Girls Hoops–One Week to Go

February 2, 2023 2:50 am

Most girls basketball teams have two games left in section play.  The top four teams in each section qualify for the WPIAL playoffs, plus any unbreakable ties.  Here’s an up-to-date look at the 19 Washington & Greene County girls teams (section records):

Class 6A Peters Township (3-6) was in good shape until the current three-game losing skid. The Indians now find themselves a half-game out of the playoffs with three games to play.  Canon-McMillan (1-8) staved off elimination with a win over Bethel Park earlier this week.

Class 5A Trinity (7-1) has a playoff spot in hand with games remaining against section leader South Fayette and #3 Lincoln Park.

Class 4A Ringgold (2-8) was eliminated from the playoff chase with Thursday’s setback against Uniontown.

Class 3A Waynesburg (7-1) has clinched a share of the section title and a playoff spot. Charleroi (4-4) is in fourth place, one game ahead of McGuffey (3-5). Charleroi plays winless Brownsville before hosting McGuffey. The Highlanders have to beat Yough (5-3) to have the final game of the season matter.

Class 2A Section 2 Burgettstown (8-0) has clinched a berth and will clinch at least of the section title with any win (at Brentwood, vs. Carlynton).  Fort Cherry (4-4) has clinched a playoff spot.

Class 2A Section 4 Wash High (10-0) has clinched a share of the section title and a playoff berth. Chartiers-Houston (9-2), California (7-3) and Carmichaels (5-5) have all clinched while Bentworth (2-9) and Beth-Center (1-9) have been eliminated.

Class 1A West Greene (6-2) had won 70+ straight section games before losing to Avella last week. Now, the Pioneers have dropped two in a row and fallen out of first place. West Greene has clinched a berth along with Avella (5-3). Mapletown (2-6) and Jeff-Morgan (0-8) have been eliminated.

Blue Devils, Big Macs, Raiders Roll to WPIAL Team Semis

February 2, 2023 2:56 am

Semifinal matchups are set for the WPIAL Wrestling Team Tournaments.  2A-#1 Burgettstown, 3A-#2 Canon-McMillan and 3A-#1 Waynesburg rolled through Wednesday night’s qualifiers. McGuffey & Jeff-Morgan (both 2A) and Trinity & Peters Township (3A) were all eliminated. Chartiers-Houston hosts the 2A Semifinals/Finals, Saturday, starting at 12 noon.  The 3A Semifinals/Finals are set for Peters Township Saturday with a 10 am start. We’ll have all of Saturday’s action on WJPA and online. WPIAL Brackets  CLICK HERE

Saturday, Feb. 4
Class 3A Semifinals at Peters Township (10:00 am) WJPA-AM (1450) Listen Here
#1 Waynesburg vs. #4 Connellsville
#2 Canon-McMillan vs. #11 Hempfield

Class 3A Finals (12 noon)
Championship  Semifinal winners
Third-Place  Semifinal losers

Class 2A Semifinals at Chartiers-Houston (12 noon) WJPA-FM (95.3) Listen Here
#1 Burgettstown
vs. #5 Frazier
#2 Quaker Valley vs. #3 Burrell

Class 2A Finals (2:00 pm)
Championship  Semifinal winners
Third-Place  Semifinal losers

Former Steelers Running Back Sidney Thornton Dies

February 3, 2023 5:50 am

Thornton was a second-round selection by the Steelers in 1977 out of Northwestern State, a small school in Shreveport, Louisiana. The New Orleans native played all six of his NFL seasons with the Black and Gold, and was a member of the Super Bowl XIII and XIV championship teams in 1979 and 1980. Thornton gained 86 total yards and scored his first postseason touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the 1979 divisional game. He also caught a 22-yard pass in Super Bowl XIV against the Los Angeles Rams.

Hurts Ready For Historic Super Bowl Matchup With Mahomes

February 3, 2023 3:51 am

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is ready for a big matchup in the Super Bowl. The Eagles can win their second Super Bowl in franchise history with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Hurts and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes are both Texas natives. They are both NFL MVP finalists. And they will be the first Black QBs to face off in a Super Bowl. The Chiefs beat the Eagles in October 2021 when Hurts threw for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Mahomes threw for five.

Bengals Running Back Charged With Threatening Woman

February 3, 2023 3:49 am

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon has been charged in a warrant with pointing a gun at a woman and threatening her. Mixon faces a misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing, according to documents filed Thursday in Hamilton County Municipal Court and obtained by The Associated Press. No attorney is listed for him in court records. According to the warrant, Mixon pointed the gun at the woman and told her, “You should be popped in the face. I should shoot you, the police (can’t) get me.” The incident occurred on Jan. 21, the day before the Bengals beat the Buffalo Bills in a divisional-round playoff game.

Wrestling Team Tourneys to First Round, Quarters

February 1, 2023 11:51 pm

WPIAL Wrestling Team Tournaments hit full speed tonight with 16 teams vying for championships in each class. The top four seeds in each bracket host four-team groups in Wednesday for first round and quarterfinals. We’ll have the Canon-McMillan matches on WJPA-AM (1450) with the Trinity and Peters Township matches from Butler on WJPA-FM (95.3). The survivors of each of those groups moves to the WPIAL Semifinals/Finals, Saturday, Feb. 4, at Peters Township (Class 3A starting at 10 am) and Chartiers-Houston (Class 2A starting at 12 noon).  WPIAL Brackets  CLICK HERE

Wednesday, Feb. 1
Class 2A
First Round at #1 Burgettstown
Burgettstown 70, Southmoreland 6
Mt. Pleasant 38, Montour 28
Quarterfinal
Burgettstown 42, Mt. Pleasant 25

First Round at #2 Quaker Valley
Quaker Valley 42, Jeff-Morgan 36
McGuffey 35, Freedom 34
Quarterfinal
Quaker Valley 44, McGuffey 21

First Round at #3 Burrell
Burrell 71, Knoch 3
Laurel 57, Central Valley 12
Quarterfinal
Burrell 39, Laurel 19

First Round at #4 Highlands
Highlands 42, Indiana 33
Frazier 48, Hopewell 12
Quarterfinal
Frazier 45, Highlands 30

Class 3A
First Round at #1 Waynesburg
Waynesburg 54, Fox Chapel 9
Plum 32, North Allegheny 22
Quarterfinal
Waynesburg 48, Plum 14

First Round at #2 Canon-McMillan
Canon-McMillan 49, Penn-Trafford 15
Norwin 36, Greater Latrobe 30
Quarterfinal
Canon-McMillan 56, Norwin 9

First Round at #3 Butler
Butler 41, Peters Township 26
Hempfield 34, Trinity 33 (Crit. D–Most Wins 7-6)
Quarterfinal
Hempfield 32, Butler 31

First Round at #4 Connellsville
Connellsville 46, Franklin Regional 18
West Allegheny 44, Pine-Richland 19
Quarterfinal
Connellsville 36, West Allegheny 24

Pitt Holds Off North Carolina

February 2, 2023 3:56 am

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — On Wednesday night, Pitt took down North Carolina for the second time this season after Jamarius Burton sank the game-tying and game-winning free throws with seconds remaining on the clock.  With 24 seconds to go trailing by one, Pitt head coach Jeff Capel called for the ball right to go right to Burton out of a timeout. After Burton got the matchup that he liked, he took the ball inside on a drive and was fouled on his floater attempt. After hitting both clutch free throws, Burton and the Panthers had retaken the lead. North Carolina’s Caleb Love missed his game-winning attempt with .6 remaining, with Nike Sibande in his face and getting a piece of the shot.  Burton finished with 19 points and five rebounds in the win, and Pitt guard Nelly Cummings led the team with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting.

Eagles Reserve Lineman Accused Of Rape

February 2, 2023 3:49 am

CAMBRIDGE, Ohio (AP) – Philadelphia Eagles reserve offensive lineman Josh Sills has been indicted on rape and kidnapping charges that stem from an incident in Ohio just over three years ago. The NFL on Wednesday put the rookie who has played just four snaps this season on the commissioner’s exempt list. That means he can’t practice, play or travel with the Eagles as they prepares for the Super Bowl. A grand jury indicted Sills earlier this week. His attorney said Wednesday that the allegations are false. Sills is due in court on Feb. 16, four days after the Eagles are to play Kansas City in the Super Bowl.

Tom Brady Retires Again

February 1, 2023 8:42 am

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Tom Brady has announced his retirement. Brady won a record seven Super Bowls for New England and Tampa. He is the most successful quarterback in NFL history and one of the greatest athletes in team sports. He posted the announcement on social media in a brief video lasting just under one minute. He says this time it’s for good.

AP Source; Broncos Get Sean Payton As Coach

February 1, 2023 3:54 am

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – A person with knowledge of the pact tells The Associated Press that the Denver Broncos have agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Saints to hire Sean Payton as their head coach. The person says the Broncos will send a first-round pick in this year’s draft and a future second-rounder to the Saints in order to get Payton in Denver. The Saints will send a third-round pick to the Broncos. Payton stepped down as the Saints’ coach last year but remained under contract with the team. The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn’t announced the agreement.