District College category
Seton Hill men lead wire-to-wire to defeat Pitt-Greensburg in matchup of unbeatens
Seton Hill has been hatching plans to change the way it defends. The personnel the talented Griffins have allows them to guard straight up. How they shield against opposing teams could dictate how far they go this college basketball season. “We’re trying to play more man-to-man,” Griffins coach Ben Wilkins...
After injury-plagued freshman season, Yough grad Austin Matthews proving valuable to Geneva men’s basketball
During his basketball playing days at Yough, Austin Matthews didn’t always have a lot of opportunities to demonstrate is offensive ability. With the dynamic Terek Crosby leading the way for the Cougars, Matthews didn’t have to be a double-digit scorer every night. There were never any hard feelings. Matthews called...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Franklin Regional grad Aris Lamanna wraps up strong season for Coastal Carolina women’s soccer
Goalkeeper Aris Lamanna played the entire women’s soccer season for Coastal Carolina — all 1,440 minutes — with a torn labrum. The former Franklin Regional standout put off surgery until mid-November, and she announced the procedure went well. If she had any discomfort or restraints this fall, she didn’t show...
New coach Colin Johnston hoping to guide Saint Vincent wrestling back to top of PAC
Dom Nania launched Saint Vincent’s resurrected wrestling program two years ago by leading the Bearcats to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title. Last season, the Bearcats were PAC runner-up. But in April, Nania stepped down to focus on a career outside of wrestling. A month later, Saint Vincent had its new...
Frostburg State knocks Cal (Pa.) out of NCAA Division II playoffs
Harrison Fritz capped a 15-play fourth-quarter drive with the go-ahead 20-yard field goal with 4:06 to play, giving Frostburg State a 23-21 victory over Cal (Pa.) in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday. Harry Radcliffe missed a 45-yard field goal attempt with 1:38 to go for...
Cal (Pa.) football team returns home for 2nd round of playoffs
Cal (Pa.) will try to extend its postseason run Saturday when it hosts No. 24 Frostburg State in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs at noon at Adamson Stadium. The matchup marks the teams’ second meeting in four weeks and follows a dramatic opening-round win for the...
Westmoreland campus clippings: Saint Vincent’s Iuzzolino reaches 1,000 career points
Members of the Saint Vincent men’s basketball team want to be like Mike. The Bearcats (3-1) came up short against undefeated Hood (6-0), but senior guard Mike Iuzzolino reached the 1,000-point milestone for his career. Senior Dev Ostrowski made seven 3-pointers and finished with 25 points to lead SVC, junior...
After year off to get his mind, academics in order, Fox Chapel grad Moorefield-Brown excels for La Roche men’s basketball
When he was a child, Jefferson Moorefield-Brown always seemed to be dancing. This led his mother to give him the nickname “Boogie,” which has been with him ever since. Even on the La Roche men’s basketball roster, the sophomore is identified as Jefferson “Boogie” Moorefield-Brown Jr. But during his first...
With deep, experienced roster, UPG men’s basketball team eyes elusive conference title
Coaches don’t believe in moral victories, but Chris Klimchock of the Pitt-Greensburg men’s basketball team might be convinced otherwise. Two weeks ago, the Bobcats played at Robert Morris in an exhibition game and hung with the Division I Colonials for a half. UPG trailed by only six at the break...
District college roundup: Cal (Pa.) drops Virginia Union in NCAA 1st-round clash
Roman Purcell threw for 183 yards and ran for two first-quarter touchdowns to lead Cal (Pa.) to a 27-24 victory over Virginia Union in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday afternoon. Kendrick Agenor rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown for the Vulcans (9-3) while Kenny...
A-K Valley campus clips: Deer Lakes grad starts senior season strong at Grove City
Reese Hasley is off to a strong start for the Grove City women’s basketball team. The Deer Lakes graduate and Wolverines senior guard is averaging 10 points, 7.5 rebounds and three assists through four games. She collected a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds to go along with three...
Hempfield grad finds fit at Saint Vincent, racks up eye-popping passing stats
When he came to Saint Vincent, Jake Phillips had academics at the top of his priority list. Sports were more of an activity, something he could do on the side as he worked toward a degree. “I had heard a lot of really great things about the place, and the...
Campus clippings: Franklin Regional, Norwin grads earn Presidents’ Athletic Conference honors
The Presidents’ Athletic Conference hands out for awards at the end of each season. A pair of local players claimed two of them in men’s soccer. Grove City junior Colton Hudson (Franklin Regional) was named the PAC defensive player of the year, while Saint Vincent freshman Daniel Maddock (Norwin) was...
Norwin grad Kadosh-Harris plays key role in helping Washington & Jefferson football win PAC title, make NCAA playoffs
As he sat on the platform during Presidents Athletic Conference football media day in August, Washington & Jefferson coach Mike Sirianni made no secret of the chip his team would carry on its collective shoulder. In the veteran coach’s estimation, his program wasn’t receiving the respect it deserved, even though...
In final college football season, Fox Chapel grad Zidane Thomas makes most of return to LB for surprising Edinboro
Though he excelled on both sides of the ball at Fox Chapel, Zidane Thomas was recruited to play linebacker at Edinboro. But injuries in the Fighting Scots’ running backs corps prompted then-coach Jake Nulph to move Thomas to running back. Thomas was happy to contribute, but every season, he asked...
District college football roundup: Kutztown beats IUP for PSAC title
Judd Novak threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 4 Kutztown to a 28-23 victory over IUP in the PSAC championship game Saturday afternoon. Steven Burkhardt led Kutztown (11-0) on the ground, rushing for 107 yards and a touchdown. Brayden Pohlman, who was named the game’s MVP,...
Penn State New Kensington men’s soccer advances to USCAA tournament
Penn State New Kensington men’s soccer coach Mark Duffield didn’t look but could only imagine the heart rate level charted by his fitness watch during the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference championship game. Few things went right for the local Lions before Armstrong graduate Tanner Stockdill scored in overtime to...
Franklin Regional thread runs through NCAA-bound Grove City men’s soccer team
Grove City advanced to the NCAA men’s soccer tournament for the first time since 1980. Now, “Murrysville North” wants more. Grove City (15-2-2) features several players and coaches with Franklin Regional ties: basically the entire collection of Kimmichs and a coach who helped power Franklin Regional to back-to-back WPIAL championships...
Campus clippings: Norwin grads help Clarion women’s soccer earn 1st playoff berth
The Clarion women’s soccer team qualified for the PSAC playoffs for the first time in program history, and several Norwin graduates have been part of the run. Sisters junior Alyssa Aquilio and senior Reese Aquilio have each been in the starting lineup, while freshman Carmella Simco is a freshman on...
Highlands grad Jocelyn Bielak ready to build on strong freshman basketball season at Pitt-Greensburg
The Pitt-Greensburg women’s basketball team made the transition to a new coach in 2024, with Julie Bolden taking the reins. The season was not without its challenges. In addition to the usual injuries that necessitate lineup changes, a couple of players, Bolden said, had a tough time playing under a...
Seton Hill men’s, women’s basketball teams open season with PSAC title aspirations
The Seton Hill men’s and women’s basketball teams enter the 2025-26 seasons in similar places: Both must replace their leading scorers from a year ago, but both return almost all of their other key players from last season. A look at both teams: • Now in his fourth season as...
District college roundup: IUP beats Clarion in shootout to clinch PSAC West title
Matthew Rueve threw for 355 yards and six touchdowns to lead IUP to a 45-42 victory over Clarion on Saturday, clinching the PSAC West title. Devin Whitlock caught 11 passes for 143 yards for IUP (7-2, 5-1) while teammate Connor Shamany caught six passes for 98 yards and three touchdowns....
College basketball players to watch from Westmoreland County
College basketball season is here again. Here is a list of players to watch from Westmoreland County: Men Division II • Adam Bilinsky, Jr., G, Pitt-Johnstown (Norwin) • Landon Butler, Jr., G, West Liberty (Latrobe) • Max Butler, Fr., G, West Liberty (Latrobe) Division III • Terek Crosby, So., G,...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Belle Vernon grad Devin Whitlock shines at receiver at IUP
When he played at Belle Vernon, Devin Whitlock was a big-play quarterback who could change the game with his arm, his legs or both. He was the focal point of opposing defenses each week. These days, he is making plays with his arms and hands. A redshirt sophomore at IUP,...
Springdale grad Bri Ross picks up at Penn State Behrend where she left off in high school
After a senior season that included 42 goals, a WPIAL Class A title and recognition as the Valley News Dispatch Girls Soccer Player of the Year, Springdale’s Bri Ross certainly had nothing left to prove at the high school level. But like all incoming college freshmen, Ross had to prove...
