Westmoreland County campus clippings: Norwin grad Kurtis Phipps wins at Navy Classic

Bill Beckner | Tuesday, November 21, 2023 11:01 a.m.

Tribune-Review

Bucknell senior wrestler Kurtis Phipps (Norwin) went 4-0 and won an individual title at the Navy Classic.

Phipps defeated No. 31 Jake Va Dee of Nebraska in the 133-pound finals. He also had a technical fall and a major decision on the way to the championship.

Army: Sophomore 125-pounder Ethan Berginc (Hempfield) advanced to the finals of the Black Knights Invitational at West Point.

Pitt: Redshirt freshman Finn Solomon (Franklin Regional), ranked No. 24 in his weight class, came storming back to win his match at 149 pounds, and 13th-ranked heavyweight Dayton Pitzer (Mt. Pleasant), a redshirt freshman, won his match as No. 23 Pitt clipped No. 17 Lehigh, 21-12.

Pitzer added a 4-3, match-sealing win over No. 19 Seth Nevills of Maryland as Pitt win, 21-16.

Pitzer was named ACC Wrestler of the Week.

Pitt-Bradford: Freshman Jason Tosh (Franklin Regional) is double-rostered this season. He not only is a 187-pound wrestler, but he also swims for UPB.

Pitt-Johnstown: Seventh-ranked junior heavyweight Isaiah Vance (Hempfield) earned a decision as No. 14 UPJ rolled East Stroudsburg, 47-0. Redshirt freshman Noah Gnibus (Mt. Pleasant) added a technical fall at 184 pounds for the Mountain Cats.

Saint Vincent: The Bearcats are back this season after 48 years without a program. They hosted their first home match on Nov. 14 but fell to Penn State Behrend, 26-17. Senior heavyweight Jake Beistel (Southmoreland) posted a 41-seconds pin in the final match of the night. Freshman Ryan Klingensmith (Kiski Area) picked up the first win for SVC with a 20-3 technical fall at 133 pounds. Freshmen Tyler Debnar (149) and Chase Brandebura (165) also were winners for the Bearcats. Klingensmith was tabbed the conference’s newcomer of the week.

Thiel: Freshman Dominic Hartman (Penn-Trafford) finished with a 2-2 record at 165 pounds at the Baldwin Wallace Invitational.

Men’s basketball

Chatham: Senior Geoff Helm (Greensburg Central Catholic) was averaging 8.3 points in three games for the Cougars.

College of Charleston: Grad forward Bryce Butler (Latrobe) had 10 points over 22 minutes off the bench in a 74-64 loss to Vermont.

Mercyhurst: Freshman Adam Bilinsky (Norwin) scored a season-high 16 points, shooting 6 for 12 from the floor and delivering a dunk, as the Lakers defeated Roberts Wesleyan, 69-67.

Montevallo: Freshman Landon Butler (Latrobe) scored 15 points in his college debut, connecting on 4 of 6 3-pointers in 24 minutes of a 124-96 loss to Nova Southeastern, the defending NCAA Division II national champion. Nova Southeastern defeated West Liberty and Butler’s brother, Bryce, in last year’s title game.

Saint Vincent: Four players scored in double figures, led by sophomore guard Dev Ostrowski wit 22 points, as the Bearcats withstood a late push from Chatham to win the PAC opener, 84-79. Senior guard Osyon Jones added 18 points, sophomore forward Jaden Gales tallied 17 and junior guard Mike Iuzzolino chipped in 12 for SVC. Gales also grabbed nine rebounds for SVC, which made 8 of 15 3-pointers and 22 of 26 free throws.

The Bearcats followed with a 78-64 win over Westminster to move to 4-0 as Ostrowski poured in 28 points, Jones had 13 and senior Tayler McNeal chipped in 11. SVC made 32 of 43 free throws, with Ostrowski making 9 of 10 and McNeal going 9 for 12. Ostrowski was named the PAC Player of the Week.

Saint Vincent College senior guard Osyon Jones with the early submission for @SVCHoops dunk of the year! @Sportscenter @ESPNAssignDesk #SCTop10 #SVC #GoBearcats #d3hoops #PAC pic.twitter.com/2uxKT3fYA5

— SVC Bearcats (@SVC_Bearcats) November 19, 2023

Women’s basketball

Gannon: Freshman Olivia Cernuto (Southmoreland) had five points and five assists in a season-high 12 minutes off the bench as the Knights defeated Charleston, 86-57. Cernuto, who missed her senior season at Southmoreland with a torn ACL, has played six games this season.

Marian: Senior guard Jayla Wehner (Norwin) was leading the Knights (5-1) with 23 assists in six games. She dished out a career-high 11 in a 110-69 victory over Olivet Nazarene.

Marietta: Senior guard Olivia Gribble (Norwin) had 10 points in a 73-45 win over Case Western Reserve.

Pitt-Greensburg: Junior Melina Maietta (Greensburg Central Catholic) scored 21 points and sophomore Anna Durbin added 19 as UPG downed Waynesburg, 81-77. Maietta hit 6 of 9 3-pointers and divied out six assists. Freshman Sarah Penrod (Franklin Regional) scored a career-high 14 points, and sophomore Tiana Moracco (Derry) had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Bobcats.

Saint Vincent: Senior guard Emily Cavacini’s double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds helped the Bearcats even their record at 2-2 with a 55-36 win over Chatham in the PAC opener. Junior guard Emily Thompson added 12 points, senior forward Lizzie Bender had 10, and grad forward Madison Weber also pulled down 14 rebounds. Cavacini added seven assists. SVC out-rebounded the Cougars, 59-30.

Seton Hill: Freshman forward Mia Kalich was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week. She had 13 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Malone.

Men’s swimming

Baldwin Wallace: Junior Gavin Skwirut (Latrobe) took third in the 1,000-yard freestyle in a time of 11 minutes, 9.98 seconds.

Washington & Jefferson: Freshman Nathanial Harden (Hempfield) finished sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1 minute, 1.09 seconds. He logged a personal-best time of 1 minute, 98 seconds in prelims.

Women’s swimming

Lock Haven: Sophomore Makenzie Eades (Derry) came into the season with the second-fastest time on the team in the 1,650-yard freestyle (20 minutes, 13 seconds), and is second in the 50 freestyle (26.30 seconds), 100 freestyle (59.48), 200 freestyle (2 minutes, 10.19 seconds), 500 freestyle (6:02.88).

Saint Vincent: Freshman Rachel Hutchinson was named the PAC Swimmer of the Week.

Men’s swimming

Saint Vincent: Sophomore Jake Dzurica (Hempfield) was named the PAC Swimmer of the Week, while freshman Liam Randolph (Hempfield) was selected as the conference’s newcomer of the week.

Shippensburg: Senior Alyssa Tomb (Penn-Trafford) won the 200-yard breaststroke by nearly three seconds (2 minutes, 32.52 seconds) but the Raiders lost to Clarion, 135-70. Tomb also took second in the 200-yard individual medley (2:15.96).