Westmoreland high school football notebook: Franklin Regional’s Bayne bides his time

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, September 14, 2024 | 6:11 PM

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Joey Bayne sat out the final 10-plus minutes of a boys soccer game against visiting Latrobe on Thursday with cramps in his leg.

The Franklin Regional senior was resting up for Friday’s Class 5A Big East football opener against Latrobe, and it paid off.

Little did the kicker know, he would be a difference maker.

Bayne, who scored a goal Thursday in a 2-1 loss, booted a 22-yard field goal for the game’s only points with just less than five minutes remaining Friday night in a 3-0 upset over No. 5 Latrobe at Panther Stadium in Murrysville.

“It felt great to be able to get three points for my team in such an important game,” Bayne said. “Especially to bounce back from a miss earlier in the game.”

Bayne, who routinely sends kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, said Thursday was “super frustrating” because he cramped up early in the game.

He revealed he sprained his ankle earlier in the week, as well, and had some lower back pain.

“I was glad to be in full capacity this week,” he said.

Next week

The top game on the local schedule next Friday might be in Class A.

No. 1 Fort Cherry (4-0, 1-0) will visit Monessen (4-0, 1-0) in a Black Hills Conference matchup.

Fans could see some serious scoring between teams that have spent a lot of time in the end zone.

Coming into Week 3, Monessen was the highest-scoring team in the WPIAL at 59 points per game, and defending WPIAL champion Fort Cherry was averaging 40.3 points.

The teams were in different conferences last season.

Brown player of week

Jeannette junior quarterback/receiver/defensive back Kymone Brown was named the MrPAFootball.com Small School Player of the Week.

The award, which is the result of a fan vote, is based on his performance from Week 2 when he helped rally the Jayhawks to a 34-27 victory at Ligonier Valley.

Brown rushed for 237 yards and two touchdowns as Jeannette moved to 3-0.

Belle Vernon was named the website’s Big School Team of the Week.

Eastern showdown

With Jeannette and Leechburg winning Friday, they set up an Eastern Conference showdown of undefeated teams next Friday at McKee Stadium. Both are 4-0, 1-0.

Leechburg is averaging 38 points, Jeannette 36.7.

Leechburg hasn’t started 4-0 since 1978.

Jeannette is 4-0 for the first time since 2019 when it won its first nine.

Extra points

Greensburg Salem is 4-0 for the first time since 1999. The Golden Lions host Ringgold next week. … Monessen is 4-0 for the first time since 2011. TyVaughn Kershaw leads the WPIAL with 18 touchdowns. … Clairton did something Friday few teams have been able to do: It kept Samir Crosby out of the end zone. … Alex Tatsch of Latrobe leads Westmoreland County in rushing with 607 yards on 45 carries, a 13.5-yard average per carry. … Elliot Premus of Southmoreland is the top receiver in the county through four games with 20 receptions for 421 yards. … Kiski Area has scored as many points as its given up: 99.

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

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Jeannette, Latrobe, Monessen, Norwin