Westmoreland campus clippings: Another big award for Saint Vincent’s Irefin

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, December 19, 2022 | 8:08 PM

Another postseason honor rolled in for Saint Vincent’s prolific football return specialist, and it’s a big one.

Junior Molayo Irefin was named to the D3football.com All-American Third Team after a record-breaking season.

He is the Bearcats’ first football All-American since running back Michael Scatena was named Associated Press Little All-America in 1960.

Irefin led the PAC in kick and punt return average at 27.2 and 15.8 yards, respectively.

He also was a first team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference and first team All-Region selection by D3football.com. The highlight-reel play for Irefin was a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown against Waynesburg.

A wide receiver, Irefin also was second in the conference in receptions (62) and touchdown catches (8), while his 732 receiving yards ranked third.

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Football

Seton Hill: Senior linebacker Jaylen McDuffie was named to the D2 Conference Commissioner’s Association All-American Second Team.

The Griffins’ all-time leader with 363 tackles, McDuffie is the first D2CCA All-American from Seton Hill since Tyler Zimmer (Penn-Trafford) in 2012.

McDuffie had 118 tackles, a PSAC-leading 21 for loss, and 11 sacks.

He was named the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year.

Transfer portal: Wide receiver Mike Evans (Franklin Regional) now has six Division I offers since entering the NCAA transfer portal out of West Virginia. Tennessee Tech is the latest program to show interest in Evans.

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Men’s basketball

Carlow: Sophomore forward Riley Comforti (Southmoreland) ranks 19th in the River States Conference in scoring at 13.8 points per game.

Senior forward Hunter DeStefano (Penn-Trafford) had 16 points, including 4 of 5 3-pointers, and freshman Brevan Williams (Greensburg Central Catholic) added 15 in Carlow’s 106-67 loss to VMI.

Seton Hill: Junior Sean Dillon buried a long 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining to give the Griffins a 77-76 victory over East Stroudsburg.

Junior 7-foot forward Jimmy Moon led the Griffins (6-3) with 20 points, including five 3-pointers, while Samual Tabe had 17 and Dillon added 10.

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Women’s basketball

Grove City: Senior guard Megan Kallock (Greensburg Salem) had a game-high 24 points, making 9 of 13 shots, but the Wolverines fell to DePauw, 76-66, at the Big Island Classic in Hilo, Hawaii.

Seton Hill: The Griffins ran their winning streak to five with a 69-54 win over East Stroudsburg as freshman Hallie Cowan (16 points), freshman Helene Cowan (11), grad student Alie Seto (11) and senior Courtney Tomas (10) scored in double figures.

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Women’s soccer

Pitt-Greensburg: The Bobcats continued to reap the benefits of another thrilling season.

Senior Ashey Lucas was named the Eastern College Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and freshman Megan Hickey took home the award the ECAC’s top rookie.

Lucas also was selected to the All-ECAC First Team.

Hickey and teammates junior Mylah Pannebaker and freshman Abby Henise made the second team.

Lucas had 19 goals and 10 assists, and Hickey scored 18 goals, including a half-dozen game-winners.

UPG (16-4-1) won its second Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference title in three years and played in the NCAA Tournament.

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Men’s soccer

Pitt-Greensburg: Freshman Caleb Yuricha (Norwin) capped an outstanding debut season by being named the Eastern College Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year.

Yuricha, also the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Newcomer of the Year, was an All-ECAC First Team pick.

He had 13 goals and 30 points to lead the Bobcats.

Westminster: Grad student Tyler Caterino (Monessen) was named to the All-ECAC First Team.

He had 33 points to lead the PAC. His 12 goals and nine assists were second in the conference.

Caterino also was a USC All-Region pick.

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Wrestling

Bucknell: Junior 133-pounder Kurtis Phipps (Norwin) picked up a 5-2 decision as the Bison defeated Sacred Heart, 33-6.

Phipps has a 10-5 record this season and moved to 36-22 for his career.

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Women’s bowling

Saint Vincent: SVC received votes for the first time in the National Tenpin Coaches Association rankings.

The Bearcats (22-1) are one of only three Division III schools to garner votes in the poll, which encompasses all collegiate divisions.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.