North Hills High School graduate Mike Czerwien became the first player in Waynesburg University history to be named a Presidents' Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

Czerwien, a 5-foot-8, 225-pound senior defensive lineman, was named Defensive Player of the Year and voted to the PAC First Team for the fourth consecutive year.

Czerwien finished the regular season ranked first in the country with 33.5 tackles for loss (TFL) and 23 sacks. A Ross native, he compiled a career-high 79 total tackles (55 solo) to finish second on the team and 11th in the conference. Czerwien also finished the 10-game schedule with five pass breakups, eight quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Czerwien has been selected to play for the American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) Division III all-star team. The all-star team will represent the United States against the Mexican National Team in the 2007 Aztec Bowl Saturday in Chihuahua, Mexico. He is the first player in Yellow Jackets' history selected to participate in the Aztec Bowl.

• Pine-Richland graduates Jim Fawcett and Brendon O'Mahony, and Butler Area grad Chris Haley were voted to the second team All-PAC.

Fawcett is a senior center at Thiel College who has started 32 of 38 games over the last three years. Fawcett has been named to the All-PAC teams three times, earning honorable mention honors in 2005 and second team laurels last year.

Haley handled both place-kicking and punting chores during his freshman season at Grove City College. He made seven of 11 field goal attempts this year, including a conference-best 49-yard field goal against Waynesburg Sept. 22. Haley also made nine of 12 extra point tries. Haley also earned Honorable Mention All-PAC as a punter after averaging 36.1 yards per punt this year.

O'Mahony, a sophomore tight end at Washington & Jefferson College, is a punishing blocker who rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, he has totaled 67 receiving yards and one touchdown.

• Six other area players received honorable mention: Waynesburg linebacker Dan Andreassi (Butler), Thiel running back Steve Minton (Seneca Valley), Waynesburg offensive lineman Alex Tempalski, Westminster linebacker Jacob Martinez (Deer Lakes), Bethany linebacker Bill Wineberg (Shaler Area) and Westminster defensive back Mario Camerota (Springdale).

He's an ESPN honoree

University of Rochester senior defensive back Andy Rape has been named as an ESPN The Magazine College Division First Team Academic All-American in voting by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

This is the second consecutive year that Rape, a native of Zelienople and an alumnus of Freedom Area High School, has been named to the ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-America Team. He was a second-team honoree last year.

The honor comes as he completed his best season on the gridiron. Rape had a team-high six interceptions, returning the picks for 89 yards. He broke up seven passes and forced one fumble. He was Rochester's top return specialist on both punts and kickoffs. He returned 27 punts for a 14.6-yard average and ran back 19 kickoffs for a 24.1-yard average.

He was named first-team All-Liberty League as a defensive back and was a first-team choice as a return specialist.