Westmoreland high school notebook: Three Norwin players get college offers on same day

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, January 25, 2025 | 4:14 PM

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St. Francis (Pa.) came to Norwin looking for football talent and left with three potential prospects.

The Red Flash extended preferred walk-on offers to three senior Knights players and all-around good buds in Michael Crnkovic, Mike Strutt and Colin Bruno.

The offers rolled in on the same day.

If they choose to commit to the NCAA Division I-FCS program in the Northeast Conference, they will have an opportunity to earn scholarships later.

Crnkovic is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver and defensive back, Strutt (6-0, 320) is a nose tackle and defensive end, and Bruno (6-3, 300) is an offensive guard and defensive end.

“It’s huge, man,” Strutt said. “It’s super rare for 3 guys from the same team to get D-1 offers, and it’s even more rare that it’s three best friends that are all like brothers, offered by the same school.”

Crnkovic, whose teammates know him better as “Bando,” said the trio of offers sheds light on an overlooked program.

“To me, it just shows the talent that is constantly being overlooked at Norwin,” he said. “The work that all the guys here constantly put in goes unnoticed a lot of the time, and more guys deserve a chance at playing Division I ball.

“Also, for three best friends that are literally like brothers to have the chance to continue playing together is almost unheard of, so I’m extremely excited to have this opportunity to keep playing with my boys.”

Crnkovic also has a Division II offer from Seton Hill.

The bond between the friends and classmates is what makes the Red Flash’s interest special.

Bruno also added a second Division I offer, from Mercyhurst, the former D-II PSAC program that bumped up to the Northeast Conference.

“Recruitment for all three of us is still 100% open, but we are very thankful for the opportunity,” Bruno said. “It means the world to us that we all have the same opportunity to go play together again. We’ve always wanted to play together in college.”

Whipple to IUP

Penn-Trafford standout running back and linebacker Tasso Whipple announced a commitment to IUP.

Whipple ran for 1,716 yards and 14 touchdowns this season and made 73 tackles.

Wade commits

Belle Vernon’s Alonzo Wade will continue his football career at Ohio Dominican, a Division II program that plays in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

Wade is a receiver and defensive back.

Heisler offered

Fordham became the latest Division I program to offer a scholarship to Hempfield junior lineman Brock Heisler.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound two-way tackle, who also long-snaps for the Spartans, also has offers from Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, Penn and Arkansas State.

Fordham plays in the Patriot League.

Two more for Austin

Franklin Regional football standout Jaymier Austin is up to five Division I offers after Akron and Cal (Pa.) reached out.

Purdue, Marshall and Youngstown State are other offers for Austin (6-3, 180), a wide receiver and cornerback.

Allison to ’Ville

Hempfield football player Aidan Allison announced a verbal commitment to Millersville, a Division II program in the PSAC.

A transfer from Greensburg Central Catholic, Allison played running back, wide receiver and defensive back for the Spartans.

Last season, he had 12 receptions for 162 yards and four touchdowns and made 57 tackles, five for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

Recruiting

A number of area football players are drawing interest from the NCAA Division II level. National signing day is Feb. 5.

• Slippery Rock landed Southmoreland running back and linebacker Ethan Shawley, who accepted a scholarship offer.

Shawley (5-9, 200), a vicious middle linebacker, led the Scotties this season with 88 tackles, 18 for loss, and five sacks.

Last year, he had 134 tackles, 65 solo, ranking him among the top stoppers in the nation.

Shawley also rushed for 380 yards and six touchdowns this season.

• Elliot Premus, a 6-3, 210-pound linebacker and tight end at Southmoreland, was offered by Cal (Pa.).

• Greensburg Central Catholic tight end and defensive end Jackson McMullen (6-2, 200) picked up an offer from Seton Hill.

• Lock Haven and Clarion offered Southmoreland two-way lineman Jarrell Braxton (6-2, 275).

• Dom Smith, a linebacker and tight end at Penn-Trafford, picked up offers from Seton Hill and Edinboro.

• Frostburg State and IUP offered Latrobe lineman Anthony Scarton.

• Two Latrobe baseball players made commitments. Luke Nipar-Smith is headed to West Liberty, and Vince Gaskey will play at Slippery Rock.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Hempfield, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland