Local roundup: W&J鈥檚 late rally stuns Jackets
Washington & Jefferson rallied from a late 12-point deficit with a 15-point run to stun visiting Waynesburg University, 78-76, in a PAC men’s basketball battle Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets (5-13, 7-16) took a 75-63 lead with 3:33 left on a layup by Jaylen Davis.
The Presidents (14-5, 18-6) stormed back and pulled even on Matt Seidl’s 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining. Quinton Burlenski then his a 3-pointer with nine seconds left to give W&J a 78-75 lead.
The Presidents fouled Waynesburg’s Scott Bilovus with one second left and he made the first free throw to set the final score. Bilovus missed the second free throw purposely but Waynesburg could not corral the rebound as time ran out.
The Yellow Jackets led 45-36 at halftime.
Seidl led Washington & Jefferson with 23 points. Burlenski and Cameron Rowell followed with 16 points apiece.
Antone Baker scored a game-high 25 points for Waynesburg which also got 16 points from Davis.
Women’s basketball
Washington & Jefferson 70, Waynesburg 53 – The Presidents rocketed out to a 20-3 lead in the first quarter on their way to a PAC victory over the visiting Yellow Jackets.
Waynesburg (7-11, 12-11) actually played W&J even over the final three quarters but were doomed by a cold-shooting start.
Stellanie Loutson led Washington & Jefferson (17-2, 20-4) with 15 points and Katie Kovalchick followed with 11.
Payton Madisen scored a game-high 17 points for the Yellow Jackets who also got 14 points from Tori Wesolowski.
Penn State Fayette 65, Penn State New Kensington 54 – Penn State Fayette took control in the third quarter and went on to earn a PSUAC victory at New Kensington.
Carmichaels graduate Sophia Zalar led the way for Fayette with 22 points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals.
Heaven Grumm added 20 points for Fayette (3-12, 5-18) which also got 10 rebounds from Uniontown graduate Geelece Ingram.
Destiny Batiste had a double-double for New Kensington with 25 points and 15 rebounds.
Fayette trailed 28-27 at halftime but out-scored the hosts 23-12 in the third quarter to go up 50-40 and led by as many as 16 in the fourth.
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Penn State Beaver 85, Penn State Fayette 76 – Sophia Zalar poured in a career-high 36 points but it wasn’t enough as the Penn State Fayette women’s basketball team fell to visiting Penn State Beaver, 85-76, in a PSUAC game.
Zalar, a Carmichaels graduate and 1,000-point scorer for the Lady Mikes, made 14 of 23 shots from the field and 8 of 10 free throws. She also contributed five rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots.
Fayette (2-12, 4-18) led 65-60 after three quarters but Beaver out-scored the hosts 25-11 in the fourth to pull out the victory.
Katie Enderle led Beaver (11-3, 14-8) with 17 points. Emery Black (15), Bailey Rieg (11) and Jaden Tesch (10) also reached double figures in scoring for the visitors.
Heaven Grimm followed Zalar in scoring for Fayette with 21 points, including four 3-pointers, and Takiah Cheathon totaled seven points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.