Franklin Regional notebook: Boys soccer team opens section schedule with win

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, September 7, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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A matchup of first-year coaches in Section 3-3A boys soccer went to Franklin Regional’s Nick White, whose Panthers rang up three second-half goals to pull past Ryan Hankey’s Penn-Trafford team, 3-1, in the section opener Aug. 29.

“P-T came out strong, and they were really strong in the back,” said White, who spent a decade as an assistant at Fox Chapel. “We were just OK in the first half. We needed to play with more urgency in the second half and move the ball more, and it worked out.”

Senior Danny Christafano, junior Cruise Lamanna and senior Joey Bayne scored for No. 2 Franklin Regional (1-1, 1-0), which was supposed to open the section schedule earlier in the week against Washington, but the Prexies are not fielding a team, a last-minute decision that will leave section teams two games short.

Steering column

There has been a change at the top of the WPIAL golf steering committee.

Peters Township coach Dave Kuhn and Franklin Regional’s Jeff Traphagen will oversee the committee and take care of setting up postseason sites and keeping the WPIAL season moving along smoothly.

They will replace Jim Croushore, who spent 19 years on the committee but stepped down due to time restraints.

Kuhn and Traphagen both have coached teams to WPIAL championships. Kuhn recently collected his 400th career win.

Traphagen is in his 24th year with Franklin Regional, 16th with the varsity. Kuhn has been the Indians’ coach for 20 years and runs the Kuhn Golf Academy in McMurray.

A longtime WPIAL committee member, Kuhn also served on the PIAA golf steering committee for eight years.

Girls win first

The Franklin Regional girls soccer team picked up its first win of the season as Eden Williams notched an overtime goal for a 1-0 victory over Kiski Area.

Eliana Canfield assisted the score.

Spikers top Norwin

Franklin Regional’s girls volleyball slipped past Norwin, 3-2, for an early-season win.

Carson Burgh led the way with 10 kills, while Averi Lamfrom contributed four aces, and Maria Piraino had 17 digs.

WCCA golf

The first Westmoreland County Coaches Association event of the fall was set for Sept. 5 with the girls golf championship.

The nine-hole tournament was scheduled for Champion Lakes Golf Course in Bolivar.

Franklin Regional came in the winner of three straight team titles. The Panthers’ Gianna Johnson returned as the defending individual champion. She edged Izzy Aigner of Greensburg Central Catholic in a scorecard playoff after both girls shot 40.

Milana Yannascoli of Hempfield also returned after a third-place finish. Johnson and Yannascoli tied for medalist honors in a match earlier this season.

Tennis wins

The Franklin Regional girls tennis team edged past Latrobe, 3-2, to move to 2-0 for the season.

Michelle Yan and Makinzie Marcus registered singles wins, ehile Lucy Zheng and Anika Jadia picked up an important win at No. 2 doubles.

Leopold coaching

Former Franklin Regional standout Nick Leopold has joined the coaching staff at his alma mater, despite having college eligibility left.

Leopold played 33 games in three seasons at Duquesne. Last year, he was the top punt returner and also played receiver for the Dukes.

“That was it for me,” he said.

“It was time. I can get my football through doing this now.”

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

Tags: Franklin Regional