Nov 20, 2022 4 min read

W&J, Waynesburg pack PAC picks

The Washington & Jefferson football team placed 17 players on the 2022 All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference Teams, which were announced by the conference office last week. The All-PAC teams and yearly award winners are determined by vote of the league’s 11 head coaches.

The Presidents placed six players on the All-PAC First Team. Senior offensive lineman Angelo Fratini of Burgettstown, and senior tight end John O’Rourke picked up the honors offensively. Defensively, W&J placed four on the first team. Senior defensive lineman Alex Keith, sophomore defensive lineman Dawson Dietz, junior linebacker Justin Johns and senior defensive back Drew Ehrlich.

Fratini picks up his third-straight All-PAC First Team honor. A team captain, Fratini has been a mainstay for the offensive line the past four years. Fratini has helped W&J to at least eight wins in each of the three full seasons during his time as a starter. O’Rourke solidified his second-straight All-PAC First Team honor. The senior posted a pair of touchdown catches in W&J’s 17-14 victory at Westminster on Oct. 8.

Waynesburg Flack a first-teamer

Senior running back Justin Flack highlighted this year’s honorees with his second first-team selection. Flack ended 2022 ranked third in the PAC in total rushing yards (811) and rushing yards per game (90.1). The veteran standout led the conference in rushing touchdowns with 11, total touchdowns scored (12) and points scored per game (8.0).

A pair of Jackets became two-time all-PAC picks after earning second-team laurels

Senior offensive lineman Chase Espen anchored an offensive line that paved the way for the third-best rushing offense in the league (195.5 yards per game). Espen was also lauded as an honorable mention All-PAC pick following the 2020-21 campaign.

Sophomore wide receiver Dakota Romantino of Charleroi, an honorable mention selection following the 2021 campaign, ended 2022 ranked third in the league in receiving yards per game (76.7) and second in yards per catch (18.6). He totaled 37 catches, five of which went for touchdowns.

Pitt stops Alabama State

Blake Hinson scored 21 points and Pittsburgh needed a big second-half effort to turn back Alabama State, defeating the Hornets 73-54 on Sunday.

After trailing 34-31 at halftime, the Panthers (2-3) responded with a 42-point second half in which they shot 51.7% from the field, made seven 3-pointers, and held Alabama State to 20 points. Backup guard Nike Sibande scored 11 points in the second half. Pittsburgh had shot 33.3% and missed 12 of 15 3-pointers in the first half.

Hinson was the only starter in double figures for the Panthers. Sibande finished with 17 points and John Hugley added 10 off the bench. The Panthers had 31 bench points overall.

Water polo

The Washington & Jefferson men’s water polo team capped its 2022 season Sunday with a 17-9 victory over Penn State Behrend in the third place match of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships East Division.

W&J finishes the 2022 season with a 10-8 overall record. The 10 wins are the most for the W&J men since the 2015 season.

College swimming

Sophomore Autumn Christner qualified for conference meet in the 100 breaststroke on Saturday, as the California University swimming team continued to record multiple personal records and season-best marks in the second day of the TYR Invitational hosted by Liberty.

Christner won the ‘C’ finals and placed 19th overall of the 100 breaststroke with a personal record of 1:11.04 seconds to qualify for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships. She touched the wall in 1:12.22 during the preliminary session on Saturday.

The 200 medley relay of junior Antonia Gheorghita, freshman Ella Root, sophomore Madison Moretti and junior Gabby Miller shattered their season best after posting a time of 1:49.56 to finish 11th.