Westmoreland County campus clippings: Area grads in running for Campbell Trophy

A local trio with on- and off-the-field smarts are up for one of college football’s major awards.

Lehigh senior offensive lineman Christian Jablonski (Ligonier Valley), Allegheny senior wide receiver Declan O’Brien (Norwin) and Washington & Jefferson senior linebacker Justin Johns (Franklin Regional) are on a list of 201 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which goes to the top scholar-athlete in the game, regardless of division.

O’Brien and Johns are two of five players to make the cut from the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference.

To be nominated, players must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, carry a grade-point average between 3.2 to 4.0, be a significant contributor on the field, and “have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.”

Jablonski is a four-year starter for the Mountain Hawks. He began his career as a defensive lineman before switching to offense in 2022.

He is a two-time Patriot League Honor Roll member and carries a 3.38 GPA.

O’Brien, who made the PAC Academic Honor Roll last year, was second in the nation in receptions per game (10.5) and receiving yards (614).

Johns, a PAC Honor Roll and CSC Academic All-District member with a 3.89 GPA, had 21 tackles, second-most for W&J. He is a previous winner of the Paul Reardon Award, the top male scholar-athlete award at the college.

Football

Duquesne: Junior linebacker Gianni Rizzo (Norwin) posted five tackles, two for loss, as the Dukes defeated LIU, 31-28, to move to 2-2 on the season.

Edinboro: Junior safety Toby Cline (Jeannette) had two interceptions and made five tackles, and junior linebacker CJ Waldier (Yough) collected a team-best eight tackles as Edinboro thumped Mercyhurst, 40-24.

Cline was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week.

Saint Vincent: Senior Max Pisula (Greensburg Central Catholic) put on a show as the Bearcats (2-2, 2-2) rallied past Geneva, 28-19, for a PAC victory.

Pisula, a two-way player at defensive end and fullback, made 11 tackles, four for loss, and added two sacks and a forced fumble.

He added a rushing touchdown, his third of the season.

Pisula was named the PAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Three Bearcats recorded 10 or more tackles, including junior defensive back KeShawn Davis (11) and sophomore defensive lineman Josiah Weyandt (10), who also had a sack.

Senior linebacker Nate Sullivan added six stops and had an interception.

William & Mary: Senior safety Marcus Barnes (Jeannette) continued to make an impact in the Tribe secondary. He had five tackles in a 14-6 loss to Elon.

Youngstown State: Junior defensive lineman Anthony Johnson (Jeannette) finished with four tackles, three for a loss of 20 yards, but the Penguins fell to Northern Iowa, 44-41.

Men’s golf

Pitt-Greensburg: Freshman Cyrus Parvizi won the individual title and the Bobcats finished second at the Saint Vincent Invitational.

Parvizi shot a 3-over 75 to pace the field at Latrobe Country Club.

Washington & Jefferson: Junior Cade Patterson (Penn-Trafford) carded a top-10 finish and recorded a lasting memory along the way.

Patterson made a hole-in-one on the par-3 13th hole during the final round of the Guy & Jeanne Kuhn Memorial Invitational at Meadville Country Club.

He shot a 2-under 70 to close at even par for the tournament and a ninth-place finish.

Patterson was named the PAC Golfer of the Week.

He went on to finish ninth at the Division III Northeast Elite Tournament at Williamsport (Pa.) Country Club. He shot 75 and 78.

Women’s golf

Washington & Jefferson: Junior Angelika Dewicki (Greensburg Central Catholic) tied for 24th at the Guy & Jeanne Kuhn Memorial Invitational at Meadville Country Club, posting rounds of 86 and 83.

Westminster: Sophomore Olivia Kana (Greensburg Central Catholic) shot 90 to finish 10th with the Titans’ “B” team at the Grove City Fall Invitational.

Men’s soccer

Cal (Pa.): Freshman Jake Gretz (Greensburg Central Catholic) scored on a free kick, and sophomore AJ Visco (Penn-Trafford) made three saves in goal as the Vulcans secured a 2-1 win over Slippery Rock to open PSAC play.

Pitt-Greensburg: The Bobcats (4-3-1, 1-0 AMCC) stretched their unbeaten streak to five with a 1-0 victory over Allegheny. Sophomore Zander Plizga had the game’s only goal.

Presbyterian College: Senior defender Connor Hudson (Franklin Regional) has appeared in four games, logging 59 minutes on the back line for the Blue Hose.

Saint Vincent: Freshman Mattia Speretta was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week. He scored his third goal of the season to help SVC to a 2-1 victory against Westminster, the Bearcats’ first win over the Titans since 2009.

It was his second game winner of the season.

Women’s soccer

Pitt-Greensburg: Junior Logan Jennings had the only goal as the Bobcats (5-5, 1-0 AMCC) defeated Juniata, 1-0.

Saint Vincent: Freshman Emma Koller scored two goals and sophomore Olivia Toomey added one as the Bearcats (6-3-1, 2-1-1) blanked Geneva, 3-0, to stretch their unbeaten streak to three.

Koller was coming off a four-goal performance against Waynesburg. She was named the PAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Westminster: Junior Brooke Horvath (Franklin Regional) scored two goals, giving her nine for the season, as the Titans (9-1, 3-1) blanked Chatham, 2-0, in PAC action.

It was the team’s sixth shutout of the season.

Women’s volleyball

Carlow: Sophomore outside hitter Rebecca Hess (Greensburg Central Catholic) was named the USCAA Division I Player of the week.

Hess had 12 kills in a 3-0 victory over Penn State Shenango, and produced a double-double with 13 kills and 17 digs in a 3-2 loss to Salem.

Saint Vincent: Freshman Madie Eagler was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week after she averaged 9.2 assists and 2.8 digs per set across three matches.

She had a career-high 42 assists and 13 digs in a 3-1 loss to Mt. Aloysius, and added 33 assists in a 3-1 win over Pitt-Greensburg.

Seton Hill: Freshman Catie Flohr had 15 kills, freshman Kaylee Mattera had 13 kills, and junior Abby Oesterling contributed 37 assists as the Griffins (7-9, 1-3 PSAC) swept past Mercyhurst, 3-0.

Waynesburg: The Yellow Jackets swept a tri-match against Penn State Shenango and Hilbert, 3-1 and 3-0, with junior Jordan Stein (Norwin) delivering a match-high 21 digs in the second win.

Women’s cross country

Cal (Pa.): Senior Malia Anderson (Greensburg Salem) took 38th with a time of 23:49.5 at the Paul Short Run at Lehigh.

Saint Vincent: Sophomore Kristen Price won the individual race and the Bearcats took the team title at the Thiel College Tomcat Rumble.

Prince outpaced 81 runners with a time of 23 minutes, 31 seconds to win the 6K by four seconds.

Sophomore Miranda Cincotta placed third for SVC in 23:47.

Men’s cross country

Saint Vincent: The Bearcats had five runners place in the top 17 and won the Thiel Tomcat Invitational.

Freshman Jonah Weaver had the top finish for SVC, taking sixth in the 8K race in 28:40, while sophomore Matt Thomas was eighth (28:49).

Senior Tim Patterson took second in a 371-runner field to help the Bearcats to a 10th-place finish at the Paul Short Run at Lehigh.

Men’s tennis

Washington & Jefferson: Sophomore Mitch Kenney (Norwin) teamed with Connor Sims to win a third-doubles match, 8-6, which helped the Presidents defeat Franciscan, 7-2, for their first victory of the season.