Franklin Regional tops West Mifflin, starts 3-0 for 1st time since ’11

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 14, 2018 | 10:54 PM

Franklin Regional looks like it might be a case of mistaken identity.

The Panthers, a passing team?

Stranger things have happened.

Like the team starting 3-0 for the first time since 2011. Maybe not as much strange as it is surprising.

But a program predicated on a steadfast defense and power running game, classic ingredients of past success, was willing to go off script to make that feat happen Friday night in a 28-6 victory over Class 4A No. 4 West Mifflin in Murrysville.

The new recipe even sits well with coach Greg Botta, a traditionalist who would rather run the ball 40 times than throw it 10. But it’s working and he is embracing it.

“It’s nice to be able to do all three (run, pass and defend),” Botta said. “We recognize the players we have to do it.”

Senior quarterback Adam Rudzinski threw for 168 yards and two touchdown passes, and the Class 5A Panthers won the first of rare back-to-back nonconference games on the early-season schedule as they try to get some injured players back into the lineup.

Senior Nick Leopold pulled in six receptions for a career-high 131 yards and a 52-yard score.

“We’re going to go as far as Adam goes,” Botta said. “He takes the reins and makes plays whether it’s with his feet or arm. He understands the offense; last year’s year of experience helped him tremendously. West Mifflin is pretty darn good up front. … We gave Adam a little bit more time, and he was able to step up in the pocket.”

Senior Mike Evans, the team’s leading receiver, didn’t play because of a possible hamstring injury. But Leopold more than made up for his absence.

“We can both establish the run and air the ball out,” Leopold said. “We have a great receiving corps, and the coaches realize that.”

Leopold also is a key kick and punt returner and a solid defender.

“He had 11 tackles last week against a pretty good Latrobe team,” Botta said. “Open-field tackles. If you don’t make those, they score. Tonight, he wanted the ball and he wanted it early.”

The aerial attack complemented a suffocating run defense that limited the Titans (2-2) to 75 yards rushing.

Losing ground to the Panthers’ aerial attack, West Mifflin could not establish its footing offensively with star tailback Parrish Parker. The Howard recruit was limited to 40 yards on 16 carries.

“That really says a lot about how well our defense played,” Botta said.

The Titans were forced to throw more than usual, but the Panthers forced quarterback Matt Shuster to make quick decisions as they played with the lead all night.

Franklin Regional, blessed with good field position throughout the first half, found the end zone first with the help of a penalty. After getting stopped on downs inside the red zone earlier, the Panthers brought in freshman kicker Anthony DiFalco for a field-goal try on fourth and 1 from the 16.

But West Mifflin jumped offsides and the Panthers took advantage with a first-and-goal. Fullback Zac Gordon gained six yards and then followed a blocker and cut back for a 3-yard touchdown with 3:18 left in the opening quarter.

Rudzinski, who threw a 93-yard touchdown last week, made the most of an apparent broken play, rolling right and finding Devon Powell in the back of the end zone for a 20-yard score to make it 14-0 late in the second quarter.

The Panthers added one more score before the half as Rudzinski found a rhythm with Nick Leopold. The pair hooked up on three straight passes, the third a 40-yard hookup down to the 3.

A personal foul call against Parker for targeting on Leopold helped the Panthers’ cause.

Rudzinski punched it in for a 21-0 lead.

Early in the third, Leopold found a seam over the top and Rudzinski found him for a 52-yard bomb for a four-touchdown advantage. Rudzinski completed 9 of 16 passes.

“Nick was asking for that post all night; he said, ‘I knew it was there, coach,’ ” Botta said. “He took full advantage of that. He’s an athlete. He does it on the basketball court and the football field.”

Leopold said he noticed the safety “cheating over” and made sure that was known in the huddle.

“Great play call there by coach (Chris Capozzoli); he called a great game tonight,” Leopold said. “Rud made another great pass like always”

West Mifflin had shut out its last two opponents, Indiana (35-0) and Trinity (47-0), but allowed 28 points before Paker finally scored on a short run with four minutes left. He finished with 40 yards on 16 carries.

Gordon ran for a game-high 61 yards for the Panthers and their all-junior line.

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Franklin Regional, West Mifflin