M:7 Sports Scouting Report
Week 7 — Franklin Regional Panthers vs. Penn-Trafford Warriors
Friday 10/11/24, 7:00 p.m. Kickoff — Warrior Stadium — Harrison City, PA
What to Watch For:
Styles make fights, and this week we’re once again stepping into the WPIAL’s loaded 5A classification for what’s sure to be a ground-and-pound battle between two physical teams. A true backyard brawl with only about seven miles separating these two campuses, you wouldn’t be crazy to compare this matchup to notable rivalries like Army-Navy. Like the Black Knights and Midshipmen, both the Panthers and the Warriors on-field success is a result of controlling the line of scrimmage, using their athletes in the backfield to move the ball effectively on the ground, and stopping their opponents in their tracks with stout defense. Both sides have the horsepower to get the W, but we’re looking for standout performances from the two SR RBs — FR’s Kyle Dupill and PT’s Tasso Whipple — each one of the best ball-carriers their respective schools have witnessed. Can the Panthers keep their four-game winning streak alive and be a senior night spoiler? Or will the Warriors defend their home turf and send their upperclassmen out on top?
Penn-Trafford Warriors (Record 5-2; Head Coach John Ruane):
The road to success is always under construction, and on University Boulevard, Coach Linn’s squad has their hard hats and lunch pails at the ready looking to build on last year’s run to the WPIAL 5A semifinals and take Tigers football to new heights. Doing this in one of the area’s most competitive classifications is no easy task, but so far this season, the Tigers have shown they can hang with anybody. Exhibit A: their last three matchups where they’ve averaged 36+ points per game and bested traditional power West Allegheny in an I-376 showdown (32-24) before taking their show on the road with a statement win at Seneca Valley (42-13). Moon comes into this game having made some serious noise last week, coming up just short in what might have been the WPIAL game of the year — a 45-36 Bethel Park victory where the Tigers led by a field goal with less than three minutes to go against one of 5A’s most explosive teams. Look for them to build on that standout performance and utilize their talent at the skill positions to put points on the board.
Who to Watch For:
Looking for what Western PA’s style of football looks like? Well this Penn-Trafford program offers a textbook example. These guys typify the hard-hat mentality, putting in the work with a combination of smashmouth, run-heavy offense and physicality on defense that would make the Cowher-era Steelers proud. Last season, the Warriors had one of the best big-play backfields in the area, thanks to the efforts of Tasso Whipple and Ben Grabowski. And while Ben has missed some time due to injury, the Warriors’ train has kept rolling this season and is really picking up steam after a 2-2 start in their first four games. Engineering that effort are SR stalwarts Whipple (RB/LB) and Jack Weishaar (WR/DB) along with the QB duo Jonny Lovre and Derek Carr, who provide a dual-threat dynamic that can give defenses fits. Riding a three-game winning streak where they’ve averaged 33 points per game while holding their opponents to just 30 points combined, PT’s ready to go to work in this week’s matchup.
- Tasso Whipple #34 (℅ 2025; RB/LB; 6’1” 190 lb.): For PT football, it’s a throwback Friday every time Tasso carries the rock. He’s a punishing power back in every sense of the term and could easily fit into a vintage NFL Films highlight with counterparts like Larry Csonka or Rocky Bleier. Building on last year’s strong campaign — 17 TDs and 1,388 yards on the ground — Tasso has continued to solidify his position as one of the WPIAL’s premier RBs, coming into this week with 1,161 yards rushing and eight TDs on the season. He’s rapidly climbing the statistical ranks as one of PT’s all-time greats, in the elite company of players like 2024 Wisconsin breakout star Cade Yaccamelli. Don’t get caught napping thinking it’s just three yards and a cloud of dust with him either, as Tasso’s got the wheels and agility to make a house call anytime he gets into open space, which is frequently. Just look at his tape vs. Woodland Hills where he turned a checkdown pass into a nearly 50-yard gain for his offense, hurdling one defender and juking another in the process. He makes his presence known on defense too, as a quick and hard-hitting LB who’s got a nose for the football. Also an accomplished wrestler, he’s a needle-mover that is sure to make a difference at any school he chooses.
- Jamison Yurt #27 (℅ 2026; LB/FB; 6’1” 220 lb.): Bringing the power hour after hour, Jamison is making a name for himself as the breakout leader for the Warriors’ defense this season. Looking at his highlights, the intensity and energy he brings on every play are easy to see as he shows good speed and aggressive pursuit of the ball carrier wherever they are on the field. Running down hill to meet opposing backs at the point of contact, once he’s there, Jamison is a virtual brick wall, dishing out big hits or doing everything he can to bring them down as a sound fundamental tackler. On offense, he embodies the Warriors’ trademark grit at the FB position. The lead blocker for Tasso and the PT running attack, Jamison is a workhorse who’s extremely effective at taking his man out of the play and creating space for his backs to do what they do best. Just a junior, we’re hoping to see him get more recognition in recruitment.
Franklin Regional Panthers (Record 6-1; Head Coach Lance Getsy):
The 2024 Panthers squad might have finally been able to catch their breath after last week’s 51-14 road win at Fox Chapel. Prior to that, you could’ve nicknamed them the “cardiac cats” — snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with three consecutive wins by less than a touchdown. This streak included a standout defensive performance vs. section foe Greater Latrobe, which saw FR prevail 3-0 after bottlenecking a potent Latrobe offense and forcing several key turnovers to seal the deal. The Panthers followed up this hard-fought win by avenging last year’s loss to rival Gateway and holding off a furious 27-point Gators onslaught in the fourth quarter to reclaim the Victory Bell trophy in a 36-34 thriller. Coach Getsy — brother of current Raiders Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy — has a group that’s cool, calm, and collected under pressure, thanks to veteran leaders like SRs Dupill (RB/LB), Chase Lemke (QB), Austin Kerns (LB) and Macallister Bresnahan (TE).
Who to Watch For:
- Jaymier Austin #13 (℅ 2026; DB/WR; 6’3” 177 lb.): Be careful when you’re watching Jaymier’s highlights this year; your jaw might hit the floor. He’s a real deal playmaker in all three phases. At corner, he consistently wins the physical matchup, with exceptional size for his position and the speed and technique to stay glued to the receiver in man coverage. Once it’s in the air, he can flip the game in a split second by applying his WR skills to track the ball, rack up PBUs, force fumbles, or reel in INTs. He put up what might be the WPIAL’s hustle play of the year vs. Latrobe — tracking down PSU-commit Alex Tatsch 55 yards downfield and punching the ball out on a play that was a flashback to Peanut Tillman. Speaking of Chicago Bears, Jaymier’s also doing his best Devin Hester impression for the Panthers’ special teams unit with kick return TDs of 82 yards vs. Hempfield and 92 yards vs. Fox Chapel. Offers already include Youngstown State, Marshall, and Purdue, with more on the horizon without question.
- Kyle Dupill #26 (℅ 2025; RB/LB; 5’8” 200 lb.): You’d have to imagine it gets frustrating pretty quickly for defenders trying to bring Kyle down; he’s practically tackle proof. Across both sides of the Allegheny-Westmoreland county line, Kyle’s been making opponents look silly this season and running wild as the featured back in the Panthers’ offense. Fortunately for FR, his stat lines seem to only get more eye-popping as the season goes on. He built on his 161 yards on the ground against Latrobe and 227 yards on 36 carries against Gateway by racking up 272 yards and four TDs in his team’s runaway victory vs. Fox Chapel last game, where he averaged 11.8 yards per carry. Like the Energizer Bunny, Kyle just keeps going and going as a strong but shifty runner whose vision and quick feet allow him to slice and dice the defense’s front seven, rip through would-be tacklers, and rack up yards after contact. He’s a sure-fire steal for any program that he calls home at the next level.