Franklin Regional boys soccer pushes past Penn-Trafford with 2nd-half surge

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, September 26, 2024 | 11:19 PM

Concerned but not flustered after letting up a goal just before halftime, Franklin Regional rallied for three second-half goals and ripped past Penn-Trafford, 3-1, in Section 3-3A boys soccer Thursday night at Panther Stadium.

“We just knew we had to lock in and play better,” said Danny Christafano, who scored two goals for the No. 3-ranked Panthers (7-2, 6-1), who have won seven of their last eight games. “That goal didn’t bother us.”

Penn-Trafford (5-4-1, 4-3-1) played tight, organized soccer in the first 40 minutes, pushing back the faster Panthers’ chances and relying on some sure-handed saves by goalkeeper Jose Chaves.

The Warriors kept the Panthers off the board, while tacking on a goal in the 39th minute.

Chad Pusateri showed what can happen when he crashed the net on his own penalty kick. Panthers’ keeper Noah Walker made the save, but the ball deflected back to Pusateri, who scored for a 1-0 advantage.

Instead of the momentum carrying over for the Warriors, it was Franklin Regional that revved up its attack for three unanswered goals.

Just four minutes into the second half, Christafano charged the net and took a touch from Andrew Acosta, who had a goal and an assist off the bench.

About 10 minutes later, Acosta bumped a shot high into the air, essentially fading away, but it bounced into the far corner to make it 2-1.

“In the first half, they took us out of some of the things we like to do,” Franklin Regional coach Nick White said. “We didn’t have a strong first half. At halftime I asked our guys, ‘What kind of team do we want to be? We were down like that in two (previous) games and we lost. Can we elevate? Can we be a second-half team?’ The boys went to work.”

Even with starters Joey Bayne (back) and Fabrizzio Costa (leg) out of the game to rest, the Panthers remained productive.

Christafano broke into the final third and cut back for the brace and a 3-1 score.

Penn-Trafford was limited offensively after halftime.

“Give it to them. They came out hungry and we came out flat,” Warriors coach Ryan Hankey said. “Sometimes you give up a goal and you deflate a little bit. They didn’t have that. We didn’t have the urgency to get the ball out.”

Playing with just as many sophomores and freshmen in the lineup as the Panthers had seniors, Penn-Trafford tried to generate buildups but was limited.

Mitchell Murray had two assists for the Panthers, who sent 10 shots at the Warriors, who had five, just one on frame in the second half.

Chaves made six saves in the loss, which ended the Warriors’ three-game winning streak.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Penn-Trafford