Franklin Regional girls embrace smooth style of play, enter playoffs on winning streak

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Franklin Regional might allow a goal or two, but one thing the Panthers will not do in a game is disconnect.

Playing organized is their bond.

“As usual, our main strength is staying connected and playing together as a team whether attacking, defending or in transition,” fifth-year coach Scott Arnold said. “Our intention is to dominate the ball and assert our style of play. We’re confident to play anywhere on the field, including up the middle of the field or even in our own penalty box.”

The Panthers (12-5) will enter the WPIAL playoffs on a six-game winning streak, a stretch that shows their unique approach is working at the best time. They finished 10-2 in Section 4-3A, two games behind Plum.

There is a method behind the madness of a team that has held its opponents to 19 goals.

Preventative measures allow Arnold to keep his team as fresh as possible. He doesn’t want his players overexerting themselves or getting into tackling matches.

The creating of space on the field allows the Panthers to spread out.

“In addition to being a fun and effective way to play, we strongly feel this style is much healthier for the players as it reduces the number of tackles, collisions, aerial challenges, etc.,” Arnold said. “This is especially important in a compressed high school season with so many games and not enough recovery time between them.”

Arnold said his team’s style is based on a philosophy called “positional play,” wherein players try to create numerical advantages in passing areas, creating smooth offensive flow down the field.

Players must adhere to their position, and play it accordingly, for the concept to work. Goals can be the end result of an assembly line.

Simply, rotations and succinct movements in passing zones are critical to creating offense. The player with the ball gets multiple places to go with the it.

“You try to create various superiorities during the game,” Arnold said. “One of them is qualitative superiority. With Abby (Paterline), we are seeking to create moments to utilize her difference-making qualities, such as her shooting and finishing, and her scoring with her head. She’s also an excellent target player.”

Senior Eden Williams has 32 points (12 goals, 8 assists), a high-water mark for a player under Arnold’s watch. She is one of three players with 20 or more points, joining seniors Paterline (22) and Reilly Weaver (21).

The Panthers have been primarily healthy all season, aside from one long-term injury that occurred off the pitch.

The Panthers recently welcomed back junior forward Allyssa Velasquez, who suffered several fractured bones in her face in a gym class accident in August.

She scored a goal in the regular-season finale, a 7-0 win over West Mifflin.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional