Feb 26, 2024 5 min read

Avana Sayles had a record-setting week for the Penn State Altoona women’s basketball team.

Twice, in consecutive outings, Sayles set the PSU Altoona single-game scoring record.

A sophomore forward from Venetia and a Peters Township graduate, Sayles scored 31 points in the Lions’ 94-50 victory over Pitt-Bradford in the Allegheny Mountain Conference tournament quarterfinals. Sayles surpassed the old record of 31 points, which was set in 2015. Sayles made 15 of 22 shots and was 3-for-4 at the free-throw line. She also grabbed 13 rebounds, had three assists, three blocked shots and two steals.

Jordan Bisignani, a teammate of Sayles’ at Peters Township, added 12 points for Penn State Altoona.

Three nights later, in the conference tournament semifinals Friday, Sayles broke her own record, pouring in 33 points in a 76-69 loss to Penn State Behrend.

Sayles secured a game-high 17 rebounds to go along with her 35 points, her ninth double-double of the season. She made 17 of 29 shots and her only free-throw attempt. The 17 field goals broke the school’s single-game record.

Sayles was chosen to the AMCC All-Tournament.

Penn State Altoona has a 15-12 record.

In swimming

Swimmer Gabby Baiano was named the Wheeling University Female High Flyer of the Week for Feb. 12-18.

A South Fayette graduate, Baiano was the Cardinals’ top scorer at the Mountain East/GMAC Championships, taking home four All-MEC honors, including two MEC individual championships. Her two championship efforts came in the long-distance events as she won the 500-yard freestyle (5:13.12) and the 1,650-yard freestyle (17:55.57). They were the first two individual championships of Baiano’s career.

She would add a second team All-MEC honor in the 1,000-yard freestyle and an honorable mention All-MEC honor in the 200-Yard freestyle to round out the day.

* Alabama freshman Ella Menear placed ninth in the 100-yard backstroke at the Southeastern Conference Championships last week at Auburn, Ala.

Menear, a Mapletown graduate, swam a career-best 52.15 in the B final. Menear missed qualifying for the championship race by a mere .01. Her time in the B final would have placed her seventh in the finals.

In track and field

Grove City sophomore Michael Chambers won the pole vault competition at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships held Thursday at Youngstown, Ohio.

Chambers, a Canon-McMillan graduate, cleared 14-7¼ to set the Grove City indoor record.

He helped the Wolverines win the team title, finishing 15 points ahead of second-place Washington & Jefferson.

Chambers finished fifth at the PAC Indoor Championships as a freshman and third in the outdoor season.

In wrestling

Freshmen Rocco Welsh earned “Black Shirt” status within the Ohio State program, Buckeyes head coach Tom Ryan announced Friday.

Welsh, a former PIAA champion at Waynesburg, is one of only 18 wrestlers in Ohio State history to earn such status.

All Ohio State wrestlers training inside the Jennings Wrestling Facility start out wearing gray shirts. Only those individuals deserving of elite distinction will be bestowed a ‘black shirt’ and earn the privilege of wearing black. Once donning a black shirt, a student-athlete then joins the coaching staff in determining future “black shirt worthy” teammates.

Back shirt nominees must receive unanimous approval while displaying a deep love for what they do — elite discipline, grit, selflessness and excellence.

Welsh has a 16-4 record wrestling at 174 pounds. He is 7-3 in dual meets and has a +42 scoring margin. Welsh’s record includes one pin and six technical falls.

In basketball

Shippensburg junior Michael Dunn is averaging 6.7 points per game for the Raiders in the PSAC.

A Washington native and Trinity graduate, Dunn has played in 27 games for the Raiders and made 10 starts. He is shooting 37 percent from the field and 36 percent (39-for-110) from three-point range. He also has made 81 percent (17-for-21) of his free throws.

Dunn has a season-high of 23 points against IUP, set back on Dec. 1. He scored 13 points last Tuesday against West Chester, making five of eight shots including three of four from three-point range.

* Bethany senior guard Bella Skobel was named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week on Feb. 19.

Skobel averaged 19 points per game during the week while shooting 54.2 percent (13-for-24) and made 10 of 11 free throws in helping the Bison to two victories. In a win against Thiel, Skobel scored 12 points. Then, during a victory over Westminster that clinched a Presidents’ Athletic Conference tournament berth for Bethany, Skobel scored 26 points, grabbed four rebounds and had three steals.

Skobel finished the season averaging 11.4 points per game.

* Redshirt freshman guard Gavin Cote is having a good first season for Clarion.

A Venetia native and Peters Township graduate, Cote is the third-leading scorer for the Golden Eagles, averaging 10.8 points per game.

Cote is shooting 44 percent from the field and 45 percent (58-for-128) from three-point range. He had made 80 percent (25-for-31) of his free throws.

Cote set a career-high Feb. 17 with 24 points against PSAC West Division leader Gannon. He was 8-for-13 from the field and 6-for-9 from three-point range.

Compiled by Chris Dugan