Penn College News

Penn College sports scene moves indoors

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Cross-country seasons have wrapped up and basketball is underway as the sports scene changes from outdoors to indoors for Pennsylvania College of Technology athletics.



Men’s/women’s cross-country
Saturday in the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional Cross-Country Championships at Bethlehem, the Penn College men placed 37th among 51 teams over an 8K course and the Penn College women were last among 49 teams over a 6K distance as their respective seasons ended. Carnegie Mellon took the men’s team title and Johns Hopkins claimed the women’s crown. A year ago, the Penn College men ended 32nd in a 51-team field.

For the Penn College men, Matt Leiby, of Danville, ended 208 among 360 runners in 28:31; Johan Isaacson, of Muncy, ended 233 in 29:14.6; Chris Hogan, of Halifax, ended 235 in 29:15.7; Jake Mashack, of Bloomsburg, ended 249 in 29:25.9; Reagan McCoy, of Lock Haven, ended 254 in 29:43.7; Dean Fulton, of Palmyra, ended 256 in 29:45.9; and Brandon Bowersox, of Mifflinburg, ended 306 in 31:53.9.

Patrick Watson, of Stevenson, claimed individual honors for the men in 24:24.4.

For the Wildcat women, Katie Plankenhorn, of Montoursville, ended 308 among 349 in 29:28.7; Cinnamon Digan, of Mifflinburg, ended 314 in 30:00.2; Nikki Crow, of Elizabethtown, ended 323 in 31:03.7; Brittany Weiskopff, of Blossburg, ended 325 in 31:16.9; and Megan Nosker, of DuBois, ended 345 in 35:36.0.

Isabel Cardi, of Dickinson, finished first among the women in 20:38.5.

“It was a solid day for a down year and we had quite a few PR’s on both sides, which is encouraging moving forward.” Penn College fifth-year coach Nick Patton commented.

Men’s basketball
With five players scoring in double digits, for only the second time since 2009 – and first since 2016 – the Wildcats opened the season with a win as they scored a 117-105 victory Tuesday at Valley Forge University. Leading Penn College were Ben Sosa, of Loyalsock Township, with 20 points; Damon Kreider, of Landisville, with 18; Fred Young, of Waterbury, Connecticut, with 17; Carson Garvis, of Taneytown, Maryland, with 15; and Mason Bossert, of Myerstown, with 14 points. In recording double-doubles, Sosa hauled in 13 rebounds and Garvis 10 as Penn College outrebounded the home team 70-44. The Wildcats led in points in the paint 54-28, second-chance points 27-19 and fast-break points 34-26.

In its home opener Saturday, Penn College lost to Rosemont College, 87-80. After trailing by one at the half, the Wildcats fought back to lead several times in the second half and led 70-63 with 7:01 remaining before being outscored 24-10 the rest of the way. Sosa topped Penn College with 19 points and Garvis chipped in with 10. The Wildcats committed 28 turnovers, to 13 for Rosemont, and Rosemont led in points off turnovers 34-14.

Hosting SUNY Delhi Sunday, Penn College came back from an eight-point halftime deficit to force overtime before losing, 112-105, and dropping to 1-2 on the season. Delhi is 2-1. The Wildcats took their first lead at 66-65 with 14:45 to go in regulation and they led by as many as four at 93-89 before Delhi’s pressure defense forced a couple of turnovers on inbound passes and it scored six straight to lead 95-93. Penn College sent the game into OT when Bossert hit a pair of foul shots with 1.3 seconds left. In the OT, Delhi broke on top and held on. Young led Penn College with 25 points while Elijah Vazquez, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, scored 16; Ryan Lockman, of White Salmon, Washington, scored 15; Garvis scored 13; and Bossert scored 11. Sosa topped the Wildcats with 10 rebounds. Delhi led in points off turnovers 20-4.

Women’s basketball
Saturday in its season opener at the Alvernia University Tip-Off Tournament, the Wildcats lost to the host team, 61-34. Alvernia led 12-1 after one quarter and was up 28-9 at the half. Lydia Albert, of Trout Run, came off the bench to lead Penn College with nine points. Maci Ilgen, of Spring Mills, and Ja’Quela Dyer, of Dover, Delaware, each pulled down eight rebounds for the Wildcats. Alvernia led in points in the paint 28-12, points off turnovers 30-13 and fast-break points 13-3.

Sunday in the consolation game of the Alvernia University Tip-Off Tournament against Adrian College, Penn College hung in during the first half, trailing 35-25 at the intermission. But Adrian took command with a 19-6 advantage in the third quarter en route to a 68-43 victory that dropped the Wildcats to 0-2. Adrian now is 2-2. Cassi Kuhns, of Loyalsock Township, led Penn College with nine points. Dyer was tops with seven rebounds. Adrian led in points in the paint 40-14, points off turnovers 27-12 and second-chance points 22-7. Penn College’s largest lead was two and its biggest deficit was 27.

Wrestling
In a triangular Saturday at Ursinus College, Penn College lost to Centenary University, 47-4, and Ursinus, 42-10, to drop to 0-2 in their first dual matches of the campaign. Dylan Gettys, of Etters, in the 165-pound weight class, was the only Wildcat to win both of his bouts, posting major decisions in each.

Men’s soccer
Junior defender Chris McFarland, of Coatesville, was awarded North Eastern Athletic Conference All-Conference second team honors as an at-large selection. McFarland, who also earned second-team honors a year ago, started in all 19 matches for the Wildcats, as they finished 3-13-3 overall and 3-5-3 in the conference.

“Chris is a tireless worker for us who always plays 110% on the field no matter the situation,” coach Tyler Mensch said. “He might not have had the stats like last year, but we played him more as a defensive midfielder this year so his responsibility was to help mark out the opponents' attacking midfielder while being an outlet to get the ball from our defenders and start our own attack. Despite playing more defensively, teams still were aware where he was at on the field at all times.

“It is a well-deserved accolade and we are hoping he can build on it heading into next year, his senior campaign!”

SCHEDULE/RECORDS/RESULTS
Men’s cross-country
Saturday, Nov. 16 – NCAA Division III Mideast Regional Championships at Bethlehem, 37th among 51
End of season

Women’s cross-country
Saturday, Nov. 16 – NCAA Division III Mideast Regional Championships at Bethlehem, 49th among 49
End of season

Men’s basketball
Overall: 1-2
NEAC: 0-0
Tuesday, Nov. 12 – at Valley Forge University, W, 117-105
Saturday, Nov. 16 – host Rosemont College, L, 87-80
Sunday, Nov. 17 – host SUNY Delhi, L, 112-105 (OT)
Thursday, Nov. 21 – host Alvernia University, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 23 – at Lycoming College, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 26 – host Elmira College, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 3 – at Clarks Summit University, 7 p.m.

Women’s basketball
Overall 0-2
NEAC: 0-0
Saturday, Nov. 16 – at Alvernia University Tip-Off Tournament vs. Alvernia, L, 61-34
Sunday, Nov. 17 – at Alvernia University Tip-Off Tournament vs. Adrian College, L, 68-43
Saturday, Nov. 23 – vs. College of St. Elizabeth at Susquehanna University, 6 p.m. (York NY College vs. Susquehanna, 8 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 24 – at Susquehanna University, 1 p.m. consolation or 3 p.m. championship
Tuesday, Nov. 26 – at Lycoming College, 5 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 2 – host Wilson College, 6 p.m.

Wrestling
Overall: 0-2
Saturday, Nov. 16 – vs. Centenary University at Ursinus College, L, 47-4; vs. Ursinus College, L, 42-10
Saturday, Nov. 23 – host Scranton 11 a.m., Washington and Lee 12:30 p.m., York College 2 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 6 – at Messiah Petrofes Invitational, noon
Saturday, Dec. 7 – at Messiah Petrofes Invitational, 9 a.m.

For more about NEAC, visit the conference website.

For more information, visit the Wildcat Athletics website.

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