5 Windber Area seniors bound for college in various sports
WINDBER, Pa. – Five Windber Area High School student-athletes announced their college intentions during Friday’s ceremony.
The Ramblers intend to continue their education and compete in sports ranging from baseball, basketball, esports, football and soccer.
Tanner Barkley, Pitt-Johnstown basketball: The 6-foot-1 forward averaged 10.5 points per game as a senior on a 15-10 team that finished as District 5 Class 2A runner-up and reached the PIAA playoffs.
Also a member of the football and track and field teams, Barkley completed 68% of his passes for 1,234 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions in 2023.
Pitt-Johnstown is led by coach Bob Rukavina. The Mountain Cats, who went 6-22 in 2023-24, compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
Barkley intends to major in secondary education/mathematics. He is the son of Jeremy and Heather Barkley.
Bryson Costa, Gannon University football: Costa has been selected as a placekicker/punter on the Pennsylvania team in the Big 33 All-Star Football Classic May 26 at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg. He is the first Ramblers player selected to the Big 33 team since 1987.
This past season, Costa made 51 of 52 extra-point kicks and three of five field-goal attempts, with a long made from 42 yards. The 5-foot-10, 165-pounder totaled 60 kicking points in 2023.
Costa consistently forced opponents to take possession at their own 20-yard line. His kickoffs resulted in 48 touchbacks in 69 attempts. Costa also averaged 48.8 yards a punt. He also kicked on the 2022 District 5 Class 1A championship team.
Gannon, located in Erie, is coached by Erik Raeburn. The Golden Knights went 5-6 in 2023.
Costa played goalkeeper on the Ramblers soccer team, notching four shutouts over the past two seasons.
Costa is the the son of Brian and Bonnie Costa and intends to major in criminal justice.
Kaylee Dowdell, Mount Aloysius College soccer: Dowdell played on the Ramblers’ 2021 and 2022 District 5 Class 1A soccer championship teams.
She tallied 40 goals, 34 assists and 114 points over her four-year career, including 12 goals as a senior.
Dowdell intends to major in biology at the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference member. The Mounties compete at the NCAA Division III level. The squad went 7-9-2 in 2023 under the direction of coach Adam Sprague.
She is the daughter of Tom and Tammy Dowdell.
Bailan Rugg, Mount Aloysius College esports: Rugg competed on the Ramblers esports team for two years, competing in the sports-based video game “Rocket League,” often described as “soccer with cars.”
Rugg intends to major in computer science.
The Mounties’ esports team is led by Sean Steffy. Mount Aloysius competes in the National Esports Collegiate Conference.
He is the grandson of Jeri Williams.
Andrew Scalia, Mount Aloysius College baseball: Scalia has 101 career hits for the Ramblers, who are 11-9 following Friday’s loss to Northern Bedford County.
He is batting .404 with 21 hits, six doubles, one triple, four home runs, 24 RBIs, a .536 on-base percentage and a .788 slugging percentage this season. On the mound, Scalia has a 2.20 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched this spring.
Scalia has a career .432 average with 76 runs, 30 stolen bases, 38 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 99 RBIs entering Friday’s game.
He has drawn 40 walks compared to 23 strikeouts. He has a 3.28 career ERA with 184 strikeouts in 1402/3 innings.
The Mount Aloysius baseball team went 21-18 in 2024, which included winning the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference regular-season for the first time. The Mounties are coached by Bishop McCort Catholic graduate Kevin Kime.
He also is a member of Windber’s basketball team.
Scalia intends to major in accounting.
Scalia is the son of Sam and Jaimee Scalia.
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
