Oakland Catholic is well represented on the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association's All-American list for the 2001-2002 school year.
The swimmers with the top 20 times in each event are named All-Americans. The swimmers are broken down into a boys and girls list and then subdivided into independent (private schools) and public school lists.
Georgia recruit Jordan Wallace is an All-American in four events — the 100-yard backstroke, 200 freestyle, 200-medley relay and 400-freestyle relay.
Wallace had the second-best time in the 100 backstroke at 55.78 seconds, only one hundredth of a second behind the top time set by Kathryn Hallquist of The King's Academy in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Wallace was fifth in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:49.27. He was also on the 200-medley relay with Atalie Abranovic, Dianna Dietrich and Elyse Fisher, which had the nation's third-best time of 1:48.45.
The 400 relay of Wallace, Fisher, Carlyn Donley and Courtney Choura was eighth with a time of 3:32.42.
Choura also earned All-American status in four events — fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:04.27), ninth in the 200-individual medley (2:05.22) and 17th in the 200-freestyle relay (1:39.01), along with Shannon Barr, Abranovic and Donley.
Pat Mellors of Central Catholic earned independent All-American honors in two events as a sophomore. He was seventh in the 200 IM with a time of 1:52.64 and 20th in the 100 butterfly (0:51.31).
Oakmont resident Brett Murphy, who goes to Shady Side Academy, was an honorable mention independent All-American in the 200 freestyle, where he finished 29th, and the 100 freestyle, where he tied for 21st.
Murphy also swam with two All-American relay teams for the Indians, taking fourth in the 200-freestyle relay (1:25.91) and 12th in the 400-freestyle relay (3:10.81)
Pennsylvania was second in the country behind California in total All-Americans with 725, including relay members. California had 1,110.
Minor League Updates
Deer Lakes graduate Kevin McDowell has been solid in his first full professional season, playing for the West Michigan Whitecaps, a Class A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.
The left-handed pitcher is 5-6, but he has a 2.97 earned run average and 72 strikeouts in 103 innings pitched. He has appeared in 18 games, all of which were starts.
South Allegheny graduate Scott Seabol is still trying to fight his way back to the major leagues after opening the 2001 season with the New York Yankees.
Seabol, who gets most of his playing time at first base, is still playing for the Yankees Class AAA affiliate — the Columbus Clippers.
Seabol is batting .264 with 12 home runs, 51 RBI and 39 runs scored. He has made only 10 errors through 75 games.
Central Catholic graduate Brant Colamarino, taken by he Oakland Athletics this June after his junior year at Pitt, hit his first home run recently for the Class A Vancouver Canadians. Through 15 games, the first baseman is batting .300 with 11 RBI.
Johnson drawing interest
Johnson's football skills continue to attract attention. "Street and Smith's College Football Preview" listed him as one of the top 50 juniors in the country.
Giunta to St. Vincent College
Plum graduate Nicole Giunta has signed to go to St. Vincent on a basketball and volleyball scholarship.
Giunta also had offers from Seton Hill and Washington and Jefferson.
Giunta was a top scorer and rebounder for the Plum basketball team, helping the Mustangs make it to the playoffs for the first time in school history her junior year.
Leskanic still out
Steel Valley graduate Curtis Leskanic, a relief pitcher with the Milwaukee Brewers, told the "Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel" that he hoped to resume throwing this week, but he has had a series of setbacks after off-season shoulder surgery.
He had a minor-league rehabilitation assignment cut short and recently had a cortisone shot . There is no set time for his return.
Leskanic was the Brewers' closer in 2001 but will most likely set up Mike DeJean if he returns this season.
Pepe at Avila Junior Classic
Jonathan Pepe of McKeesport finished 46th at the Avila Junior Classic golf tournament in Tampa, Fla., with a three-day score of 236 on the par-72 golf course — the top finish of any player in Western Pennsylvania.
Pepe was a PIAA qualifier last fall and is heading into his junior year at Serra Catholic.
