Penn State scores with KC's Jackson

He stands out in a crowd.
At 6-feet-7-inches, who wouldn't stand out in a crowd?
His name is David Jackson and he's one of the top basketball prospects to come out of the area in some time.
But what makes this David so special is the fact that he has already signed his national letter of intent to play basketball at Penn State University.
Beware Big 10 rivals -- the 190-pound senior at Kennedy Catholic High School could be playing hoops for the Nittany Lions next season, or he could be a red-shirt one year before breaking into his collegiate career.
Whatever course is decided, it will be highly beneficial to Jackson.
So who is going to benefit from Jackson's decision to attend Happy Valley?
First and foremost, it will be the university as Jackson is just as intelligent in the classroom as he is on the hardwood. Through his junior year at Kennedy, he carried a 3.1 grade-point-average.
Mother coaches at YSU
Jackson's athletic ability comes natural. His mother, Andrea, was a one-time athletic standout in her own right. She is an assistant volleyball coach at Youngstown State University.
At Kennedy, under head coach Tim Loomis, Jackson performed admirably.
Not only was he a big scoring threat, but his rebounding and defensive work were equally as enthralling. Last season, he averaged 16.7 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals. For his efforts, he was named to the Associated Press Class A All-State Team.
Jackson could have attended a number of high-powered basketball schools including West Virginia, Florida State, Wake Forest and Michigan, but he felt that Penn State filled most of his requirements. Also, he has already met with some of the PSU players and they were great.
Another point that strengthened his decision was the fact that PSU is really not that far away from his family and friends. David is truly a family man.
Another who benefits from Jackson's decision to play at Penn State is head coach Ed DeChellis. He knows what bringing in a player with Jackson's talents can do for a team. The Nittany Lions program staggered to a 7-23 overall record last season.
In the Big Ten, the Lions won only one game in 16 starts. So, one expects to see some changes made in the PSU program this season even if Jackson is a red-shirt.
One thing is certain, there will be much more interest in Penn State basketball in the months and years ahead.
Career day
How about that performance turned in recently by Thiel's wide receiver Brandon Chambers (Farrell High) in the Tomcats' 30-15 conquest over Carnegie Mellon?
The victory came in triple overtime and preserved Thiel's perfect regular-season mark which jumped to 10-0.
All Chambers did was haul in 15 passes for 177 yards and four touchdowns as he set game standards in both receptions and touchdowns.
The Tomcats also enjoyed their initial Presidents' Athletic Conference crown since 1972. To make the win more impressive, if that's possible, the victory was the third in three overtime road contests this season.
The Tomcats earned the right to play in the NCAA Div. III playoffs for the first time, and defeated Johns Hopkins University of Baltimore, Md., in a first-round game two Saturdays ago, 28-3, at Alumni Field in Greenville. It was the first meeting between the two rivals.
However, Thiel was stopped Saturday by Bridgewater (Va.) in a second-round game, 24-13, to end at 11-1.
Congratulations to coach Jack Leipheimer, his coaching staff and to one fine football team.
Remember the Titans
It's wait until next year for first-year Westminster College head football coach Jeff Hand and his Titans.
The Titans closed out at 4-6 under their new head coach, but lessons have been learned and experience has been gained.
In their season's finale recently, the Titans were bulled over by Waynesburg, 40-13, at Waynesburg.
There were some bright spots in the action, and former West Middlesex High School standout Jake Buzard turned on the lights. Only a junior, Buzard posted a career-high eight catches for 75 yards.