Penn State Scranton Athletics Completes a Fun Filled Weekend to Benefit THON

By: Ross Turetsky

This weekend, for the first time ever, Penn State Scranton's Athletic Department teamed up with the PSUAC SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Council) and Penn State Scranton benefitting THON, with fun activities to raise awareness and charitable funds for THON. THON is Penn State's student run, year-long fundraising initiative that raises money and support to help out families whose children are affected by cancer. With more than 16,500 student volunteers, THON is the largest student-run organization in the entire world and has helped to ensure that over 4,000 families receive no medical bills. Since the Penn State family began this worthy cause in 1973, more than $168 million has been donated to its sole beneficiary the Four Diamonds at Penn State Children's Hospital. This year-long fundraising effort culminates every February with a thrilling 46-hour no sitting, no sleeping dance marathon, which last year alone raised more than $10.6 million. This year Penn State Scranton will be sending its largest group of dancers yet, as seniors David Jobs and Alicia Santarsiero, alongside sophomore Lauren Rzucidlo and freshman John Squatrito will be joining more than 700 other Penn State students on February 21^st at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, PA.

Coordinator of Athletic Programs and Head Cross Country Coach Sara Rinkunas, alongside Caitlyn Powell, SAAC Committee rep, who helped run this weekend's THON events shared their thoughts on the importance of this fundraising event and the great cause it's helping out.

"As a Penn State alumna I have been involved in THON in a lot of ways over the years, from canning for funds in my hometown, meeting Four Diamond families and watching thousands of Penn Stater's dance and support each other in the Bryce Jordan Center. There is nothing like watching thousands of people work together for a good cause and thanks to the PSUAC's 3's for THON effort, we were able to have our athletes and fans a part of it this year. It was a great weekend and we are already planning more ways to get involved," said Rinkunas.

"THON exists so that children affected by circumstances far beyond their control can have better lives. Raising money shows that these kids and their families don't have to face the fight alone, and we want to provide support to help find a cure so that kids no longer need to spend their childhood battling," said Powell.

A major highlight of the weekend festivities surrounded the men's and women's basketball games on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. In an effort to get in on all the THON fun, the basketball teams took part in a 3's for THON that saw local establishments and individuals sponsor and donate money for every three pointer a Penn State Scranton basketball player would make. In addition to this, Penn State Scranton athletics had fun-filled half-time contests where people who donated money would be randomly selected to compete for prizes if they could make all four shots; a layup, a free throw, a three pointer, and an exciting half-court shot in just 60 seconds.

The women's basketball team got the weekend festivities kicked-off on Friday night with a tough 86-60 defeat to conference foe Penn State Du Bois. Junior guard Alyssa Cuono led the way with 13 points and was lethal from beyond the three point arc, as she knocked in four of her seven three point attempts, and was responsible for all of her team's three pointers made for the 3's for THON charity in the ball game. Sophomore forward Courtney Varcoe also turned in a solid game with her 13 points and seven boards, and junior Rachel Lewis had a team high five assists.

Meanwhile, Penn State Du Bois was led by Leah Lindemuth who came off the bench and scored a game high 22 points. Altogether Du Bois had five players score in double figures, as Maddie Sprankle had 15 points, Malliah Schreck had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, Lexey Shick with 12 points, and Sydney Shaw's 10 points and eight boards.

In the women's basketball team's second game of the weekend, the Lady Lions dropped a heart breaking 67-63 home contest to Penn State Greater Allegheny. Scranton was led by junior Jessica Berger who had a double-double and scored a game high 22 points to go along with her ten boards. Cuono turned in another stalwart effort as she contributed with 14 points and hit three 3-pointers. Other key helpers for the Lady Lions were junior Danielle Powell who had 11 points and seven rebounds, as well as Varcoe who had a team high 16 boards in the matchup.

Meanwhile, Penn State Greater Allegheny was led by the dynamic duo of Da'Neisha Williams and Jayla Ellis. Williams scored a team high 20 points to go along with her eight rebounds, while Ellis had a nice well-rounded game of 17 points, five boards, and four assists.

For the men's basketball squad, they dropped two thrilling nail biters to Penn State Du Bois on Friday night 83-81, and to Penn State Greater Allegheny 86-81 on Saturday afternoon. In Friday's contest, Penn State Scranton got off to a hot start and led Du Bois by double figures with an impressive 42-31 half-time performance. Unfortunately, it was a tale of two halves of play, as Du Bois came roaring back spurred on by the 9-0 scoring run they went on to kick-off the second half, as they outscored Scranton 52-39 in the final half of the game. Scranton showed resiliency as they withstood Du Bois hot stretch to begin the second half and kept the game close right until the final buzzer rang in their tight two point defeat. Scranton was led by sophomore Rob McAndrew's double-double, as he scored a game high 29 points and 12 rebounds, as well as sinking in half of his three point attempts, as he went a solid six for twelve from beyond the arc. Three other key contributors who scored double digits for the Lions were point guard Matt Dessoye's 18 points and six assists, Arel Lamour's 12 points, and Mike Foder's 11 points and team high five steals. Altogether Scranton hit 15 three pointers on the night to help provide a big contribution to the 3's for THON campaign.

Meanwhile, Du Bois shot an impressive 50 percent from the field and was led by a trifecta of double digit scorers in Russell Gariepy's team high 22 points and eight boards, Malik Gordon's 15 points, and Cole Morris' 14 points and six rebounds.

In the men's basketball team's second contest of the weekend, they withstood a tough nine point deficit at the half to Greater Allegheny, to outscoring their opponent 50-46 in their second half valiant comeback attempt and once again taking it down to the final buzzer in another exciting hard fought defeat. Scranton was led by four double digit scorers, as McAndrew once again scored a team and game high 23 points to go along with his 18 rebounds in his second straight double-double performance, to go along with Dessoye's 22 point, seven assists night, and Lamour and Foder each scoring 10 points and grabbing five boards in the game.

Meanwhile, Greater Allegheny was led by five double digit scorers in their road victory, as Makis Rivera set the pace with 23 points and five rebounds, Koran Fleming had 17 points and six boards, and coming off the bench the three headed monster attack of Casey Oliver's 11 points and six boards, Tyshyre Malachi's 13 points, and Evan Miller's 12 points and six rebounds.

Altogether the men's and women's basketball teams combined for 32 three pointers made for the fun 3's for THON initiative this weekend. As the men's team had 15 and eight of those 3's for a total of 23 in their two games played, while the women's team had games of four and five 3's made for a total of nine in their hard-fought matchups. Overall, through pledges and donations, Penn State Scranton Athletics raised over $1,700 for THON in their weekend initiative.

Both basketball squads will look to get back in the win column on Tuesday evening when they hit the road to play a doubleheader against conference foe Penn State Lehigh Valley.