MEN’S GYMNASTICS
UNIVERSITY PARK – Sophomore Scott Rosenthal of Clearfield earned a score of 15.600 to key a still rings sweep as undefeated and No. 5-ranked Penn State outclassed No. 16 Springfield (Mass.) 352.300-316.300 in Rec Hall Saturday night.
He was rewarded for his second-best score of the season by moving up from No. 3 to No. 2 for the still rings in the latest GymInfo individual national rankings. His high three-score average is 15.567. Ohio State’s Brandon Wynn is No. 1 at 15.867.
Rosenthal, who has earned top honors on the rings in all five Penn State wins, combined with Miguel Pineda (15.400), Parker Raque (14.900) and Matt Chelberg (14.500) for a 60.400 that matched the season high by the Nittany Lions. They currently are No. 1 in GymInfo’s national team still rings rankings.
Nittany Lions won all individual and team events en route to bettering their previous high score for the fourth week in a row.
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
NEW WILMINGTON – Sophomore guard Matt Shiner of Clearfield came through with a solid performance in his second start for Westminster (5-18) Saturday afternoon, leading the Titans with 13 points while adding three rebounds and one steal against Thiel.
The visiting Tomcats (17-6, 12-1) clinched first place in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference by taking control with a 24-3 run early in the second half en route to an 80-64 win, their first in Buzz Ridl Gymnasium since the 2002-03 season.
Shiner helped keep Westminster close in the first half with eight points, putting the Titans ahead 3-2 and 13-12 and then tying the game 16-16 with the second of his trio of three-pointers.
He made both of his free throws in the second half to remain perfect at the foul line for the season at 10-for-10.
In 19 games, Shiner has 64 points, 23 rebounds, four assists and eight steals.
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WRESTLING
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Redshirt senior 125-pounder Brad Pataky of Clearfield returned to the No. 3-ranked Penn State lineup for the first time since Jan. 8 and battled No. 5-ranked Zach Sanders of No. 5 Minnesota down to the buzzer in an exciting start to a Big 10 Conference dual meet that ended in an 18-18 tie at the Sports Pavilion Sunday afternoon.
Sanders prevailed 10-8 in a rematch of their high-scoring 2010 Big 10 Conference Championships consolation final when the Golden Gopher eked out a 13-11 sudden victory for third place.
Sanders, a two-time NCAA All-American, improved to 25-2 with takedowns in each period, three escapes and a penalty point when Pataky was hit with a third caution call in the last period.
Pataky, who was ranked No. 11 by InterMat Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine and No. 9 by Amateur Wrestling News, turned the redshirt junior for two points in the second period and trailed 5-2 entering the final two minutes. The Nittany Lion double-legged Sanders to tie the match 5-5 but fell behind 9-5 before reversing late. He turned Sanders loose but ran out of time trying for the tying takedown.
Penn State is 16-1-1 with a 5-1-1 Big 10 record, while Minnesota is 15-3-1 with all three losses to teams ranked in the top five.
The Nittany Lions have not beaten the Golden Gophers since 1998, losing seven meets in a row before Sunday’s thriller.
Pataky, sidelined twice this season by a knee injury, is 7-3.
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LOCK HAVEN – Lock Haven redshirt senior Derek Caldwell of Curwensville dropped two close decisions in non-league dual meets in Thomas Fieldhouse last week.
Caldwell, a 174-pounder wrestling up at 197, was edged 6-3 by Matt Loew of Hofstra Wednesday night and 4-2 by Joe Barczak of Illinois Saturday night.
He’s 2-8 in duals and 4-12 overall for the Bald Eagles, who are 5-11.
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MEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
ITHACA, N.Y. – Penn State Behrend senior John Bowman of Clearfield placed 24th in the weight throw and senior Michael Johnson of Clearfield ran on a relay team that finished 10th at the Robert Kane Invitational in Cornell’s Barton Hall Saturday.
Bowman, one of 50 entries in the weight throw, got off a toss of 12.50 meters (41 feet, ¼ inch).
Johnson ran the third leg for the Lions’ 4×400-meter relay foursome that posted a 3:34.77 in competition with 24 teams.
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WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING
LINCOLN, Ill. – Freshman Brandie Centi of Clearfield earned 41 points by placing in three events and also swam on two Lincoln ‘B’ relay teams that produced 66 points as the Lynx bested Iowa Central Community College 863-622 to win the first Midwest Cup at the Scully Natatorium Friday and Saturday.
Centi touched fifth in both the 50-yard freestyle in 27.32 seconds and the 200 free in 2:18.27, both personal-bests for her rookie season.
She finished sixth in the 100 free in 1:01.54.
In relays, Centi turned in a 1:02.85 third leg for the Lynx 400 free foursome that took second in 4:18.35 and had a 31.70 third leg for the 200 free quartet that was third in 1:52.77.
