This site is about the sports doings of the high schools in Venango County, Pa. Contact: pennyweichel@gmail.com
Byron Johnston poses with the many trophies his teams accumulated in his 36 years of coaching at Cranberry. Johnston coached the Berries in basketball, baseball and track, but was most famous for his physical fitness teams that competed in a tri-state meet in Pittsburgh, districts in Philadelphia and nationals at Washington every year. Cranberry claimed three national titles. He also coached star sprinter (sub 10 in the 1009-yard-dash) and taught an estimated 3,000 kids how to swim. He retired in 1976 with a 616-313 record and about 200 trophies.
Bill Hager coached Franklin basketball teams to seven District 10 titles -- five boys and two girls during the 1990s through the oughts. He also coached 36 years -- Jamestown, N.Y., and Maplewood before coming to Franklin in 1993. His record was 672-273 to go with 22 conference titles.
Bill Mook, who was a wrestler in high school and played golf at Slippery Rock in college, built the Franklin girls basketball program from the ground up when he became head coach in 1980, compiling a 357-169 reciord. His teams won the Lady Knights' first three District 10 titles, 12 league titles and reached the western Pa. finals twice. Mook spent 20 years at Franklin as coach and/or athletic director.
District team champions
Girls
Basketball
District 10
2013 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Hager
2012 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Hager
2006 -- Franklin (3A), coach Todd Wetjen
2004 -- Franklin (3A), coach Todd Wetjen
2000 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Mook
1999 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Mook
1998 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Mook
1995 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Scott Creighton
1994 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Scott Creighton
1993 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Jim Garland
1992 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Jim Garland
1980 -- Venango Christian (A), coach John Weibel
1979 -- Venango Christian (A), coach John Weibel
1975 -- Oil City (all)​​, coach Dixie Agnew
District 9
2015 -- Venango Catholic (A), coach Tom McNellie
2012 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Chris Shumaker
2011 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Chris Shumaker
2010 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Chris Shumaker
2009 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Chris Shumaker
2005 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Chris Shumaker​
Swimming
District 10
2005 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
2004 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
2003 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
2002 -- Oil City (3A), coach Stacia Smith (assistants Ryan Fennick, Gayle Smith, Curtis Chase)
2001 -- Oil City (3A), coach Stacia Smith (assistants Ryan Fennick, Gayle Smith, Curtis Chase
2000 -- Oil City (3A), coach Stacia Smith (assistants Ryan Fennick, Gayle Smith, Curtis Chase)
1999 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1997 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1996 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1995 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1992 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1973 -- Oil City (3A), coach Jim Enos
​​
Cross Country
District 10
1987 -- Oil City (3A), coach Peg Sims
1984 -- Oil City (3A), coach Peg Adams
1981 -- Oil City (3A), coach Peg Adams
1980 -- Oil City (3A), coach Peg Adams
1976 -- Oil City (3A), coach Peg Adams
District 9
2022 -- Cranberry (1A)
2021 -- Cranberry (1A )
2018 -- Cranberry (2A )
2017 -- Cranberry (2A)
2015 -- Cranberry (2A )
Volleyball
District 10
1994 -- Oil City (3A), coach Barb Weaver
1991 -- Oil City (3A), coach Bill O'Brien
1988 -- Oil City (3A), coaches Lynn and Jim Smith
1988 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Cindy Schenck
1987 -- Cranberry (2A). coach Cindy Schenck
1984 -- Oil City (3A), coaches Lynn and Jim Smith
Softball
District 10
2021 -- Franklin (4A), coach Ed Winger
District 9
2025 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Chris Shumakerumaker
2024 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Chris Shumaker
2023 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Chris Shumaker
2019 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Glenn Barcinas
2018 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Glenn Barcinas
2012 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Shawn Bean
Track
District 10
1984 -- Oil City (3A), coach Dottie Valimont
1983 -- Oil City (3A), coach Dottie Valimont
1982 -- Oil City (3A), coach Dottie Valimont
​
Boys
Football
District 10
2025 -- Oil City (4A), coach Dan York
020 -- Oil City (4A), coach Dan York
2019 -- Oil City (5A), coach Dan York
2018 -- Oil City (5A), coach Dan York
1998 -- Oil City (3A), coach Paul Stamm
Basketball
District 10
2024 -- Franklin (3A), coach Jason Fulmer
2023 -- Franklin (3A), coach Jason Fulmer
2022 -- Franklin (3A), coach Jason Fulmer
2011 -- Rocky Grove (1A), coach Steve Cutchall
2010 -- Rocky Grove (1A), coach Steve Cutchall
2005 -- Franklin (3A), coach Steve Shingledecker
2003 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Hager
2002 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Hager
2001 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Hager
1998 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Hager
1995 -- Franklin (3A), coach Bill Hager
1984 -- Venango Christian (1A), coach Dean Henderson
1978 -- Venango Christian (1A), coach Dean Henderson
1976 -- Venango Christian (1A), coach Dean Henderson
1952 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Byron Johnston
1949 -- Rocky Grove (2A), coach Vince Curran
1947 -- Rocky Grove (2A), coach Vince Curran
1939 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Howard Smith
1938 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Howard Smith
1922 -- Franklin (all, Northwestern Pa.), coach Bob Atticks
1921 -- Oil City (all, Northwestern Pa.), coach Bill Fountain​
District 9
2026 -- Cranberry (2A) coach Ed McIntyre
025 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Ed McIntyre
2008 -- Cranberry (2A,) coach Eric O'Polka
Cross Country
District 10
2023 -- Rocky Grove (1A)
2021 -- Rocky Grove (1A)
2020 -- Rocky Grove (1A)
1984 -- Oil City (3A), coach Charlie Winger
1983 -- Oil City (3A), coach Charlie Winger
1982 -- Oil City (3A), coach Charlie Winger
​District 9
2021 -- Cranberry (1A ), coach Keith Siverling
2020 -- Cranberry (1A ), coach Keith Siiverling
2019 -- Cranberry (2A ), coach Keith Siverling
2014 -- Cranberry (1A), coach Keith Siverling
Baseball
District 10
2019 -- Franklin (3A), coach Brian Schmidt
2018 -- Rocky Grove (2A), coach Bill Wilson
2017 -- Rocky Grove (2A), coach Bill Wilson
2014 -- Franklin (2A), coach Brian Schmidt
2009 -- Franklin (2A)
2004 -- Franklin (2A)
1999 -- Oil City (2A), coach Scott Stahl
1995 -- Franklin (3A)
District 9
2015 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Patrick Irwin
Track
District 10
2024 -- Franklin (3A) coach Jake Salsgiver
1985 -- Oil City boys and girls (3A) both finished second but had best combined score, coaches Bob Craig and Dottie Valimont
1982 -- Oil City (3A), coach Bob Craig
1960 -- Franklin (A), coach Wayne Eakin
1959 -- Rocky Grove (B), coach Vince Curran
Swimming
District 10
2008 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
2007 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
2006 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
2000 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1999 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1998 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1997 -- Oil City (3A), coach Gayle Smith
1996 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1995 -- Franklin (3A), coach Eric Smith
1971 -- Oil City (3A), tied Strong Vincent for title, coach Jim Enos
​
Wrestling
1976 -- Oil City (3A), coach Dick Petulla
1986 -- Cranberry (2A), coach Steve Rood
1982 -- Oil City (3A) coach Dick Petulla
1992 -- Oil City (3A) coach Bill Skelton
1998 -- Franklin (3A)
Golf
District 10
1988 -- Cranberry (2A)
Volleyball
District 10
1942 -- Oil City, coach Hud Wells
1941 -- Oil City, coach Hud Wells
1940 -- Oil City, coach Hud Wells
1939 -- Oil City, coach Hud Wells
1938 -- Oil City, coach Hud Wells
1937 -- Oil City, coach Hud Wells