Thomas Jefferson makes quick work of Franklin Regional

By: Dave Mackall
Friday, August 25, 2023 | 11:10 PM

Thomas Jefferson is hoping to extend its string of WPIAL playoff appearances in football to 29 this season. Judging by Friday’s opening night performance, the Jaguars could be well on their way.

Running an offense using alternating quarterbacks, Thomas Jefferson, the No. 2-ranked WPIAL Class 4A team, jumped on Class 5A Franklin Regional early and rolled to a 42-7 road victory as Michael Banda scored three touchdowns and Elias Lippincott added a pair for TJ.

Senior incumbent Brody Evans, rotating with junior Seton LaSalle transfer Luke Kosko every two possessions, passed for 157 yards. Sean Sullivan racked up 145 yards on six catches, several on acrobatic grabs, to lead Thomas Jefferson, which has advanced to the WPIAL semifinals in 23 of the past 24 seasons.

“Overall, they both played well. They both managed what we wanted to do,” Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak said.

Evans, who finished last season just shy of 2,000 yards passing (1,986), completed 6 of 10 passes, including a 60-yarder to Sullivan on the first play of the game, setting up Lippincott’s 1-yard touchdown run to gave TJ a 7-0 lead.

Kosko, who joined TJ following his freshman season at Seton LaSalle but was required to sit out last year because of a WPIAL transfer rule, completed 4 of 5 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s tough to get into a rhythm, but he’s a great quarterback, too,” Evans said. “So, we both have to get some time to make plays. We work well together. We’re always trying to build a good relationship with each other with the idea we want to make each other better every day.”

Thomas Jefferson built a 28-7 halftime advantage and forced a running clock less than 2 minutes into the fourth quarter by taking a 35-point lead.

“It was a great effort. It was,” said Cherpak, who registered his 301st career victory.

Cherpak, who is in his 29th season at TJ, is just the fourth WPIAL coach to reach the 300 mark, joining Jim Render (406), Joe Hamilton (342) and George Novak (306).

Thomas Jefferson (1-0) increased its first-quarter lead to 14-0 when Sullivan, who also plays defensive back, recovered a fumble for the Jaguars following a 26-yard pass completion from Franklin Regional quarterback Chase Lemke to Gunner Perez, setting up Banda’s 27-yard touchdown run.

Franklin Regional (0-1) closed within 14-7 with 1 minute, 4 seconds left in the first quarter on Lemke’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Hudock.

Thomas Jefferson left little doubt about the outcome by scoring 28 unanswered points as the Jaguars defense smothered Lemke and Franklin Regional, forcing a string of turnovers to cripple the Panthers offense.

“The defense had a great night,” Evans said.

Banda scored twice more on a 2-yard run and a 12-yard interception return, Lippincott added a 3-yard touchdown run and Kameron Eggerton caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Kosko for Thomas Jefferson, which plays its home opener Friday night against Baldwin.

The one-sided victory pleased Cherpak but he won’t know his team’s temperature until it plays in more games.

“It’s hard to say much until you see the film,” he said. “The saying is it’s not as good as you think and it’s not as bad as you think.”

Franklin Regional coach Lance Getsy seemed to take the outcome in stride.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’ll get there,” he said. “Now, we just have to keep battling, keep fighting. You can learn a lot from playing a team like TJ. That’s why we scheduled this game. We knew they were going to be great competition. I know how good that team always is, and we’ve got to learn to play that way in football.”

Both teams shared conference championships last season, TJ the Big Seven with McKeesport and Laurel Highlands, and Franklin Regional the Big East with Gateway.

“Too many turnovers,” Getsy said. “It’s a young team. A lot of kids haven’t played much, and they just don’t understand what it is on ‘Friday Night Lights.’ ”

In a solemn moment before the start of the game, former Franklin Regional graduate and football player Joe Purdue, who died March 23 of pediatric brain cancer, was remembered.

“Joe was undyingly kind, with a smile and laugh that radiated the room,” friend and former teammate Andrew Nesler told the Tribune-Review at the time.

Purdue was 19.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Thomas Jefferson