Franklin Regional notebook: FR grad Kadyn Hannah makes quick impact at La Roche

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, January 15, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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Kadyn Hannah did not need much adjustment time as a freshman on the La Roche men’s basketball team.

The Franklin Regional alum stepped into the starting five from Day 1 and has helped push the Redhawks (5-5) to four straight wins.

The statement game for the 6-foot-5 forward came Jan. 8 when La Roche defeated Alfred State, 94-80.

Hannah poured in a career-high 30 points and did so in a tidy fashion. He only played 18 minutes, but made 15 of 16 shots.

His previous high was 20 points in a 91-82 win over Hilbert.

Hannah is averaging 10.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 20.8 minutes.

WCCA champs

Two Franklin Regional wrestlers climbed the medal stand at the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association Tournament earlier this month at Kiski Area.

Finn Solomon (145 pounds) and Juliano Marion (189) were crowned county champions. In the finals, Solomon edged past Hempfield’s Lucas Kapusta, 2-1, while Marion sneaked past Owen Ott of Penn-Trafford, 3-2.

Ty Kapusta was a runner-up for the Panthers at 106, while Gavin Beck was third at 160, Justin Bass (126) and Nate Stone (138) finished fourth, and Ben Pekarcik was fifth at 132.

The Panthers finished fifth overall behind Latrobe, Hempfield, Kiski Area and Penn-Trafford.

Upset special

Franklin Regional boys basketball pulled a stunner Jan. 4, knocking off unbeaten and No. 2-ranked Penn Hills, 59-55, in a Section 3-5A game.

Not a bad way to snap a five-game losing streak and give new coach Jesse Reed his first section win.

“It was a big-time effort from our guys,” Reed said. “It’s a little easier to play when you’re not down 20 at the half.”

Caden Smith had a season-high 25 points, Cam Rowell added 15 and Fin Hutchison had 11 off the bench for the Panthers.

Franklin Regional had just nine turnovers and overcame getting blocked 11 times to win.

FR skates to 4th straight

First-place Franklin Regional extended its PIHL winning streak to four games with an 11-2 victory over Indiana.

Luke Lavrish had a five-point night, with two goals and three assists, while Zach Abdallah had four points — one goal and three assists. Chase Williams also scored twice for the Panthers (12-1).

Release the Hounds

A pair of WPIAL girls soccer standouts and Pittsburgh Riverhounds Academy players were selected to play in a national showcase.

Franklin Regional senior Sydney Lindeman and Pine-Richland junior Ava Boyd made the cut for the Elite Clubs National League Florida National Selection Games on Jan. 8 at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.

There were two games.

Lindeman played in the U18/19 game, Boyd in the U16/17 contest. Both were on East team rosters.

Lindeman, a Towson commit, was an All-Region II East, all-state and All-WPIAL picks this season for the Panthers and was named the Trib Westmoreland player of the year.

Boyd, a talented midfielder and one of the Rams’ top scorers, was an ECNL first-team selection this year in the Ohio Valley Conference.

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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