Published: November 05, 2008 12:13 am      

Sports briefs - 11/5

SWIMMING

Hilltopper a Heisman finalist

Westmont Hilltop senior swimmer John Livingston was announced as a state finalist for the 15th annual Wendy’s High School Heisman award.

Livingston, a standout on the Hilltoppers squad, has gone the PIAA championships in recent seasons with the team. Now, he is among 20 of Pennsylvania’s top scholar-athletes, embodying the Heisman spirit of hard work and dedication through tier outstanding achievements in athletics, academics and community service, according to a press release.

One boy and one girl will be selected from Pennsylvania and then 12 national finalists will be chosen to go to New York City for the national winners’ announcement.



BASKETBALL

UPJ men picked third

Pitt-Johnstown, the defending West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season champions, were picked to finish third behind West Virginia State University and Alderson-Broaddus (W.Va.) College when the preseason WVIAC men’s basketball coaches poll was released on Tuesday.

West Virginia State received nine of the 16 first place votes cast in the poll. Second place Alderson-Broaddus picked up four nods for the top spot, while UPJ got a pair of first place votes.

UPJ, which went 23-8 overall and 17-3 in the WVIAC last season, made a splash last season by capturing the WVIAC regular season title in the Mountain Cats’ first year of eligibility.

The Mountain Cats must replace WVIAC Player of the Year Chris Gilliam, but return four starters.

Seniors Marcus Tullis, a Greater Johnstown graduate, Quinton Davis, Matt Ionadi, and former Trojans standout William Sharpe lead the Mountain Cats this season.



SOCCER

UPJ men advance to semis

Freshman Josh Wentz and senior Jason Swope each netted a goal to lift the No. 5 Mountan Cats to a 2-0 victory at No. 4 Wheeling Jesuit (W.Va.) University in Tuesday’s first round of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Touranament. UPJ advances to the semifinals and will travel to top-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan College on Thursday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Mountain Cats (10-8-1) opened the scoring 39th minute and took a 1-0 halftime lead when Wentz found the back of the net off of Cory Winwood’s assist.

The Mountain Cats maintained the slim lead until Swope set the final at 2-0 with a penalty kick goal in the 63rd minute.

Craig Neff faced 18 shots and made four saves to earn the shutout.