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What a run

5/29/2023

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For the last three years Franklin softball has been firing on all cylinders with roughly the same core group of athletes. In 2021 they surprised everyone when their Sophomore pitcher Trinity Edge shutout annual powerhouse Villa Maria 3-0 to claim the District 10 crown.
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That team also had to finish the season with a freshman catcher after their starting catcher was injured late in the year. That fateful event created a collaborative friendship bond between Edge and Kirsten Hicks that has only gotten better each year.. "She(Edge) told me she doesn't want anyone else catching for her," said Edge's mom Tiffany.
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Also on that team was the feisty slap bunting lefty sophomore shortstop Syndi Hoobler, a get on base every time freshman outfielder Rilee Hanna, and freshman Autumn Fitzgerald and sophomore Gabby Wimer who stepped up to the plate often delivering.
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And they were all there Monday playing at a higher level along with some folks who have been added since that really make this a solid state championship potential level team.
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Unfortunately, there is Cathedral Prep, formerly Villa Maria sitting right there in the way.

​Last season they took revenge on the Knights to claim the district title. The pitcher's duel between Edge and Jenna Wagner is reminiscent of Ali/Frazier fights. They punch, counter punch and eventually someone has to lose.

Last year two teams made it out of districts so it didn't much matter who won or lost, except for pride , bragging rights and the hardware in the trophy case.
This year that is not the case and on a dusty field in Hermitage they met for the third straight year for the title.

And it was a dog fight.

Right from the beginning, Franklin bit first taking advantage of a fielding error to go up 1-0
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Then Prep countered tearing right into Franklin's gut with a two-run inning that could've been much worse if not for a runner's interference call that saved at least one additional run. Edge had trouble getting pitches cleanly into Hicks glove. Prep battled fouling off a ton of pitches until they either drew a walk or got to hit the sweet spot on the ball for a hit.
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Franklin rattled, but not beaten came right back. Again taking advantage of an error to get a baserunner. Stealing second on a passed ball and then advancing on a nice Hicks sacrifice bunt put a runner on third for Gabby Wimer who then tied the game up.

​This set up the trend of the day for the Knights with the bottom half of the line-up really coming through with key hits and scoring runs while the top of the order uncharacteristically struggled.
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Prep then came up and made Edge throw a lot of pitches. They got the go ahead run back and proceeded to look to really pounce loading the bases before Edge could get out of the inning.
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Then as if watching a tennis match with two great servers, it was Franklin's turn again in the top of the third. Edge tripled and Hanna brought her home on a fielder's choice. Then Abby Boland singled, Hicks bunted her to second and Autumn Fitzgerald drove her home to retake the lead 4-3.
Prep countered again tying up the game at four after three complete innings.
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Then Franklin blinked. The top of the order failed to put a single runner on base in the fourth. This was the first break in scoring of the game.
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Prep did not blink scoring two in the bottom of the fourth to reclaim the lead for good.
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Franklin had some chances again in the fifth but left two runners on base after only scoring one.
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Then Prep, who scored in every inning they batted, erupted aided by some misplayed or bobbled balls. They continued to make Edge pitch a lot of balls. the five run fifth put the game out of reach. Other than a solo homer by Abby Boland didn't have much offense left in the tank. 
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Prep moves on into the state playoffs while Franklin's excellent season ends. And the run of this core group of friends will become a part of the best teams in Franklin sports history.
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Prettyman earns three medals, sets two records at state track meet

5/28/2023

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​Franklin’s Caleb Prettyman had a successful weekend trip to Shippensburg, setting two school records and bringing back three medals from the PIAA Track and Field Championships.

The junior distance runner started off the AA competition Friday by setting the school’s new mark for the boys 1600 meet run and placing sixth across the state. Prettyman’s time of 4:19.63, which was an improvement on his race at the District X meet.
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On Saturday, he competed in both the 3200 and 800. In the 3200, Prettyman set the new Franklin standard at 9:21.31, earning him a fifth-place medal. This was a 30-second improvement on his run at districts.
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Later that day he finished the 800 in a time of 1:57.61, which was good enough for the eighth spot on the podium.
Fellow Knight and long-distance runner Nadalie Latchaw finished 14th in the girls 3200 meter run, also held on Saturday. Latchaw recorded a time of 11:42.34.
 
Senior Cam Crocker was Oil City’s top competitor at the championships. The senior placed seventh in the boys discus with a throw of 162 feet and 11 inches, and more than 10-foot improvement over his District X winning performance.

Other Oiler athletes who participated in the championships, included Charlie Motter, who placed 11th in the boys javelin contest with a throw of 155 feet and five inches; Baine Snyder, who placed 19th in the girls pole vault with a vault of nine feet even; and the team of Isaiah Robinson, Jake Hornbeck, Devaughn Griffin and Ethen Knox  were 21st in the 4X100 boys relay with a time of 44.54. ​
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Rocket's season roller coaster ride comes to an end

5/26/2023

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Editor's note: This season we helped out the Titusville News-Journal with sports coverage, It was fun learning new things and making new connections.We often would hold the stories until they first appeared in the paper. A version of this story is published in May 26, 2023 paper. This team was really fun to watch at the beginning and end of the season.
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No sugar coated way of saying it. Titusville’s baseball season came to an end on Tuesday. 

They came in as the district’s second seed playing a team they handled easily earlier in the year, but the postseason is a new season.
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“That wasn’t the same team we saw in the first game of the year,” coach Roy Schweitzer said.
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North East threw a southpaw Reid Courtwright at the Rockets and he befuddled the usually productive batters. “He was just on today, it was his day, sometimes you just have to tip your cap, he had his day.”
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Lefty’s seemed to be a difficult matter for the Rockets this season.

“It seems to be a little bit of our Achilles tendon, we don’t see a lot of left-handed pitching. We were anxious at the plate, swinging off the front foot, they were anxious to get to it,” Schweitzer said of the inordinate amount of pop ups.

​“The game is funny," Schweitzer said insisting that doesn't take anything away North East, but earlier in the season they handled the Grapepickers 13-4. They came into the playoff's first round expecting a good game, but also expecting to win.

Schweitzer pointed to how the first inning went down. 

​Kasen Neely reached base then made it to second. A base hit that potentially could have scored him was foiled by his losing his footing and falling down on the Allegheny College artificial turf around where the shortstop usually stands. A score at that point may have changed the momentum and therefore the game.
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But that wasn’t to be and the Grapepickers went on to a 3-0 win to end the Rocket’s season.
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“Im really proud of our team, we didn’t make any mental errors, (North East)  just out played us today, they had three really solid hits and that was the difference.”

The Rocket’s had a spell mid-season where they lost four straight. Some team turmoil had to be settled out and after those losses and knowing they needed a big finish, they went 4-1 to put themselves in a decent position for the off-season.

”We stayed positive, every game was tough, our region is tough,”Schweitzer said. “Our kids are tough, Kasen Neely had a fantastic season behind the plate and on the mound, he hit the ball really well - over .400 on the season. Jaxon Covell had a great season, Landon Baker had a fantastic season in the outfield, not only hitting but his defensive play.”
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Schweitzer had a long list of accolades to shower on his players who finished the season.

​He mentioned particular games where key players shined.
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Andrew Wheeling’s efforts against Grove City and Oil City earlier in the year jumped to the top. “He pitched his heart out down at Hickory (despite losing 3-2).

Everywhere around these guys have come a long way.”

This was a disappointing end to the season for the Rockets.

Tears were shed.

As Kasen Neely came off the field, assistant coach Aaron Beach thanked him for his work for the team, both had tears in their eyes.
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“I can’t say enough about the way they hung together, they were true teammates, they counted on each other, they relied on each other and it was great to watch these guys mature right in front of us. They never had a nasty attitude and they always had each other’s backs,” Schweitzer said. 
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He is optimistic of the future. “Baseball in Titusville is very good right now.” He says if they keep getting the numbers to have success in years to come. “There is some good stuff going on with our baseball program and we just want to keep seeing it flourish.”
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Big league softball at Myer complex

5/25/2023

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Nora Lesko and the Titusville's Cheri's Fudge and Candy big league softball team beat the Cooperstown squad 3-1  Thursday evening at the Ed Myer Complex. We stopped by for a few photos and meet a few folks.
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Franklin avoids Hornet's sting to advance to title game

5/25/2023

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Franklin's Trinity Edge stood on the mound getting ready to face Hickory's Madison Trimboli in the top of the seventh up 7-4 with two outs. There were runners on second and third and Trimboli represented the tying run. Edge had just struck out the previous batter, her eighth of the contest. The next Hornet's batter had already driven in a run earlier in the contest. Edge got ready, looked toward the plate, pointed at her catcher Kirsten Hicks who had already gotten into her crouched stance.

"Kirsten," Edge hollered making Hicks look up and they made eye contact. Without saying another word Edge pointed to Hicks, back at herself and then back again to her catcher. Hicks repeated the same pattern of pointing back to her pitcher. Edge was now ready to face what she hoped would the last batter of the day.
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It was - Edge struck her out.
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"It means she has my back and I have her back. It's just me and her, no batter, just her glove." Edge said. "I know no matter how bad I throw it, no matter how good I throw it, she'll be there to catch it."
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Nothing could be truer.

Hicks was stellar behind the plate. She threw out a Hickory base runner attempting to steal in the fifth, which ended up being huge since the next batter doubled. Hicks arm saved a run. Early in the game Edge was having some control issues, but Hicks pulled pitch after high pitch down slowing Hickory runners from advancing. "I was trying to get (Hornet batters) to chase," Edge said of her sudden rash high pitches. "I had to lower my strike zone and thankfully it started to work." And Hicks solid play helped Edge find her zone.
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Edge had nine strikeouts on the day.

Offensively Sydni Hoobler had a pair of hits and scored a run, Edge also had two hits, scored twice and had two RBI's including an out of the canon line drive over the left center fence. "It was a shot, I didn't think it would go over, I thought it would bounce of the wall," she said. "But it was kinda icing on the cake."
The cleanup hitter, Rylee Hanna proved why she gets that coveted spot in the line up driving in three runs on two hits. She also scored a run. The Knights recorded 10 hits in all with Jillian Ewing, Abby Boland, Gabby Wimer and Gabrielle Laderer each chiming in with hits.
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They had a big fifth inning with Laderer getting it started with a hit to left. Hoobler then slapped a solid bunt moving Laderer over to third. Hoobler then stole second uncontested. Ewing then bunted safely scoring Laderer and moving Hoobler to third. Ewing then stole second. Edge base hit scored Hoobler while Ewing then advanced to third. Edge went to second on the throw in. Hanna then doubled in Ewing and Edge. Boland finished off the big inning driving in Hanna.
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In the end it was enough.
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Defensively the Knights were solid overall despite a throwing error against the very first batter of the game. She ended up on second and then stole third before Edge settled in. An infield grounder was fielded by Edge and she elected to look back the runner on third, but seeing an opportunity decided to throw her out instead and allow the batter to reach first. The move was successful and Edge then pitched her way out of the inning unscathed.
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In the second Edge really struggled walking the first two. Her pitches were sailing and Hicks was snagging most of them. A run scored on a fielders choice to get the batter out at first. She then struck out the next two. In the third a leadoff double and a walk were left on base as Edge pitched herself out of another jam.
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​In the fifth it looked like it could get ugly, but Hickory's aggressiveness on the bsasepads cost them when they hoped to catch Franklin sleeping. The sixth did get ugly but the Knight's were up by six so they had some wiggle room. Giving up three cut the lead in half going into the final inning. The seventh was more of the same, but, perhaps because of team support from exchanges like a hug between seniors Edge an Hoobler and the moment of trust between pitcher and catcher, Edge pitcher the team to a victory leaving two Hickory runners on base.
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"It was a good game, I knew it was going to be. We played them three times now and we've been in a dogfight the whole entire time," coach Chad Hoobler said.  Hoobler said the team made adjustments throughout to game and those paid off. "We put the ball in play. We're an aggressive base running team and it showed."
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"Defensively we took care of the ball, we made a couple of mistakes, but we din't let them compound." Hoobler said. "And Trinity threw well."
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"They are a good team. They didn't want their season to end just like we didn't."
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The Knight's now go on to play in the District 10 championship against Cathedral Prep (formerly Villa Maria) Monday at 11 a.m. in Hermitage. They have faced each other in the finals the last two years splitting with them. Edge said she really wants Prep and is looking forward to facing them again. "I want to go out with a bang," she said.
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Oil City softball had quite a season

5/24/2023

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Earlier this week the Oil City softball team found itself in an unusual place - the post-season.
​For the first time in 20 years this young team carried their school on their shoulders into the playoffs.

​The downside is they drew the region champion Jamestown Muskies in the opening round. A team that beat Franklin a few days earlier.

It was just too big of a mountain to climb for this up and coming team that featured one of the top pitchers in the area Sophia Garmong who is also a near .500 hitter.

Though they bowed out to a team who reached the District 10 championship game after defeating Harbor Creek Thursday, the Oilers look to be building and they shouldn't go another 20 years before making the playoffs again.
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Sorry for the lame-face photo  earlier this year Abby! Good luck Monday!
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Grove battled back tough but ends season against Cochranton

5/22/2023

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Rocky Grove's outfield had a disastrous first inning allowing Cochranton to plate four of of the Cardinal's eventual 11 runs. Sophomore pitcher Elizabeth Mawhinney was pitching well getting the Cards to hit playable balls, but the ball was getting lost in the sky and found the green on three fly balls to the outfield,  each scoring a run.
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Cochranton added another in the second before the Grove's bats began to show some life. They scored a pair - one, on Kaylin Jacoby double and another on a single from Emily Rice that ended with her at second after the ball was thrown toward home late to catch the scoring Jacoby. 
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Cochranton answered with a pair of their own increasing the lead to 7-2. 
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Again Rocky Grove looked to counterpunch. In the fourth They scored two, one being on an inch from going over the left centerfield fence by Mawhinney.

​The batter seemed bewildered it didn't go over and only managed to a single as she watched the ball fielded and thrown back in preventing her from advancing to second.
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Only three down with a couple at bats left, but Cochranton kept pounding the nails into the coffin and though Rocky Grove added another pair of runs, Cochranton had plenty of insurance runs to win 11-6 and advance. The Grove's season came to an end, but they are young and return much of their team next year.
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Latchaw returns

5/21/2023

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Franklin and Oil City will both send a competitor to the girls PIAA Track and Field AA Championships next weekend at Shippensburg University.

Nadalie Latchaw of Franklin finished third in the 3200 meter run but recorded a state qualifying time of 11:31.41. She was one of only two medalists for the Knights. Olivia Rondinelli leaped a personal record of 5 feet to tie for fourth in the high jump.

Oil City’s solo medalist and state qualifier was Baine Snyder. She finished second in the pole vault with a jump of 9 feet and 6 inches.
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The Titusville Rockets scored points in all three relay races.
In the 4X800 relay, Sophia Sampson, Emma Wright, Mackenzie Covell and Isabella Ongley placed fifth with a time of 10:41.08. In the 4X100 relay, Emma Wilson, Emma Slocum, Addison Burleigh, Ariel Adams finished seventh with a 53.85. In the 4X400 relay, Wilson, Carly Moon, Burleigh, Anna Mehlenbacher, took the eighth spot on the podium with a 4:25.37.

Sampson was a triple medalist on the day, also earning seventh-place finish in the 800 meter run with a 2:36.93 and pole vault with a 8-foot leap.
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Amber Auer earned two medals. She was fifth in the shot put with a throw of 32 feet, 2.5 inches; and eighth in discus with a personal record toss of 98 feet.
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A few state bound Knights and Oilers

5/21/2023

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Eight & 322 file photos from the 2023 season
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​Franklin boys track and field team went the distance with a strong top five team finish after securing several medals in the meet’s longest races.

Junior Caleb Prettyman led the team as a double-winner and a triple state qualifier on the day. He was first across the finish line in the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:24.42. He also won the 800 meter run with a time of 1.58.43. In the 3200 meter run, Prettyman had to settle for a silver with a time of 9:52.80.

He is eligible to compete in all three events in the boys PIAA Track and Field AA Championships next week at Shippensburg University.

​Teammate Jay Prettyman also won two medals on the day. He recorded a personal record of 4:36.19 in the 1600, which secured him the bronze. In the 800, the sophomore finished sixth with a time of  2:06.76.
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​Easton Adamczyk was also a double-medalist for Franklin, logging personal records in two races.

​The junior was fifth in the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:39.24; and sixth in the 3200 with a time of 10:18.89.  

Ethan Knapp snagged Franklin’s other distance medal, finishing third in the 3200 with a time of 10:02.72.
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Bryson Watson scored the team’s only points outside of the distance runs. The junior finished fourth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 42.02 and fourth in the 100 hurdles with a time of 16.02.  

The Knights finished third as a team with a total of 60 points.

Two individual Oilers and a relay team qualified for the state competition.

Cam Crocker won the discus with a throw of 152 feet, 6 inches. Good enough to win the competition and place in the top 50 of AA athletes throughout the state. Fellow Oiler Ethen Knox also medaled in the event, finishing sixth with a throw of 127 feet, 2 inches. 

Charlie Motter was Oil City’s other top athlete, winning the Javelin with a throw of 149 feet, 10 inches.
The 4X100 relay team of Isaiah Robinson, Jake Hornbeck, Devaughn Griffin and Knox finished second with a time of 44.07. Crocker, Motter and the relay team all earned a spot in the state championships. 

​Knox also medaled in the 200 meter dash, finishing fifth with a time of 23.00.
Gavin Stephens placed eighth in the triple jump with a personal record distance of 41 feet 1.5 inches. He also recorded a PR in the long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 6 inches.

Rounding out the medalists for Oil City were eighth place finishes by the 4X800 relay team of Eli Collins, Keegan Kirkwood, Jack Mumford and Ethan Plowman, 8:58.22; Drayton Dill in the 400 meter dash at 53.97; and Sawyer Cavalline in the high jump at 5 feet, nine inches.
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Landen Wolfkiel was the Titusville boys only medalist on the day. He placed sixth in the 110 hurdles with a time of 16.61.
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Franklin vs. Oil City is always worth a visit

5/17/2023

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With the seasons winding down for bot squads, Oil City and Franklin still want to best each other - no matter the sports or circumstances.

This was a surprising year. Franklin has set the standard in recent years, but this year just didn't quite seem to have that little extra to win ball games.

Oil City was just marginally better. When they met Wednesday they were both looking towards the end of the season. Oil City 5-9in the region and Franklin 3-11.

Both squads in recent years were at the top of the region and playing for hardware in the post-season, especially Franklin.
But somehow not this year. The talent was still there, but execution in the win column was not.

But that doesn't matter when they face each other and today, Oil City had just that little bit more to finish off the home standing Knight's 13-5.

Just up north, their Titusville foe went on the road to Conneaut to  put in a claim for momentum and dominance in the post season easily handing Conneaut  an 11-4 loss.

​Next week playoffs start at times and places yet to be determined.

​This is the time ball gets exciting, even when your local team isn't quite there.
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