Plum, Franklin Regional Meet for Title
Two neighboring schools with a combined record of 36-1-3 face off Thursday for the WPIAL boys soccer championship.
By Pedro Tanaka ·
Plum and Franklin Regional will contest the WPIAL boys soccer championship Thursday night at F.N.B. Stadium in Station Square. The two programs, located roughly 10 miles apart, enter the match with a combined regular season record of 36 wins, one loss, and three draws. Both squads have allowed fewer than one goal per game throughout the 2026 campaign, with their combined defensive record standing at 15 goals conceded for the entire season.
The rivalry dates back to shared section titles in 2020, 2021, and 2022, where the teams split their two-game series each year. Their most recent meeting occurred in the 2021 third-place game, which Franklin Regional won on penalty kicks. Earlier this season, the teams drew 1-1, with Ian Johns scoring for the Panthers and AJ Arrigo finding the net for the Mustangs.
Plum enters as the No. 1 seed with a 19-0-1 record. The Mustangs have recorded 14 shutouts this season, including four consecutive games. They have not allowed a goal in their playoff matches, defeating No. 4 Trinity 2-0 in the semifinals. Coach Raf Kolanowski noted that his team relies on a defensive structure to generate offensive opportunities. Kolanowski, who has coached the program to five semifinal appearances since 2019, is seeking the school's second WPIAL title, the first having arrived in 2005.
Franklin Regional, ranked No. 2, holds a 17-1-2 record and is chasing its first WPIAL championship since 2019. The Panthers have been unbeaten in their last 19 matches. Their offense has outscored opponents 80-7 this season. In Monday's semifinal against West Allegheny, junior forward Michael Hillenbrand scored two second-half goals to overturn a 2-1 halftime deficit. This marked only the second time in 18 games that Franklin Regional allowed two goals against.
Key players for Plum include senior forward Hudson Strasser, a WPIAL player of the year, along with goalkeeper Chase Eber and forward Kent Holmes. Franklin Regional counters with senior center back Thomas Bridges, a two-time all-state selection, and forward Andrew Acosta. Junior midfielder Liam Greenbaum has scored three times in the playoffs after totaling one goal in the regular season.
Coach Nick White of Franklin Regional described the matchup as a chance to compete against neighbors who know each other well. Both head coaches expect a tightly contested game, with Kolanowski noting that both teams have improved since their earlier season meeting. The trophy presentation is scheduled for Thursday evening following the final whistle.
The game will determine which team advances to the PIAA state playoffs. Franklin Regional has finished as runner-up in the last two seasons, while Plum lost in the semifinals last year. The stadium in Station Square will host the final contest of the WPIAL season.
