January 31, 2024 1:14 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping Arthur Smith can turn around one of the NFL’s most underachieving offenses. The Steelers are nearing an agreement to make Smith their new offensive coordinator, multiple sources told The Associated Press. The sources spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was not official. Smith would join a Pittsburgh team that knows it needs to score more points if it wants to compete in the AFC. The Steelers went 10-7 in 2023 despite finishing 28th in scoring.
January 31, 2024 4:31 am
NHL players Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers (pictured), Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils and Dillon Dube of the Calgary Flames have been charged with sexual assault in connection with an investigation into an alleged sexual assault by several members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team. Lawyers representing Hart, McLeod, Foote and Dube say each player has been charged by police in London, Ontario. The developments come two days after former NHL player Alex Formenton turned himself in to police to face charges.
January 30, 2024 12:01 am
Yough lost a 13-point lead but recovered in time to hand Wash High its first loss in 3A Section 4. The Little Prexies managed just 12 points in the first half, pumped in 18 in the third, but couldn’t find the measure in the final period as the Cougars pulled even atop the section standings with just over a week to play. Elsewhere, Peters Township clinched a playoff berth with a win at Connellsville. Jack Dunbar joined the 1,000-point club for Peters in the win. California’s win clinched a spot for the Trojans, another for Jeff-Morgan and eliminated the Maples. Avella has clinched a 1A playoff spot despite Tuesday’s loss to Rochester. Charleroi was eliminated with a home loss to McGuffey. In girls action, Canon-McMillan lost to Bethel Park and now sits a half-game on the wrong side of the playoff cut line.
Tuesday–Boys Basketball
6A-2 Baldwin 67, Canon-McMillan 57
5A-1 Bethel Park 70, Trinity 63
5A-1 Peters Township 79, Connellsville 23
5A-1 Thomas Jefferson 95, Ringgold 69
3A-4 Yough 43, Wash High 35 Watch Here
3A-4 McGuffey 53, Charleroi 41
2A-4 Burgettstown 65, Beth-Center 32
2A-4 Chartiers-Houston 53, Frazier 31
2A-4 Carmichaels 47, Bentworth 37
1A-1 Rochester 61, Avella 54
1A-2 California 77, Mapletown 66
1A-2 Monessen 58, Jeff-Morgan 55
1A-2 West Greene 70, Geibel 53
Tuesday–Girls Basketball
6A-2 Bethel Park 57, Canon-McMillan 47
N/C Connellsville 56, Ringgold 21
N/C Bishop Canevin 63, Avella 35
January 31, 2024 4:33 am
A person with knowledge of the deal says Carlyle Group Inc. co-founder David Rubenstein has reached an agreement to buy the Baltimore Orioles for $1.725 billion. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the agreement had not been announced. Rubenstein is a Baltimore native. He will take over as the team’s controlling owner, and he’s assembled an investment team that includes Ares co-founder Michael Arougheti. The Angelos family has been in control of the Orioles since 1993, when Peter Angelos purchased the team for $173 million. Angelos’ son John is the team’s current chairman. The team recently reached a deal on a new lease extension at Camden Yards.
January 30, 2024 4:31 am
UConn remained No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll as the top five stayed the same from last week. The Huskies did pick up four more first-place votes and had 48 of the 63 from the national media panel. Purdue stayed at No. 2. North Carolina is No. 3, Houston is fourth and Tennessee is fifth. Wisconsin moved up seven spots to sixth and Duke climbed five to No. 7, while Iowa State made the biggest jump from No. 23 to No. 12. Alabama and TCU are back in the poll. Memphis and Colorado State dropped out.
January 30, 2024 4:30 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tickets on at least one secondary-market site are the most expensive in Super Bowl history. The prices underscore the anticipation of the game’s Las Vegas debut between the defending champion and what likely is the most popular team in the West. As well as the possibility Taylor Swift will be on hand when the Kansas City Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 11. The average purchase price on TickPick was $9,815 on Monday morning. That is nearly double the final average price of $5,795 for last year’s game between the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Arizona. Current prices could decline before the game.
January 29, 2024 12:01 am
Our busiest week of the year opened with a showdown at the top of Girls 2A Section 4. Wash High outscored Chartiers-Houston 23-17 after intermission, led by Olivia Woods’ 11 points, to hand the Bucs their first section loss. The teams are tied for the section lead with one week to play. Trinity clinched a playoff berth with a win at Moon. Fort Cherry’s win keeps the Rangers just a game back of Burgettstown heading into their second meeting Thursday night.
Monday–Girls Basketball
5A-4 Trinity 42, Moon 35
3A-4 Waynesburg 65, McGuffey 40
3A-4 Charleroi 60, Yough 48
2A-2 Sto-Rox at Burgettstown PPD
2A-2 Fort Cherry 45, Brentwood 30
2A-4 Wash High 42, Chartiers-Houston 37 Watch Here
2A-4 Beth-Center 49, California 33
2A-4 Carmichaels 40, Bentworth 36
1A 2 Mapletown 40, Avella 38
1A-2 Monessen 57, Jeff-Morgan 17
1A-2 Geibel 49, West Greene 44
Monday–Boys Basketball
2A-4 Fort Cherry 85, Beth-Center 56
January 29, 2024 4:37 am
BALTIMORE (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were at their magnificent best in the first half, and Kansas City’s defense delivered another masterpiece against Lamar Jackson and Baltimore, helping the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years with a 17-10 victory in the AFC championship game. Kelce caught 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown with girlfriend Taylor Swift again in attendance. Kansas City will face San Francisco in Detroit on Feb. 11, seeking to become the first team since New England 19 years ago to win it all in back-to-back seasons.
January 29, 2024 4:35 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw for 267 yards and a touchdown, and the San Francisco 49ers rallied from 17 points down at halftime to beat the Detroit Lions 34-31 and reach the Super Bowl. The 49ers scored 17 points in an eight-minute span of the third quarter to tie the game and then pulled away in the fourth quarter to earn a rematch against Kansas City after losing to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl four years ago. Detroit became the fourth team to lose a conference title game after leading by at least 17 points and was unable to make the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
January 28, 2024 12:01 am
With two weeks left in the regular season, the WPIAL playoff picture is coming into focus for area boys teams. The top FOUR teams in each section qualify for the playoffs. Ties for qualifying positions are broken by head-to-head results. If the teams split there season series, both qualify. Here’s a rundown for all 19 Washington/Greene County boys teams (section records in parentheses):
6A Section 2
Canon-McMillan (3-3) sits in 4th place, the final qualifying spot, two games out of first and virtually 3 games ahead of Norwin and Hempfield with four games to play.
5A Section 1
Peters Township (4-2) lost its shot at the section title with Friday’s loss to Thomas Jefferson. Indians are three games up on 5th place Connellsville with four games left, all against teams below them in the standings. Trinity (3-3) has a solid hold on 4th place, having swept Connellsville. The Hillers clinch with two wins or with a win and a Connellsville loss. Ringgold (0-6) must win out and get help to qualify.
3A Section 4
Wash High (8-0) has clinched a playoff spot and can all but wrap up the section title at Yough Tuesday night. Due to weather cancellations, the Little Prexies have yet to face Mt. Pleasant but will play the Vikings twice down the stretch. McGuffey (3-5) have been up and down but is solidly in the playoff field at the moment. The Highlanders took Wash High to overtime, split a pair of blowouts with Mt. Pleasant, then lost to last-place Waynesburg. Three of McGuffey’s final four games are against teams trying to catch them in the race for the final playoff spot. Charleroi (2-7) has three games left and must sweep to qualify. Waynesburg (2-7) also must sweep but has that win over McGuffey as an aide in the tie-breakers down the stretch.
2A Section 4
Fort Cherry (8-0) has clinched a berth and sits two games up on second-place Burgettstown and can wrap up the section title with a win Friday at Chartiers-Houston. Burgettstown (6-2) is in second place with four games left. The Blue Devils clinch a playoff spot with any win or Beth-Center loss. Chartiers-Houston (6-3) clinches with a win in any of its three remaining games, or with a Beth-Center loss. Beth-Center (3-5) is currently on the outside of the picture, one game back of 4th place Frazier. The Bulldogs beat the Commodores but have lost three of their last four games since. B-C hosts Frazier to close the regular season, hoping to have stayed alive to that point. Bentworth (2-7) has to win out, plus get lots of help from Frazier and Beth-Center opponents. Carmichaels (0-8) is in the same situation as Bentworth.
1A Section 1
Avella (4-2) sits comfortably in third place, just a game back of the Rochester/Union tie atop the standings. The Eagles can clinch a playoff spot with a win at Cornell Friday night.
1A Section 2
West Greene (5-1) is tied with Monessen atop the standings with the Pioneers having won their first meeting. The teams play again Friday night in Rogersville. West Greene clinches a playoff spot with any win or Mapletown loss. Jeff-Morgan (4-2) sits in third place, one game back of the tie at the top and three games up on Mapletown. The Rockets clinch a berth with any win or Mapletown loss. California (3-3) holds the final playoff spot for the moment with four games to play. The Trojans host Mapletown on Tuesday with a chance to clinch. Mapletown (1-5) must win out and get lots of help.
