Franklin Regional football stuns Gateway

Franklin Regional football notched perhaps the biggest win of the week in the entire WPIAL last Friday, as the host Panthers stunned Gateway 16-7 in the Class 5A Big East Conference opener. The Gators, who entered the season as the consensus favorite in Class 5A, suffered their first loss, dropping to 3-1, while the Panthers improved to 2-1. FR had not defeated Gateway since 2016. Franklin Regional running back Zach Bewszka posted 29 carries for 142 yards and scored his team’s only TD, while quarterback Roman Sarnic rushed 28 times for 126 yards. The Panthers also received a strong showing on special teams, as kicker Joseph Bayne connected from 27 yards in the first half, and his field goals from 34 and 22 yards accounted for all of the scoring in the second half. Gateway QB Brad Birch hooked up with Leonard Sherrod on a 16-yard touchdown in the first quarter for the Gators’ only points.

Jeannette’s Paulone notches first win

Jeannette’s Thomas Paulone secured his initial victory as the Jayhawks’ head coach last Friday, as Jeannette exploded for 47 points in the first half and walloped Frazier 60-14 in the Class 1A Eastern Conference opener. The 2010 Jeannette grad is in his first season at the helm of the program after the retirement of legendary head coach Roy Hall. Jayhawks QB Payton Molter factored into four touchdowns, while Noah Sanders and Michael Mason each scored three times in the lopsided victory. Sanders displayed his big-play ability, as he scored on a 48-yard reception, a 44-yard run, and a 65-yard kickoff return. Mason had a pair of TD runs and a 43-yard touchdown reception from Molter, who was 3-of-6 for 116 yards and added a TD run and a fumble recovery score.

PT’s Williams, GCC’s Hoffman win tennis section titles

A pair of Westmoreland County tennis underclassmen claimed singles section titles last week, as Penn-Trafford freshman Amelia Williams and Greensburg Central Catholic’s sophomore Sasha Hoffman prevailed in their respective brackets. Williams, competing in Class AAA Section 1 at Franklin Regional High School, made quick work of Greater Latrobe’s Avery Massaro 6-0, 6-0 in the final. To reach that point, the top-seeded Williams ousted Kiski Area’s Lexiann Colaianni, Gateway’s Sophia Hernandez, and Taylor Shanefelter of Greater Latrobe. Hoffman, who was also the No. 1 seed in Class AA Section 1 at Valley High School, defeated Sophia Smithnosky of Mount Pleasant Area 6-2, 6-3 in the title bout. In earlier action, Hoffman downed Jeannette’s Emma Lee, Juliana Stabile of Greensburg Salem, and Derry Area’s Danielle Dominick. All of the finalists, as well as third-place finishers, advance to the WPIAL singles tournaments, which take place on Wednesday and Thursday.

Four county teams top boys soccer standings

A quartet of Westmoreland County schools - Kiski Area, Belle Vernon Area, Mount Pleasant Area, and Greensburg Central Catholic - all sit atop the standings as the WPIAL boys soccer season nears the halfway point. In Class 3A Section 1, the Cavaliers are perfect at 5-0-0. Last week, Kiski Area claimed a 2-0 win at home against North Catholic, and a 1-0 triumph on the road against Mars Area, as well as a nonsection win against Greater Latrobe. In Class 2A Section 3, the Leopards and Vikings are tied with McGuffey at the top, all with marks of 5-1-0. Last week, Belle Vernon Area ousted Washington 1-0, and followed with a crucial 2-0 victory at Mount Pleasant Area. Prior to that, Mount Pleasant claimed a 3-0 home win against McGuffey. The Centurions, meanwhile, top the field in Class 1A Section 2, at 4-0-0. Last week, GCC won its only match by a 7-3 margin at home against Charleroi.

Auld to lead Greensburg Salem boys hoops

Former Norwin basketball player Cam Auld was approved as the new Greensburg Salem boys varsity coach last Wednesday. A 2016 graduate of Norwin, Auld continued his career on the hardwood at Waynesburg University. A four-year player for the Yellow Jackets, Auld graduated in 2020, and joined the Waynesburg coaching staff for the abbreviated 2021 season. At the same time, he helped out at nearby Waynesburg Central High School. Last year, Auld served as the ninth-grade coach at Norwin. Auld replaces coach Mark Zahorchak, who concluded his four-year tenure when he stepped down this offseason. Playing up in the 6A classification, the Golden Lions went just 3-19 overall last season, and 0-13 in the previous campaign.

Seton Hill announces latest HOF inductees

The Seton Hill University Athletic Hall of Fame will grow by four members next month, as the school announced its latest inductees last week. The heralded group consists of Joe Smith (Class of 2017 – men’s soccer); Lauren Teed Clem (2016 – volleyball); Christine Henderson Deneen (2015 – softball); and Alex Haines (2014 – baseball). Smith netted 13 goals and 18 assists on the pitch for SHU and was a three-time All-Conference honoree. Teed Clem was twice recognized as the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year, and compiled 2,450 career digs. Henderson Deneen garnered All-Conference accolades in all four of her seasons, notching 42 wins in the circle and posting a .362 career batting average. Haines registered a program-record 281 strikeouts on the mound in his career, was a two-time All-Conference selection, and was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the Major League Baseball Draft in 2013. The induction ceremony will take place on Oct. 7, and the quartet will also be honored the following day during the Seton Hill Homecoming football game.

Bearcats football captures first win

After dropping the first two games of the 2022 campaign, Saint Vincent College football edged Thiel College 24-16 in Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) action on Saturday. Playing at home, the Bearcats received a strong showing from running back DJ Gray, who rushed 18 times for 118 yards and a touchdown. Molayo Irefin added a pair of TDs – one rushing and one receiving. Additionally, Ethan Facey led the defensive charge for SVC, as he registered eight tackles and a forced fumble. The Bearcats will face their first road contest on Saturday, as they face Grove City College in PAC play.