AP Source; Cowboys Rework Dak Prescott’s Contract

March 19, 2024 4:28 am

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — A person with knowledge of the move says the Dallas Cowboys are slightly reducing quarterback Dak Prescott’s massive salary cap hit by reworking his contract going into the final year of the deal. A $5 million roster bonus has been converted into a signing bonus to reduce the 2024 cap hit by $4 million. It’s now at $55 million. The Cowboys can create more salary cap relief with an extension for Prescott. He is coming off a wild-card loss at home to Green Bay that dropped his playoff record to 2-5.

Blake Snell & Giants Agree To $62M, 2-Year Contract

March 19, 2024 4:29 am

A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract. Snell has the right to opt out after this season and become a free agent. A 30-year-old left-hander, Snell is 71-55 with a 3.20 ERA in 191 starts over eight major league seasons, winning Cy Youngs in 2018 with Tampa Bay and last year with San Diego.

Crosby Leads Penguins Over Red Wings

March 18, 2024 4:39 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby matched Wayne Gretzky for the seventh-most goals with a single franchise in NHL history, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 6-3. Crosby, Lars Eller, Reilly Smith and Valtteri Puustinen each had a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh, which won for the second time in three games following a four-game losing streak. Michael Bunting and Drew O’Connor also scored. Crosby’s 583rd career goal, his first in 12 games and No. 33 on the season, helped the Penguins keep their playoff hopes alive after dealing star winger Jake Guentzel at the trade deadline.

Duquesne To NCAA Tournament For First Time In 47 Years

March 18, 2024 4:41 am

Duquesne earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time in 47 years, beating fifth-seeded seeded VCU 57-51 to win the Atlantic 10 Tournament championship. The sixth-seeded Dukes (24-11) led by 14 at the half, but bringing home that long-awaited invite to March Madness was a struggle. Duquesne scored only 21 points and shot 5 for 29 from the field in the second half. The small Catholic school in Pittsburgh will head into the NCAA Tournament with an eight-game winning streak. Joe Bamisile led VCU, which was trying to repeat as A-10 tournament champs, with 20 points.

UConn, Houston, Purdue & North Carolina Land Top Seeds

March 18, 2024 4:42 am

Defending champion Connecticut, along with Houston, Purdue and North Carolina are the top seeds in a March Madness bracket that started going haywire even before the pairings came out. Of the four top seeds, only UConn heads into the tournament coming off a win. That played into the Huskies receiving the No. 1 overall seed. The other three top seeds lost in their conference tournaments.

Women’s NCAA Tournament; South Carolina, Iowa, USC & Texas Are Top Seeds

March 18, 2024 4:43 am

South Carolina is the the top overall seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament. The Gamecocks are looking to become the 10th women’s basketball team to go undefeated for an entire season. Caitlin Clark and Iowa also received a No. 1 seed. Both schools are in the Albany Region and wouldn’t potentially face off until the national championship game. Iowa knocked South Carolina out last season in the Final Four. USC and Texas earned the other No. 1 seeds. Tennessee continued its streak of making the tournament every season since it began in 1982.

Fort Cherry to State Semifinals

March 18, 2024 2:00 am

Fort Cherry led by three with 4:45 to play in the third, then put up an 18-5 run to take control of its PIAA 2A boys quarterfinal against Jeannette. The Rangers went on to a 10-point win, clinching their first spot in the state semifinals in 63 years. Fort Cherry was led by Derek Errett’s 25 points. Shane Cornali added 20 and Blake Sweder another 16.  The WJPA Sports Network will have the game for you on WJPA-FM (95.3) and online with video available via the NFHS Network (subscription required).  Click PIAA Brackets

PIAA Quarterfinals
Saturday, March 16
2A Boys Fort Cherry 70. Jeannette 60   Listen/Watch Here
6A Boys Central York 77, Upper St. Clair 60

PIAA Semifinals
Monday March 18
5A Boys Moon Area vs. Franklin Regional, 7 pm at Peters Township

Tuesday, March 19
2A Boys Fort Cherry vs. Aliquippa, 5:15 pm at Pine-Richland, WJPA-FM (95.3)   Listen/Watch Here

Scheffler Goes Back-To-Back In Players Championship Thriller

March 18, 2024 4:44 am

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has become the first player in the 50 years of The Players Championship to win back-to-back. This was the hardest. Not only was he dealing with neck pain all week, he started the final round five shots behind. Scheffler closed with a 64. That matches the lowest final round by a winner. He also tied a Players Championship record with a five-shot comeback. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, British Open champion Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele all finished one shot behind. All of them had their chances over the final three holes to force a playoff.

Ft. Cherry, Upper St. Clair to State Quarters; Bethel Park Beaten

March 15, 2024 12:01 pm

Fort Cherry boys basketball is heading somewhere they’ve not been in more than 60 years. Not since the 1961 state championship run, captained by Marty Schottenheimer, have the Rangers reached the PIAA quarterfinals. Saturday afternoon, at Peters Township and on the WJPA Sports Network, that drought ends. Fort Cherry will face Jeannette in the 2A Boys quarters with only the winner advancing.  We’ll have the game on WJPA-FM (95.3) and online with video available via the NFHS Network (subscription required). Upper St. Clair plays Central York Saturday in the 6A boys third round. Friday night, Moon Area pulled away from Bethel Park late in the third to advance to the 5A boys semifinals. Moon & USC both won WPIAL titles two weeks ago.  Click PIAA Brackets

PIAA Quarterfinals
Friday March 15
5A Boys Moon Area 67, Bethel Park 51

Saturday, March 16
2A Boys Fort Cherry vs. Jeannette, 12:45 pm at Peters Township, WJPA-FM (95.3)   Listen/Watch Here
6A Boys Upper St. Clair vs. Central York, 2 pm at Altoona

Cal U Men Advance, Women Ousted in NCAA Tourney Play

March 16, 2024 7:00 am

Cal U’s KJ McClurg scored 26 points, Jermaine Hall, Jr. added 22 more, as the Vulcans men’s team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional with a 96-80 win over West Virginia State.  #2 Cal U held a six-point lead at the half, then out-pointed the seven seed by 10 after the break. Cal U will meet #3 Charleston (WV) Saturday night (7:30 pm) at the Convocation Center on the California campus in the regional semifinals. The regional final for the men’s tournament will be Tuesday.

The season ended for the Cal U women with a 74-60 loss to Lock Haven in the first round of the Atlantic Regional. Dejah Terrell’s 18 points weren’t enough to extend the Vulncans’ season. Cal U led by a point at the half but outscored 23-15 in the third, 23-16 in the fourth by Lock Haven.