Franklin Regional notebook: Playoffs around corner for hockey team

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, February 5, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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The Franklin Regional hockey team was gearing up for its final four games of the season as the Panthers build toward another PIHL Class 2A playoff run.

The Panthers were narrowly trailing Armstrong in the East Division. Both teams were 12-2, but Armstrong’s one overtime loss had the River Hawks at 27 points, two better than Franklin Regional.

The Panthers’ remaining games included two home games and two away — at Butler (Feb. 7), vs. Hempfield (Feb. 14), vs. Latrobe (Feb. 21) and at Shaler (Feb. 24).

Hockey dates

The PIHL announced important dates as the lengthy regular season winds toward a conclusion.

The league playoffs will begin March 7 with the semifinals March 14 and the Penguins Cup finals March 21-22.

The state championship will be March 26.

The all-star games are set for April 3 at Alpha Ice Complex.

FR wins 4 of 5

With four wins in a five-game stretch, the Franklin Regional boys basketball team is primed to make a run at a WPIAL Class 5A playoff spot in Section 3.

The Panthers, who were 7-11 overall and 5-5 in section, edged past Woodland Hills, 45-42, as Cam Rowell scored 16 points and the team made 19 of 24 free throws, including 11 of 13 in the fourth quarter.

A big defensive play by 6-foot-8 center Max Leven — a block with five seconds left — sealed the win.

“We’re resilient,” Panthers coach Jesse Reed said. “We found a way at the end. I am proud of our guys. This game took winning plays. We made them.”

After a 54-48 loss to Penn Hills, a team the Panthers upset earlier in the season, Franklin Regional dumped Homer Center, 65-26, in the Shootout at Seton Hill.

Rowell and Leven had 12 points apiece.

That was followed by a 68-36 runaway over Latrobe, a team the Panthers lost to earlier in the season. Smith scored 21 and Rowe added 19 in the victory.

Girls hoops

Franklin Regional had dropped six of its last seven games as it prepared to take on first-place Latrobe in girls Section 4-5A.

The Panthers broke a five-game losing streak with a 47-34 win over Penn Hills to sweep the Indians. Sarah Penrod has 11 points for the Panthers, who lost for the second time this season to Greensburg Central Catholic at the Shootout at Seton Hill, 43-37.

The Panthers, who led 19-17 at the half, rallied late but could not overtake the 2A Centurions.

Angelina Brush scored 10 in the loss.

The Panthers played close with fifth-ranked Latrobe, even cutting the lead to eight with six minutes to play before falling 51-41. The Panthers trailed 45-27 after the third quarter.

Penrod had 11 in the loss.

Oh, brother

The Chicago Bears recently named Luke Getsy as their offensive coordinator after Getsy left his position as quarterbacks coach of the Green Bay Packers.

Getsy, a former WPIAL standout quarterback who played at Pitt and Akron and also coached at IUP, is the brother of Franklin Regional head football coach Lance Getsy.

College scene

Checking in on Franklin Regional alumni playing college sports:

Women’s track & field

Robert Morris: Freshman Rayna Todero posted a personal-best mark of 11.19 meters in the triple jump for a second-place finish at the Youngstown State Mid-Major Invitational.

Men’s track & field

Westminster: Junior Ryan Beard took 15th place in the 200-meter dash with a personal-best time of 22.80 seconds at the Youngstown State Mid-Major Invitational.

Women’s swimming

Westminster: Junior Baylee Horvath took second place in the 100- and 50-yard freestyles, touching the wall in 55.14 and 25.29 seconds as the Titans fell to Grove City, 190-101. Horvath followed that performance with a win in the 50 free (25.63) as the Titans took care of Mount Union, 174-112.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional