Franklin ousts Oil City, 14-5 (2024)

School may be out for the summer, but school spirit is still active in summer programs like the upcoming Franklin Junior Knights Cheerleading Mini Camp.

CLARION — Liam Richter, Torin Schmidt, Max Bloom, Markus Stone and Bentley Watson each delivered a single and an RBI as Franklin jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first frame and never looked back in posting a 14-5 victory over Oil City in a losers’ bracket game of the District 25 Little Leagu…

CLARION — Starting pitcher Quinton Siembida struck out six and walked just one through four innings, but it wasn’t enough as Oil City’s 10U All-Star team fell to Butler 5-1 in the second round of the District 25 tournament on Thursday at Paul A. Weaver Park.

CLARION — Three Franklin 10U All-Star pitchers combined to give up just two runs on four hits while striking out 12 batters, but Franklin’s bats were unable to get anything going as it dropped a 2-0 decision to Clarion at Paul A. Weaver Park on Tuesday night in the opening round of the Distr…

CLARION — Logan Dickenson tripled as part of a three-hit, four-RBI effort as Oil City’s 10U Little League All-Stars kicked off its District 25 tournament with a convincing 22-5 victory over New Bethlehem at Weaver Park in just three innings.

The second leg of the IBO (International Bowhunters Organization) National Triple Crown wrapped up Sunday at Two Mile Run County Park. Professional, semi-pro and amateur bowhunters of all ages competed from Friday through Sunday for various awards and prizes.

Archery was in full gear after a short rainstorm on Friday morning during the second leg of the 2024 IBO (International Bowhunting Organization) National Championship Triple Crown, which is in its seventh year of being held at Two Mile Run County Park.

Friday morning’s rain held off long enough for the 55-Plus Softball League to celebrate Flag Day with a fitting tribute at the Mitchell Avenue fields.

Tyler McCauley of New Bethlehem outpaced the competition to win first place overall in the 3rd Annual Rail 66 Bike Time Trial held this Saturday. He bested a field of 44 riders and posted a winning time of 26 minutes and 55.2 seconds.

Editor,

To Ed Brannon on his retirement,

I used to write a weekly column for this newspaper, but it’s been quite a few years since I’ve gone down that road.

DUBOIS — Clarion’s state title defense came to a screeching halt on Monday at DuBois’ Showers Field as the Bobcats dropped a 9-3 decision to Bishop Carroll in the opening round of the PIAA Class 1A baseball tournament.

Cranberry picked the wrong time to struggle with the sticks as the Berries managed just three hits on their home field in a 4-1 loss to Laurel in the opening round of the PIAA Class 2A softball playoffs on Monday.

To the sports editor,

LEWISTON, IDAHO — Franklin High School graduate Zack Sterner helped the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs college baseball team reach the championship game of the 2024 Avista NAIA World Series against Hope International on Friday night.

A new mural by local artist Deac Mong honoring the “legends of the Oil City gridiron” has been installed on the side of Pathways in Oil City.

There’s an old photo my late mother used to share with the family that showed me as a toddler asleep on the porch, cradling an oversized football and wearing a helmet. She told everyone — mostly my brother and two sisters — that she and dad knew early on that sports were going to play a big …

To Ed Brannon on your retirement,

DUBOIS — After having its shot at the District 9 Class 2A softball championship postponed twice in the past four days due to weather, Cranberry made sure that it was worth the wait when it finally took the field on Thursday afternoon at Heindl Field.

DUBOIS — A seven-run sixth inning turned a close game into a rout as the Clarion Bobcats exploded past DuBois Central Catholic for a 10-1 victory that wrapped up their second straight District 9 Class 1A baseball championship on Tuesday night at Showers Field in DuBois.

SHIPPENSBURG — After earning silver on Friday, Franklin’s Caleb Prettyman added to his medal count on Saturday during Day 2 of the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships, capping off a stellar outing at Shippensburg University by finishing fourth in the 3,200 and sixth in the 800.

WEXFORD — Franklin High School basketball standouts Jalen Wood and Damon Curry combined for 48 points while playing for the District 10 all-star team in the 20th Annual Roundball Classic, which was held this past weekend at North Allegheny High School.

After a four-year run of tremendous success, a new era for the Franklin boys basketball program is set to begin as junior varsity coach Torin Smith gained approval by the school board on Monday night to be the next head coach of the Knights, taking over for the retired Jason Fulmer.

SHIPPENSBURG — Franklin’s Caleb Prettyman and Union/Allegheny-Clarion Valley’s Hayden Smith each took home a silver medal while Oil City’s Ethen Knox also earned a medal after the first day of action on Friday in the PIAA Class 2A Track and Field Championships held at Shippensburg University…

DUBOIS — Clarion’s state title defense began in earnest on Thursday afternoon as the Bobcats took to the turf of DuBois’ Showers Field to square off against Union/Allegheny-Clarion Valley in the D9 Class 1A baseball semifinals.

BROCKWAY — It wasn’t easy, but Cranberry’s softball team fought its way back into the district championship game with a 6-4 victory over Moniteau on Thursday evening at Brockway High School in a District 9 Class 2A semifinal showdown.

(Editor’s note: This is the last in a series of stories by retired Derrick sports editor Penny Weichel that traces the history of St. Joseph/Venango Christian/Venango Catholic sports as VC prepares to close. Today, Penny looks back at football.)

MEADVILLE — On almost any other day, Oil City starting pitcher Will McMahon would have walked away from the Oilers’ District 10 Class 3A quarterfinals baseball contest against Titusville with a complete-game shutout that led OC to victory.

MEADVILLE — Softballs weren’t the only things jumping on Tuesday at Allegheny College’s Robertson Athletic Complex. So were the nerves as both Franklin and Conneaut Area battled through bouts of playoff jitters in a District 10 Class 4A softball quarterfinal showdown.

That District 10 (2A) boys track title Franklin won Saturday was NOT the first in school history.

A sense of community and patriotism are two staples of small towns all across America, and on June 14, Oil City’s 55-Plus Softball League will put both of those virtues on display at Mitchell Avenue.

ERIE — Rocky Grove’s softball team nearly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on Monday, rallying for four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 6-5 lead before Iroquois struck back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to pull out a 7-6 win in the quarterfinal round of the Distr…

BROOKVILLE — Redbank Valley’s Mylee Harmon won three individual events while placing second in a fourth event to take home the girls’ Jim Manners Award at the District 9 Class 2A Championships held Friday night at Brookville High School.

CONNEAUT LAKE — Rocky Grove’s season came to an end on Saturday at Conneaut Lake Middle School as the Orioles dropped a 25-17, 25-14, 25-12 decision to Meadville in the opening round of the District 10 Class 2A boys volleyball playoffs.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Franklin’s Caleb Prettyman put on quite a show on Saturday at the District 10 Class 2A Track and Field Championships as he won three individual events while he also anchored the 3,200 relay team to another victory in leading the Knights to their first-ever D-10 boys crown at …

Rocky Grove’s Paige Cresswell fired a three-hit shutout while Emily Rice went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored as the Orioles closed out their regular-season schedule and celebrated Senior Night on Thursday with an 8-0 whitewash over visiting Youngsville in Region 2 softball action.

Venango Christian/Catholic

Having lost four games in a row, Oil City’s baseball team was looking to head into the postseason on a positive note with a signature win over rival Franklin in the regular-season finale for both teams on Wednesday afternoon in Region 2 play.

Despite being held to just two singles, Franklin’s girls softball team got a sparkling performance in the pitcher’s circle by freshman Jersey Swartz to notch a 3-0 non-region home win over Mercer on Wednesday at the Sandycreek Elementary School ballfield.