Campus Roundup: Janocko, Panthers ready for tilt with Irish
Thursday, November 12, 2009
By Josh Mlot Sports Writer
Fall sports are wrapping up and winter sports are getting under way, which means a lot of former Progressland standouts are in action around the collegiate world.
Here's a glance at what some of them are doing, whether they're closing out a season, heading into the playoffs or opening the lid on a new campaign: Football
Andrew Janocko, Pitt: The Panthers downed Big East rival Syracuse, 35-10, on Saturday to improve to 8-1 on the season. Janocko, a former Clearfield quarterback, held on three successful field goals and four extra points.
The Panthers are now ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll, the first time since 1982 that Pitt has been a Top 10 team in November.
Next up is a meeting with Notre Dame this weekend.
David Kalgren, Oberlin (Ohio): The former Golden Tide signal-caller was named Oberlin's Athlete of the Week after going 15-for-30 for 162 yards through the air and rushed for another 73 yards in a 52-7 loss to Wooster on Saturday.
Kalgren leads the Yeoman in total offense on the season, with 1,133 yards, as the team heads into its final game of the season against Hiram.
Tanner Kelly, Albright: After being named the Middle Atlantic Conference's Player of the Week on Oct. 26, Kelly led the Lions to a 49-28 victory over FDU-Florham on Halloween, thanks to the former Bisons' 266 yards of total offense.
But No. 18 Albright dropped its first contest of the year this past weekend, falling to No. 20 Delaware Valley, 45-16.
The Lions (8-1) now get ready for a Saturday afternoon matchup with Lebanon Valley.
Mike Rocco, Lock Haven: Rocco made one tackle in the Bald Eagle's season finale, a 27-15 loss at CW Post.
The former P-O student-athlete finished the year with a total of 20 stops for winless Lock Haven.
Beau Ryan, Juniata: The former Bison finished the season with a team-leading three interceptions to go with 40 tackles, after Juniata dropped a 42-14 decision at Dickinson in the final game of the 2009 campaign.
Shawn Sopic, Clarion: Sopic, a safety for the Eagles, had four tackles and a pass break-up on Saturday in a 32-12 win over Cheyney in the regular-season finale. The Curwensville alum is fourth on the team with 56 tackles and seven pass break-ups for Clarion (8-3).
The Eagles were ranked No. 9 heading into the weekend's game, with the top six teams participating in a playoff.
Nick Sipes, Clarion: The Clarion safety notched four tackles, including one for a loss, in the regular season's final game this past weekend.
Sipes, a former Curwensville standout, leads the Eagles with 112 tackles, six sacks and a forced fumble.
Gary Walstrom Jr., Geneva: The Glendale athlete had five tackles and a sack as the Golden Tornadoes (7-2) suffered only their second loss of the season, 21-12, at Thomas More on Saturday.
Walstrom, a linebacker, has 42 tackles and three sacks on the season, which comes to an end at Westminster on Saturday.
Men's Soccer
Mark Auman, Lock Haven: The Eagles (7-10-2) closed out the season with a 3-0 victory over Alderson Broaddus on Halloween.
Auman, a former Bison, appeared in 14 games with six starts, notching one goal, two assists and 11 shots.
Alan Baldwin, Westminster: Baldwin, formerly a Bison midfielder, has played in 13 games for the Titans (10-10), picking up an assist and four shots.
Second-seeded Westminster was upset in the PAC semifinals on Nov. 4, falling to No. 3 Washington & Jefferson, 4-0.
John Lhota, Washington & Jefferson: Lhota suffered an unfortunate injury in the Presidents' Oct. 16 match against St. Vincent, after accumulating a goal, three assists and 11 shots on the season.
Washington & Jefferson still found success, upsetting Westminster in the PAC semifinals before falling to Thomas More, 1-0, in the conference championship.
Women's Soccer
Juliana Howell, Slippery Rock: The former Lady Bison picked up an eighth-minute goal in a 2-1 win over Gannon on Oct. 31, pushing Slippery Rock to 10-5-3. The win closed out the 14th consecutive winning season for the team.
Howell finished her junior year with one assist and three goals, including two game-winners.
Danielle Struble, Westminster: The Lady Titans' season came to an end at the hands of Grove City, 2-0, in the PAC semifinals. Struble registered one shot in the match as Westminster finished at 13-7-1.
Struble fired 63 shots on the year, picking up five goals and four assists.
Jen Williams, Lock Haven: Oct. 31 marked the end of the season for the Lady Eagles (4-13-1), who fell, 2-0, to Edinboro.
Williams finished the campaign with three goals and seven shots.
Kathryn Ritter, Elizabethtown: The Lady Blue Jays fell to Arcadia, 3-0, in the Commonwealth Conference semis on Nov. 3.
Ritter appeared in 18 games on the season, notching a goal and 11 shots.
Swimming & Diving
John Lytle, Notre Dame: The former Clearfield standout reeled in a pair of first-place finishes against Purdue on Friday, but the Fighting Irish (3-1) fell to the Boilermakers, 195-105. Lytle bested the field in the 200 free (1:40.32) and 100 free (45.75).
Prior to the loss, Lytle was named the Big East Swimming Athlete of the Week for his two individual wins and two relay victories against Oakland on Oct. 23.
Notre Dame travels to Pittsburgh for a dual meet on Friday.
Mark Krchnak, Duquesne: The former Bison finished fourth in the 100 breast (1:00.40) and ninth in the 200 breast (2:05.54), as the Dukes (4-0) defeated both La Salle and St. Bonaventure in Buffalo on Saturday.
Krchnak, a freshman, was also named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week for the week ending Nov. 1, for his performance against Bucknell. He notched two runner-up spots, in the 200 breast and 100 breast, and a fifth-place result in the 200 IM.
Duquesne will hit the pool again on Saturday, hosting Clarion.
Brandon Boyer, Clarion: Boyer swam in three races for the Golden Eagles in a 170-123 victory over Shippensburg on Saturday.
The former Clearfield swimmer helped the 200 medley relay team finish third with a 1:40.82 and the 200 free relay team finish second with a 1:28.60. Individually, he finished fifth in the 100 breast (56.62).
Clarion will swim at Duquesne on Saturday.
Chris Bodle, Westminster: The Titans swam to a tight 148-145 victory over Allegheny on Saturday, with Bodle participating in the 200 medley relay (third, 1:48.44) and 200 fly (fifth, 2:27.49).
Westminster is back in action at Bethany on Saturday.
John Bodle, Westminster: The junior is a two-year letterwinner at Westminster, where he swims in freestyle and butterfly events.
Amber Centi, Lincoln (Ill.): The former Lady Bison diver finished fourth in the women's 3-meter diving competition at the Maroon Invitational on Nov. 6 and 7, notching a score of 250.88.
The Lady Lynx will be back in the pool hosting Principia College on Saturday.
Wrestling
Mike Horton, Edinboro: The former Philipsburg-Osceola standout opened the 2009 season by going 6-2 at the Buffalo Open on Nov. 1. Horton placed fourth out of the 30 athletes grappling at 285.
All former area athletes who play a sanctioned college sport are eligible to be recognized by The Progress for their athletic endeavors in the College Roundup. Athletes are encouraged to have their school's sports information director fax, mail or email updates on their progress to the sports department. Updates can be faxed to 814-765-5165 or mailed to College Roundup, c/o The Progress Sports Department, Post Office Box 291, Clearfield, Pa. 16830-0291. Emails are also accepted at sports@theprogressnews.com.