Campus Corner: Herrington Boots Five PATs for Air Force in Military Bowl Loss

FOOTBALL 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Junior placekicker Parker Herrington of Clearfield booted five extra points for Air Force in the Military Bowl December 28 and was involved in a failed option play following Air Force’s sixth touchdown that would have put the Falcons ahead of Toledo with 52 seconds to play. 

The Falcons lined up for an apparent PAT kick that would have tied the game for the fourth time and set up a possible overtime, but holder David Baska had the ball punched out of his arm as he ran around left end. 

Herrington, wide open for the pitch option, was unable to field the bouncing fumble, and the ball eventually rolled across the goal line and out of bounds. 

Mid-American Conference West Division co-champ Toledo (9-4) ran out the clock for a 42-41 victory in front of 25,402 fans at RFK Stadium. 

Air Force, which finished fifth in the Mountain West Conference at 3-4, wound up 7-6. 

Herrington, a walk-on who earned the placekicking job in preseason, made 45 of 48 extra point tries and 15 of 18 field goal attempts. 

His 90 points led the Falcons and landed him in fifth place in the MWC. He was No. 2 in kick scoring. 

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MEN’S BASKETBALL 

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Junior guard Matt Shiner of Clearfield saw limited action for Westminster against host St. John Fisher in the first round of the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa Tournament Thursday. 

The Titans (2-9) were beaten 85-62 and then dropped the consolation game, 81-66, to Medaille (N.Y.) Friday afternoon on Bobby Wanzer Court. 

Shiner has scored 33 points with 12 rebounds, five assists and six steals in nine games, including four starts. 

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MEN’S GYMNASTICS 

UNIVERSITY PARK – Junior still rings specialist Scott Rosenthal of Clearfield is one of four returning All-Americans among the 17 lettermen on the Penn State team that was tabbed for third place behind defending champion Illinois and Michigan in the 2012 Big 10 Conference Coaches Preseason Poll and ranked No. 6 nationally in the GymInfo Preseason Coaches Poll. 

Last year, Rosenthal earned titles in nine of 10 meets during the regular season and finished among the top three in every meet in which he competed. 

He attained GymInfo’s No. 1 ranking for the rings after the Nittany Lions’ final dual meets March 19 and was No. 3 in the final 2011 rankings after placing second in the Big 10 Championships. 

Rosenthal placed eighth with a sub-par 15.00 during the individual finals of the National Collegiate Championships after earning an 18.650 during the team qualifying round and a 15.500 in the team finals. 

Rosenthal’s scores ranged from a 14.400 in the West Point Open January 14 to a career-high 15.900 at Illinois February 19 and included seven routines judged at 15.500 or higher. 

As a freshman, he earned three firsts in dual meets and was high for Penn State in the Big 10 Conference Team Championships with a 15.050 that was fifth overall. 

The Nittany Lions, who placed sixth at the 2011 National Collegiate Championships, will open Saturday, January 14, against Army at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall.