TRIB TOTAL MEDIA • SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2021 • 11
adno=190029
Coach: Lance Getsy
2020 record: 4-3, 2-3 in
Class 5A Big East Conference
All-time record: 295-258-12
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time
8.27 Plum 7
9.3 at Kiski Area 7
9.10 at Hempfield 7
9.17 Fox Chapel 7
9.24 Bethel Park 7
10.1 at Connellsville* 7
10.8 Woodland Hills* 7
10.15 at Latrobe* 7
10.22 at Penn-Trafford* 7:30
10.29 Gateway* 7
*CONFERENCE GAME
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing Trevor Brncic*
74-129, 1,014 yards, 13 TDs
Rushing Brandon Zanotto*
65-337 yards, 3 TDs
Receiving Mario Sarnic*
32-388 yards, 2 TDs
*GRADUATED
FAST FACTS
• Former coach Greg Botta led
Franklin Regional to WPIAL and
PIAA Class AAA titles in 2005.
• Franklin Regional was known
as Franklin Township from
1921-1940.
• The 2020 Panthers missed
the WPIAL playoffs for the
first time since 2003.
• Franklin Regional’s WPIAL
playoff record is 20-19. The
Panthers reached the championship
game in 1995, losing
to Belle Vernon (22-6), and
in 2005, defeating Thomas
Jefferson (31-14).
NEW COACH EAGER TO USHER IN
FRANKLIN REGIONAL'S NEW ERA
No. Name Pos. Ht/Wt. Cl.
2 Cole Brinker QB/WR/S 5-7/124 So.
3 Garrett Deller HB/MLB 5-9/201 Sr.
4 Maddox Morrison WR/CB 5-10/144 Sr.
5 Tyler Bewszka RB/OLB 5-8/164 Sr.
6 Roman Sarnic QB/DB 6-0/175 Jr.
7 Jared Ribar WR/CB 5-8/149 Sr.
8 Connor Donnelly QB/DB 6-2/183 Sr.
9 Zach Bewszka WR/LB 5-7/151 Jr.
10 Chase Lemke QB/DB 5-7/143 Fr.
11 Grant Goulding RB/WR 5-7/127 So.
12 Logan Donnelly QB/DB 6-0/189 Jr.
13 Nico Sarnic WR/DB 5-5/104 Fr.
15 Nolan Cowart WR/DB 6-2/173 So.
16 Ayden Hudock WR/RB/OLB 6-1/176 So.
17 Jake Gentile RB/DE/OLB 5-9/126 So.
18 Austin Kerns QB/LB 5-10/158 Fr.
19 Roman Gambardella WR/DB 5-9/155 JR.
20 Ian Shook HB/DB 5-10/177 So.
21 Kyle Dupill RB/LB Fr.
22 Heath Sliva WR/DB 5-9/145 Fr.
24 Jude Gentile RB/LB 5-4/133 Fr.
26 Caden Smith WR/FS 6-4/185 Sr.
28 Jake Weir HB/DE Fr.
33 Jamal Van Irvin WR/S 5-7/136 So.
34 Noah Walker WR/DB/K Fr.
35 Caleb Kane WR/DB 5-2/121 Fr.
36 Logan Mocharko WR/DB 5-3/103 Fr.
39 Macallister Bresnahan HB/LB Fr.
40 Gino Piraino WR/DB 5-10/137 So.
42 Gunner Perez WR 5-10/152 So.
44 Brett Fricke RB/OLB 5-8/170 Sr.
45 Ethan Hoff WR/DB 5-6/123 Fr.
46 Tyler Vollero DL 5-7/160 So.
47 Emerson Van Soest WR/DB 5-6/108 Fr.
48 Nate Chiarizio TE/DE 6-3/240 Jr.
49 Najji Velasquez WR/DE 5-8/150 So.
50 Brandon Gaur G/T/DT 5-11/210 Sr.
51 Christo Marion T/OLB/DE 6-2/226 Sr.
52 John Ciecierski C 5-11/251 So.
54 Andrew Devola OL/DL 5-11/212 Fr.
55 Eric Hutsko DT 5-9/221 Jr.
57 Owen Sinclair TE/DE 6-0/211 So.
58 Emmanuel Pepala OL/DL 5-6/222 Fr.
60 Matthew Pampalone OL/DE 5-9/210 So.
62 Max Leven OL/TE/DL 6-8/289 Jr.
64 Andrew Golda OL/DL 5-8/227 Jr.
66 Josh Pelusi G/DT 6-1/298 Sr.
67 Joey Eveges OL/DL So.
70 Brent Hickey OL/DL 5-9/191 Fr.
71 Joe Purdue C/MLB 5-10/197 Sr.
73 Andy Baldwin T/DE 6-2/250 Sr.
76 Nicholas Petrucci TE/OLB 6-4/255 Jr.
77 Andrew Nesler OL/DL 6-2/275 Jr.
78 William Montgomery OL/DL 6-2/165 Fr.
81 David Soisson WR/DB 5-11/145 Jr.
83 Nick Purdue RB/LB 5-9/135 So.
85 Cole Vollero WR/DB 5-5/111 So.
86 Jack Silvis WR/DB Fr.
88 Noah Rogers WR/CB 5-8/134 So.
99 Dominic Reinhardt HB/LB 5-7/157 Fr.
Antonio Stabile HB/LB 5-11/225 Jr.
Sam Atkinson OL/DL So.
ROSTER
It’s a fresh start for the Franklin Regional
football team.
New is the popular word around the program.
Lance Getsy replaced legendary coach Greg
Botta, who retired after 27 years. Getsy brought
in seven new assistant coaches.
A new defensive scheme is being implemented,
and there are numerous new players
looking to earn jobs.
And while some would be cautiously optimistic
about the challenge ahead, Getsy is eager to
tackle it head on.
Getsy spent two seasons as coach at Charleroi
before coming back to Franklin Regional to
serve as Botta’s top assistant last fall.
“I love the passion of the players,” Getsy
said. “They’ve bought in to what we’re doing,
and they know what it takes to be successful.
We’re becoming a family. All we need now is
experience.”
Franklin Regional pretty much graduated all
of its skill players.
Getsy is working with three players trying
to win the quarterback spot, replacing Trevor
Brncic. They are the Donnelly brothers — Logan
and Connor — and Roman Sarnic.
“I’m looking for a guy that’s a leader and understands
what every player on offense is doing
and a good understanding what the defenses
are doing,” Getsy said. “It’s a good battle, and
I’m eager to see how things play out.”
The Bewszka brothers — Tyler and Zach —
are expected to carry the load in the running
game, replacing Brandon Zanotto and Colton
Johns, who graduated.
The receiving corps also took a hit. Gone
are Mario Sarnic, Jeffrey Downs and Luke
Reppermund. Getsy is excited to see if Caden
Smith, Maddox Morrison and Jared Ribar are
set to step up.
“I want to run a balanced offense,” Getsy
said. “We’re running the same offense that we
ran last season with a few twists.”
The strength of the Panthers in Getsy’s eyes
will be the offensive and defensive lines.
The line will be anchored by senior guard
Josh Pelusi, tackle Christo Marion and tackle
Brandon Gaur. Those three also will lead the
defensive line with Gaur and Pelusi at tackle
and Marion at nose.
The Panthers used a three front defense and
switched to a four front during the season.
This year, the Panthers will start with a 5-2
base and may switch to a 4-3 if needed.
“The defensive fronts will be similar,” Getsy
said. “The differences will be what we do
against opponents’ formations and how we
attack them.”
Smith returns to anchor the secondary as
a strong safety, and Garrett Deller returns at
linebacker.
Getsy expects Deller to have a big season.
The Panthers (4-3, 2-3) play in one of the
toughest Class 5A (Big East) conferences in
the WPIAL and PIAA. The conference features
Penn-Trafford, Gateway, Woodland Hills, Latrobe
and Connellsville.
The Panthers have five nonconference games
before their first conference game.
They open the season Aug. 27 at home against
Plum.
by PAUL SCHOFIELD
LANCE GETSY
FRANKLIN REGIONAL • BIG EAST