Brian Shottenheimer Named Cowboys Head Coach

January 28, 2025 4:36 am

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Brian Schottenheimer says he’s “ready” to be coach of the Dallas Cowboys after a long career as an NFL assistant. The son of late NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer says he has had previous opportunities to pursue head coaching jobs but didn’t think he was ready. The younger Schottenheimer’s chance with the Cowboys comes after 25 years in the league with a handful of college seasons as well. The 51-year-old is the 10th coach in the history of the storied franchise. He’s the seventh hired by owner Jerry Jones since the last time the Cowboys reached an NFC championship game 29 years ago.

WPIAL Team Tourney Preliminaries

January 28, 2025 1:01 am

The WPIAL Wrestling Team Tournaments got underway Monday evening with five Washington County teams involved in preliminary matches. Avella was the only winner and advances to the Sweet 16/Quarterfinals on Wednesday. The semifinals/finals are scheduled for Peters Township, Saturday, Feb. 1. We’ll have coverage on-air and online through the tournament continuing with Wednesday action at McGuffey and Thomas Jefferson. Video coverage will be through NFHS Network (subscription required) under agreements with WPIAL/PIAA.  Click for WPIAL Brackets

Monday, Jan. 27–Preliminaries
Class 2A at Bentworth
Elizabeth-Forward 53. Chartiers-Houston 46
Avella 48, Bentworth 27

Class 3A at Shaler Area
Moon Area 37, Peters Township 26
Shaler Area 38, Ringgold 36

Auburn, Duke Top Men’s AP Top 25

January 28, 2025 4:37 am

Auburn is the unanimous No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the second consecutive week. The top five was unchanged with Duke at No. 2, followed by Iowa State, Alabama and Florida. Texas Tech and Vanderbilt are in the Top 25 for the first time this season at the expense of Michigan and West Virginia. UConn fell to No. 25 but managed to extend its poll streak to 52 consecutive weeks.

Mahomes Leads Chiefs Back To Super Bowl…Again

January 27, 2025 4:33 am

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes accounted for three touchdowns and the Kansas City defense made big stops at key moments to help the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills 32-29 on Sunday night and reach the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season. Now, they will face the Philadelphia Eagles and try to become the first team ever to hoist three straight Lombardi Trophies. Harrison Butker gave them the lead with his field goal with 3:33 left, and the Kansas City defense stopped Josh Allen and Co. on fourth down, allowing the Chiefs offense to run out the clock on their ninth consecutive playoff victory.

Hurts & Barkley Lead Eagles Over Commanders

January 27, 2025 4:38 am

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley dashed 60 yards for a touchdown on Philadelphia’s first play and finished with 118 yards and three scores, Jalen Hurts rushed for three TDs and the Eagles soared into the Super Bowl with a 55-23 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Hurts and the Eagles are in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons, and this time Barkley is along for the ride. Philadelphia will play former Eagles coach Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans on Feb. 9.

Girls Basketball Stretch Drive, Jan. 26

January 26, 2025 12:02 am

Two weeks remain in the high school basketball regular season. Sections with eight teams will send five teams to the WPIAL playoffs. All other sections will send the top four teams into the post-season. The League is set to announce the playoff brackets on Monday, Feb. 10. Here’s a detailed look at playoff possibilities for girls teams from Washington/Greene Counties.

6A Canon-McMillan one game back of co-leaders Upper St. Clair and Norwin. Three games ahead of the cutline with four games to play.

5A Peters Township is the top-ranked team and has clinched a playoff spot. Trinity is 1.5 games behind Baldwin for the fourth spot. The teams split their two-game season series.

4A Ringgold is just 1-7 and hasn’t played section leader Elizabeth-Forward yet. The Rams trail Yough by two games for the final spot and have to pass the Cougars to qualify.

3A McGuffey, Wash High and Waynesburg are battling Brownsville for two spots. The Highlanders are 5-3, good for third place behind Seton-La Salle and Keystone Oaks. McGuffey has four games remaining, including one against the other three teams in the battle.  The Little Prexies are 4-5 and have games against the top three teams. The Raiders are 3-4 with five games to play. Waynesburg also has to face the top three teams, plus Brownsville and last-place Charleroi. The Cougars (0-8) and can not qualify for the playoffs.

2A Fort Cherry leads Section 2 and has clinched a playoff spot. Burgettstown has rebounded from a 1-3 start to move into third place with four games to play. The Blue Devils are 1.5 games ahead of 5th place Carlynton.

2A Chartiers-Houston leads Section 3 at 5-0, two games up on Beth-Center and California. The Bucs have clinched a playoff spot. Bentworth holds 4th place, two games up on Carmichaels and Jeff-Morgan.

1A West Greene is 3-5, tied with Bishop Canevin for the last two playoff spots. The Pioneers have six games left over the next two weeks. Avella is a half-game back and has games left with four of the top five teams. Mapletown is 1-8, 2.5 games back of the tie for the final spot.

Boys Basketball Stretch Drive, Jan. 26

January 26, 2025 12:01 am

Two weeks remain in the high school basketball regular season. Sections with eight teams will send five teams to the WPIAL playoffs. All other sections will send the top four teams into the post-season. The League is set to announce the playoff brackets on Monday, Feb. 10. Here’s a detailed look at playoff possibilities for boys teams from Washington/Greene Counties.

6A Canon-McMillan is in 7th place at 1-9. The Big Macs must win out and get some help to qualify.

5A Peters Township is 5-3, two games behind co-leaders Baldwin and South Fayette. The Indians clinch  a playoff spot with one more win. Trinity is 3-6 and in 5th place, with games against Peters, South Fayette and Ringgold. Trinity must sweep to qualify. Ringgold is winless in the section.

3A McGuffey is in 2nd place in Section 2, tied with Keystone Oaks, two games back of Bishop Canevin. Wash High is tied for 4th with Carlynton. The two meet at Carlynton on Feb. 4. The Cougars beat the Little Prexies, 59-52, Jan. 10.

3A Waynesburg is 4-1, one game behind Southmoreland for the Section 4 lead. Charleroi is 2-4 and in 4th place, a half-game ahead of Brownsville. The two meet at Brownsville on Feb. 4.

2A Bentworth is 4-5 in Section 1 and pulled even with Springdale for the final playoff spots with Friday’s 70-58 home win. The Bearcats have games against the top three teams and the bottom two. California is 0-9.

2A Section 3 has Chartiers-Houston (8-1) in 1st place with Jeff-Morgan (8-2) a half-game back. Fort Cherry and West Greene are both 7-3, tied for third, two games up on Beth-Center (5-5). The Bucs, Rockets, Rangers and Pioneers have all clinched. The Bulldogs currently hold the fifth and final playoff spot and clinch that spot with one win or losses by Burgettstown and Carmichaels. Burgettstown and Carmichaels, both 2-8, are three games back with four games to play. Mapletown is 0-10 in section.

1A Avella is 1-4 and trails Beaver County Christian by 1.5 games for the final playoff berth. The Eagles host BCC on the final night of the regular season.

Penguins Lose in Seattle

January 26, 2025 8:19 am

SEATTLE (AP) — Vince Dunn scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period, and Eeli Tolvanen and Matty Beniers both scored in the third as the Seattle Kraken beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 on Saturday.  Dunn’s goal came on a 5-on-3 power play and broke a 1-1 tie.  After a scoreless first, Oliver Bjorkstrand put the Kraken ahead with a goal 2:16 into the second period. Sidney Crosby scored his 14th goal of the season just over two minutes later.  Chandler Stephenson and Jared McCann each had two assists for Seattle, and Joey Daccord made 28 saves for Seattle.  Kris Letang and Rickard Rakell had one assist each for the Penguins, while goalie Joel Blomqvist had 21 stops.  Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin left the game midway through the first period with a lower-body injury.

Basketball Friday, Jan. 24

January 25, 2025 4:15 am

The intensity of playoff races increases as the number of remaining section play dates dwindles for area high school basketball teams. Friday presented a full slate of boys games in addition to a pair of girls games. By the end of the week, most teams in the WPIAL will have just four section games left in their quest to make the playoffs.

Friday, Jan. 24
Girls
6A Canon-McMillan 45, Upper St. Clair 38. Big Macs pull within one game of first place
1A Avella 34, Mapletown 20. Eagles are in 6th place, just a half game back of a tie for the final playoff spots. Maples are 2.5 games off the pace.

Boys
6A Mt. Lebanon 76, Canon-McMillan 45. Big Macs fall 4.5 games out of final playoff spot.
5A Baldwin 88, Trinity 58. Hillers on brink of elimination, need to sweep South Fayette, Peters Township & Ringgold.
5A Bethel Park 55, Ringgold 47. Rams are winless in the section
3A McGuffey 67, Carlynton 39. Highlanders are tied for 2nd with Keystone Oaks, now two games ahead of Wash High & Carlynton.
3A Bishop Canevin 59, Wash High 40. Crusaders have a two-game lead on McGuffey. Little Prexies are tied with Carlynton in 4th place.
3A Southmoreland 61, Charleroi 35. Cougars sit in 4th place, a half-game up on Brownsville for the final playoff berth.
3A Waynesburg 68, Brownsville 59. Raiders are in 2nd place, one game back of Southmoreland.
2A Bentworth 70, Springdale 58. Bearcats pull even with Dynamos for the 5th and final playoff berth.
2A Greensburg Central Catholic 77, California 20. Trojans are winless in the section.
2A Chartiers-Houston 49, West Greene 40. Bucs are in 1st place, One game up on Jeff-Morgan, two better than Fort Cherry & West Greene.
2A Fort Cherry 58, Beth-Center 34. Rangers pull into tie for third with West Greene, one game back of Jeff-Morgan in second. Bulldogs holds the 5th playoff spot.
2A Burgettstown 63, Carmichaels 36. Blue Devils & Mikes are tied for 6th, 3.5 games out of the playoff picture with four games left.
2A Jeff-Morgan 62, Mapletown 13. Rockets are tied with West Greene, one game back of Chartiers-Houston. Maples are 0-16.
1A Nazareth Prep 58, Avella 38. Eagles are currently fifth, 1.5 games behind Beaver County Christian for the final berth.

Young Pirates Fan Turns Down Offer For Skenes Rookie Card

January 25, 2025 4:11 am

(AP) – The young collector who scored a one-of-a-kind baseball card featuring National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes has turned down a trade offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Topps announced the 11-year-old from the Los Angeles area had declined the deal and instead was going to put the card — which features Skenes’ autograph and a patch from a game-worn jersey, had been found — up for auction. The Pirates had put together a package that included 30 years’ worth of season tickets behind home plate at PNC Park and the chance to play a softball game on the field in exchange for the card.