WJPA Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin scored milestone goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated Los Angeles 5-1, snapping the Kings’ nine-game home win streak. Crosby, Anthony Beauvillier and Kevin Hayes each had a goal and an assist. Cody Glass also scored for the Penguins, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 25 shots. Adrian Kempe had the Los Angeles goal and David Rittich made 27 saves. Crosby became the 11th player to reach 50 points in at least 18 seasons when he scored late in the first period. Malkin tied Jean Beliveau for 44th place on the NHL list with his 507th career goal in the second period.

ATLANTA (AP) — Will Howard transferred to Ohio State to win a national championship, and he reached that goal by playing the best football of his career throughout the Buckeyes’ four games in the College Football Playoff. He was never better than in the first half and at the end of Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame. Howard connected on his first 13 passes to set the record for consecutive completions in a CFP title game, and late in the fourth quarter he lofted a pass to Jeremiah Smith for a 56-yard gain that all but sealed the win.

Just past the halfway point of the regular season, seven girls basketball teams form Washington/Greene Counties are in good position to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. Five more teams are within reach of the post-season while seven teams face significant uphill challenges down the stretch.

Enter the final three weeks of the season, Peters Township (5A-4), Chartiers-Houston (2A-2) and Fort Cherry (2A-3) lead their section races, each at least three games clear of the current cutlines.

Canon-McMillan (6A-2), Beth-Center (2A-3), Bentworth (2A-3) and California (2A-3) are all at least two games above the line and in good shape. Trinity (5A-4), McGuffey (3A-3), Waynesburg (3A-3), Burgettstoingwn (2A-2) and West Greene (1A-2) are locked in tight battles to reach the playoffs. Trinity is in a three-way battle for two spots with Bethel Park and Baldwin. McGuffey and Waynesburg are battling with Brownsville for the last two playoff spots. Burgettstown is currently fourth with wins over the two teams it’s battling for the final berth. West Greene is a game back of Bishop Canevin for the final berth.

Ringgold (4A), Charleroi (3A), Wash High (3A), Carmichaels (2A), Jeff-Morgan (2A), Avella (1A) & Mapletown (1A) are likely to miss the playoffs. Ringgold, Charleroi, Jeff-Morgan and Mapletown are all winless once through section play. Wash High, Carmichaels and Avella are each two games back of the final spots in their sections.

Monday, Jan. 20
Girls
3A Keystone Oaks 54, McGuffey 34
3A Wash High 41, Brownsville 39
2A California 50, Bentworth 41
3A Seton-La Salle at Charleroi, postponed
1A West Greene at Mapletown, postponed

Three weeks remain in the high school basketball regular season. Seven teams from Washington/Greene Counties are almost locked in to playoff berths. Seven more are in good battles for spots. Five others are likely to miss the playoffs without extended win streaks and plenty of help.

Enter the final six play dates of the season, Peters Township (5A-3), Waynesburg (3A-4), and the top five teams in 2A Section 3–Chartiers-Houston, Jeff-Morgan, West Greene, Beth-Center and Fort Cherry–are all in very good positions to qualify. Chartiers-Houston is the only section leader at this point of the season.

Trinity (5A-3) is in a three-way battle for two spots with Bethel Park and Thomas Jefferson. McGuffey and Wash High are fighting Keystone Oaks and Carlynton for three spots out of 3A Section 2. Charleroi is in 4th place in 3A Section 4, challenging Ligonier Valley and Brownsville for the last two berths. Bentworth is one game back of the 5th (and final) playoff spot in 2A Section 1. Avella is tied for the final spot in 1A Section 1.

Canon-McMillan (6A-2), Ringgold (5A-3) and the remaining 2A teams–California, Carmichaels, Burgettstown and Mapletown–have various challenges to overcome to keep their playoff hopes alive. Canon-McMillan is in 7th place, three games off the playoff pace. Ringgold, despite being winless, is only two games out at the moment. California (-4 games in 2A-1) and Mapletown (-3 games in 2A-3) are also winless.

Tuesday, Jan. 22
Girls/Boys Doubleheaders
5A Trinity at Thomas Jefferson, 5:50 pm/7:20 pm WJPA-AM (1450) Watch/Listen Here
5A Peters Township at Baldwin, 6 pm/7:30 pm

Girls
5A Southmoreland at Ringgold, 6 pm
1A Avella at Monessen, 5:30 pm

Boys
6A Canon-McMillan at Upper St. Clair, 7 pm
2A Bentworth at Jeannette
2A California at Springdale
2A Beth-Center at Jeff-Morgan, 7 pm
2A Burgettstown at Fort Cherry
2A Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels
1A Summit Academy at Avella