December 1, 2023 3:49 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping their offense can take another step forward when they host struggling Arizona. The Steelers piled up 421 yards in a win over Cincinnati in Week 12, their highest total in three years. Quarterback Kenny Pickett says it’s time for those yards to translate into points. Pittsburgh is 7-4 as December begins despite an offense that ranks 28th in the league in scoring. The Cardinals offer a chance for the Steelers to find the end zone. Arizona is 31st in the league in scoring defense. The Cardinals gave up 37 points in a loss to the Rams last week that dropped them to 2-10.
November 29, 2023 3:00 am
Sport-by-sport school listings have been posted by PIAA for the next two-year cycle, covering the 2024-2025 & 2025-2026 school years. Some changes to these lists are still possible due to enrollment appeals, schools’ opportunities to decide to “play up” in classification, and the application of PIAA’s competition formula following this year’s championships. PIAA Enrollment Reports
One of the appeals to be heard next Wednesday by the PIAA Board of Directors is Charleroi’s request for relief from a tabulation error that resulted in the district reporting more students than are actually enrolled. Charleroi administration caught the error of 30 too many boys and 30 too many girls when the PIAA released Classification Parameters earlier this month. The District asked PIAA Headquarters to adjust for the error but was told it was past the published deadline and would have to be appealed to the Board of Directors. Woodland Hills is in a similar situation and has appealed its placement. Historically, the PIAA Board has denied such requests. If Charleroi fails in its appeal, its football team would move up to Class 3A. Boys & girls soccer, baseball & softball will be moving up in class regardless of the appeal.
Here are the other changes for the next two-year cycle:
Beth-Center girls volleyball and softball move down to 1A
Burgettstown girls volleyball moves up to 2A
California boys basketball, baseball and softball move up to 2A
Charleroi football, baseball and softball move up to 3A, boys & girls soccer move up to 2A
Chartiers-Houston girls volleyball and softball move up to 2A
Fort Cherry baseball moves up to 2A
McGuffey football moves up to 3A
Peters Township girls basketball moves down to 5A
Ringgold girls soccer moves down to 2A
Wash High baseball, girls basketball and softball move up to 3A
Jeff-Morgan girls basketball moves up to 2A
Waynesburg softball moves down to 2A
West Greene boys basketball moves up to 2A
November 30, 2023 4:00 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson says he needs to do a better job of getting control of his emotions going forward. Cameras caught Johnson standing idly by during a teammate’s fumble early in a victory over Cincinnati. Johnson had let a potential touchdown pass slip through his hands on the previous play, and his frustration bled over to a lack of effort that caught the attention of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Johnson says he’s not perfect and the one mistake does not define him as a player.
November 30, 2023 4:04 am
There could be some awkward trophy ceremonies around college football’s championship weekend. From the Pac-12, where the winner is guaranteed to be one of the schools that helped collapse the conference, to the Big 12, where the commissioner was outwardly rooting against the favorite to win the championship game, to the Big Ten, where Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and the commissioner who suspended him could be sharing a stage, awkward handshakes are highly likely. The games themselves should provide high drama, too, as seven teams fight for four playoff spots.
November 29, 2023 3:39 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Filip Forsberg scored 14 seconds into overtime to give the Nashville Predators their sixth straight victory, 3-2 over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Michael McCarron scored twice and Juuse Saros made 29 saves for Nashville. Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust scored and Tristan Jarry made 23 saves for the Penguins, who have lost three of four. Forsberg skated the length of the ice and beat Jarry on the glove side for the game-winner. As Forsberg crossed the blue line, Nashville’s Ryan O’Reilly collided with Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, creating space for Forsberg to skate into the slot.
November 29, 2023 3:41 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sean East II scored 21 points to lead four in double-figure scoring as Missouri beat Pittsburgh 71-64 in the ACC/SEC Challenge. Noah Carter added 13 points and eight rebounds for Missouri (6-2). Tamar Bates scored 12 points and Caleb Grill chipped in 10. East made three shots and Bates and Grill hit two apiece from long range. Blake Hinson made five 3-pointers and finished with 22 point for Pitt (5-2). Missouri had a 10-point lead with 5:21 remaining. Hinson made a pair of 3s during an 8-0 surge to cut the Pitt deficit to 64-62 with 2:30 left.
November 29, 2023 3:46 am
The four-team College Football Playoff is going out with the most crowded field of contenders and the most consequential championship weekend in the 10-year history of the system. Eight teams have at least a glimmer of hope to make the field. The penultimate CFP rankings were released Tuesday. Georgia remained No. 1. Michigan moved up a spot to second after beating Ohio State. Unbeaten Washington was third, followed by unbeaten Florida State. Oregon remained fifth, Ohio State slipped to No. 6, Texas was seventh and Alabama eighth. The field for the playoff will be announced Sunday.
November 28, 2023 4:44 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Cairo Santos made a 30-yard field goal for Chicago with 10 seconds left for his fourth of the game after a miss on the opening drive, and the Bears had four interceptions of Joshua Dobbs in a defense-dominated 12-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Justin Fields lost two fumbles in the fourth quarter. With excellent protection on third-and-10 near midfield he hit D.J. Moore for 36 yards to put the Bears at the 13 with 55 seconds left. They drained the clock to set up the winning kick and stop a 12-game losing streak against NFC North opponents.
November 28, 2023 4:46 am
The St. Louis Cardinals agreed with AL Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray on a $75 million, three-year contract to anchor their staff heading into next season. Gray’s deal includes a $30 million team option for 2027 with a $5 million buyout, which could make the agreement worth $100 million over four seasons. The 34-year-old Gray went 8-8 with a 2.79 ERA for Minnesota last season. He turned down a qualifying offer from the Twins, and St. Louis will lose its second-highest draft pick next year for signing him. The Cardinals went 71-91 last season.
November 28, 2023 4:40 am
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Hall of Fame players Jeff Bagwell, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Ted Simmons and Jim Thome are among 16 members of the contemporary era committee that will consider an eight-man Hall of Fame ballot that includes managers Jim Leyland, Lou Piniella, Cito Gaston and Davey Johnson. Manager Joe Torre and Commissioner Bud Selig also are on the committee that convenes Sunday along with Sandy Alderson, Bill DeWitt, Michael Hill, Ken Kendrick, Andy MacPhail, Phyllis Merhige, Sean Forman, Jack O’Connell and Jesus Ortiz. The ballot also includes umpires Joe West and Ed Montague, former National League President Bill White and former general manager Hank Peters.
