As the archery season got underway, the Pennsylvania College of Technology wrestling team split in its two matches last week while its basketball teams fell in all four games.
ARCHERY
Although it was the only collegiate team entered and wound up shooting against itself, Pennsylvania College of Technology archery coach Chad Karstetter saw some positives from his team’s first event of the season on Jan. 20 at the FITA Winter Invitational in Columbia.
“This is earlier than normal that we (shoot at) an event, but it gave everybody a chance to get to a live event. Even though they were only shooting head-to-head, they still had a clock, there were still spectators there, there was a full shooting line (including non-collegiate competitors) and they shot with other archers,” Karstetter said.
“A lot of them shot their average, or a little bit better, and some of the new archers did really well. … With this leading into the Indoor Nationals (March 3-4 at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia), they’re going to be a little more comfortable about how the whole operation of things go,” the coach, in his 16th season, continued.
Thirteen archers return from last year’s squad that finished eighth in the nation for the second year in a row, including sophomore John Kleinfelter, of Lebanon, who was a member of the national championship men’s bowhunter team, and past All-Americans in junior Tim Lamont, of Eldred; senior Tyler Schoonover, of Bradford; senior Markus Weber, of La Plata, Maryland; and junior Erica Gause, of Bloomsburg.
At the Columbia event, Nathaniel Haefka, of Wyalusing, a freshman, finished first in men’s bowhunter while Schoonover, the individual men’s bowhunter national champion in 2015, won the men’s compound; Lamont won in men’s recurve; sophomore Rylee Butler, of Bellefonte, won in women’s bowhunter; senior Chelsea Douglass, of East Greenville, was tops in women’s compound; and junior Kaylee Burk, of Hermitage, won in women’s recurve.
Weber, the individual men’s compound national champion in 2016, will team with Schoonover and sophomore Aaron Cummings, of Mountville, to form what Karstetter says should be a “pretty strong” men’s compound team. The coach also believes his men’s bowhunter team of Kleinfelter; senior Justin Rinehimer, of Mountain Top; Haefka; freshman Sean Donovan, of Putney, Vermont; and freshman Seth Bechdel, of Beech Creek, will be strong.
Lamont has been moved from men’s compound to men’s recurve where he will be joined by junior Tanner Huff, of Altoona, and sophomore Josh Maring, of Brookville.
Gause joins Butler and freshman Sapphire Naugle, of Jersey Shore, on the women’s bowhunter team while Douglass and junior Sabrina Toplovich, of Spring Creek, compete in women’s compound and Burk in women’s recurve.
While there will be no team competition for the Wildcats for more than a month, Karstetter said many of his archers will compete individually at different meets and they will spend a few nights a week at the shooting range to stay sharp.
“We did see, myself and assistant Dustin Bartron, quite a few things that we want to work on with form, and we had a few equipment failures (at Columbia) that we need to work out,” Karstetter said. “Everything looks good, so far, for our season,” he added.
Penn College also will compete April 14-15 at the Adam Wheatcroft Memorial in Harrisonburg, Virginia; April 21-22 at the Outdoor Eastern Regionals in Bloomfield, New Jersey; andMay 18-20 at the Outdoor Nationals in Newberry, Florida.
WRESTLING
On Saturday at York College, Penn College lost to York, 48-9, and beat Penn State Mont Alto, 36-12, to go to 4-17 on the season. For the Wildcats, Christian Fox, of Boyertown, at 133 and 141, went 2-0 with a pair of pins, and Dylan Otis, of Towanda, at 285, went 2-0 with a pin and win by forfeit. Also recording pins during the day for Penn College were Nicholas Bruce, of Troy, at 174; Ty Gardner, of Pottsville, at 184; and Patrick Ostrowsky, of Lewisburg, at 197.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Hosting Wells College in North Eastern Athletic Conference action on Wednesday, Penn College lost, 76-67. Spencer Bartron, of Camden, Delaware, led the Wildcats with 20 points while James Bullock, of Philadelphia, added 18 points and had 11 rebounds, two fewer boards than Jesse White, of Harrisburg, pulled down. Wells scored 27 points off Penn College turnovers.
At SUNY Cobleskill on Saturday, Penn College fell behind at the half and, despite playing on near even terms in the second half, lost, 76-59, to drop to 2-16 overall and 1-8 in the NEAC. Bullock led the offense with 19 points. The Wildcats shot just 36 percent from the field (21 of 58) and 10.5 percent from beyond the 3-point line (2 of 19).
In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week:
Host Bryn Athyn College (7-12 overall, 4-6 NEAC through Sunday), 1 p.m. Saturday.
Host Penn State Berks (2-16 overall, 2-8 NEAC through Sunday), noon Sunday.
Last meeting vs. Bryn Athyn College: Won, 79-53, last Jan. 25.
Last meeting vs. Penn State Berks: Won, 101-99, last Feb. 1.
Statistically speaking: Robert Young Jr., of Abington, is 23rd among NEAC scorers with a 12.9 ppg average and Jesse White, of Harrisburg, is 11th in rebounding with a 7.7 per game average. Offensively, Penn College is last among 14 teams averaging 65.9 points per game and last in defense allowing 79.3.
NEAC North Division standings through Sunday: Morrisville State College 7-1, SUNY Poly 6-1, Keuka College 5-3, Wells College 3-4, Cazenovia College 2-5, SUNY Cobleskill 2-6, Penn College 1-6.
NEAC South Division standings through Sunday: Lancaster Bible College 8-0, Wilson College 4-3, Penn State Abington 4-3, Gallaudet University 4-4, Bryn Athyn College 3-5, St. Elizabeth 2-6, Penn State Berks 2-6.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
At home with Wells College in NEAC play on Wednesday, the Wildcats fell, 54-34. Tori Wolfe, of Dalmatia, led Penn College with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
On Saturday at SUNY Cobleskill, Penn College dropped a 62-52 decision to fall to 2-15 overall and 1-8 in the NEAC. Ericka Lepley, of Lewistown, led the Wildcats offense with 20 points while Cassi Kuhns, of Loyalsock Township, scored 12 points and hauled in 11 rebounds. Penn College scored 12 points in the paint to 28 for Cobleskill.
In North Eastern Athletic Conference action this week:
Host Bryn Athyn College (5-14 overall, 2-8 NEAC through Sunday), 3 p.m. Saturday.
Host Penn State Berks (6-9 overall, 4-6 NEAC through Sunday), 2 p.m. Sunday.
Last meeting vs. Bryn Athyn College: Lost, 48-42, last Jan. 25.
Last meeting vs. Penn State Berks: Lost, 73-40, last Feb. 1.
Statistically speaking: Wolfe is tied for 28th among NEAC scorers with 10.9 points per game and Kuhns is 16th in rebounding with 7.4 per game. Offensively, Penn College is 12thamong 14 teams averaging 50.3 points per game and on defense the Wildcats also are 12th averaging 66.5.
NEAC North Division standings through Sunday: SUNY Poly 6-1, Morrisville State College 6-2, Keuka College 6-2, Wells College 3-4, SUNY Cobleskill 3-5, Cazenovia College 2-5, Penn College 0-7.
NEAC South Division standings through Sunday: Lancaster Bible College 8-0, Penn State Abington 5-2, Gallaudet University 4-4, Penn State Berks 4-4, St. Elizabeth 3-5, Wilson College 2-5, Bryn Athyn 1-7.
SCHEDULE/RECORDS/RESULTS
Men’s basketball
Overall: 2-16
NEAC: 1-8
Wednesday, Jan. 24 – host Wells College (NEAC), L, 76-67
Saturday, Jan. 27 – at SUNY Cobleskill (NEAC), L, 76-59
Saturday, Feb. 3 – host Bryn Athyn College (NEAC), 1 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 4 – host Penn State Berks (NEAC), noon
Wednesday, Feb. 7 – at Wells College (NEAC), 6 p.m.
Women’s basketball
Overall: 2-15
NEAC: 1-8
Wednesday, Jan. 24 – host Wells College (NEAC), L, 54-34
Saturday, Jan. 27 – at SUNY Cobleskill (NEAC), L, 62-52
Tuesday, Jan. 30 – at University of Valley Forge, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 3 – host Bryn Athyn College (NEAC), 3 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 4 – host Penn State Berks (NEAC), 2 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 7 – at Wells College (NEAC), 8 p.m.
Wrestling
Overall: 4-17
Saturday, Jan. 27 – triangular at York College vs. York, L, 48-9; vs. Penn State Mont Alto, W, 36-12
Sunday, Feb. 4 – at Penn State Mont Alto Duals, 10 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 10 – at Rochester Institute of Technology Duals, 11 a.m.
For more on Penn College athletics visit: athletics.pct.edu
For more on the North Eastern Athletic Association visit: neacsports.com