6 finalists announced for 3rd Bill Fralic Award

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, November 18, 2021 | 8:00 AM

Finalists were announced this week for the third annual Bill Fralic Memorial Award, which recognizes the top senior football lineman in the WPIAL.

There are six finalists — one from each classification — and the winner will be announced Dec. 4 at a pancake breakfast at Longue Vue Club in Verona.

The six are:

Class A: Kanye Hawkins, Clairton

Class 2A: Mason Manos, Neshannock

Class 3A: Sean FitzSimmons, Central Valley

Class 4A: Billy McChesney, Greensburg Salem

Class 5A: Trent Fraley, Moon

Class 6A: Donovan Hinish, Central Catholic

FitzSimmons seems to fit the mold perfectly: He is a Pitt recruit. McChesney is headed to Columbia as a heavyweight wrestler. Fralic also was proficient in wrestling.

Fraley, a Marshall commit, is the son of former Robert Morris and NFL lineman Hank Fraley, now an assistant coach with the Detroit Lions.

Fralic was a dominant force as a two-way lineman at Penn Hills, Pitt and in the NFL. He died of cancer in 2018. He often is credited for popularizing the pancake block.

Coaches could nominate players until early this month, and now a panel of coaches and colleagues with ties to Fralic will select the award winner.

Former Pitt standout lineman and recent NFL Hall of Fame inductee Jimbo Covert will speak at the banquet.

Past winners of the Fralic Award are Miguel Jackson of Pine-Richland (2020) and Logan Danielson of Thomas Jefferson (2019.

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

Tags: Central Catholic, Central Valley, Clairton, Greensburg Salem, Moon, Neshannock