Castillo, Hulea make news; McGowan picks school

NEW WILMINGTON -- Placekicker Chris Castillo, a senior on the Westminster College football team from Austintown Fitch High, has enjoyed much success in only one season with the team.
A soccer player for four years at Westminster before joining the football team, Castillo concluded his brief football career with an outstanding performance in the recent East Coast Bowl in Petersburg, Va.
Castillo kicked field goals of 35 and 32 yards and three extra points, helping the South to a 27-14 win over the North.
The contest featured top senior players from NCAA Division I-AA, II and III programs throughout the Eastern U.S.
Castillo was the only player from the Presidents' Athletic Conference in the game, and one of just 14 NCAA Division III players chosen to compete.
His other highlights
Castillo's all-star performance was one of several highlights in his first season of college football.
He kicked a school-record 47-yard field goal in Westminster's 34-13 win at Bethany. He had four field goals to account for all the points in the Titans' 12-9 win at Allegheny, including the game-winning, 43-yard connection in overtime.
Castillo made the All-PAC second team as Westminster compiled a 4-6 record, including 2-4 the PAC, for first-year coach Jeff Hand.
Hulea sets Villanova record
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Brian Hulea, a record-breaking senior linebacker for the Villanova University football team from Canfield High, was selected to the All-Atlantic 10 Conference first team for the third straight year.
Hulea broke the Villanova record for career tackles with 431, surpassing the previous standard of 429 set by Curtis Eller.
Hulea set the record in the final game of the season two Saturdays ago with 13 tackles, nine of them in the second half, in Villanova's 38-13 loss to Delaware.
The setback gave the Wildcats a 4-7 record, including 2-6 in the Atlantic 10.
Hulea finished the year with 135 tackles (59 solo stops and 76 assists) to lead the Atlantic 10.
Also this season, he had four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
Hulea is one of only three Villanova players to reach 400 career tackles.
Hulea is among the finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the nation in NCAA Div. I-AA.
McGowan selects Duquesne
CANFIELD -- Rachel McGowan, a senior at Canfield High and a state tennis champion, has signed a national letter of intent to attend Duquesne University, an NCAA Division I school and a member of the Atlantic 10.
McGowan, a 2004 Division I state doubles champion, also considered Villanova, Toledo and Loyola (Md.).
"It really came down to the coach, the team, the school, the distance from home and most importantly the best fit -- I really believe that Duquesne fits this criteria," said McGowan, who plans to major in political science.
A four-year letter winner at Canfield, McGowan made the All-Metro Athletic Conference first team all four years.
Besides playing for Canfield, she also competes in tennis tournaments across the nation that are sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association.
kovach@vindy.com