Murrysville Star notebook: Ex-Franklin Regional lineman getting Division I offers

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, February 3, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Lineman Max Leven left Franklin Regional last year and decided to play football at Bridgton Academy (Maine) to sharpen his skills and better prepare to play at a higher level.

The plan is working out for the 6-foot-8, 285-pound tackle.

Leven received offers to play at Division I-FCS programs Monmouth, Merrimack College and Tennessee Tech.

County champs

The Franklin Regional boys and girls swimming teams won championships at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Championships last month at Derry.

Holden Thomas won the 100-yard butterfly in 50.90 seconds and also helped the 200-yard freestyle relay win a title in 1 minute, 28.23 seconds.

Thomas also took second in the 100 backstroke, while Ben Holm was second in the 100 freestyle, Eric Lingg was second in the 200 freestyle and third in the 500 freestyle, and the 400 freestyle relay finished second.

Mac Miller took third in the one-meter diving event.

For the girls, Scarlett Zolnak finished second in the 100 backstroke, Magdalena Hull was second in the 200 freestyle and 500 free, Amelia Oates took second in the 200 individual medley, and the 200 freestyle relay also won silver, and the 400 freestyle relay took third.

Not out yet

Franklin Regional’s girls basketball team picked up a big win over Penn Hills on Jan. 26 to keep it afloat in the WPIAL Class 5A playoff race.

The 45-42 victory moved the Panthers to 4-5 in section, a half-game behind Penn Hills and Woodland Hills for third place in Section 1.

The top four teams will make the playoffs. Plum and Indiana were the top two teams in the section.

In the Penn Hills win, Olivia Orndorff had 16 points, Madison DeRiggi added 12 and Toryn Fulton chipped in 10.

Orndorff continued her strong play of late with a game- and career-high 27 points as Franklin Regional (5-13) defeated Belle Vernon, 46-33, in the Shootout at Seton Hill.

Panthers keep winning

The Franklin Regional boys basketball team earned its fourth straight win — its 10th victory in 11 games — by defeating Obama Academy, 44-35, at the Shootout at Seton Hill.

Cam Rowell scored 16 for the Panthers (15-2, 5-1), who were tied for first place in Section 3 with Gateway (12-4, 5-1), with four section games left.

Franklin Regional was scheduled to visit Gateway on Feb. 6.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional