Franklin Regional’s DiFalco named Tribune-Review Westmoreland Boys Soccer Player of the Year

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, November 28, 2020 | 4:09 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Player of the Year

Anthony DiFalco

Jr., F, Franklin Regional

Rand Hudson has seen a number of dynamic players over the course of his 28-year coaching career at the college, club and high school levels.

He has an eye for talent.

But one such player seems to stand out among the rest to the head man at Franklin Regional. And that player keeps doing things the coach can’t believe.

Junior Anthony DiFalco has been a game-changer for the Panthers since he first suited up as a freshman.

The uber-talented forward shined again this season, scoring 37 goals and handing out 24 assists to lead Franklin Regional to a third straight WPIAL Class AAA championship game.

For his efforts, DiFalco is the Tribune-Review Westmoreland Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

Greensburg Central Catholic sophomore Carlo Denis also was considered.

DiFalco was named the WPIAL Class AAA Player of the Year and again earned All-WPIAL and all-state honors.

“I don’t know that I have seen a more talented and gifted player,” Hudson said of DiFalco, noting he has seen players go on to pro careers. “His creative ability, his finishing, his shiftiness, his soccer acumen for being in the right place at the right time, are unmatched. There are times when my assistants and I just shake our heads and look at each other in disbelief.”

The Panthers did not score a WPIAL three-peat as they had hoped, but they finished 16-3 and made it through a season that lived in the shadow of the covid-19 pandemic.

“We had pretty good run but a really disappointing end to the season,” DiFalco said. “It’s pretty upsetting we couldn’t make it to states due to covid.”

DiFalco, who is getting Division I college attention, upped his career goal total to 85.

He is believed to be the first sophomore ever to be named a high school All-American, an honor bestowed on him last year.

All-stars

First team

Brendan Ash

Sr., MF, Norwin

An All-WPIAL pick, he had 12 goals and seven assists and helped the Knights reach the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals.

Blake Cooper

Sr., MF, Franklin Regional

All-WPIAL pick had 22 goals and 15 assists for WPIAL runner-up team.

Carlo Denis

So., F, Greensburg Central Catholic

All-WPIAL player led WPIAL Class A champion and PIAA runner-up GCC with 37 goals, eight in the playoffs.

Mason Fabean

Jr., MF, Greensburg Central Catholic

Scored 24 goals, had 14 assists and earned All-WPIAL honors for GCC, which won WPIAL title, finished second in state.

Cole Kaforey

Sr., D, Franklin Regional

All-WPIAL selection was key component to WPIAL runner-up Panthers’ 12 shutouts.

Zach Lorenz

Sr., MF, Franklin Regional

Another Panthers’ All-WPIAL player, he had 14 goals and 19 assists for WPIAL runners-up.

Daniel Sassak

Jr., MF, Belle Vernon

All-WPIAL player led the section-champion Leopards with 33 goals and added 14 assists.

Seth Skowronek

Sr., D, Greensburg Central Catholic

WPIAL Class A Player of the Year led a championship defense and scored five goals, four on penalty kicks.

Jordan Taylor

Fr., F, Jeannette

Standout freshman tallied 26 goals and was an all-section selection for the Jayhawks.

Lucas Toohey

Sr., MF, Mt. Pleasant

All-WPIAL selection finished with 23 goals and seven assists for Class 2A playoff team.

Caleb Yuricha

Jr., MF, Norwin

All-section player scored 12 goals and added 10 assists for the Knights, who made the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals.

Second team

Nolan Agostini, Sr., MF, Latrobe

Nate Bown, Sr., D, Norwin

Ian Brown, Sr., MF, Norwin

Ricco Ciccarelli, Sr., MF, Greensburg Central Catholic

Luke Kimmich, Sr., D, Franklin Regional

Austin Martin, Sr., D, Belle Vernon

Nick Nagy, Sr., MF, Belle Vernon

Andrew Rodriguez, Sr., MF, Southmoreland

Nathan Schlessinger, Jr., MF, Penn-Trafford

T.J. Watson, Sr., GK, Belle Vernon

Riley Zimmerman, Jr., MF, Norwin

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Jeannette, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland