Shilling.

Tragesser will be a tough player to replace. She has been a regular contender in the WPIAL individual postseason and other events.

She and Qin helped lead the Panthers to a championship at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association championship earlier in the fall at Champion Lakes.

“We’re not going to replace her leadership,” Daignault said. “But I do expect some people to make some big jumps.”

Tennis team falls

The Franklin Regional girls tennis team had another successful regular season and reached the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs, but the Lady Panthers ran into No. 4 seed North Allegheny in the first round.

North Allegheny won, 4-1, to end Franklin Regional’s season.

The doubles team of Lucy Zheng and Makinzie Marcus was able to post a win in the match for the Panthers.

On campus

It was a reunion for three Franklin Regional graduates when the John Carroll and Ohio Northern football teams met Oct. 16 in University Heights, Ohio.

John Carroll senior defensive back Nate Leopold recorded a team-high-tying five tackles in a 27-17 win over Ohio Northern.

Senior Anthony Bonacci also started on the offensive line for the Streaks.

There was a local tie on the Ohio Northern side, too, as senior kicker Dom DiFalco made a 26-yard field goal and a pair of extra points for the Polar Bears.

Villanova: Senior tight end Todd Summers (Franklin Regional) had two catches for 34 yards, one that went for a 24-yard touchdown, as the Wildcats defeated Albany, 17-10. Summers has 13 catches and two scores this season, his fifth at the collegiate level.

Women’s soccer

Westminster: The Titans (12-1-1, 6-0 PAC) ran their winning streak to six with the help of a local connection. Freshman midfielder Natalie Vilchek (Yough) scored her third goal of the season on an assist by freshman forward Brooke Horvath (Franklin Regional) in a 4-0 victory against Waynesburg. Horvath also scored a goal, her ninth of the season. She leads the team with 26 points.

Men’s soccer

Grove City: Freshman defender Luke Kimmich (Franklin Regional) assisted on a goal as the Wolverines improved to 5-1 with a 5-1 win over Chatham. Kimmich has played all 14 games, with six starts, and now has three assists. His brother, Matt Kimmich (Franklin Regional), has an assist in 10 starts. He also is a defender on the GCC back line.

Women’s volleyball

DePaul: Freshman middle blocker Aly Kindelberger (Franklin Regional) has played a key role in her debut season, putting down 68 kills and 11 digs in 20 matches.

Pitt-Greensburg: Junior Emma Halutick and freshman Abigail Miller (Greensburg) had six kills apiece to pace the Bobcats to a 3-0 win over Hilbert to snap an 11-game losing streak.

Men’s golf

Gannon: Junior Clayton Skoff (Franklin Regional) carded rounds of 74, 78 and 74 to finish in a tie for 15th (226), while freshman Michael Wareham (Franklin Regional) tied for 18th (227) at the PSAC Championships at Hershey Country Club. Gannon was second overall behind conference champion IUP.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

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