AUSTIN, Pa. – It was a back-and-forth battle at Austin High School on Tuesday, and in the end it was the Panthers who came away with a 61-47 win over visiting Sheffield.

The Panthers (2-2) outscored Sheffield 26-7 in the first quarter, only to watch the Wolverines come roaring back to cut the lead to 1 in the second quarter.

Austin re-took control in the third quarter, and, despite Sheffield’s best efforts, were able to hold them off.

“They came out and smacked us in the mouth and we came out and had a monster second quarter,” said Sheffield coach Mike Knapp. “The kids are learning. They get excited when we go on a run like that and sometimes they have a hard time getting that excitement back (in the second half.”

Tyler Hepinger had 13 points and six assists, Mitch McNeal 10 rebounds and Tony Richards and Jakob Vinopal 10 points each for Sheffield (0-3).

Dempsey Glover had 15 points and Blake Burgett 14 to pace Austin.

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SHEFFIELD (47)

McNeal 3-0-0-6, Vinopal 4-0-0-10, Hepinger 4-2-2-13, Richards 4-0-0-10, LaVan 2-0-0-4, Benjamin 1-0-0-2,

AUSTIN (61)

Fowler 1-2-2-4, J. Glover 2-0-0-4, P. Glover 2-0-0-4, Valenti 3-0-2-7, Burgett 5-3-4-14, D. Glover 7-1-2-15, G. Rees 6-1-3-13

By Quarters

Sheffield 7 22 10 8 – 47

Austin 26 4 14 17 – 61

JV: Sheffield 23, Austin 20; Gavin LaVan 7