Upper St. Clair’s Stohl wins Fralic Award as WPIAL’s best 2-way lineman

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, December 7, 2024 | 4:57 PM

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When the late Bill Fralic played football at Penn Hills, Pitt and in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions, he was a dominating blocker.

Many times, he overpowered his opponent and would “pancake” him to the ground.

For the past six years, the top interior two-way lineman in the WPIAL — one in each classification — has been recognized for his play, and the winner has received the Bill Fralic Memorial Award.

This year’s winner was Upper St. Clair senior Nate Stohl (5A), who will continue his education and playing career at Princeton.

Stohl and the five other nominees were honored Saturday and at The Longue Vue Club with a pancake breakfast buffet, which is appropriate to the number of pancake blocks — a term made famous by Fralic’s play — the six nominees had during their career.

All the nominees met the criteria for the award:

• tough, physical interior lineman

• best and most dominant interior lineman who starts on both sides of the ball

• team and school leader

• plays his best in the biggest games

• extremely hard working

• desire to “win every snap”

• is coachable, a great teammate and sets example for teammates

• high character

“All these players are amazing,” Fralic’s wife, Susan, said. “They are great individuals, and any one of them could have won the award.”

Upper St. Clair coach Mike Junko said in Stohl’s bio that he was the best lineman in the WPIAL.

The other finalists were Bishop Canevin senior Braiden Sudor (A), South Park senior Parker Cunningham (2A), Elizabeth Forward senior Christopher Climes (3A), Thomas Jefferson senior Shephard Turk (4A) and North Allegheny senior Jack Yatchenko (6A).

The award exemplifies the dominance, leadership and character that Fralic possessed during his legendary career.

“This is a tremendous honor,” Stohl said. “It means a lot being recognized as the best two-way player. Obviously, there are five other great finalists, and it means so much to me.

“I owe a lot of my success to my coaches, parents and brothers. They shaped me into a good player. I have been playing for many years, and football means so much to me. I play with passion and drive and a desire to win.”

Stohl said he selected Princeton because it has a good football program but more for the impact it could have on his life after football.

“It’s a prestigious university, and you’re really getting the best of both worlds,” he said.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Bishop Canevin, Elizabeth Forward, North Allegheny, South Park, Thomas Jefferson, Upper St. Clair