Don’t forget about Franklin Regional in conference title race

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, August 8, 2024 | 6:01 AM

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Lance Getsy doesn’t seem to mind that people are overlooking his Franklin Regional football team.

The clamor surrounding the WPIAL Class 5A Big East Conference this preseason has mostly been about Latrobe, Penn-Trafford and Woodland Hills.

But anyone who forgets about Franklin Regional might be making a big mistake.

The Panthers return a lot of experience on offense in senior quarterback Chase Lemke and a trio of senior running backs — Kyle Dupill, Jude Gentile and Brent Hickey. The Panthers finished 6-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference but dropped their last three games last season.

“We did a lot of great things on offense,” Getsy said. “We stopped the run on defense, and we have a special person kicking the ball in senior Joey Bayne. So I’m looking forward to the season.

“The end of the season didn’t go well, but we lost to two great teams in Penn-Trafford and WPIAL champion Peters Township. The North Hills loss was a nonconference game.”

Dupill, Bayne and senior tackle Andrew Devola were first-team all-conference.

Lemke completed 86 of 170 passes for 1,296 yards and 13 touchdowns, Dupill rushed for 1,175 yards and scored 14 touchdowns, and Gentile rushed for 344 yards and three touchdowns. Hickey averaged 6.6 yards per carry in limited duty.

Lemke’s top receiver, Ayden Hudock, graduated. He had 48 catches for 803 yards and nine scores, but senior Austin Kerns and Macallister Bresnahan are back.

Kerns caught 12 passes for 163 yards and two scores, and Bresnahan had four catches for 76 yards and a score. Dupill had seven catches for 49 yards and a score.

The loss of Hudock hurts because he did so much.

“You don’t just replace an Ayden Hudock,” Getsy said. “It will be a little more difficult.”

Lemke will need to spread around the wealth, and Kerns and Bresnahan will need to step up.

Other possible targets are seniors Heath Sliva and Elijah Bennett and junior Jaymeir Austin.

Devola is one of three offensive linemen returning. The others are junior center Troy Slezak and senior guard Hunter Reinhart.

“We’re still looking for a couple others,” Getsy said. “Andrew has been starting four years.”

Bayne is another player Getsy will use.

“I’ve seen Joey make 56-yard field goals,” Getsy said. “Anytime we’re inside the 35, I feel comfortable that he’ll make it. His other contribution is his ability to kick the ball into the end zone and have teams start at the 20. Doing that is a big plus for a defense.”

Leading the way on defense is Devola at tackle, Kerns at linebacker and Sliva at safety.

Kerns had 92 tackles (57 solo) and 10 sacks, Devola had 59 tackles (34 solo) and 6¹⁄₂ sacks, and Sliva had 48 tackles.

Others back on defense include Bennett at defensive back, Matt Moore and Hickey at linebacker, Slezak at nose guard and Bresnahan at end.

“There are so many good teams in our conference,” Getsy said. “Gateway is good, Kiski Area is strong, and you can’t count out Armstrong. The teams who make it to the playoffs will be battle tested.”

Franklin Regional

Coach: Lance Getsy

2023 record: 6-5, 3-2 in Class 5A Big East Conference

All-time record: 310-275-12

SCHEDULE

Date, Opponent, Time

8.23 at Plum, 7

8.30 at Hempfield, 7

9.6 at Upper St. Clair, 7

9.13 Latrobe*, 7

9.20 at Gateway*, 7

9.27 Kiski Area*, 7

10.4 at Fox Chapel, 7

10.11 at Penn-Trafford*, 7:30

10.18 Woodland Hills*, 7

10.25 Armstrong*, 7

*Conference games

STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Chase Lemke

86-170-10, 1,296 yards, 13 TDs

Rushing: Kyle Dupill

179-1,175 yards, 14 TDs

Receiving: Ayden Hudock*

48-803 yards, 9 TDs

*Graduated

FAST FACTS

• Franklin Regional has won eight conference titles, the first in 1995 and the latest in 2022.

• The Panthers are 1-1 in WPIAL championship games. They defeated Thomas Jefferson, 31-14, in 2005, but lost to Belle Vernon, 22-6, in 1995.

• Franklin Regional has only finished undefeated during the regular season twice: 1998 and 2011.

• The only time the Panthers have missed the WPIAL playoffs since 2003 was in 2020, the covid season. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2018 when they crushed Bethel Park, 56-28.

ROSTER

No., Name, Pos., Ht./Wt., Cl.

1, Evan Chadwick, WR/DB, 6-2/185, so.

2, Darwin Jones, WR/DB, 5-7/165, sr.

3, Heath Sliva, WR/FS, 5-10/170, sr.

4, Jude Gentile, RB/LB, 5-5/155, sr.

5, Jake Virostek, QB, 5-11/190, sr.

6, Elijah Bennett, WR/DB, 6-1/180, sr.

7, Amauri Jones-Lane, RB/LB, 5-9/152, fr.

8, Chase Lemke, QB/DB, 5-10/175, sr.

9, Joey Bayne, K/P, 5-9/165, sr.

10, Macallister Bresnahan, TE/LB, 6-5/220, sr.

11, Logan Mocharko, WR/DB, 5-9/160, sr.

12, Mathew Moore, WR/DB, 5-10/150, jr.

13, Jaymeir Austin, WR/DB, 6-2/176, jr.

14, Lorenzo Azzolina, QB/DB, 5-4/125, so.

15, Jordan Yates, TE/MLB, 6-2/185, jr.

16, Tyler Pechar, QB/DB, 5-11/160, so.

17, Jake Weir, WR/DB, 6-1/175, sr.

18, Austin Kerns, LB/HB, 6-0/212, sr.

19, Aaron Bennett, HB/LB, 5-7/164, jr.

20, Kaydon Ferrell, TE/LB, 5-10/160, fr.

21, Keyan Morrison, WR/DB, 5-11/150, so.

22, Mason Mullooy, RB/LB, 5-8/155, jr.

23, Tommy Verruggio, HB/SS, 5-9/170, so.

24, Colin Mullooly, WR/DB, 5-7/145, so.

26, Kyle Dupill, RB/LB, 5-7/180, sr.

27, Jet Taylor, RB/SS, 5-7/160, so.

28, Gage William, RB/DB, 5-9/140, so.

29, Austin Visnick, RB/LB, 5-6/155, fr.

31, Sam Siegman, HB/LB, 5-10/160, jr.

32, Dominic Devola, QB/DB, 5-10/150, fr.

34, Sebastian Ponko, WR/DB, 5-7/160, so.

35, Jake Pucka, QB/DB, 5-6/130, fr.

36, Jack Silvis, HB/LB, 6-0/175, sr.

39, Tyler Aikins, WR/DB, 5-7/135, fr.

40, Noah Simmons, RB/LB, 5-6/165, so.

42, Sean Holt, HB/LB, 6-0/150, fr.

43, James Hlopick, WR/DB, 5-4/110, fr.

44, Brent Hickey, RB/LB, 5-9/176, sr.

45, Cole Devola, TE/LB, 5-11/195, so.

46, Noah Simmons, RB/LB, 5-6/165, so.

48, Hrithik Singh, WR/DB, 5-6/106, fr.

49, Michael Faher, TE/LB, 5-9/165, fr.

50, Logan Priest, OL/DL, 6-0/240, jr.

51, Evan McManis, OL/LB, 5-8/155, so.

52, Taquann McBride, OL/LB, 5-11/220, jr.

54, Andrew Devola, OL/DT, 6-1/265, sr.

55, Hunter Reinhart, OL/DL, 5-11/215, sr.

56, Lochlan Bresnahan, OL/DL, 6-1/200, jr.

58, Gavin Young, OL/LB, 5-9/160, fr.

61, Damian Priest, OL/DL, 6-0/220, jr.

62, Emmanuel Pepala, DL/OL, 5-8/266, sr.

63, Matthew Faher, OL/DL, 5-8/160, fr.

64, Austin Sossei, OL/DL , 6-1, fr.

65, Isaac Marcano, OL/DL, 5-9/184, so.

70, Ronnie Schall, OL/DL, 6-3/199, jr.

72, Tyler Ley, OL/DL, 5-10/195, jr.

74, Ben Chiarizo, OL/DL, 5-11/203, so.

75, Troy Slezak, OL/DL, 6-0/250, jr.

77, Antonio Delissio, OL/DL, 5-8/185, fr.

81, Oliver Leven, WR/DB, 5-11/145, fr.

86, Nathan Faher, TE/LB, 5-8/164, fr.

88, Austin McClure, WR/DB, 6-1/165, jr.

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: Franklin Regional