FOOTBALL
READING, Pa. – Former Clearfield Area High School standout Tanner Kelly of Olanta received the most prestigious honor of his brilliant Albright career Thursday when he was named East Region Offensive Player the Year by D3Football.com.
The two-time Middle Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year also was named first team all-East Region along with senior classmate Nate Romig, a record-setting wide receiver during his Albright career.
A third Lion, senior cornerback Brett Gaul, was a second-team selection.
Kelly led the MAC in most passing categories and ranks high in several of those in D-III.
The 6-3, 215-pounder completed 253 of 358 passes, 67.9 percent, for a career-high 3,030 yards and 21 touchdowns with a career-low five interceptions. His 1.39 interception percentage is third-best in the nation, while his 155.38 passing efficiency rating is No. 12 and his passing yards are No. 15.
Kelly, who threw for five two-point conversions, also rushed for 337 yards and six touchdowns.
Romig had 91 receptions for 1,314 yards and 12 touchdowns that gave him the school records for TD catches and points scored, while Gaul starred in the secondary with 49.5 tackles, four interceptions and eight passes broken up and also blocked five kicks and forced one fumble.
The D3Football.com staff initiated all-region selections in 2005 in conjunction with NCAA Division III sports information directors.
They pared 181 nominations for the All-East Region Team to 76 players for three offensive and three defensive units.
Albright won two playoff games for the first time in program history to reach the Division III Tournament quarter-finals for the fourth time, losing to undefeated and No. 1-ranked Mount Union for an 11-2 record.
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WRESTLING
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Senior co-captain Matt Kyler of Clearfield put Army ahead 16-11 with a decision in the 149-pound match, but Rider got wins in the final two bouts to squeeze past the Black Knights 17-16 in Gillis Field House Thursday night.
Bouncing back from his first dual meet loss in since his sophomore season, Kyler (9-2) took down Michael Kessler four times and had more than two minutes of riding time advantage for a 10-3 triumph.
Kyler is ranked No. 9 by Amateur Wrestling 10 by InterMat, No. 10 by InterMat and No. 11 by Wrestling Insider News Magazine.
The Cadets are 0-2 in duals.
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PITTSBURG, Pa. – Redshirt junior 125-pounder Brad Pataky of Clearfield suffered his first dual-meet loss of the season Saturday as 14th-ranked Penn State, minus two regulars and forced to forfeit one bout, settled for a 19-19 tie with No. 24 Pitt in front of 1,104 fans in Fitzgerald Field House.
Panther freshman Anthony Zanetta, a two-time PIAA Class AA champion for Keystone Oaks, parlayed an eight-point first period into a 15-9 upset over Pataky, who was ranked No. 6 by Amateur Wrestling News, No. 7 by InterMat and No. 9 by Wrestling Insider News Magazine.
The Nittany Lion bantam shot a quick double-leg for a takedown two seconds into the match, only to have Zanetta reverse out of his spiral ride and then turn him for three back points. Zanetta added another near fall later in the first period for an 8-2 lead. Zanetta countered Pataky takedown attempts for takedowns to go with three escapes in the last two periods.
Pataky is 6-1 in duals and 10-2 overall for the Nittany Lions, who are 5-1-1.
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YORK, Pa. – Freshman 125-pounder Andrew Spicer of Clearfield and Penn State-DuBois were 1-2 at the York College Quads Saturday.
Spicer (6-6) won by forfeit against Muhlenberg after dropping close decisions to York\’s Aaron Repman 13-9 and Wilkes\’ Scott Mantua 3-2.
The Lions lost 33-16 to York and 40-0 to Wilkes and defeated Muhlenberg 48-7 for a 4-5 record.
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MEN\’S BASKETBALL
GREENSBURG, Pa. – Sophomore guard Todd Hryn of Clearfield scored five points and grabbed four rebounds in his second start for Pitt-Greensburg in a 68-64 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference loss to visiting Penn State-Altoona on Dec. 7.
He did not play in Thursday\’s home-court 74-71 win over Franciscan (Ohio) that earned the Bobcats (5-4, 3-2 AMCC) a share of fourth place.
In eight games, Hryn has hit 15 of 44 field goal attempts and 11 of 18 foul shots for 43 points, a 5.4 average.
He is third in rebounds with 44, a 5.5 average, and also has two assists, five steals and two blocked shots.
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ERIE, Pa. – Freshman guard Matt Shiner of Clearfield saw action late in Penn State-Behrend\’s 71-49 win over Westminster at New Wilmington Wednesday.
The Lions fell to 5-2 Saturday with a 75-70 road setback by Frostburg (W.Va.) State that left them 2-2 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.
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WOMEN\’S BASKETBALL
DUBOIS, Pa. – Curwensville Area High School graduate Brittany Barrett of Mahaffey scored five points as Penn State-DuBois broke into the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference West Division win column by trimming host Penn State-Scranton Saturday 67-40 to raise its record to 4-5.
The Lady Lions, who ended a three-game skid with a 63-60 victory at Butler County Community College Thursday, are tied for second in the division at 1-2 behind Beaver, which is ranked No. 1 in the United State Collegiate Athletic Association.
Amanda Craker of Sheffield sparked the two wins with 40 points and 24 rebounds. She leads the PSUAC in blocked shots (21, 3.0 per game), third in rebounding (63, 9.0) and fourth in scoring (108, 15.43). Tess Vargas of Sheffield was high against PS-Scranton with 21 points.
Barrett is third on the team and 22nd in the PSUAC in rebounds with 36 for a 5.143 average. The junior guard\’s 2.714 average for 19 offensive rebounds ranks 17th in the conference.
