March 9, 2025 7:00 am
Saturday, Second Round. Host Ohio Wesleyan eliminated Washington & Jefferson women in the second round of the NCAA Division III basketball tournament Saturday evening. OWU led by four after one period but outscored the Presidents 20-8 in the second quarter for the difference in the 78-65 final. Riley DeRubbo had 19 points for W&J, joined in double figures by seniors Meghan Dryburgh, Bryn Bezjak and by sophomore Katie Kovalchick.
Friday, First Round. W&J guard Bryn Bezjak scored five points in the final 8 seconds of regulation, and the Presidents went on to beat #24 Messiah, 76-72, in overtime Friday, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament. Bezjak’s heroics late were part of her 18-point night, including a lay-in just before the buzzer, helping the Red & Black record their first-ever NCAA tournament victory. W&J trailed by 10 at the half, and by four with less than a minute to play, but rallied to snap Messiah’s 18-game win streak. W&J will take on host Ohio Wesleyan Saturday evening. OWU beat Immaculata, 87-42, in the opening round. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 pm.
March 9, 2025 7:00 am
The PIAA Basketball playoffs opened Friday night with wins by Canon-McMillan girls and Peters Township boys. The Chartiers-Houston and Fort Cherry girls found the end of the road with opening-round losses. Action continues Saturday afternoon with Peters Township girls and Chartiers-Houston boys in first round match-up. We’ll have the Peters Township/Conrad Weister game on WJPA-FM and online. The PIAA finals are set for the Giant Center, March 27-29. Click for PIAA Brackets
Saturday, March 8
5A Girls Peters Township 58, Conrad Weiser 25
2A Boys Lakeview 49, Chartiers-Houston 45
Natalie Wetzel had game honors with 16 points, 10 of them in a decisive second quarter, as Peters Township rolled past Conrad Weiser. Leading just 9-5, the host Indians scored 21 points in the first 4:07 of the second quarter and never looked back. Ninety seconds into the third period, PT had triggered the running clock. Bri Morreale had 11 points, Jordyn Welsh add 10 for the winners.
First Round
Friday, March 7
5A Boys Peters Township 64, Spring Grove 54
6A Girls Canon-McMillan 48, Allderdice 44
2A Girls Aliquippa 56, Chartiers-Houston 42
2A Girls Kennedy Catholic 75, Fort Cherry 49
Three Peters Township boys scored in double figures as the WPIAL runners-up knocked off Spring Grove to advance to the second round. Nick McCullough led the way with 19 points. Dylan Donovan added 17. Jake Wetzel scored a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
Canon-McMillan girls nearly lost all of a late 9-point lead but held off Allderdice, setting up a third meeting with Section 2 foe, and WPIAL champion, Upper St. Clair. Madison Clair led the Big Macs with 23 points including a lay-up off a steal in the game’s final 13 seconds.
WPIAL 2A girls champion Aliquippa nearly doubled up Chartiers-Houston in the first half, leading the Bucs 28-15 at the break. The Quips were able to maintain that arms-length lead to advance. Alli Wingard led CHHS with 17 points.
Brooke Cornali had 26 points for Fort Cherry girls, Olivia Kemp added 11 more, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Rangers against District 10 champion Kennedy Catholic. The hosts led 67-30 at the half.
March 8, 2025 7:00 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ilya Samsonov made 22 saves for his 15th career shutout and second this season, Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0. Tanner Pearson had a goal and an assist, while Ivan Barbashev and Brandon Saad also scored for the Golden Knights, who have won four straight. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 23 shots for the Penguins, who lost their fourth straight and have dropped eight of their last nine.
March 8, 2025 3:55 am
The Pittsburgh Pirates notched another win in grapefruit league action on Friday. They beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2. Ji Hwan Bae went 2 for 2 with a pair of stolen bases and a run scored. Jared Jones struck out six batters allowing one run in three plus innings worked. Dennis Santana earned the win while extending his scoreless streak to four innings. Joey Bart is 5 for 8 in his last three games going 1 for 3 in Friday’s match up. The Pirates travel to North Port on Saturday to take on the Atlanta Braves. Mike Burrows is expected to start for the Pirates. First pitch is at 1:05 pm.
March 7, 2025 3:01 am
The PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships continue Friday in Hershey starting with quarterfinals & consolations for 2A boys, girls and 3A boys throughout the day. Friday evening, it will be semifinals and another consolation round for the three classes. WJPA’s live coverage will feature the action of the remaining Washington/Greene County wrestlers spread over those three classifications. Our broadcasts will be on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. Listen Here Click for PIAA Brackets
Friday, March 7
2A Boys
Nine Washington/Greene County wrestlers entered Friday’s action but only three came out the other end: Braedon Welsh (Fort Cherry) and Colin Whyte (West Greene) won bouts to reach the semifinals. Drake McClure (Bentworth) won two consolation bouts to stay alive and clinch no worse than eighth place. All three will be in action again Friday evening. The following others from the two-county area were eliminated: Owen Ivcic (Bentworth), Mason Wright (Beth-Center), Darius Simmons (Burgettstown), McGuffey teammates Clayton Ealy, Tucker Main and Lucas Barr.
Bentworth: Drake McClure (conso-133)
Fort Cherry Braedon Welsh (semifinals-215)
West Greene: Colin Whyte (semifinals-285)
Girls
Five of the original 11 Washington County girls will bring home medals from the PIAA Championships. Marlee Solomon (Canon-McMillan), Lilianna Giulanelli (Peters Township) and Elaina Ashby (Trinity) each won quarterfinal bouts to reach the state semifinals Friday evening. Big Macs teammates Eva Gray and Natalie Rush each lost twice and were eliminated along with C-M’s Yuni Ayala. Abagail Dolanch (Avella) and Ella Trahan (Fort Cherry) won consolation bouts to clinch a spot on the medal stand.
Avella: Abigail Dolanch (conso-142)
Canon-McMillan: Marlee Solomon (semifinals-112)
Fort Cherry: Ella Trahan (conso-106)
Peters Township: Lilianna Guilianelli (semifinals-190)
Trinity: Elaina Ashby (semifinals-148)
3A Boys
All eight Washington/Greene 3A wrestlers advanced to Friday’s action, four of them moving into the quarterfinals: Collier Hartman (Canon-McMillan), Nicholas McGarrity (Peters Township), Jake Conroy (Ringgold) and Dom Canali (Trinity). Four others will be in consolation action Friday afternoon.
Canon-McMillan: Collier Hartman (quarters-133), Brayden Collins (conso-215)
Peters Township: Nicholas McGarrity (quarters-107), Darius McMillon (conso-152)
Ringgold: Jake Conroy (quarters-215)
Trinity: Dom Canali (quarters-127), TJ Allison (conso-139)
Waynesburg: Jacob Stephenson (conso-189)
Saturday, March 8
9:20 am Consolation Semifinals (all classes)
11:20 am Consolation Medal Bouts (all classes) (3rd, 5th, 7th place)
3:50 pm Championship Finals (all classes)
March 7, 2025 4:41 am
Russell Wilson still has plenty of cooking left to do in the NFL. Where he ends up is a mystery heading into free agency next week. Wilson seemingly had found a home in Pittsburgh until a five-game losing streak to end the season left his future in doubt. He was 6-1 in his first seven starts and finished with 16 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 95.6 passer rating. The Steelers are considering retaining Wilson or Justin Fields, who went 4-2 for them and also will be a free agent. Aaron Rodgers and Sam Darnold also are available veterans for the six teams that don’t have a starter.
March 7, 2025 4:42 am
Deshaun Watson’s contract has been reworked again by the Cleveland Browns as the team looks to clear salary cap space with the new league year less than one week away. A person with knowledge of the move tells The Associated Press the latest restructuring of the quarterback’s contract will clear nearly $36 million in cap space for the Browns. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the move, which was first reported by ESPN. The Browns were nearly $22 million over the cap before restructuring Watson’s deal. It is the second time in three months that Watson’s contract was reworked.
March 6, 2025 12:01 am
The PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships get underway Thursday in Hershey starting with preliminaries for 2A Boys, followed by Girls, then 3A Boys. WJPA’s live coverage will feature the action of the 31 Washington/Greene County wrestlers spread over those three classifications. Our crew will be on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. Listen Here Click for PIAA Brackets
Thursday, March 6
2A Boys
Lucas Barr (McGuffey), Owen Ivcic (Bentworth), Braedon Welsh (Ft. Cherry) and Colin Whyte (West Greene) won first-round bouts Thursday morning and advance to Friday’s quarterfinals. Three Washington County wrestlers lost twice on Thursday and are eliminated: Logan Noyes (Burgettstown), Emmett Wolfe (McGuffey) and Caleb Patton (Wash High). Nine of the original 12 2A wrestlers from the two county area are still alive.
Bentworth: Drake McClure (conso-133), Owen Ivcic (quarters-160)
Beth-Center: Mason Wright (conso-133)
Burgettstown: Darius Simmons (conso-107)
Fort Cherry Braedon Welsh (quarters-215)
McGuffey: Clayton Ealy (conso-114), Tucker Main (conso-121), Lucas Barr (quarters-139)
West Greene: Colin Whyte (quarters-285)
Girls
Washington County is sending seven girls to the PIAA Quarterfinals Friday morning after opening round wins. Canon-McMillan teammates Marlee Solomon, Eva Gray and Natalie Rush will be joined by Abigail Dolanch (Avella), Ella Trahan (Fort Cherry), Lilianna Giulanelli (Peters Township) and Elaina Ashby (Trinity) in Friday’s quarterfinals. Yuni Ayala (Canon-McMillan) stayed alive in the medal hunt with a consolation victory. Malia Ramos (C-M), London Ellis (C-M) and Alexia Ashby (Trinity) lost twice on Thursday are are eliminated.
Avella: Abigail Dolanch (quarters-142)
Canon-McMillan: Marlee Solomon (quarters-112), Yuni Ayala (conso-118), Eva Gray (quarters-148), Natalie Rush (quarters-190)
Fort Cherry: Ella Trahan (quarters-106)
Peters Township: Lilianna Guilianelli (quarters-190)
Trinity: Elaina Ashby (quarters-148)
3A Boys
All eight 3A wrestlers from the two-county area advanced to Friday’s action, four of them into the quarterfinals: Collier Hartman (Canon-McMillan), Nicholas McGarrity (Peters Township), Jake Conroy (Ringgold) and Dom Canali (Trinity). Conroy was a double-winner, having to win a preliminary bout first, then beat the Southeast Regional champion. Peters Township’s Darius McMillon won a preliminary bout, then had to default out of his first-round match. No word yet on whether the senior 152-pounder will be able to continue on Friday.
Canon-McMillan: Collier Hartman (quarters-133), Brayden Collins (conso-215)
Peters Township: Nicholas McGarrity (quarters-107), Darius McMillon (conso-152)
Ringgold: Jake Conroy (quarters-215)
Trinity: Dom Canali (quarters-127), TJ Allison (conso-139)
Waynesburg: Jacob Stephenson (conso-189)
Friday, March 7
7:50 am 2A Boys Quarterfinals, Consolation Rounds 2-3
11:35 am Girls Quarterfinals, Consolation Round 2
2:05 pm 3A Boys Quarterfinals, Consolation Rounds 2-3
6:50 pm Semifinals (all classes) + Consolations Girls Round 3, Boys Round 4
Saturday, March 8
9:20 am Consolation Semifinals (all classes)
11:20 am Consolation Medal Bouts (all classes) (3rd, 5th, 7th place)
3:50 pm Championship Finals (all classes)
March 6, 2025 4:30 am
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Michael O’Connell scored 15 points and N.C. State maintained hopes of playing in the ACC Tournament, beating Pitt 71-63. Jaland Lowe scored 20 points for Pitt. N.C. State is trying to play its way into the 15-team tournament and currently resides in 16th place in the 18-team league. The Panthers are fighting for a spot in the top nine in search of a first-round bye.
March 5, 2025 4:30 am
DENVER (AP) — Casey Mittelstadt scored the go-ahead goal on a power play with 4:09 remaining, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1. Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, including into an empty net, and Jack Drury added another empty-netter as the Avalanche moved to 3-0 on their season-long, six-game homestand. Scott Wedgewood was stellar in goal, stopping 32 shots. Defenseman Ryan Lindgren made his Colorado debut after being acquired from the New York Rangers last weekend. Rickard Rakell scored for the Penguins.
