This site is about the sports doings -- mainly football -- of the high schools in Venango County, Pa. Contact:
1976 winner -- FHS grad Jack Fultz --
to serve as grand marshal of marathon
Jack Fultz will serve as grand marshal of the Boston Marathon April 20 -- the 50th anniversary of his victory. Fultz, a 1966 Franklin graduate, was a surprise winner; many of the "big names" sat out to prepare for the 1976 Olympics. With temps soaring to 96 degrees, the '76 marathon has become known as the "Run for the Hoses."
According to a story written by The Derrick's Joe Henderson, Fultz now teaches sports psychology at Tufts and is coach of a team of 500 members that he trains to run the race and has raised millions for cancer research since 1990.
Modest beginnings: Fultz started out as a sprinter in high school, but by his senior year was running the 880 and mile, smashing the school record in the latter by six seconds (4:34.5.)
Pulling his weight
Franklin junior Logan Knight is one of the best in District 10 -- and in the state for that matter -- in the discus and shot -- aka the weights. (Tammy Curry)
Griffin, Miller cop titles, Franklin Girls 4th at Ft. LeBoeuf invite
The Week that was In T&F
The Franklin girls did very well, thank you very much, at the Ft. LeBoeuf Invitational Saturday. Isabel Griffin (3200) and Lilyan Miller (long jump) won titles in the 11-team event.
The Lady Knights scored well across the board, placing in all three relays, including seconds in the 3200 and 1600. Sophie Wehrle, Alayna Gahr, Alania Byler and Justeyn Winner ran the 3200, while Anna Rodgers, Miah Shingledecker, Lena Laderer and Wehrle handled the 1600.
Rodgers (pictured below) also took individual thirds in the hurdles, while Laderer, a freshman, was third in the 400. Franklin placed fourth, a point behind Lakeview.
The boys didn't have Logan Knight and finished 11th out of 12 teams. The Knights' best finish was by another thrower, Aaron Moore Junior, who was third in the shot at 46-101/2.
Even without Knight, the weights featured some big-time talent: Ft. LeBoeuf's Mason Friedman won the shot with 60-101/2 and Seneca's Austin Jacobs took the discus with 163-6. And Corry's Landon Atha claimed the javelin with a throw of 187-10.
Meadville's Tymir Phillips, who jumped over 24 feet earlier this month, went a meet record 22-71/4 in the long at LeBoeuf.
---
Oil City traveled south to West Mifflin to compete with primarily WPIAL schools in the 57-team TSTCA meet.
Oil City did not set the world on fire against this calibre of competition, and the Oilers didn't have Spence Singleton at their disposal, either. Top finishes: fourth in the boys 1600 relay with Dylan Van Wormer, Rilee Matalino, Carter Thompson and Morris Woodhouse doing the running; Madi Garland, fifth in the shot and Bailey Stevens, sixth in the 300 hurdles. With the top eight figuring in the scoring, Olive Collins was a near-miss with a ninth in the 100 hurdles. Corabel Shiley was 12th in the 1600, but ran a state top 50 time of 5:18.63. There were a lot of nice times and distances for the Oilers but few team points to show for them.
​
Turns out the Brookville Invitational WAS held Saturday, and Cranberry's Cole Findlay, Blake Marchinke, Dalton Wenner and Landon Baker won the 1600 relay. The meet was scheduled for the 11th, then MileSplit, earlier Saturday, had it on the 18th, but the photo of the aforementioned relay was posted on Facebook Sunday. So it was on the 11th.​​​​​​​​​​​​
​
​Streaking Oilers
The Oilers now have 20 straight region wins. They are seeking their fifth straight region title this year. Warren (plus Sheffield) and Eisenhower (plus Youngsville) are part of Region 3 this spring after the closings of Sheffield and Youngsville after the 2024-25 school year...If you follow T&F, you might have noticed the absence from the Oiler lineup of senior distance runner Keegan Kirkwood. He has a lower leg injury that may cause him to miss the season, according to coach Dave Skinner...
'Mile' Relays
Cranberry won the 1600 relay Saturday at the Brookville Invitational. It was the only first of the day for the Berries. From left: Landon Baker, Blake Marchinke, Cole Findly and Dalton Wenner.
Oil City won three medals at the TSTCA meet at West Mifflin -- one by the 1600 relay. Pictured from left: Morris Woodhouse, Carter Thompson, Rilee Matalino and Dylan Van Wormer. According to a Facebook post, Thompson later went to Sharon for AAU hoops and earned a medal there, too.
Anna Rodgers took thirds in both hurdles and ran a leg of the second-place 1600 relay. (Photo by Christy Fackler)
Junior Madi Garland, who was third in the D-10 javelin last spring, ranks 151st in Pa. for shot-discus combo. And this was before her 101-foot discus vs. Franklin -- an extra 14 feet. (the article was released March 20.) They don't keep shot-discus-javelin combo, but if they did, she would be right up there.
Oil City's Spence Singleton has improved his distance in the javelin by 20 feet over last year to become one of the best in District 10.
Track honor roll
GIRLS
3200 relay -- Oil City (Corabel Shiley, Lilly Shiley, Addison Wyant, Maddie Elder) 10:21.85; Cranberry 10:26.85
100 hurdles -- Olive Collins, Oil City, 16.4; Anna Rodgers, Franklin, 17.17; Bailey Stevens, Oil City, 17.22
100 -- Lilyan MIller, Franklin, 12.95; Sophia Garmong, Oil City, 13.7
1600 -- Corabel Shiley, Oil City, 5:18.43; Isabel Griffin, Franklin, 5:28.89; Beatrice Kolesar, Cranberry, 5:33.1; Addison Wyant, Oil City, 5:40.34
400 -- Darien Wenner, Cranberry, 62.55; Lena Laderer, Franklin, 63.15; Miah Shingledecke,r Franklin, 65.28
400 relay -- Franklin (Anna Rodgers, Lilyan Miller, Lily Griffin, Lena Laderer), 52.82
300 hurdles -- Bailey Stevens Oil City, 48.98; Anna Rodgers, Franklin, 50.04; Olive Collins, Oil City, 51.13
800 -- Isabel Griffin, Franklin, 2:24.24; Corabel Shiley, Oil City, 2:26.76; Addison Wyant, Oil City, 2:28.55; Beatrice Kolesar, Cranberry, 2:36.46
200 -- Lilyan Miller, Franklin, 27.37; Sophia Garmong, Oil City, 28.26; Darien Wenner, Cranberry, 28.49
3200 -- Corabel Shiley, Oil City, 11:45.53; Isabel Griffin, Franklin, 11:47.59; Beatrice Kolesar, Cranberry, 12:06; Addison Wyant, Oil City, 12:10.33
​1600 relay -- Franklin (Anna Rodgers, Lena Laderer, Miah Shingledecker, Sophie Wehrle), 4:23.73; Oil City 4:24.52.
Shot -- Madi Garland, Oil City, 32-21/2; Halle Curry, Franklin, 29-71/2
Discus -- Madi Garland, Oil City, 101-101/2
Javelin -- Madi Garland, Oil City, 112-6
High jump -- ChishaBetty Watson, Cranberry, 4-10; Olive Collins, Oil City, 4-8
Long jump -- Lilyan Miller, Franklin, 16-61/2; Isabella Vorse, Oil City, 15-113/4
Triple jump -- Lena Laderer, Franklin, 34-5
Pole vault -- Darien Wenner, Cranberry, 10-0; Bailey Stevens, Oil City, 8-0
​
BOYS
3200 relay -- Oil City 9:33.16
110 hurdles -- Michael Fink, Oil City, 15.97
100 -- Morris Woodhouse, Oil City, 11.41; Cole Findlay, Cranberry, 11.93; Jackson Wilson, Franklin, 11.97
1600 -- Rilee Matalino, Oil City. 4:42.65; Max Griffin, Franklin, 4:51.16
400 -- Morris Woodhouse, Oil City, 51.8; Blake Marchinke, Cranberry, 53.96; Dylan Van Wormer, Oil City, 54.06; Eddie Mattocks, Franklin, 54.78
400 relay -- Oil City, 45.61; Franklin (Eddie Mattocks, Jackson Wilson, Cody Walkowski, Samuel Miller), 46.77
300 hurdles -- Carter Thompson, Oil City, 43.64; Garrett Dick, Cranberry, 45.12; Jayden Jackson, Cranberry, 46.10; Sam Miller, Franklin, 46.71; Cam Winger, Franklin, 47.58
800 -- Rilee Matalino, Oil City, 2:02.67
200 -- Morris Woodhouse, Oil City, 23.44; Eddie Mattocks,Franklin, 24.41; Dylan VanWormer, Oil City, 24.54; Blake Marchinke, Cranberry, 24.6
3200 -- Daniel McCain, Cranberry, 10:28.47; Elliot Hulsizer, Oil City, 10:59.29
1600 relay -- Oil City (Dylan VanWormer, Rilee Matalino, Carter Thompson, Morris Woodhouse), 3:32.61; Cranberry (Cole Findlay, Landon Baker, Blake Marchinke, Dalton Wenner), 3:36.80; Franklin (A.J. Rodriguez, Eddie Mattocks, Samuel Miller, Jackson Wilson), 3:44.28
Shot -- Logan Knight, Franklin, 56-101/4; Aaron Moore Junior, Franklin, 46-101/2
Discus -- Logan Knight, Franklin, 162-4
Javelin -- Spence Singleton, Oil City, 183-1
High jump -- Cole Findlay, Cranberry, 5-10; Michael Fink, Oil City, 5-9; Cole Findlay, Cranberry, 5-8
Long jump --Nevin Stinson, Oil City, 20-10; Cole Findlay, Cranberry, 20-5; W. Findlay, Cranberry, 20-2
Triple jump -- Nevin Stinson, Oil City, 41-1; Bart Rosen , Oil City, 40-6
Pole vault -- Tahelon Tarr, Oil City, 9-0
​
First it was Penn State recruit Maddy Vogan of Sharon firing a three inning perfect game on March 26. Friday, it was Kendall Lashinsky of DuBois, hurling a two-hitter as the usually potent-at-the plate Berries fell to 7-2. Final score: 10-0.
Lashinsky walked three and struck out three in the five-inning game,
Meanwhile, Franklin, which has played more games than anybody (10), outlasted Iroquois in a 15-10 slugfest. Luke Marsteller's two-run double snapped a 9-9 tie and highlighted a five-run fifth. Freshman Jake Saragian picked up the win.
Thursday's games saw:
Haydon Bevier (22) hurling a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts as Rocky Grove blanked Cochranton, 6-0.
Oil City beating winless Franklin, 18-3, in softball for their first win over the Knights in many moons. The Oilers finished with 20 hits, five by Riley Johnson, four by Hope Harriet (1), and three more by Aubrielle Whitmer.
And speaking of many moons, the Oiler tennis team making it two in a row with a 4-1 decision over Meadville.
On Saturday Cranberry spanked Eisenhower, 15-0, in a three-inning game. Alex McIntyre did the pitching and Jack McCloskey went three-for-three with three RBI.
Keeping up with Luke Guth
Luke Guth worked three scoreless Friday, but Vanderbilt dropped a 13-11 decision to No. 16 Oklahoma.
The Sooners, after erasing an eight-run first by the Commodores, already had the 13-11 lead by the time Guth entered the game. He allowed a hit, walked one and fanned three. He didn't play in the series opener Thursday, a 10-5 Vandy victory.
Guth pitched an inning Tuesday, striking out two, in Vandy's 3-0 victory over Eastern Kentucky.
He leads the team with 15 appearances.
The Commodores, 21-16, also lost to the Sooners, 6-5, Saturday. They'll play Lipscomb Tuesday and visit Kentucky Friday through Sunday.
This space is dedicated to keeping up with Guth, a 6-1, 188-pound junior right-hander from Franklin.
Football
Franklin finds
its man
Austin Ion was introduced as the new Franklin football coach at a school board work session on Jan. 19. He officially became Franklin's 26th paid coach at the board's Jan. 26 meeting.
Ion succeeds Matt Turk, a former Knight all-star, who resigned after six years at the helm.
Ion is a 2017 Keystone High School graduate who played football, basketball and baseball for the Panthers.
He played wide receiver at Grove City College, where he majored in accounting.
He has coached at Keystone for eight years and most recently served as jayvee coach under coach Todd Smith.
The commiittee to select a new coach at Franklin consisted of athletic director Becky Barnes, high school co-principal Tom Holoman, Central Elementary principal Joe Keenan and assistant AD Chris Romanowski.
Ion was the choice among "nine good applicants," according to Barnes.​
Meanwhile, seen on Facebook (4.12):
​
"It’s been a busy few months for the Knights this offseason!
Today we max tested after Phase 1 of our offseason workout plan.
Junior Caden Mincer joined the 1,000 pound club!
We’re super proud of all the guys and how hard they’ve worked this far.
On to Phase 2!"
