This site is about the sports doings of the high schools in Venango County, Pa. Contact: pennyweichel@gmail.com
VOLLEYBALL
Franklin falls to Cathedral Prep
in D-10 championship match
But Lady Knights
still state-bound
Cathedral Prep swept Franklin, 3-0, Thursday in the District 10 3A volleyball championship game, but the Lady Knights are still headed to the state playoffs.
Both teams went into the match looking for their first district crown, although Villa Maria won in 1985 before its merger with Prep in 2022-23.
This is the first trip to the state tourney for both teams.
Franklin will visit the WPIAL champ -- either top-seeded Freeport or third-seeded Avonworth -- on Tuesday.
Prep will host the WPIAL runnerup that day.
Freeport and Avonworth will play Saturday for WPIAL honors.
Avonworth won the 2A state crown in 2025.
Franklin, the third seed in the district tourney, was coming off an upset of Fairview, the No. 2 entry, in the semifinals.The Lady Knights are now 16-5.
Mainstays for coach Mya Zacherl include seniors Hope Laderer, Haven Goodman, Mary Adams (pictured), and Sophie Beach and juniors Jordan Irons, Araden Maxson and Sophie Boal.
Other D-10 champions are:
6A --- McDowell
4A -- Corry
2A -- Maplewood
1A -- Cochranton
Girls volleyball in District 10 has long been dominated by Crawford and Erie county schools.
This year's titles were the 26th for McDowell and the 24th for Maplewood.
Oil City and Cranberry are the only other Venango County schools to win district titles or qualify for states, both back in the 1980s/90s. In fact, Jim Smith, a 1966 Franklin grad, assisted his wife Lynn in coaching Oil City's early dynasty in the 1980s. Oil City has five titles, Cranberry one.
​
(Photo by Christy Fackler)​
FOOTBALL
District 10 4A playoffs
Friday
At Edinboro University
1 General McLane vs. 4 Harbor Creek, 7 p.m.
At Veterans Stadium
2 Cathedral Prep vs. 3 OIL CITY, 7 p.m.
Championship -- Nov. 13, TBA
Senior Blake Stevens (38), in his last home game, fights off a Karns City lineman as he readies for another of his 270 career tackles.
Fumbles foil Oilers' Bid for Upset of Karns City, 25-12
Fumbles have been a problem for Oil City all season, and it was no different Friday in its home and regular season finale – a 25-12 loss to District 9 power Karns City.
No sooner had the Oilers cut a Gremlins lead to 7-6 on an 86-yard pass from Bryce Marchinke to Logan Heath early in the second quarter than the old bugaboo struck again.
After forcing a punt – and a 59-yarder at that – fumbleitis struck again – two in a row, in fact, that triggered the Gremlins to a 22-7 halftime lead. And Karns City, 9-1, never looked back, adding a field goal in the fourth quarter.
The first Oiler bobble resulted in a 22-yard return by Shane Emrick and a 15-6 lead with 6:20 left in the half. But it didn't end there. The Oilers fumbled again three plays later, igniting a 45-yard scoring drive that gave the Gremlins a 22-6 lead just before halftime. Tyson Frazer scored from the 1.
There was no more scoring until Bryce Dittman booted a 29-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter. That drive began at midfield after 28-yard punt return by Bryce Galan.
The Oilers did get on the board once more after Carter Bialo returned the ensuing kickoff 53 yards to the Karns City 27. Clark Findlay ripped off 11 yards on the first play. It looked like the march would fizzle inside the 10, but a facemask call saved the day, and Carter Thompson hit paydirt from the 2.
The Oilers had another chance to score before the game ended. Karns City lost a fumble on the first play after the kickoff, with Bradley Graham recovering, but the Oilers turned the ball over on downs and the Gremlins ran out the clock.
Karns City, top seed in the D-9 2A playoffs, advanced deep into Oiler territory on its first two possessions before finding the end zone on Cole Johnston’s 36-yard pass to a wide open Owen Kaufman early in the second quarter. It was Kaufman’s 10th TD catch of the year and the 13th scoring pass for Johnson. Before that, the Gremlins lost the ball on a fumble recovered by Matthew Antrilli after reaching the 8 and later were stopped on downs at the Oil City 30.
Oil City, 4-5, the apparent lock for the third seed in the D-10 4A playoffs, withstood two flags before Marchinke and Heath answered on its next possession.
That 86-yard TD is the fifth longest in the Oil City record book.
According to stats posted on YDL Sports.com, Karns City outgained the Oilers 286-212, with the Gremlins picking up 96 yards on the ground but on 32 carries. The Oilers were 30/110 rushing. Marchinke completed four of 10 passes for 102 yards with Heath making two catches for 96. Thompson was 15/54 rushing.
Center Jamarcus Cooke (62) readies for a block. as Bryce Marchinke makes the pitch. Meanwhile, will Carter Thompson (2) get the call for another carry? (Photos by Kelly Malek Photography)
AROUND REGION 5
Region 5 standings
Final standings
DISTRICT 10 PLAYOFFS
Today
4A
Oil City vs. Cathedral Prep
General McLane vs. Harbor Creek
3A
Grove City vs. North East
Corry vs. Ft. LeBoeuf
6A
Altooa vs. Mc Dowell
Erie vs. State College
Saturday
2A
Seneca vs. Shaprsville
Grard vs. Iroquois
1A
Cambridge Springs vs. Maplewood
Lakeview vs. Saegertown
CROSS COUNTRY
No champs, but Berry girls qualify team for states; Shiley, Wyant, McKain, Griffin, J. Kolesar move on
Cranberry's Beatrice Kolesar gave up her reign as District 9 1A cross country champion, settling for third in Saturday's race at Ridgway.
Kolesar did, however, lead the Berries to second place to Elk County Catholic, 56-58, in the team standings and a spot in this week's state meet at Big Spring High School in Newville. Kolesar, who didn't run at districts as a sophomore, but later led Cranberry to the state title that year. She won the district title last season.
Over in District 10, Oil City's Corabel Shiley placed eighth among 2A girls and qualified for states for a fourth straight year. She and Addison Wyant, who was 16th, led the Lady Oilers to seventh among 11 teams in the meet held at Titusville.
The Rocky Grove boys just missed a trip to states, finishing third behind Wilmington and Union City. Max Griffin did advance, finishing 11th. Next was Maxx Baker in 26th place.
Kolesar was clocked in 19:56.4, some 20 seconds off the winning pace of 19:33.6 set by North Clarion freshman Natalie Cyphert.
Others on Cranberry's state team who include Elena Ishman, 11th; Ava Earp, 14th; Louisa Hepler, 16th; Darien Wenner, 22nd; Ellianna Cotherman and Marina Mourchian.
Cranberry was third in the six-team AA boys race. Daniel McCain was fifth and James Kolesar seventh to advance.
Franklin's Justeyn Winner and Alayna Gahr were 21st and 25th in the D-10 2A girls race. Rocky Grove sophomore Brynna Riley was 22nd among D-10 1A girls.
District 10 team champions were Prep in 2A girls and Harbor Creek (dethroning Grove City) in 2A boys. Oil City boys were 12th as a team and didn't have anyone finish in the top 25.​
LEGENDS
Oil City native Tiger LaVerde's teams at Kirtland, O., just keeping rolling along -- even though he lost his quarterback due to injury for the third straight year.
Yes, the Hornets lost a game this season, but they are 9-1 and made the playoffs again.
LaVerde's coaching career began in 2001 with a three-year stint at Franklin before he moved on to Kirtland.
He is approaching 300 victories with eight state titles, and sports the highest winning percentage in Ohio history.
He was also the third in Ohio history to claim eight state titles -- (Class VI). The Hornets have reached the state finals in 14 of the last 15 seasons.
LaVerde was national Coach of the Year in 2023.
Tiger LaVerde and family and friends when Kirtland played at Clarion a few years ago.
Giving 'em the old stiff arm
D-10 all-time top rushers
* active
Action photos from Mercyhurst web site
Knox: 10/113 yards, TD receiving for Mercyhurst
Ethen Knox had another good game for fledgling Division I Mercyhurst on Oct. 31, catching 10 passes for 113 yards and scoring his first touchdown of the season. He was named an NEC Prime Performer for the week of Nov. 2.
Knox caught an 8-yard pass from Alex Gevaudan to climax a 63-yard drive and give the Lakers a 7-3 lead in the opening quarter. However, they couldn't hang on and homestanding Stonehill (4-5) pulled out a 34-28 decision that left the Lakers with a 1-8 record.
Stonehill stymid Mercyhurst's ground game with Knox managing only a team-leading 31 yards on nine carries. The Lakers (1-8) were 19/74 as a team.
Gevaudan threw for 344 yards, completing 28 of 54 for three TDs. He was intercepted three times. Gevaudan is a 6-3, 195-pound junior from Mt. Lebanon. This is his third year on the team and his first as a starter.
Knox has 175 yards rushing on 40 attempts this season. He also has 31 catches for 276 yards. And he's made seven tackles.
For his career he's 41/221 rushing in 12 games.
Mercyhurst will host Wagner this Saturday. Kickoff is 2 p.m.
The Lakers will trravel to Pittsburgh on Nov. 14 for a game with Duquesne, noon kickoff.
Knox is District 10's all-time leading rusher with 7,870 yards. He is a junior cybersecurity major at Mercyhurst.