After productive summer, Franklin Regional boys soccer ready to roll

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, August 31, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Franklin Regional boys soccer’s third coach in four years is getting the response he wanted from his players.

They showed up to work this summer.

“Our voluntary workouts were very well attended, the effort and energy was fantastic, and the boys put in a lot of work in preparation for this season including the team camp in Erie,” coach Nick White said. “I’m so excited for this season and to be working with these players.”

Franklin Regional made a run to the WPIAL Class 3A semifinals last season, continuing a recent trend of postseason success.

“The boys are extremely motivated after their playoff run last year, and they are well aware of the level of commitment and effort it is going to take to try to get back to that point,” White said. “I’ve been challenging them regularly in their training, with their fitness, and with the style of play, and they are buying into the mindset needed to play the schedule we have in front of us.”

A former Fox Chapel assistant, White will look to seniors to keep the Panthers in the hunt.

All-WPIAL players Joey Bayne and Danny Christafano return to lead an offense that should have firepower.

“We will look to (Bayne and Christafano) to lead us along with seniors Jovan Sankoorikal, Mitchell Murray, Tyler Pipon and Tim Wagner, juniors Cruise Lamanna and Fabrizzio Costa and sophomore Thomas Bridges,” White said. “There are many other players that have had a great summer and a very good start to preseason that are pushing for positions, and our incoming freshmen class is a very exciting group with a lot of depth and potential.

Senior Noah Walker is back in goal, but White said junior Emerson Bush should also see time.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional