Franklin Regional boys soccer bolstered by high seed in WPIAL playoffs

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, October 25, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

When Franklin Regional reached the WPIAL boys soccer finals last season, the Panthers were slight underdogs as the No. 7 seed.

If they get back to Highmark Stadium, it won’t be as much of a surprise.

The Panthers were awarded the No. 3 seed this time in what appears to be a wide-open Class 3A playoff field.

The WPIAL playoffs began earlier this month.

“It’s a testament to the boys and the work they put in during the regular season,” Franklin Regional coach Nick White said. “There are so many good teams with similar records. I really think this is the most wide-open WPIAL playoff I’ve ever seen. Any team in this tournament can make a run if they get on a roll.”

The Franklin Regional boys and girls earned home games to start the postseason.

The Franklin Regional boys (16-3) opened the tournament with a 2-0 victory over No. 14 Montour (9-8). Michael Hillebrand and Daniel Todd scored goals and Fabrizzio Costa assisted both as the Panthers moved on to play No. 6 Chartiers Valley.

In 2022, Montour upset the fourth-seeded Panthers as a No. 13 seed.

“As with most tournaments, it will come down to matchups,” White said. “Can you exploit your opponent, play to your strengths and minimize your opponent’s ability to exploit your weaknesses?”

A benefit of earning a higher seed is getting a home game for the first two rounds — pending an opening win, of course.

The Franklin Regional girls (14-3), owners of 13 shutouts including six in a row to close the regular season, were seeded sixth in Class 3A and hosted No. 11 Shaler (9-6-1).

After 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, Shaler edged the Panthers in a penalty-kick shootout, 3-2.

Nine Westmoreland County schools — Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional, Latrobe, Belle Vernon, Mt. Pleasant, Southmoreland, Yough and Greensburg Central Catholic — had boys and girls teams in the playoffs.

All-section teams announced

Franklin Regional boys soccer had the coach and player of the year and saw five players make all-section when votes were tallied and Section 3-3A postseason accolades were revealed.

Nick White is the section’s top coach, while junior Thomas Bridges was the top player — quite an honor for a defender.

All-section picks included Bridges, senior goalie Emerson Bush, senior forwards Cruise Lamanna and Fabrizzio Costa, and sophomore forward Michael Hillebrand.

For the Panthers’ girls, senior forward Allyssa Velasquez, senior goalkeeper Addison Ayres, junior center back Grace Copeland and freshman Reese Regelski made the All-Section 4-3A team.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional