Westmoreland County campus clippings: Penn-Trafford grad Cade Yacamelli running with opportunity

As his production increases and his confidence grows, Cade Yacamelli is looking more the part of a Division-I running back.

But it didn’t start out that way.

Wisconsin’s redshirt sophomore initially was slotted as a defensive back when he left Penn-Trafford for Madison, a loop that surprised him but also intrigued him.

Who doesn’t want to play running back in the Big Ten?

A coaching change also threw a curveball at the athletic Yacamelli when Paul Chryst was fired and the Badgers brought in Luke Fickell.

While he never went as far as the transfer portal as other players did, Yacamelli reevaluated his situation and is now making the best of it.

Two weeks ago, he rushed for a career-high 73 yards on eight carries as the Badgers defeated South Dakota, 27-13.

With Oklahoma transfer Tawee Walker not playing in Week 2, Yacamelli was elevated to the No. 2 back in the depth chart.

He added 39 yards on eight rushes in a 42-10 loss to No. 4 Alabama.

“Going into Week 1, I knew that it was gonna be kind of Chez (Mellusi) and Tawee with the 1-2 punch and then I was gonna rotate in on, certain plays and stuff,” Yacamelli told buckys5thquarter.com. “However, on Friday, we knew that we was down, so coach (Devon Spalding) came up to me and said, ‘You’re No. 2,’ which I kind of expected, that I was the next guy (up).

“But, I mean, honestly, like, when he told me that, it was kind of just like another day, you know. I mean, it’s just strap your helmet up and go play ball.”

Yacamelli, who saw time in the backfield last season, also played special teams in the fourth quarter last week.

“I mean, I really wish I would have found an end zone, maybe being a little bit selfish,” he said. “But, I mean, honestly, like to go out and just play hard and run hard. I mean, I want to establish energy. Like I said, I want to go out and enjoy the moment, let it fly.”

Fickell appreciates Yacamelli’s work ethic and approach to the game.

“Cade might be one of the most unselfish kids we have in this program,” Fickell said. “And from about the middle of the spring ball on, Cade has done nothing but impress every single coach and every single player in that locker room. Cade continues to battle and fight and work and takes every role that you give him and just accelerates at it. And he’s a heck of a running back.”

Football

Duquesne: Grad linebacker Gianni Rizzo (Norwin) had six tackles, including one for loss, against his former team.

Duquesne held off No. 20 Youngstown State, 28-25, for its first win of the season.

Edinboro: The Waldier brothers combined for nine tackles, but the Fighting Scots fell to Kutztown, 26-0.

Senior linebacker C.J. Waldier (Yough) had five stops, and junior Tristan Waldier (Yough) added four.

Saint Vincent: What a difference a week makes. After falling to Washington & Jefferson, 59-6, SVC (1-1) took care of Allegheny, 41-20.

Sophomore Dontae Sanders and senior Billy Beck ran for 95 yards and a touchdown each — with Sanders also catching a score — and Pete Billey (Mt. Pleasant) caught a scoring pass.

Senior quarterback Israel Reed was 13 of 17 for 187 yards and two TDs.

On defense, sophomore safety Robbie Labuda (Mt. Pleasant) had two interceptions, including a pick-6, and Wiley Purry made a team-high 10 tackles for the Bearcats, who forced four turnovers.

Labuda was named the PAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Senior Trevor Brncic (Franklin Regional) threw for 128 yards for Allegheny but was intercepted and sacked three times each.

Seton Hill: Trailing 14-3 after three quarters, the Griffins (1-2) rallied past the Huskies for their first win of the season.

Senior Jake Cruz passed for 201 yards and a score, redshirt junior Ky’Ron Craggette rushed for 110 yards and a TD and junior Ritchie McCormack posted 10 tackles, including two sacks, in the win.

Craggette also pulled in seven receptions.

Grad student Todd Phillips grabbed a 14-yard scoring pass with 9 seconds remaining for the winning score.

Washington & Jefferson: Senior tight end Zach Cernuto (Southmoreland) caught a pair of touchdown receptions as the Presidents rolled past Thiel, 58-7.

Junior Dom Barca (Norwin) was the team’s leading rusher with 57 yards on four carries.

For the defense, Justin Johns (Franklin Regional) recorded five tackles and broke up a pass.

William & Mary: Senior safety Marcus Barnes (Jeannette) had six tackles and a pass break-up in the Tribe’s 29-21 win over Wofford. Barnes also had a late interception, but it was waved off because of a penalty.

Honors

Westminster: Former Titans’ standout swimmer Matt Baurle (Penn-Trafford) was inducted into the Titan Sports Hall of Fame. Baurle was a four-time All-PAC first team selection and the conference swimmer of the year in 2016. He was an All-American in 2013 after finishing eighth in the 100-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Division III championships.

Men’s soccer

Grove City: Sophomore Jake Kimmich (Franklin Regional) had an assist on a redirect in a 1-0 win over Penn State Behrend.

Another sophomore, forward Carlo Denis (Greensburg Central Catholic), had an assist for the Wolverines (3-1-1) as they tied Buffalo State, 1-1.

Memphis: Junior midfielder Anthony DiFalco (Franklin Regional) scored his first collegiate goal as the Tigers tied Southern Illinois Edwardsville, 1-1.

DiFalco transferred from Duquesne in the offseason.

Penn State Behrend: Freshman goalkeeper Anthony Scalise (Norwin) is starting for the Lions. He has three games under his belt (2-1) and has saved 16 shots.

Teammate Blake Cooper (Franklin Regional), a senior midfielder, has a goal in six starts.

Seton Hill: With a 3-1 win over District of Columbia, the Griffins moved to 3-0. Brice Gandi, a grad student from Rwanda, had two goals in the victory.

Westminster: Senior midfielder Lucas Toohey (Mt. Pleasant) scored his first goal of the season in the Titans’ 3-0 victory against La Roche. He followed that with a goal in a 1-0 win over Heidelberg.

Toohey, who has eight career goals, was named the PAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Women’s soccer

Saint Vincent: Junior forward Kyra Smith scored the lone goal for the Bearcats in a 1-1 draw against Penn College to move their record to 4-1-1.

Seton Hill: The Griffins tied Slippery Rock in the PSAC West opener to remain unbeaten at 2-0-2.

Senior defender Mikayla Moyer had the lone goal in the draw.

Senior goalkeeper Sydney Caldwell (Franklin Regional) has a 2-0 record and had allowed one goal.

Slippery Rock: Senior Sydney Patrick (Hempfield) notched two assists as the Rock blanked Pitt-Johnstown, 3-0, for its first win of the season.

Senior Maddie DeLucio (Latrobe) scored her first goal of the season in the win.

Women’s cross country

Saint Vincent: Freshman Grace Neubert was named the PAC Runner of the Week. She won the 92-runner, 6K PAC Preview Meet in New Castle in a time of 22 minutes, 32 seconds, which was 50 seconds better than the second-place time.

Women’s volleyball

Chatham: Sophomore Paige Watson (Latrobe) tied a career-high with five blocks in a 3-0 win over Penn State Altoona.

DePaul: Senior middle blocker Aly Kindelberger (Franklin Regional) has started all nine matches this season and is third on the team with 64 kills and points per set (2.57).

Her .280 hitting percentage also ranks third.

Saint Vincent: The Bearcats (4-4) bested local rival Pitt-Greensburg, 3-1 (25-15, 21-25, 25-20, 25-16) as senior Kaelyn Staples-Klasnic registered 106 kills, junior Lauren Fox added 11 and freshman Meegan Williams chipped in 10.

Sophomore Madison Friess led UPG with 11 kills.

Williams earned PAC Newcomer of the Week honors.

Seton Hill: The Griffins are rolling along at 7-0 as they build toward the start of PSAC West play.

They have swept five straight matches, including a trio of 3-0 wins at the D’Youville Tournament.

Waynesburg: Senior libero Jordan Stein (Norwin) had 29 digs as the Yellow Jackets defeated Pitt-Greensburg, 3-1, at the Ginny Hunt Kilt Classic in Wooster, Ohio.

She added 26 digs in a 3-2 loss to Wooster, increasing her season average to 5.0 digs per set, which ranks fourth in the PAC.

Women’s tennis

Saint Vincent: Junior Carolina Walters (Latrobe) went 4-0 during the Bearcats’ opening week to earn PAC Player of the Week honors. She won two singles and two doubles matches.

Men’s golf

Geneva: Junior Austin Goehring (Southmoreland) was named the PAC Player of the Week. He broke the school scoring record in a season-opening match against Waynesburg with a 70 at Connoquenessing Country Club. Geneva also set a team scoring record in the match with a 301.

Pitt-Greensburg: Junior Zach Abdallah (Franklin Regional) was named the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Player of the Week after his performance at the Bison Invitational.

Abdallah shot a 76 to finish third and lead the Bobcats to the team title.

Women’s golf

Grove City: Freshman Gabrielle Kineer (Mt. Pleasant) finished seventh (101) at the Franciscan Invitational.