Westmoreland Campus Clippings: Norwin's Scalise stands out as Penn State Behrend goalkeeper

Anthony Scalise helped lead the Norwin boys soccer team to a WPIAL championship two years ago, making one highlight save after another in front of the net while catching the eye of college coaches.

Penn State Behrend landed the goalkeeper, and in a short time he has become one of the best in his conference.

In fact, coaches from the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference selected Scalise as the conference’s preseason defensive player of the year.

Scalise took to NCAA Division III soccer from the jump as a freshman, posting seven shutouts with a 0.90 goals-against average and a save percentage of 79.4.

His netminding prowess has a lot to do with Penn State Behrend coming in at No. 1 in the AMCC preseason rankings.

Memphis: Senior midfielder Anthony DiFalco (Franklin Regional) assisted the Tigers’ first goal of the season in a 1-1 tie against Lipscomb.

Last season, DiFalco played in 16 games, starting nine, and had one goal and one assist.

Saint Vincent: The Bearcats gave new coach Tyler Gallagher his first win as they blanked visiting Valley Forge, 1-0, under the lights at UPMC Field.

Sophomore Jack Billick and junior Oziel Bonola-Soriano each scored two goals for SVC.

Football

Akron: Junior punter Joey Castle (Norwin) delivered a 68-yard punt on his second college attempt in the Zips’ 10-0 loss to Wyoming.

Delaware: Graduate lineman Fintan Brose (Hempfield) was named the Conference USA Offensive Lineman of the Week.

Because this is the Blue Hens’ first year in the conference, it marks a first for the program.

Brose helped Delaware defeat Delaware State, 35-17, making his first start at center to fill a vacancy because of teammate Steven Demboski’s injury.

Brose, a team captain, and the line enabled the rushing attack to average 5.3 yards per carry in the win.

Lehigh: Sophomore defensive back Luke Denny (Norwin) had four tackles in a 21-14 win over Richmond.

Seton Hill: The Griffins allowed 453 yards and dropped their season opener to visiting Fairmont State, 24-21, at Offutt Field.

Senior Ky’Ron Craggette rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns in the setback. Junior Isaac Ashley had four receptions for 95 yards and a score.

Senior D’Kari Boone had a team-high 16 tackles, and Anthony Striblin had two sacks.

Women’s soccer

Saint Francis: Freshman Riley Kerr (Greensburg Central Catholic) scored her first collegiate goal — the team’s first of the season — in a 1-1 tie with Cleveland State.

Saint Vincent: Junior Cori Bieber, junior Jordan Kirkwood (Valley), senior Jude Galvin and sophomore Alexis Arlaus scored as the Bearcats opened with a 4-0 victory over Pitt-Greensburg.

Sophomore Rilyn Warner made fives saves in net and earned the shutout.

The Bearcats followed with a 3-0 win over Muskingum as sophomore Lexi Graham (Norwin) scored twice.

Women’s volleyball

Thiel: Junior Arin Delattre (Hempfield) had 10 kills, hit .444 and added two blocks and two aces to lead the Tomcats to a 3-0 win over Penn State Altoona.

Westminster: Freshman Kylie Anthony (Penn-Trafford) fresh off a PIAA softball championship, registered eight kills, five service aces, five digs and hit .429 as the Titans opened the season with a 3-0 win over Bethany at the Saint Vincent Bearcat Challenge.

Women’s cross country

Saint Vincent: Sophomore Grace Neubert opened the season with a bang, winning the Westminster College Fisher Invitational in a time of 18 minutes, 11.66 seconds, the second-fastest time in program history.

The Bearcats finished second in the team standings.

Neubert was the 2024 PAC Newcomer of the Year.

Men’s golf

West Virginia: Sophomore Nick Turowski (Penn-Trafford) shot a 6-under-par 66 to help lead the Mountaineers to a 21-under total of 268 — a pair of team records — in the first round of the Island Resort Collegiate in Bark River, Mich.

Women’s lacrosse

Saint Vincent: Former Seton Hill All-American defender Makayla Kintner was promoted to head coach of the program after coaching last season as an assistant.

Kintner played five years at Seton Hill and was a four-time IWLCA All-American, as well as a four-time All-Atlantic Region selection, four-time first team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference pick and a two-time PSAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Kintner, a Vestal, N.Y. native, didn’t miss a game in 80 tries and finished with 164 ground balls, 137 caused turnovers and 269 draw controls. She had four goals and two assists.

Seton Hill, which was 44-3 in PSAC matches with Kintner in the lineup, made the NCAA Division II Tournament four straight years.

“This program has such a strong tradition, and I am excited to build upon that foundation while helping our student-athletes grow both on and off the field,” Kintner said in a news release. “I look forward to working with the team, the athletic department, and the Saint Vincent community as we continue to push the program to new heights.”

Honors

Allegheny: Zach Kessler, the longtime athletic director at Franklin Regional, is part of the 44th Allegheny College Hall of Fame class.

Kessler, a 1999 graduate, was a football standout. He was a two-time Hewlett-Packard All-American offensive lineman. A three-year starter and captain, the Moon alum helped the Gators win the 1996 NCAC championship and a share of a conference title in ’97.

Kessler was a named a preseason All-American by Street and Smith’s, The Sporting News and Bob Griese’s College Football Yearbook going into his senior season.

He closed his college career with 32 straight starts.

Kessler has been the face of Franklin Regional athletics since he joined the district in 2007. Last year, he was named the PSADA Region 4 Athletic Director of the Year.

The 2025 class will be inducted Sept. 26 on campus at Schultz Banquet Hall.