Westmoreland notebook: Franklin Regional teams have fall season to remember

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, November 8, 2020 | 4:54 PM

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It has been quite a fall sports season for Franklin Regional, which has found success while also working together as a district to combat covid-19 challenges.

Talk about FR Strong.

The boys golf team and girls volleyball teams won their first WPIAL championships, and the boys soccer team was a WPIAL runner-up.

The girls soccer team reached the WPIAL quarterfinals after winning its first playoff game since 2017.

The girls tennis and girls golf teams also made the playoffs.

Golfer Chuck Tragesser finished second at the PIAA Class AAA championship. Three boys golfers made the WPIAL finals, and two qualified for the girls — to play at famed Oakmont Country Club.

What a run

Franklin Regional’s boys soccer team put together quite a four-year run.

It came to an abrupt end, as coach Rand Hudson put it, with a 2-1 loss to Mars in overtime in Thursday’s WPIAL Class AAA championship.

Consider: The Panthers had a record of 73-5-2, won two WPIAL championships, four section titles and made the PIAA semis twice.

And how about this stat? The team posted 52 shutouts in 80 games or, 65% of the time.

Tournament moved

Because of health and safety guidelines, Southmoreland will move its annual holiday wrestling tournament to a new venue.

The Southmoreland Holiday Classic will be held Dec. 28-29 at Murrysville SportZone in Murrysville.

Signing day

The NCAA’s national letter of intent day will be Wednesday. Athletes can sign with Division I and II schools in basketball (early period) and all other sports except football.

Most schools are not having the traditional signing events on campus because of gathering restrictions and virtual learning.

Comes with a Kost

Morgan Kost doesn’t play soccer at a Westmoreland school, but her accomplishments are noteworthy, nonetheless.

Kost, a senior at Trinity Christian, is a girl who plays on the boys soccer team. It gets better: She was one of the top point-scorers in the WPIAL.

A three-time all-section player, she led Trinity Christian with 10 goals and 11 assists.

A Pitt-Johnstown recruit, Kost also plays basketball and runs track.

Winter practice

The WPIAL plans to move forward as scheduled with the start of winter sports.

Basketball, wrestling, swimming, gymnastics and rifle teams can begin official practice Nov. 20.

Rifle begins Dec. 7, while the others begin play Dec. 11.

Recruiting

Hempfield senior swimmer Maddy Cisco committed to Chatham. A sprinter who competes in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles for the Spartans, she is a nine-time WPIAL medalist and a state qualifier.

Cisco has school records in the 50 free and with the 400-yard freestyle relay.

• Greensburg Central Catholic lineman Matt Metrosky has a Division II offer from West Virginia Wesleyan.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hempfield, Southmoreland, Trinity Christian