October 17, 2021 7:45 am
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Kenny Pickett threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a score to lead Pittsburgh to a 28-7 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday. Pickett threw touchdown passes of 8 yards to Gavin Bartholomew and 36 yards to Jared Wayne, and he scored on a 3-yard run — all in the first half — as the Panthers (5-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) won their third straight game. Pittsburgh, which won in Blacksburg for the first time since 2015, moved into sole possession of first place in the ACC’s Coastal Division. Pickett, arguably the leader for ACC Player of the Year at the season’s halfway point, now has thrown 21 touchdown passes and just one interception. He completed 22 of 37 for 203 yards.
October 16, 2021 1:10 am
Chartiers-Houston held McGuffey to one score and handed the Highlanders their first Century Conference loss of the year. Wash High returned to play after missing the past two weeks and rolled Charleroi to remain atop the conference. Ft. Cherry stayed in control of their own destiny in the Big Seven Conference, needing just one more win to clinch a playoff spot. Burgettstown downed Northgate, the Blue Devils first win in league play. Avella trailed most of the night but rallied past Bentworth to get their first win of the year, snapping an 8-game losing streak. West Greene and Carmichaels both won, clinching Tri-County South playoff spots.
Canon-McMillan jumped in front 14-0 but couldn’t hold off North Allegheny, leaving the Big Macs clinging to the last Quad County playoff position. A week ago, Peters Township just missed beating #1 Moon but the Indians were soundly handled by Bethel Park, leaving Peters Township winless in Allegheny Six play. Ringgold and Trinity lost to Big Eight leaders, the Rams all but eliminated. Trinity, meanwhile, remains in control of its own playoff destiny, clinching with wins over Laurel Highlands and Ringgold to finish the year.
Week 7 schedule/results:
6A North Allegheny 36, Canon-McMillan 14
5A Bethel Park 38, Peters Township 8
4A Belle Vernon 49, Trinity 0
4A Thomas Jefferson 42, Ringgold 0
2A Wash High 55, Charleroi 0
2A Chartiers-Houston 13, McGuffey 7
2A Frazer at Beth-Center, PPD
1A Burgettstown 17, Northgate 14
1A Ft. Cherry 26, Union 14
1A Avella 30, Bentworth 21
1A Carmichaels 35, California 20
1A Mapletown 43, Jeff-Morgan 12
1A West Greene 28, Monessen 14
October 16, 2021 4:02 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Atlantic Coast Conference can potentially take a step toward clarity in the Coastal Division when Pittsburgh visits Virginia Tech this weekend. They are the only teams on that side of the league still unbeaten in ACC play. The winner Saturday gets a clear upper hand in the race for the division title. The Panthers are coming off a bye and lead the nation in scoring (52.4 ppg), are third in total offense (554.4 ypg) and fourth in passing offense (389 ypg). The Hokies are coming off a 32-29 loss to No. 14 Notre Dame and begin a stretch of seven consecutive weeks facing league opponents.
October 17, 2021 4:03 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers will try to prove their offensive breakout against Denver wasn’t a fluke when they host Seattle. The Steelers put together their most complete game of the season in beating the Broncos. They’ll get a chance to build on it against a Seahawks defense that ranks as the worst in the NFL. Seattle will play without star quarterback Russell Wilson, who is out several weeks after undergoing finger surgery. Geno Smith will make his first start since 2017 while filling in for Wilson. Both teams come in with a 2-3 record.
October 16, 2021 4:04 am
HOUSTON (AP) – Jose Altuve did a nice job atoning for a run-scoring error as the Houston Astros took Game 1 of the AL Championship Game against the Boston Red Sox. Altuve crushed a game-tying, two-run homer in the sixth inning before Carlos Correa’s blast put the Astros ahead to stay in a 5-4 win over the Red Sox. Altuve also lifted a sacrifice fly that gave Houston a 5-3 edge heading into the ninth. The insurance run came in handing after Kike Hernandez smacked his second home run of the night and fourth hit. Altuve’s miscue contributed to a three-run third that put the Red Sox ahead. He also became the fourth player in major league history with 20 career postseason home runs. Neither starting pitcher got out of the third inning. Boston’s Chris Sale was lifted with two out in the third. Framber Valdez was chased in the third. Ryne Stanek retired one batter in the seventh to pick up the win. Ryan Pressly notched the save and Hansel Robles took the loss. Game 2 is Saturday in Houston. Astros ace Lance McCullers Jr. has been left off the team’s ALCS roster. The right-hander left Game 4 of Houston’s win at Chicago this week after four innings because of forearm tightness.
October 15, 2021 3:44 am
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) – Carter Verhaeghe scored his second goal of the night 1:37 into overtime, and the Florida Panthers rallied from two goals down late in the third period to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Thursday night. Aaron Ekblad scored the two late goals to get Florida into overtime, and Verhaeghe finished it off moments after Sergei Bobrovsky stoned Evan Rodrigues on a breakaway. Bobrovsky made 43 saves for Florida. Jeff Carter got the 400th goal of his career for Pittsburgh. Jake Guentzel scored from behind the net for Pittsburgh, which also got goals from Danton Heinen and Rodrigues along with 34 saves from Casey DeSmith.
October 15, 2021 3:48 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The Los Angeles Dodgers have finally defeated the San Francisco Giants in a winner-take-all series. The Dodgers are in the NLCS after rallying in the ninth inning to beat the Giants, 2-1. The Dodgers can finally celebrate a postseason series win over their bitter rivals after the Giants captured best-of-3 series in 1951 and 1962 to decide the National League pennant.
Cody Bellinger broke a 1-1 deadlock with an RBI single that scored Justin Turner, who started the rally by getting hit by a pitch with one out. Neither team scored until Corey Seager singled home a run in the sixth inning. Darin Ruf quickly responded with a solo blast in the bottom half. Ruf’s blast came off Julio Urias, who gave up just two other hits over four innings of relief. Kenley Jansen got the win with help from Max Scherzer’s save. Giants starter Logan Webb struck out seven and allowed a run and four hits over seven innings. The Dodgers head to Atlanta for Game 1 on Saturday.
October 15, 2021 3:49 am
UNDATED (AP) – The St. Louis Cardinals have fired manager Mike Shildt, one week after the team lost to the Dodgers in the NL wild-card game. Cardinals president John Mozeliak said the firing was “something that popped up recently,” but he refused to expand on what he called “philosophical differences” between Shildt, the coaching staff and the front office. The Redbirds went on a team-record, 17-game winning streak last month and made the postseason with 90 victories. They were 252-199 after Shildt took over for manager Mike Matheny during the 2018, winning the NL Central in 2019 and reaching the playoffs the last three seasons.
October 15, 2021 3:51 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are heading to their bye week with a 5-1 record after holding off the Philadelphia Eagles. Tom Brady and Leonard Fournette each accounted for two touchdowns as the Buccaneers topped the Eagles, 28-22. Brady tossed TD passes on Tampa Bay’s first two drives while going 11 for 12 for 121 yards. He finished 34 of 42 for 297 yards and an interception. Tampa increased its lead to 28-7 when Fournette walked in from the 1 in the third quarter. It was his second scoring run of the game. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts ran for two touchdowns but had trouble passing the ball, completing just 12 of 26 for 155 yards. Philadelphia is 2-4.
October 14, 2021 3:45 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for life without wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. The popular Smith-Schuster is out for the season after injuring his right shoulder in a win over Denver last weekend. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says no single player can replace Smith-Schuster, adding it will take a group effort. Smith-Schuster developed a reputation as one of the league’s tougher wide receivers and was often Roethlisberger’s most trusted target on third downs. James Washington figures to see an uptick in playing time in Smith-Schuster’s absence. The Steelers host Seattle in Week 6.
