Westmoreland County campus clippings: Former Jeannette standout Anthony Johnson draws offers in portal

Remember Anthony Johnson?

He was only at Jeannette for a short time after transferring from Allderdice and left for Cleveland Heights (Ohio) before his senior season.

Johnson, enticed by friends to play football when he came to Jeannette after not playing since middle school, ended up playing at Youngstown State.

Now the 6-foot-3, 300-pound junior defensive tackle could be on the doorstep of a Power Five opportunity.

Johnson put his name in the NCAA transfer portal for a second time and got more than a few bites.

Pitt was one of the schools interested in his game. Johnson said the Panthers offered a scholarship, as did Southern Methodist, Rutgers, Illinois, Memphis, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Alabama-Birmingham and Florida Atlantic.

Johnson, who helped lead Jeannette to WPIAL and PIAA championships as a junior in 2017 — he had 134 tackles and 12 sacks — started all 13 games this fall for YSU.

He had 25 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, and five sacks. He also recovered a fumble.

Football

Allegheny: Senior wide receiver Declan O’Brien (Norwin) was named to the D3football.com All-Region 2 Third Team.

O’Brien set program records for receptions (91) and yards (1,228) in a season. He had a career-high 233 yards in one game, and tied a team record for the longest receiving touchdown with a 95-yard catch.

He topped 100 yards five times this year.

O’Brien announced he plans to take advantage of a fifth season and entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Grove City: Senior Gabe Dunlap (Penn-Trafford) was named to the D3football.com All-Region 2 Third Team on offense and defense, the former as a returner, the latter as a cornerback.

Dunlap averaged 27.7 yards per kick return, which ranked 10th in NCAA Division III. He had a 40-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Valdosta State: Graduate offensive lineman Devin Hannan (Belle Vernon) was named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America First Team. Hannan was nominated for the Gene Upshaw Award and was a D2CCA All-Region Second Team pick.

He transferred from Kutztown, and also played at Old Dominion.

Women’s soccer

Slippery Rock: Senior Sydney Patrick (Hempfield) was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Atlantic Region Third Team.

Patrick led the Rock with 23 points on six goals and 11 assists. The assist total is the second-highest in program history for a season.

Men’s basketball

Carlow: Junior Riley Comforti (Southmoreland), returning from an injury, came off the bench to score 12 points and grab nine rebounds in a 93-83 loss to Hilbert.

Mercyhurst: Freshman Adam Bilinsky (Norwin) pumped in 12 points in 21 minutes off the bench as the Lakers topped Kutztown, 82-73.

Pitt-Greensburg: Freshman Trent Rozich’s monster game carried the Bobcats past Carlow.

Rozich poured in a career-high 37 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 72-65 victory.

The 6-foot-5 Rozich made 15 of 20 shots and 16 of his rebounds were defensive.

Sophomore Ben Thomas (Greensburg Salem) added a career-high 10 points for UPG (3-4, 2-1 AMCC).

Saint Vincent: Senior Osyon Jones put back a miss with 2.3 seconds remaining Saturday night to keep the red-hot Bearcats streaking.

They edged past visiting Geneva, 72-70, to take sole possession of first place in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and remain unbeaten at 9-0.

Sophomore Jaden Gales had a game-high 25 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Dev Ostrowski added 20 points for SVC (9-0, 6-0).

The 2008-09 Bearcats also began the season 9-0.

Gales was named the PAC Player of the Week.

Seton Hill: For the first time this season, the Griffins found themselves in the D2CSC Atlantic Region poll. The Griffins, who won four of their first six games, checked in at the No. 10 spot.

The Griffins (5-2) took down Chestnut Hill, 87-60, over the weekend. Senior Caleb Whitaker had a team-high 15 points, grad student Jimmy Moon added 14, sophomore Gabe Gillespie 13 and senior Ryan Meis 11.

Women’s basketball

Bethany: Freshman Kate Botti (Norwin) was averaging 4.2 points and a team-beat 6.1 rebounds a game though nine starts with the Bison.

Chatham: Sophomore forward Alyssa Laukus (Norwin) had 14 points as the Cougars set program records for points, margin of victory and field goals made in a 116-42 dismantling of Thiel.

Chatham made 47 shots in the 74-point win.

Laukus made 6 of 7 shots.

Grove City: Junior guard Mara Polczynski (Norwin) had seven points, eight rebounds and four assists in 33 minutes, but the Wolverines dropped a 49-44 decision to Saint Vincent in a PAC matchup.

Marian: Senior point guard Jayla Wehner (Norwin) has played in all 10 games for the Knights and is averaging 24.2 minutes. She was leading the team with 40 assists.

Marietta: Senior guard Olivia Gribble (Norwin) had a season-high 17 points and made four 3-pointers in a 68-55 victory over Capital. Gribble was leading the Pioneers in scoring with a 12.5-point average.

Mercyhurst: Sophomore Bailey Kuhns (Greensburg Central Catholic) scored a career-high 23 points on 10-of-20 shooting and grabbed six rebounds in a 55-42 victory over Tiffin. The Lakers moved to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the PSAC West.

Pitt-Greensburg: Junior Melina Maietta (Greensburg Central Catholic) matched a season high with 26 points to go with five rebounds and four assists to lead UPG to a 76-64 win over Carlow.

Freshman Malina Boord added a career-best 17 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore Tiana Moracco (Derry) had 11 points and seven rebounds, sophomore Madison Scalese had 13 points and 13 rebounds, and freshman Sarah Penrod (Franklin Regional) added 10 points.

Moracco and Penrod are starting for the Bobcats.

Maietta scored 22 to lead five Bobcats in double figures in a 74-71 victory at Alfred State (N.Y.). Penrod had a career-high 22 points, while Moracco and Madison Scalese added 11 and 10 points. Moracco also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Pitt-Johnstown: Freshman Camille Dominick (Latrobe) has played in six games and is averaging 8.3 minutes for the Mountain Cats.

She had eight points and five rebounds against Lock Haven.

Saint Vincent: The Bearcats registered their third straight win, holding back visiting Grove City, 49-44.

After the Wolverines rallied to get within three with one minute remaining, senior guard Emily Cavacini sealed the win with four free throws in the final seconds.

Emily Thompson had 13 points to lead SVC (5-3, 4-1 PAC).

Women’s volleyball

Seton Hill: Freshman Catie Flohr was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team as an honorable mention pick.

She finished second on the team with 318 kills while leading the Griffins in blocks (67) and hitting percentage (.385).

Flohr joins Viktoria Farian and Leah Bisignani (Greensburg Central Catholic) as All-Americans from the program.

Wrestling

North Carolina Pembroke: Grad student Scott Joll (Belle Vernon) picked up four wins as the Braves went 4-0 at the Lander Duals in Greenwood, S.C.

Joll, a 174-pounder, transferred after wrestling for four years at West Virginia.

Redshirt junior Logan Seliga (Belle Vernon) won two matches at the dual tournament at 171.

Pitt: Redshirt senior 125-pounder Colton Camacho (Franklin Regional) and redshirt freshman 285-pounder Dayton Pitzer (Mt. Pleasant) earned wins as the No. 19-ranked Panthers upset No. 5 Ohio State, 21-13.

Camacho knocked off No. 22 Brendan McCrone, 14-9. Pitzer rolled Hogan Swenski, 12-2.

Saint Vincent: With seven straight match wins, the Bearcats disposed of Pitt-Bradford, 39-12, to post their first dual-match victory since reinstating the sport for the first time since 1975.

It also was the first win for coach Dom Nania (Hempfield).

Freshman Logan Bechtold (Kiski Area) pinned his opponent at 175 pounds, senior Jake Beistel (Southmoreland) earned a major decision at 285, and freshman Charlie Mesich (Hempfield) won by fall at 157 for the Bearcats.

Freshman Sean Cain (Mt. Pleasant) also won at 125.

The Bearcats will return to action Dec. 17 at the Wartburg Desert Duals at The Flamingo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Men’s swimming

Clarion: Freshman Henry Miller (Southmoreland) teamed with junior Austin Prokopec (Penn-Trafford) for a win in the 200-yard medley relay in 1 minute, 31.74 seconds as the Golden Eagles went 2-0 in a tri-meet with IUP and Frostburg State.

Prokopec won the 100-yard freestyle in 46.32 seconds and the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:25.85), while Miller was second in the 100-yard butterfly (50.34 seconds).

Women’s indoor track and field

Seton Hill: Senior Natasha Bernett set a school record in the pentathlon with 3,400 points at the Susquehanna Early Season Multi & Invitational. It was her first time competing in the event.

Bernett was an assistant coach for the Griffins men’s team last year.

She was named the PSAC Field Athlete of the Week.