Franklin Regional gets 31-28 comeback win over Plum to take control of Big East Conference

MURRYSVILLE, Pennsylvania – Few people may have thought before the season that Franklin Regional would sit atop the WPIAL 5A Big East Conference to begin the second half of the season.

But after a 31-28 comeback win over Plum on Friday night, that’s exactly where the Panthers find themselves.

Franklin Regional (4-2, 2-0 Big East) trailed 21-7 at halftime, but quickly cut that lead in half as Zach Bewszka took the opening kickoff of the second half 82 yards for a touchdown.

“I was thinking the ball would go out of bounds,” Bewszka said. “But it bounced toward me, and I thought to myself, ‘I might as well take it’ and I got great blocks from my teammates and I just took it to the house.”

Plum couldn’t generate anything on its first offensive drive to begin the second half and had to punt the ball. A good punt return by Ayden Hudock set the Panthers up at Plum’s 4-yard line.

Quarterback Roman Sarnic cashed it in for Franklin Regional with a 2-yard touchdown run to tie the game.

“I was kind of shaken up in the first half,” Sarnic said. “Their defensive line wasn’t as effective on its blitzes (in the second half), so I was able to get the passes off, run the ball better and we scored off it.”

Hudock, who recorded five receptions for 136 yards, also hauled in a 45-yard pass from Sarnic late in the third quarter to give the Panthers their first lead at 28-21. A field goal midway throught the fourth quarter gave the Panthers a 31-21 lead.

Trailing 31-21, Plum made one last push.

Quarterback Sean Franzi threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Thomas with less than two minutes left in the game to trim the Panthers lead to 31-28. Plum couldn’t convert on the onside kick, but the Mustangs forced a punt after a three-and-out for the Panthers offense.

On the final play of the game at Plum’s own 45-yard line, Franzi wanted to throw a Hail Mary, but none of his receivers were open so he ran with the football down the field. He broke some tackles but was eventually tackled at Franklin Regional’s 35-yard line to end the game.

Plum started the scoring as on its opening drive, senior running back Eryck Moore-Watkins rushed for a 40-yard touchdown.

However, Franklin Regional was able to tie the game when Bewszka rushed for a 2-yard touchdown on the Panthers’ opening drive.

Plum regained the lead on its next offensive drive as Moore- Watkins scored another rushing touchdown from 58 yards out. Watkins-Moore finished the day with 18 rushes for 135 yards.

After a penalty negated what looked to be the tying touchdown for Franklin Regional, Plum recovered a Sarnic fumble that set up a rushing touchdown by Nick Odom from four yards out to take a 21-7 lead.

After another fumble recovery, Plum tried to extend its lead right before halftime but wasn’t able to do as kicker Angelo Baleno missed a 46-yard field goal.

“We were beating ourselves with dumb penalties and we came out (in the second half) all fired up,” said Sarnic, who completed 9 of 14 passes for 161 yards. “I feel that they had an advantage over us, but we fixed it as the game went on.”

Franklin Regional recorded an overall record of 3-8 last season (2-3 Big East) and lost to Penn Hills in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. With more wins already this season and with both losses (to Latrobe and Shaler) by three points or less, the Panthers have confidence and momentum for the rest of the season as the whole team is starting to realize that they truly have the capability to win the conference.

“It would feel great to win (a conference, WPIAL and PIAA title) because we did come into the season as underdogs,” Sarnic said. “Last year wasn’t our year and if we could go far this year, that would be a really good bounce back for this program.”