Franklin Regional’s Thomas Bridges named 2025 TribLive Westmoreland Boys Soccer Player of the Year
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Sunday, November 23, 2025 | 9:14 AM
Franklin Regional’s Thomas Bridges celebrates with teammates after scoring against Penn-Trafford on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Harrison City.
Franklin Regional goalkeeper Emerson Bush makes a save on Penn-Trafford’s Noah Haslam during their game on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Harrison City.
Franklin Regional’s Fabrizzio Costa works past West Allegheny’s Caden Gnoth during the WPIAL Class 3A championship game on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at Highmark Stadium.
Hempfield senior soccer player Braden Crowe
Franklin Regional’s Cruise Lamanna works against Chartiers Valley’s Aiden Ozbay during their WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Murrysville.
Bethel Park’s Xavier Jackson works past Latrobe’s John Massaro during their WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinal on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, at Latrobe.
Mt. Pleasant’s Damien Ohler blocks a shot during the Vikings’ game against Charleroi on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, at Mt. Pleasant.
Yough junior soccer player Isaac Pacacha
Plum’s Marco Tommasino defends on Norwin’s Ryan Schoemer on Oct. 10 at Norwin High School.
Mt. Pleasant’s Tyke Snyder gets past Yough’s Tyler Smith on Sept. 29, 2025 at Mt. Pleasant Area High School.
Mt. Pleasant’s Grant Zahrobsky celebrates his lone goal against Charleroi on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, at Mt. Pleasant.
West Allegheny’s Michael Johnson works against Franklin Regional’s Thomas Bridges during the WPIAL Class 3A championship game on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at Highmark Stadium.
TribLive Westmoreland Boys Soccer All-Stars
Player of the year
Thomas Bridges
Jr., Defender, Franklin Regional
Versatility and raw skill could land Thomas Bridges at a different position next soccer season at Franklin Regional, maybe in the midfield or attacking third.
This season, the bruiser was one . He was definitely playing his best ball of the season during our highest leverage games. He defends so well, is strong in the air, and he can also create attack for us coming out of the back with his distribution of the top defensive players in the state.
Section 3-3A coaches thought so much of Bridges they voted him the section player of the year, a tough get for a defender.
He also is the TribLive Westmoreland Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
Damien Ohler of Mt. Pleasant and Ryan Schoemer of Norwin also were considered.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Bridges had only three goals and five assists, but it was his unique skill set, nose for the ball, physical nature and big leg that propped up the Panthers’ back line and set him apart.
Bridges’ productive season also earned him All-WPIAL and all-state accolades.
It wasn’t uncommon for Bridges to make a momentum-smashing tackle on one end of the field and swoop in and put a deflection on frame on the other.
“He has yet to reach his ceiling,” Franklin Regional coach Nick White said. “He can still grow and improve as a player, which is a crazy thing given his success this year.”
Franklin Regional finished 19-5 and reached the WPIAL Class 3A championship and PIAA quarterfinals with Bridges at center back.
“Thomas is leaving this season as a highly decorated player,” White said. “He is as competitive and motivated a player as I’ve been around. He raises his game when the stakes are highest.”
Bridges said his junior season was memorable in multiple ways, primarily because of a deep playoff run.
“We were one of eight teams left playing in our classification (through the PIAA quarterfinals) and any time you’re playing soccer in November for high school, you know you’re doing a lot of things well.
“I was a bit disappointed that we couldn’t win the WPIAL title this year. I really thought it was our year. We had all of the pieces to the puzzle and we were playing some of our best soccer towards playoffs.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this team and to be mentored by my great coaches and play alongside my amazing teammates.”
First team
Emerson Bush
Sr., GK, Franklin Regional
All-section goalie posted 14 shutouts and allowed only 14 goals for WPIAL 3A runners-up.
Fabrizzio Costa
Sr., MF, Franklin Regional
An All-WPIAL selection, he scored 16 goals and dealt 14 assists, both team highs, to lead the Panthers.
Braden Crowe
Sr., MF, Hempfield
Co-Section 1-4A player of the year helped Hempfield reach playoffs for first time since 2014 with 15 goals and five assists.
Cruise Lamanna
Sr., MF, Franklin Regional
All-section and All-WPIAL player helped Panthers reach WPIAL 3A final, providing 12 goals and seven assists as a holding midfielder.
John Massaro
Jr., MF, Latrobe
Massaro led a Class 3A playoff team with 11 goals and was an all-section selection.
Damien Ohler
Sr., D, Mt. Pleasant
An All-WPIAL pick for a section championship team, he powered a back line that helped produce 11 shutouts.
Isaac Pacacha
Jr., F, Yough
All-section performer finished with 26 goals to lead Westmoreland County, and has 54 career goals, two shy of the program record.
Ryan Schoemer
Jr., F, Norwin
Had an All-WPIAL season for the Class 4A quarterfinalist Knights, scoring seven goals and distributing seven assists.
Tyke Snyder
So., F, Mt. Pleasant
One of Westmoreland’s top goal scorers, he was an All-WPIAL player who had 17 goals and eight assists for a 2A quarterfinalist.
Grant Zahrobsky
Jr., MF, Mt. Pleasant
One of the top playmakers for the Vikings, he finished with 13 goals and a team-high nine assists.
Second team
Grant Brewer, Sr., MF, Greensburg Central Catholic
Grayson Gardner, So., GK, Mt. Pleasant
Cooper Geyer, Sr., MF, Penn-Trafford
Reed Hoyle, Jr., GK, Norwin
Cam King, Sr., MF, Penn-Trafford
Caleb Maddock, Jr., F, Norwin
Dom Mascara, Sr., D, Franklin Regional
Danny Metzger, Jr., D, Norwin
Logan Metzger, Sr., MF, Belle Vernon
Brennan Neubauer, Sr., MF, Penn-Trafford
Jack Smith, Jr., MF, Southmoreland
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Hempfield, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, Yough
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