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.
February 1, 2023 3:55 am
HOUSTON (AP) – DeMeco Ryans has been hired as coach of the Houston Texans, giving him his first head coaching job and bringing him back to the place where he started his playing career. Ryans joins the Texans from the San Francisco 49ers, where he spent the past two seasons as their defensive coordinator.
February 1, 2023 3:56 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Donna Kelce is going to have to pull out her custom jersey – the one with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s front stitched to Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce’s back – one more time this season. For the first time in Super Bowl history, a pair of siblings will square off on the NFL’s biggest stage. Kelce helped the Chiefs return to their third championship game in four seasons on Sunday night when they beat the Bengals for the AFC title. Jason has the Eagles back for the second time in six years after their NFC title win over the 49ers.
January 31, 2023 3:53 am
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) – San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy tore a ligament in his throwing elbow, putting his status for the start of next season in question. A person familiar with the injury confirmed the diagnosis of the injury Purdy sustained in the NFC title game. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not released details on the injury. NFL Network first reported that Purdy tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm and said he will seek a second opinion on whether he needs a repair or a reconstruction.
January 31, 2023 3:55 am
Purdue is this season’s first unanimous No. 1 team in the AP men’s college basketball poll. The Boilermakers have won eight straight games since a one-point loss to Rutgers on Jan. 2. They were followed in the AP Top 25 by Tennessee, Houston, Alabama and Arizona in the top five. No. 11 Baylor and No. 17 Providence made the biggest jumps, each climbing six spots. Auburn had the biggest drop, falling 10 spots to No. 25. No. 21 Indiana and No. 22 San Diego State rejoined the poll at the expense of Charleston and New Mexico.
January 31, 2023 3:54 am
CHICAGO (AP) – Hall of Fame forward Bobby Hull, who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup Final, has died. Hull was 84. The two-time MVP was one of the most prolific scorers in NHL history, leading the league in goals seven times. Nicknamed “The Golden Jet” for his speed and blond hair, he posted 13 consecutive seasons with 30 goals or more from 1959-72. Hull and Stan Mikita powered Chicago to the NHL title in 1961. Hull remains the Blackhawks’ career leader with 62 playoff goals. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983 and his No. 9 sweater was retired by Chicago that same year.
January 30, 2023 3:50 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a first down on his badly sprained right ankle and then was shoved late out of bounds by Joseph Ossai, giving Harrison Butker a chance to kick a 45-yard field goal with 3 seconds left that gave the Kansas City Chiefs a 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC title game. The Chiefs finally beat the Bengals after three straight losses, including a three-point overtime defeat in last year’s conference championship game. They advanced to play the Philadelphia Eagles in their third Super Bowl in four years.
January 30, 2023 3:52 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Jalen Hurts had one of Philadelphia’s four rushing touchdowns and the Eagles soared into the Super Bowl, forcing both of San Francisco’s quarterbacks out of the game with injuries and beating the wounded 49ers 31-7 in the NFC championship game. The Eagles won the Super Bowl five years ago with a different coach and quarterback. They’ll try to do it again behind the formidable duo of Hurts and Nick Sirianni. Philadelphia will play either the Cincinnati Bengals or former Eagles coach Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs. Miles Sanders ran for two touchdowns and linebacker Haason Reddick made the hit that forced 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy out of the game with an elbow injury.
January 30, 2023 10:18 am
DALLAS (AP) – Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, who led the Bulldogs to their second straight national championship, has been arrested in Dallas after police said he was intoxicated and banging on doors. Dallas police said the 25-year-old was arrested Sunday. Police said Bennett was charged with public intoxication and taken to the city detention center. Police said that at about 6:10 a.m., officers responded to reports of a man banging on doors. Last week, Bennett told reporters that he would be training for his pro career in Fort Worth, Texas, located just west of Dallas. Bennett threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores in the first half as No. 1 Georgia demolished No. 3 TCU 65-7 in the national championship game.
January 30, 2023 2:29 am
Boys basketball teams have two weeks (4 play dates) left in the regular season. The top four teams in each section qualify for the playoffs plus any unbreakable ties. Here’s a look at the Washington & Greene County boyss teams (section records):
Class 6A Canon-McMillan (0-6). The Big Macs have been close, suffering 1-point and 2-point losses the first time through section play. Now, CM needs to win out, sitting three games back with four to play.
Class 5A Peters Township (5-1). The Indians share the section lead with Bethel Park. The two meet Feb. 10, the final night of the season, at Peters Township. Trinity (3-3) holds the final playoff spot, having swept Connellsville and beating Ringgold (1-5) the first time through. Barring upsets, the Hillers will qualify and the regular season finale at Ringgold Feb. 10 will determine the Rams’ playoff fate.
Class 3A Wash High (8-1). The Little Prexies have clinched a playoff spot but suffered their first section loss (at Brownsville) Friday night. Still, WHS can clinch a share of the section title with a home win over Yough Tuesday night (WJPA-AM, airtime 7:20 pm). McGuffey (4-4) sits in third place a half-game up on Brownsville, Charleroi (4-5) and a full game ahead of Mt. Pleasant. The Highlanders split their season series with Mt. Pleasant while beating Charleroi and Brownsville the first time through section play. Waynesburg (1-8) is three back with three to play.
Class 2A Ft. Cherry (9-0). The Rangers have clinched a playoff berth and can wrap up a share of the section championship with a home win against Chartiers-Houston (8-1) Friday (WJPA-AM, airtime 7:20 pm). The Bucs have also clinched a post-season spot. Burgettstown (5-3) is comfortably in third place having lost only to the leaders. Bentworth (4-5) holds the fourth spot at the moment, with games left against Carmichaels (3-5), Burgettstown and Beth-Center (0-9). Carmichaels also has games with Frazier and the section leaders. Beth-Center has been eliminated.
Class 1A Section 1 Avella (2-4). The Eagles put themselves in position to make the playoffs with Friday night’s win over Western Beaver, 77-63. The Eagles lost two earlier meetings with the Golden Beavers, 54-41 & 76-37. The teams are tied for fourth place, each having games against the other league teams. Barring upsets, both will go into the tournament as fourth-place finishers
Class 1A Section 2 Jeff-Morgan (4-2). The Rockets are in third place with four games left. J-M is two games ahead of fourth-place Mapletown (2-4), three better than California and West Greene, both 1-5. California visits Mapletown Tuesday (Jan. 31) while West Greene hosts the Maples to close the season.
