Sports category, Page 460
Fort Cherry knocks off Clairton to go back-to-back as WPIAL Class A champs
Fort Cherry captured its second consecutive WPIAL Class A title by using a little trickery and luck to stun Clairton, 21-20, Saturday at Acrisure Stadium. The top-seeded Rangers (14-0), who struggled against Clairton’s defense in the second half, put together a 13-play, 82-yard game-winning drive utilizing two trick plays on...
Pitt basketball notebook: Panthers await tough challenge from No. 19 Wisconsin
In a venue layered in history that once was a Cold War safe haven for U.S. congressmen and served as host for 28 presidents, Pitt gets a chance Sunday to open eyes across the college basketball landscape. The Panthers play No. 19 Wisconsin in the championship of the Greenbrier Tipoff...
Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein will play against Louisville
Given medical clearance by Pitt doctors, quarterback Eli Holstein will play Saturday against Louisville after a one-game absence. This situation marks the second time in the past 3½ weeks Holstein has been cleared by doctors to play. He was injured in the Syracuse game Oct. 24, but played at SMU...
Franklin Regional grad Palmer Jackson earns spot on Challenger Tour
Murrysville native Palmer Jackson spent two weeks earlier this month competing in the DP World Tour (PGA European Tour) Q-school qualifier. And while he fell short of earning full exemption to the tour by two shots, he did return home with a job. He earned exemption to the Challenger Tour,...
Former Penguins forward Nick Bonino signs in SloveniaVideo
Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino has signed with HK Olimpija Ljubljana, a team based in Slovenia that competes in the International Central European Hockey League (ICEHL). In addition to Slovenia, that league has teams based in Austria, Italy and Hungary. HK Olimpija Ljubljana announced the signing via a release...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: College Football Playoff could use less committee involvement
The new and improved 12-team College Football Playoff isn’t improved. It’s just a different version of screwy. It’s the word “committee.” Things get better if you ditch that word. Eliminate subjectivity. Make it about standings and winners. Provide an exact pathway. Right now, Ohio State is seeded fifth. The Buckeyes...
Minor league report: Penguins, Joel Blomqvist shut out IslandersVideo
Goaltender Joel Blomqvist made 23 saves for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 5-0 shutout of the Bridgeport Islanders at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Friday. It was the first shutout of the season for Blomqvist, who improved his American Hockey League record to 1-1-0. Forward Emil Bemstrom had two...
LB Roquan Smith’s injury causing concern for Ravens defense entering game vs. ChargersVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Fresh off one of its best showings of the season, the Baltimore defense now has another problem to worry about. Roquan Smith missed practice again Friday because of a hamstring injury. Although the Ravens didn’t officially rule him or anyone else out — they don’t play...
Penguins teammates commend Sidney Crosby for fight vs. Winnipeg’s Kyle ConnorVideo
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is known for many things, such as possessing perhaps the most refined 200-foot game of his generation, elite passing skills and a wicked backhand. A propensity for dropping the gloves, however, not so much. Yet, the 37-year-old fought 6-foot-1 winger Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg...
Brock Purdy, Joey Bosa will miss Sunday’s game for 49ers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will miss Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a sore throwing shoulder, dealing another blow to the team’s playoff hopes. Purdy injured his right shoulder in last Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He underwent an MRI on...
Central Catholic follows winning formula, ousts State College in state quarterfinals
Central Catholic has found a formula for sure-fire playoff success the last two weeks. Hit Bradley Gompers for a long touchdown early and spend the rest of the night feeding Elijah Faulkner to dominate on the ground. In the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals Friday night in Altoona, Jy’Aire Walls hit...
Analysis: Jameis Winston’s performance vs. Steelers adds new layer to Browns’ QB conundrumVideo
CLEVELAND — Shortly after doing a face-down snow angel, firing a few celebratory snowballs and singing “Jingle Bells” on his way to the media room, Jameis Winston ended his postgame news conference with a simple question. “Am I a Brown yet?” he asked. He is now. And who knows? Maybe...
Jets send skidding Penguins to 7th loss in past 9 games
Mike Sullivan has directed a blunt missive to his team in recent days. “We’ve got to be harder to play against,” the coach said Wednesday. That may leave some room for interpretation, but in practice Thursday, it translated into a physically demanding session. Players hit the ice — literally —...
Pirates non-tender Connor Joe, Bryan De La Cruz, acquire reliever from Guardians
In a series of roster moves Friday, the Pittsburgh Pirates non-tendered outfielders Bryan De La Cruz and Connor Joe and righty reliever Hunter Stratton and acquired 30-year-old righty reliever Peter Strzelecki from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for cash considerations. De La Cruz, 28, was a major trade acquisition for...
2024 WPIAL football championship factoids
Two new champions will be crowned in Class 3A and 2A while two teams look to repeat as champions in Class 5A and A as part of the four WPIAL football championship games to be played Saturday at Acrisure Stadium. You can listen to all four district title games starting...
Pitt wins 6th in row vs. LSU in Greenbrier Tipoff
Matt McMahon isn’t an NBA scout, only a guy who coaches LSU and saw his team get punched in the mouth Friday afternoon by Pitt and its guard combination of Jaland Lowe and Ishmael Leggett. Four days after recording a triple-double against VMI, Lowe did a little bit of everything...
Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release on Friday by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. “Daniel came to see me this morning and asked...
Kris Letang, Kevin Hayes game-time decisions vs. Jets; Tristan Jarry scheduled to start
The Pittsburgh Penguins may return a pair of veterans to their lineup Friday night for a showdown at PPG Paints Arena against the NHL’s best club. Defenseman Kris Letang, who has missed three games because of illness, and forward Kevin Hayes, who is on injured reserve with an undisclosed ailment,...
Football Footnotes: Refs got the ‘illegal touching call’ in Cleveland right; Bengals LB predicting victory over Steelers
Usually, our Friday “Football Footnotes” post previews everything coming up on the local football scene. We’ll still do some of that on both the NFL and college levels this time. But with the Pittsburgh Steelers losing in Cleveland on Thursday night (again), this is more like a Friday “Football Fallout”...
Mark Madden: Steelers defense is good until it has to be
So, do you still think the Pittsburgh Steelers are a legit Super Bowl contender? The AFC is generally weak. Even the conference’s good teams don’t look all that great. But there’s a lot to dislike about the Steelers despite their 8-3 record. Much of that was on display in Thursday...
Steelers vs. Browns: What they’re saying in Cleveland after the winVideo
As if the Steelers-Browns rivalry under the lights wasn’t enough — add some snow and sub-freezing temperatures. Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski said it all made for a fun, unique “Thursday Night Football” atmosphere during which his team topped Pittsburgh, 24-19, at home. “Our fans were unbelievable,” Stefanski told reporters...
First Call: Browns DB calls George Pickens ‘fake tough guy’ after skirmish; Penguins host best team in NHLVideo
A Cleveland Browns defensive back is not pleased with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens. The Penguins face a stiff test amid an early season slump. The Duquesne men’s basketball team enjoys a pre-Thanksgiving getaway. And the Robert Morris hockey team is heading out to play a true college hockey...
No. 4 Penn State puts off playoff talk as it prepares for tough trip to MinnesotaVideo
MINNEAPOLIS — With Penn State’s strong push for a spot in the College Football Playoff still a couple of wins from completion, the biggest roadblock to a bid for the Nittany Lions in this favorable final third of their schedule has arrived: a trip to Minnesota. That’s why this week,...
Airing of Grievances: Odd coaching decisions, anemic start, leaky defense means another Steelers loss in ClevelandVideo
I don’t want to hear the Pittsburgh Steelers’ excuse machine Friday morning. I don’t want to hear about a short week on the road. I don’t want to hear about the weather. I don’t want to hear how tough it is to play in Cleveland. I don’t want to hear...
5 things we learned in Steelers’ loss to Browns: Jameis Winston weathered the snowstormVideo
CLEVELAND — Five things we learned from Browns 24, Steelers 19. 1. Weather wasn’t the reason Although game conditions were far from ideal, as a snowstorm covered the field and made visibility an issue in the second half, the Steelers not named George Pickens refused to use the weather as...
