Penn College wrestling, basketball teams earn multiple wins

Pennsylvania College of Technology wrestlers went 3-1, while the men’s and women’s basketball teams each posted a 2-1 week.

FLASHBACK

Men’s basketball

On Tuesday, home-standing Wells College bolted to an early 11-1 lead and led by 17 points in the first half before the Wildcats rallied to lead twice in the second half — the last time at 58-57 — before falling, 79-64, in a United East game.

Alec Cooper, of Huntingdon, came off the bench to lead Penn College with 12 points.

Hosting Gallaudet University on Friday, the Wildcats opened a 29-22 halftime lead, fell behind twice by three early in the second half and then finished by outscoring the Bison, 32-24, for a 68-63 UE win.

Cooper and Rees Watkins, of Loyalsock Township, each scored 15 points in the winning effort, while Livingston Cross added 14 points and Max Jackowsky 12 points. The Wildcats led in points off turnovers, 14-4.

On Saturday at home with St. Mary’s (Md.) College, Penn College won, 71-64, to go to 3-4 in the UE and 8-8 overall, moving it within one win of matching the most wins in a season for the Wildcats during Geoff Hensley’s four years as the coach.

To get the “W,” Penn College had to overcome a five-point (37-32) halftime deficit, which it did with a 39-27 second-half advantage, including a 17-6 finish over the final 5:30.

Gavin Barrett, of Roselle, New Jersey, topped Penn College with 22 points. The Wildcats led in points off turnovers, 15-6, and in points in the paint, 44-34.

Women’s basketball

At winless Wells College on Tuesday, Penn College scored an 89-24 UE victory, leading by as many as 67 points late in the game.

Freshman Lexi Troup, of Huntingdon, ended with a game- and personal season-high 25 points for the Wildcats, whose 65-point victory margin bested last season’s widest margin of 61 in a 98-37 win over Penn State Berks on Feb. 4.

On Friday hosting Gallaudet University, Penn College scored a 53-48 UE win — its second in a row and third in four games.

The Wildcats led by as many as 14 in the first half, but an 11-4 Gallaudet advantage in the third frame began to close the gap and the Bison continued to chip away with a 9-2 start in the fourth to take a 43-41 lead before the Wildcats came back with a 12-5 finish to win.

Rachel Teats, of Middleburg, had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds for Penn College, while Lexi Troup scored 13 points and Kayleigh Miller, of Sayre, 12 as they combined for eight 3-point goals with three each by Teats and Troup and two by Miller.

Wrapping up the week by hosting St. Mary’s (Md.) College on Saturday, Penn College lost, 70-56, in UE play. The Wildcats now are 3-4 in the conference and 4-12 overall.

After trailing by seven at the half, Penn College cut the difference to four at 35-31 in the third before the Seahawks opened a 15-point lead at 50-35 and led by no fewer than 10 the rest of the way.

Lexi Troup led Penn College with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Emily Pardee, of Williamsport, scored 18 points.

Also, it was announced that Penn College’s Feb. 3 game against Gallaudet University will be played at 1:45 p.m. at Capital One Arena, home of the NBA Washington Wizards. Gallaudet partnered with the Wizards as part of their Deaf Appreciation Night when they host the Portland Trailblazers at 7 p.m. For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website.

Wrestling

Penn College finished 3-1 in the Dr. Si Ostrach Duals at Case Western Reserve University on Saturday, defeating Defiance, 36-16, and Waynesburg, 48-5, before falling to Thiel, 28-23, and finishing with a 36-9 win over Adrian to go to 5-8 on the season.

Three Wildcats won all four of their bouts during those matches: Patrick Snoke, of Northampton, at 141 pounds; Mason Leshock, of Shamokin, at 165; and Gabriel Kennedy-Citeroni, of Blairsville, at 197. Snoke and Leshock each had three pins.

Also, Anton Esterbrook, of Wyomissing, at 174, went 4-0, with two wins in the team competition and two others coming in extra bouts, according to coach Pankil Chander.