Penn College hoops teams split, playoff-bound

Pennsylvania College of Technology basketball teams split two United East games to close out the home portion of their regular-season schedules last week, and both are going to the playoffs.

FLASHBACK:
MEN’S BASKETBALL
On Tuesday at Penn State Berks, the Wildcats turned a five-point deficit early in the second half into a seven-point lead. Then they needed a layup with three seconds remaining by Livingston Cross, of Union, New Jersey, to pull out a 92-91 win for a sweep in the two-game season series. Cross and teammate Gavin Barrett, of Roselle, New Jersey, each scored 22 points in the victory, and Landon Reeder, of Montoursville, added 16 points and had a team-high 10 rebounds. Penn College led in points in the paint, 46-28.

Hosting Lancaster Bible College on Saturday, the Wildcats trailed by 15 at the intermission and could get no closer than 10 in the second half of an 89-71 loss. Cross continued his stellar play with a 26-point, 15-rebound effort to record his 12th double-double of the season.

As a result of the merger last summer between the United East and Colonial States Athletic Conference, the top six teams in both the Volt (former UEC) and Skye (former CSAC) divisions qualify for postseason play. The Wildcats will secure the No. 4 seed and host a first-round game with a win in their final two games or a Gallaudet loss.

UE Volt Division standings through Sunday: Penn State Harrisburg 9-0, Lancaster Bible College 8-2, St. Mary’s (Md.) College 7-2, Penn College 4-6, Gallaudet University 2-7, Penn State Berks 2-8, Penn State Abington 1-8.

Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall record: 7-15
UE record: 4-6
Tuesday, Jan. 30 — at Penn State Berks (UE), W, 92-91
Saturday, Feb. 3 — host Lancaster Bible College (UE), L, 89-71
Saturday, Feb. 10 — at Penn State Abington (UE), 1 p.m. (Abington leads 12-3)
Tuesday, Feb. 13 — at Gallaudet University (UE), 5 p.m. (Gallaudet leads 8-7)
Saturday, Feb. 17 — Volt Division First Round, TBA
Monday, Feb. 19 — Volt Division Semifinals, TBA
Wednesday, Feb. 21 — Volt Division Final, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 24 — United East Championship, TBA

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Not only did Tuesday’s 71-52 win at Penn State Berks give Penn College a two-game season series sweep, but it also put the Wildcats out in front of Berks in their lifetime series, 9-8. Mia Patterson, of Loyalsock Township, led three Penn College players in double figures with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Wildcats led in points in the paint, 44-22.

Trailing 35-20 at the half on Saturday, Penn College closed to within six at 71-65 with 35 seconds remaining as its comeback fell short in a 74-65 home loss to Lancaster Bible College. Rachel Teats, of Middleburg, led four Wildcats in double figures with 18 points. Emily Pardee, of Williamsport, had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

As a result of the merger last summer between the United East and Colonial States Athletic Conference, the top six teams in both the Volt (former UEC) and Skye (former CSAC) divisions qualify for postseason play.

UE Volt Division standings through Sunday: Penn State Harrisburg 8-1, Gallaudet University 7-2, St. Mary’s (Md.) College 6-3, Penn State Abington 5-4, Lancaster Bible College 5-5, Penn College 2-8, Penn State Berks 0-10.

Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall record: 6-17
UE record: 2-8
Tuesday, Jan. 30 — at Penn State Berks (UE), W, 71-52
Saturday, Feb. 3 — host Lancaster Bible College (UE), L, 74-65
Saturday, Feb. 10 — at Penn State Abington (UE), 3 p.m. (Abington leads 11-4)
Tuesday, Feb. 13 — at Gallaudet University (UE), 7 p.m. (Gallaudet leads 9-6)
Saturday, Feb. 17 — Volt Division First Round, TBA
Monday, Feb. 19 — Volt Division Semifinals, TBA
Wednesday, Feb. 21 — Volt Division Final, TBA
Saturday, Feb. 24 — United East Championship, TBA

WRESTLING
Kaden Ware, of Brooklyn, Connecticut, at 133 pounds and Nicholai Brotzman, of Marietta, at 285, each posted wins Friday night in a match at NCAA Division III 14th-ranked Alvernia University that featured 10 regionally or nationally ranked grapplers. Penn College lost, 36-10, to go to 8-9 in duals. Brotzman leads the team with 15 pins.

In action on Sunday at Lycoming College’s Rennie Rodarmel Allstate Invitational, the Wildcats’ “B” team wrestlers captured two third-place finishes and one sixth.

Ryan Trimber, of Moon Township, ended the day with a 3-1 record, recording a technical fall, win by decision and pin, to place third in the 141-pound weight class.

At 157, Brett Patton, of West Chester, went 2-1, with a pair of pins — one in 55 seconds — to finish third, while teammate Logan Ledebohm, of Mechanicsburg, had three falls — including one in 59 seconds — and went 3-2 to place sixth.

Teamwise, Penn College, with only six entrants, scored 30.5 points and ended eighth in a nine-team field.

Also last week, 165-pounder Travis Green, of Manchester, Maryland, was named Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference wrestler of the week after going 3-0 at Wilkes University’s John Reese Duals on Jan. 28, becoming the third Wildcat to be selected for the award this season following Noah Hunt, of Muncy, on Jan. 22, and Isaac Cory, of Montoursville, on Nov. 6.

Schedule/Results/Series History
Overall dual record: 8-9
Friday, Feb. 2 — at Alvernia, L, 36-10
Sunday, Feb. 4 — “B” Team Rennie Rodarmel Allstate Invitational at Lycoming College, 8 of 9
Saturday, Feb. 10 — Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships at Alfred State University, 10 a.m.

ON THE HORIZON:
ESPORTS
Rocket League competition begins on Monday, Overwatch 2 starts on Tuesday, Valorant begins on Wednesday and Counter Strike 2 gets underway on Thursday. The last of the college’s teams — League of Legends — starts on March 5.

Team managers and players include:

Rocket League — Alex Nazarchuk, of Lebanon (manager); Ryan Bannan, of Honey Brook; James Johnson, of Manheim; Eleazar Medina, of York; Maxwell Gudeman, of Freeland, Maryland; Joseph Barger, of Mifflintown; and Zachary Hessberger, of West Caldwell, New Jersey.

Valorant — JD Heckman, of Susquehanna (manager); Xander Jones, of Kulpmont; Michael Shoemaker, of Orefield; Alex Baruffi, of Troy; and Ja’Shon Yelito, of Nesquehoning.

Overwatch 2 — Frankie Gagliardi, of Pottstown (manager); Catelyn Jones, of Grantville; Jake Nguyen, of Williamsport; Erick Thompson, of Williamsport; Mason Orner, of Sunbury; Ricky Sims Jr., of Philadelphia; Jayden Miller, of Easton; Elijah Persun, of Lock Haven; and Josh Lahr, of Elysburg.

Counter Strike 2 — Chard Cort, of Williamsport (manager); Joe Hartland, of Pennsdale; Kelson Bennett, of Williamsport; Drake Mankey, of Williamsport; Layne Collins, of Pitman, New Jersey; and Benjamin Shimmel, of Montoursville.

League of Legends — Zachary Rhodes, of Shippensburg (manager); Michael Millow, of Painted Post, New York; Dakota Davis, of Dover; Jackson Folnsbee, of Bellefonte; Jacob Taby, of Sunbury; Emma Bower, of Montoursville; Nik Talini, of Williamsport; Germaine Whilby, of Selinsgrove; Madison Cuckovic, of Mechanicsburg; and Sam Tarsa, of Sunbury.

Schedule/Results
iRacing
CIL Cup Series
Monday, Jan. 29 — Iowa Speedway, 17 and 21
Monday, Feb. 5 — Future Made by Hand 200-Pocono, 8 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 12 — Charlotte Roval, 8 p.m.

CIL Formula World Championship
Wednesday, Jan. 31 — Britain-Silverstone, 17
Wednesday, Feb. 7 — Miami-Homestead-Miami Road Course, 8 p.m.

CIL Prototype Challenge
Thursday, Feb. 8 — Hungaroring, 8 p.m.

Rocket League Varsity
Overall record: 0-0
Monday, Feb. 5 — vs. John Brown University, 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 12 — vs. Manchester University, 7 p.m.

Overwatch 2
Overall record: 0-0
Tuesday, Feb. 6 — vs. Buena Vista University, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 13 — vs. Coffeyville Community College, 7 p.m.

Valorant
Overall record: 0-0
Wednesday, Feb. 7 — vs. St. Xavier University, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 14 — vs. Minnesota State-Mankato, 7 p.m.

Counter Strike 2
Overall record: 0-0
Friday, Feb. 9 — vs. Nova Southeastern University, 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 16 — vs. Nichols College, 7 p.m.

League of Legends
Overall record: 0-0
Tuesday, March 5 — vs. TBA, 7 p.m.

For more about the United East, visit the conference website.
For additional information, visit the Wildcats Athletics website.