Franklin claims D-10 track crown
(Erie Times News photo)
Caleb Prettyman was the man for Franklin on May 18. The senior distance runner -- a Penn State recruit -- was a four-event winner, leading the Knights to the District 10 2A track title.
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It is believed to be the first district crown for the Knights -- and maybe the only other in boys track -- since 1960.
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Prettyman first anchored the Knights to first place (8:18.54) in the 3200 relay behind Jay Prettyman, Gauge Gierlach and Easton Adamczyk.
He later won the 1600 in 4:2247, the 800 in 1:58.82 and finally the 3200 in 9:53.25.
The distance runners accounted for 51 of Franklin's 88 points. Senior hurdler Bryson Watson and freshman thrower Logan Knight were strong in their events as Franklin won -- perhaps -- its first district track crown ever.
Runnerup and defending champion Slippery Rock, led by hurdlers Levi Prementine and Eli Anderson, finished with 73 points.
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OIL CITY will play Titusville at 4:30 p.m TUESDAY at Allegheny College in the District 10 3A baseball quarters. Semifinals Thursday, championship May 27. Seeds: 1. Mercyhurst, 2. Harbor Creek, 3. Fairview, 4. Oil City, 5. Titusville, 6. Conneaut, 7. Girard, 8. North East.
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Defending champion CRANBERRY is the top seed in the District 9 2A playoffs and will play the winner of No. 4 Kane-No. 5 Moniteau on WEDNESDAY, TBA. Kane will host Moniteau on Monday. No. 2 Karns City will face No. 3 Curwensville in the other semifinal Wednesday. Both are 15-win teams. Title game is May 27 at Heindl Field in DuBois. The Berries were eliminated by eventual state champion and unbeaten Everett in the playoffs last season.
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No. 5 FRANKLIN will play No. 4 Conneaut at noon TUESDAY at Allegheny in D-10 4A softball playoffs. Winner will face top-seeded Cathedral Prep on Thursday. Hickory vs. Warren in the other first-round game; winner gets 2 seed Meadville in semis. Title game May 27.
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Fifth-seeded ROCKY GROVE trailed 5-1 at one point, but Iroquois needed a walk-off single by Karina Reichard to eliminate the Orioles from the D-10 1A softball playoffs, 7-6, Monday at Penn State Behind. Iroquois will face top-seeded Cambridge Springs Wednesday in the semis. Other semifinal matches No. 2 Cochranton vs. No. 3 West Middlesex. Title game May 27.
Diamonds
in the rough
Oiler thinclads 3-peat
in region dual meets
District track champs
Franklin senior CALEB PRETTYMAN was a four-event winner at the District 10 2A meet May 18 at Slippery Rock. He won the 800, 1600 and 3200 and anchored the 3200 relay to first place.
Cranberry senior AYANNA FERRINGER won the District 9 2A title in the girls javelin, throwing 125-3 May 17 at Brookville. She'll have one more chance at the Kate Speerstra's 20-year-old school record of 126-11. That will be in the state meet.
Oil City's ETHEN KNOX had a solid outing in the District 10 2A track meet May 18 at Slippery Rock University. He won the discus, took second in the 200, third in the 100 and anchored the 400 relay behind Drayton Dill, De'Vaughn Griffin and Steven Heise to fifth place.
Also qualifying for states...
Tom Reisenweber, the Erie sports guy, pointed out on X that the D-10 2A sprints field was so strong that nine runners qualified for states in the 100. Besides Oil City's Ethen Knox, that group would include junior De'Vaughn Griffen.
What's more, the Oilers also qualified their fifth place 400 relay, which also included Drayton Dill and Steven Heise.
Knox qualified in four events with his victory in the discus and second in the 200.
Meanwhile, for Franklin, Bryson Watson (both hurdles) and Jay Peterman (3200 relay, 1600) qualified in two events.
Caleb Peterman qualified in four -- the 800, 1600, open 3200 and the relay, which also included Rocky Grove students Easton Adamczyk and Gauge Gierlach.
Another Oriole, Isabel Griffin, advanced in the girls 1600, while senior Nadalie Latchaw reached "the promised land" in the 3200.
In addition to Ferringer, Cranberry qualified Dane Wenner in the pole vault and Kelsey Hanna in the 3200.
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Vanderbilt wrapped up the regular season May 18 by beating No. 2 Kentucky, 12-4. Franklin's Luke Guth didn't pitch, but he was on the mound for the series opener May 16. He now stands 1-1 in 15.1 innings with 19 Ks against seven walks. ERA is 4.70. The 34-19 Commodores will play in the SEC tourney May 21-26 in Hoover, Ala. Last week Guth did give up home run No, 33 to Georgia's Charley Condon, who later broke the NCAA record with his 34th.
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Meanwhile, another freshman from Franklin, TRINITY EDGE was named Presidents Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year. The Waynesburg 3B/P slashed .393/.438/.547 to rank in the PC's top 10 in all three categories. The second team all-PAC pick made 14 apps in the circle and pitched to a 1.47 ERA.
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KOLTON BANFI, senior from Franklin, finished his baseball career at Westminster with a 12-10 record and a 4.34 ERA over 203 innings. Made 45 appearances over four years, fanning 134. Walks/strikeouts: 61/134 in 45 appearances over four years. He pitched to a 2.92 ERA this season with three complete games.
Second team all-conference for the second straight year.
Easton Fulmer, who has played basketball at Edinboro the last two winters, is transferring to Division III Chatham in Pittsburgh.
The Cougars were 18-9 last year, playing out of the Presidents' Athletic Conference with Westminster, Allegheny, Grove City and the like.
The 6-1 guard played in 54 games for the Fighting Scots, averaging 11.8 minutes.
He scored 237 points (4.4 avg.), shooting 79-213 from the floor (54-157 from three-point land) and was 23/24 from the line. Other stats: 51 rebounds, 26 assists, 17 steals, three blocks.
Jodi Gault and peers want to honor their coaches, so she is planning an Oil City High School girls basketball reunion. It will be held Saturday, July 27, (Oil Heritage Week) at Hasson Park. and is open to anyone who had anything to do with the program. Ever. (Click on photo for more.)
