Norwin notebook: Recruitment heating back up for Knights lineman

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Saturday, December 5, 2020 | 11:18 AM

Anthony Giansante isn’t ready to give up on playing Division I college football. In fact, he may be more enthusiastic now than before he started getting scholarship offers.

Giansante, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman from Norwin, is back on the recruiting trail, proactively reaching out to schools that had already recruited him and to new ones, after having his initial commitment fall through.

He had planned to play at Western Kentucky, but that program pulled his scholarship after it had reached a desired number of linemen commits.

Undeterred, Giansante kept after it. He is grinding in the weight room and running drills almost daily to make sure colleges know he still is available.

His efforts are working.

The first-team all-conference offensive guard in Class 6A recently pulled in an offer from Missouri State, bringing his total of Division I offers to 12.

Giansante was a nominee for the second Bill Fralic Award, which goes to the WPIAL’s top lineman from the 2020 season.

Big 5/6 all-stars

The Big 5/6 Conference, which recognizes and highlights happenings in the WPIAL’s largest classifications, announced its all-stars in Class 4A boys and girls soccer and in girls volleyball.

First-team selections from Norwin in boys soccer in Section 3 included senior forward Brendan Ash, junior midfielder Caleb Yuricha, senior defender Nate Bown and junior goalkeeper Andy Yanez.

Norwin’s Scott Schuchert was the section coach of the year.

Section 3 first-team girls all-stars were senior forwards Katelynn Kauffman, Lacey Bernick and Kennedy Soliday and junior defender Emma Rigone.

In girls volleyball, Norwin senior hitter Brooke Gast was a Section 3 first-teamer.

Sullivan to Juniata

Norwin senior Rachel Sullivan will continue her playing career at Juniata. Sullivan, a 5-foot-11 outside/middle hitter, will graduate early and join the Eagles in the spring. Sullivan was an all-Section 3-3A second-team selection.

Gabauer in showcase

Norwin senior baseball player Alex Gabauer, a talented shortstop who will play collegiately at Penn, was added to the invitation-only Pennsylvania Baseball Report Northeast ProCase. The showcase event will be Feb. 13 in Williamsport.

Krevokuch offer

Norwin senior football player Tanner Krevokuch added a Division II scholarship offer in Edinboro of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Krevokuch, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end, also recently announced a preferred walk-on opportunity at Pitt.

He initially had a Division I offer from Central Michigan, but that program decided to go in a different direction.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin