Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Latrobe grad Butler on to D-II Elite Eight

The dance goes on for Bryce Butler.

A sophomore guard at West Liberty, Butler has helped the Hilltoppers (18-4) reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II men’s basketball tournament.

The Latrobe alum had four points and six rebounds in a 78-61 win over Hillsdale. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Butler has scored in double figures in 11 games and is averaging 10.7 points and 4.9 rebounds. He has started 10 games.

West Liberty received the No. 7 seed and will take on No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (25-2), the 2019 national champion, at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.

Baseball

Washington & Jefferson: Sophomore Tyler Horvat (Penn-Trafford) moved to 2-0 with a six-inning, seven-strikeout, one-walk performance in a 6-5 win over Grove City.

Men’s volleyball

Saint Vincent: A program that began in 2019 found the win column. The Bearcats held off Thiel, 3-1, to capture their first victory. Sophomore Matt Minkin led the way with 14 kills and 13 digs, freshman Anthony Ditonto (Derry) added 12 kills and freshman Ethan Kammerer had 10 for SVC (1-4, 1-3)

Football

Grove City: Freshman cornerback Gabe Dunlap (Penn-Trafford) had an interception and three tackles in the Wolverines’ 37-14 win over visiting Saint Vincent.

John Carroll: Junior defensive back Nate Leopold (Franklin Regional) had a team-high nine tackles and broke up a pass, but JCU fell to Mount Union, 52-27.

Saint Vincent: Sophomore Brady Walker completed 26 of 43 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns but the Bearcats fell to Grove City, 37-14, in the season opener. Freshman Irefin Molayo had 10 receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown, senior Keith Kalp (Mt. Pleasant) added eight catches for 52 yards and Mason Brunson (Yough), a sophomore cornerback, led the defense with six tackles.

Molayo was named PAC Rookie of the Week.

Youngstown State: Redshirt freshman linebacker Gianni Rizzo (Norwin) has played in four games and has three tackles for the Penguins (1-4).

Men’s lacrosse

La Roche: Freshman Nate Petrarco (Norwin) had a goal and seven ground balls in the Redhawks’ 10-3 victory over Hiram. La Roche is coached by Cody Golon, a Seton Hill grad and former Griffins assistant.

Saint Vincent: The Bearcats moved to 4-1 with a 13-8 victory over Washington & Jefferson. Grad student Frank Casile had three goals, and sophomore Matt Cassidy, sophomore Jordan Billet and sophomore Caleb Hawkins had two apiece. SVC’s only loss came against Westminster in a 9-8, triple-overtime setback.

Women’s lacrosse

Washington & Jefferson: Sophomore Becca Ghion (Yough) had a goal in a 19-4 victory over Saint Vincent.

Women’s tennis

Pitt-Greensburg: Freshman Emily Ruhlman went 4-0 and led the Bobcats to wins over Penn State Behrend and Penn State Altoona to earn AMCC Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week honors.

Men’s tennis

Pitt-Greensburg: Senior Vaughn Hunkele did not lose in four matches and stayed perfect in doubles play with junior teammate Turner Price (Penn-Trafford) to earn AMCC Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week.

Saint Vincent: Junior Mauricio Sanchez was named PAC Player of the Week, and teammate David Lynn, a freshman who teamed with him in doubles, was tabbed the conference rookie of the week.

Women’s volleyball

Washington & Jefferson: Sophomore middle hitter Kyleigh Jester (Ligonier Valley) had eight kills and five blocks in a 3-1 loss to Geneva.

Men’s cross country

Cal (Pa.): Sophomore Mason Jobe (Greensburg Salem) received All-PSAC Second Team honors after a 30th-place finish at the PSAC Championships in a time of 16 minutes, 8.2 seconds.

Edinboro: Sophomore Dylan Binda (Greensburg Salem) finished 69th individually as the Fighting Scots won their third consecutive PSAC Championship.

Saint Vincent: The defending champion Bearcats finished as the runners-up at the PAC championships behind Franciscan. SVC freshman John Hurley was recognized as the PAC Newcomer of the Year. He took second individually with a time of 16:09.

Thiel: Sophomore Isaac Evans (Belle Vernon) ran to a 49th-place finish in 19 minutes 36 seconds at the PAC Championships at Bethany.

Women’s cross country

Seton Hill: Junior Sydney Wolf earned All-PSAC First Team honors after a seventh-place finish at the conference championship. Her time on the 5K course was 18:56.

The team took third, its best finish at the PSAC finals.

The Griffins men’s team finished sixth, its top finish at the event.

Men’s soccer

Indiana: Freshman Nate Ward (Greensburg Central Catholic) made his first college start for the Hoosiers and had an assist and two shots in a 3-0 victory over Rutgers. Ward has played in four games for Indiana (5-1).

Women’s soccer

Saint Vincent: Senior goalkeeper Abigail Johnson was named PAC Defensive Player of the Week after her 17-save performance in a 0-0 draw against Washington & Jefferson. She leads Division III in saves per-game (19.5).

Valparaiso: Sophomore Kiley Dugan (Penn-Trafford) netted her first goal of the season as Valpo tied Drake, 1-1. Dugan started all 18 games last season and was named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team.

Women’s track & field

Carlow: Senior Olivia Miller (Ligonier Valley) was named River States Conference Athlete of the Week. She won the high jump at the WVU Stan Romanoski Open with a height of 1.63 meters and finished third in the long jump (5.15).

Men’s golf

Pitt-Johnstown: Freshman Mario Battaglia (Latrobe) shot 79 and 81 for a 16-over-par total and a tie for 19th at the California Crofton Invitational in Crofton, Md.