Westmoreland campus clippings: County connections help Pitt to ACC title

Pitt mania is sweeping across the country as the Panthers continue to work their way back to national respectability.

The football program’s exploits this season are fitting in with their proud glory days of the past.

The ACC champion Panthers have plenty of Westmoreland County connections as they prepare for a New Year’s Six bowl game.

The newest addition to the coaching staff has played an integral role in developing the wide receivers this season in Brennan Marion.

A former assistant at Hawaii, William & Mary and Howard, as well as other stops, Marion is a Greensburg Salem graduate.

The roster also has local ties.

Redshirt junior lineman Blake Zubovic has played in 12 games this season for the Panthers. “Big Z,” all 6-foot-4, 325 pounds of him, is from Belle Vernon.

Zubovic’s former high school teammate is redshirt freshman punter Cam Guess, an outstanding kicker and special-teams player at Belle Vernon.

Freshman offensive lineman Matt Metrosky is a Greensburg Central Catholic grad, while redshirt senior linebacker Johnny Petrishen, who played at Central Catholic, is from Lower Burrell.

Redshirt senior Tre Tipton lived on the outskirts of Westmoreland when he played at Apollo-Ridge.

Even coach Pat Narduzzi has family in the Alle-Kiski Valley area.

Men’s basketball

Allegheny: Senior Josh Ratesic (Norwin) had 10 points, one of six Gators to score in double figures, in a 103-68 win over Hiram. Ratesic has been a key reserve for Allegheny, coming off the bench in 38 games in his career.

Bethany: Junior guard Asa Klimchock (Greensburg Central Catholic) is averaging 14 points and 4.4 rebounds in 30.8 minutes per game for the Bison (1-4, 1-0 PAC). He had 19 points and 11 rebounds in a 103-100 loss to Franciscan, then went for 20 in an 81-69 setback against Grove City.

Charlotte: Grad guard Austin Butler (Latrobe) had 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists as the 49ers held back George Washington, 86-79.

Lehigh: Junior guard Reed Fenton (Latrobe) scored a career-high 20 points, connecting on 5 of 8 3-pointers and delivering a high-rising, one-handed dunk, but Lehigh fell to Maryland Eastern Shore, 81-75.

Pitt-Greensburg: Three players scored in double figures, including senior guard JoJo France with 28 points, as the Bobcats downed Hilbert, 88-81, in the AMCC opener.

France made four 3-pointers and 9 of 18 shots overall.

Sophomore Reggie Priah added 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and senior Matt Johnson chipped in 12 points and six rebounds for UPG.

West Liberty: Sophomore guard Bryce Butler netted a career-high 23 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to pace West Liberty to a 100-69 win over Davis & Elkins. He made 9 of 12 shots, including an early dunk, and added four assists and three steals.

Women’s basketball

Grove City: Junior guard Megan Kallock (Greensburg Salem) scored a career-high 32 points, but the Wolverines were clipped by Bethany, 73-70. Senior forward Allison Podkul (Hempfield) added nine points and seven rebounds for Grove City (4-2, 2-1 PAC).

Kallock had 14 points, and Podkul added nine points and 13 rebounds, in a 63-55 win over Waynesburg.

Pitt-Greensburg: Junior guard Lizzie Penrose had 12 points, while senior forward Maddie Sitler scored 11, and freshman guard Melina Maietta (Greensburg Central Catholic), senior guard Nadege Durand and senior forward Shaquoia McCray added 10 apiece as the Bobcats (5-1, 1-0) posted their third straight win, 81-39 over Hilbert.

McCray grabbed nine rebounds, and Durand handed out eight assists.

Seton Hill: The Griffins ran their winning streak to three with a 67-38 victory over Kutztown as senior Katie Nolan had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and junior Courtney Tomas added 10 points. Kutztown managed just 23 points across the final three quarters after scoring 15 in the first.

Seton Hill (6-3, 1-0 PSAC) is averaging 68.9 points and allowing 55.2.

Westminster: Senior guard Magen Polczynski (Norwin) had 13 points, six rebounds and four assists in a narrow, 60-59 loss to Washington & Jefferson.