January 23, 2025 4:26 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes does not believe NFL officials are calling games to help his team win. That has been the national discourse following last week’s divisional-round matchup with Houston, in which the Texans were twice penalized for hits on the two-time NFL MVP. Yet most statistical breakdowns show that the opponents of Kansas City have benefited from flags than the Chiefs have over the years, including in games that come down to the wire. Asked whether he believes the Chiefs are getting more than their share of flags, Mahomes replied: “I don’t feel that way.”
January 22, 2025 7:24 am
Trinity boys were up seven with a minute to play in the third quarter only to see Thomas Jefferson score 10 points before the end of the period. The Jaguars then hit 12 of 16 free throws in the final quarter to win, dealing a crushing blow to the Hillers’ playoff hopes. Peters Township boys fell two games off the lead in the section. On the girls side, Ringgold won its first section game this year.
Tuesday, Jan. 21
Girls
5A Thomas Jefferson 70, Trinity 43
5A Peters Township 67, Baldwin 57
4A Ringgold 57, Southmoreland 32
1A Avella at Monessen, postponed to Wednesday, Jan. 29, 5:30 pm
Boys
6A Upper St. Clair 69, Canon-McMillan 15
5A Thomas Jefferson 64, Trinity 60
5A Baldwin 61, Peters Township 57
2A Bentworth at Jeannette, postponed
2A California at Springdale
2A Beth-Center at Jeff-Morgan, postponed
2A Fort Cherry 71, Burgettstown 38
2A Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels, postponed to Wednesday, Jan. 22, 7:30 pm
1A Summit Academy 60, Avella 50
January 21, 2025 12:01 am
Three weeks remain in the high school basketball regular season. Seven boys 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.
Entering 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.
January 22, 2025 4:15 am
An 11-year-old collector in Los Angeles has scooped up a one-of-a-kind baseball card featuring National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes. Now comes the fun part, seeing what the collector could get for it in a trade. The Pittsburgh Pirates have said they’ll offer a package that includes season tickets at PNC Park for 30 years in exchange for the card, which includes Skenes’ autograph and a patch from a game-worn uniform. Skenes’ girlfriend, LSU gymnast and influence Livvy Dunne, has also offered the winner a chance to join her in a luxury suite during one of Skenes’ starts. (PHOTO; Topps)
January 22, 2025 4:18 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese player chosen for baseball’s Hall of Fame, falling one vote shy of unanimous when he was elected along with CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Sabathia was on 342 ballots and Wagner on 325, which was 29 more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. Sabathia and Suzuki were elected in their first appearance on the ballot. Wagner made it on his 10th and final try. The trio will be inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown on July 27 along with Dave Parker and Dick Allen, voted in last month by the classic era committee. Mariano Rivera remains the only player to get 100% of the vote from the BBWAA.
January 22, 2025 4:19 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell have agreed to terms on a multiyear contract extension. The deal reached Tuesday follows a 14-3 regular season that defied external widespread preseason projections of at least a losing record if not a last-place finish in the NFC North. In three seasons with the Vikings, the 39-year-old O’Connell is 34-17 in the regular season and 0-2 in the playoffs. The Vikings didn’t disclose terms of the deal. It was reached with one year remaining on O’Connell’s existing contract.
January 21, 2025 4:35 am
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.
January 21, 2025 4:33 am
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.
January 21, 2025 12:01 am
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.
Entering 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 to Saturday, Feb. 1, 12 noon
1A West Greene at Mapletown, postponed to Tuesday, Jan. 28, 6 pm
January 20, 2025 4:43 am
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in their fourth playoff matchup in five years. Allen ran for two touchdowns and the Bills beat Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens 27-25 in a divisional game Sunday. Mark Andrews dropped a pass from Jackson on a 2-point conversion that would’ve tied it with 1:33 remaining and Buffalo held on for the victory. The Chiefs have defeated the Bills three straight times in the playoffs, including the conference title game four years ago in Kansas City. It’ll be Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles hosting Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in the NFC championship game.
