January 23, 2022 1:29 am
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Robbie Gould continued his playoff perfection and moved the San Francisco 49ers one step away from their second Super Bowl appearance in three seasons. Gould kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired on a field littered with snow flurries to give the 49ers a 13-10 victory over the top-seeded Green Bay Packers in an NFC divisional playoff game Saturday night. The 49ers (12-7) continued their postseason hex on Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and advanced to an NFC championship game matchup Jan. 30 on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14-4) or Los Angeles Rams (13-5).
January 23, 2022 1:58 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Cincinnati Bengals just keep ending postseason droughts. Their latest victory has them in their first AFC championship game in 33 years. Rookie Evan McPherson kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired as the fourth-seeded Bengals beat the top-seeded Tennessee Titans 19-16 Saturday to end the NFL’s longest active road playoff skid. A week after ending a 31-year playoff victory drought, the Bengals finally won their first road game in the postseason after losing their first seven. The Bengals intercepted Ryan Tannehill three times. The Titans tied an NFL postseason record with nine sacks. Joe Burrow threw for 348 yards in the win.
January 23, 2022 1:55 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler has retired. The 65-year-old Butler made the announcement less than a week after his 19th season with the Steelers ended in a playoff loss to Kansas City. Butler helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls and reach another while working as the linebackers coach. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2015 and put together a unit that’s led the NFL in sacks each of the past five seasons. Pittsburgh’s defense struggled as a whole, however in 2021. The Steelers finished 24th in yards allowed and were last against the run.
January 22, 2022 3:58 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Frank Cignetti is back for a third coaching stint at Pittsburgh. The Panthers have hired Cignetti as the team’s new offensive coordinator. Cignetti replaces Mark Whipple, who left to take the same position at Nebraska. Cignetti broke into coaching at Pitt in 1989 as a graduate assistant. He also spent two years as the offensive coordinator under former Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt in 2009-10. Cignetti spent the last two seasons calling plays at Boston College.
January 22, 2022 3:57 am
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Sidney Crosby notched his 15th career hat trick and added an assist to lead Pittsburgh over the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 for the Penguins’s fourth straight win. Brian Dumoulin had a goal and two assists, Mike Matheson added a goal and an assist, and Bryan Rust had two assists for Pittsburgh, which has won 15 of its last 17 games. Gus Nyquist and Boone Jenner scored for the Blue Jackets, who have lost four of their last five home games. Casey DeSmith stopped 10 shots in the first period before being pulled and replaced in the second by Tristan Jarry, who stopped all 15 shots he faced. Joonas Korpisalo saved 26 shots in the loss.
January 21, 2022 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby scored, and the streaking Pittsburgh Penguins held off the Ottawa Senators 6-4. Jake Guentzel’s team-best 21st goal of the season was a much-needed empty-netter, as Pittsburgh nearly blew a four-goal lead in the third period. Mike Matheson scored twice, Dominik Simon also had a goal and Tristan Jarry stopped 39 shots for the Penguins, who have won three straight and 14 of 16. Pittsburgh has won 10 in a row at home against Ottawa and has points in 13 consecutive home games versus the Senators dating to Feb. 13, 2013. Drake Batherson had Ottawa’s lone goal in the first two periods, and the Senators trailed 5-1 entering the third. But they scored the next three goals, trimming the deficit to one. Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves in relief for Ottawa.
January 21, 2022 3:52 am
We’ve reached the halfway point of section play in high school basketball with most teams playing each section opponent once. There are a handful of makeup games worked into the second half of the season due to COVID pauses and weather-related cancellations. Only section games count to determine playoff qualifiers. The top four teams in each section earn a spot in the WPIAL playoffs. Here’s a look at where each Washington County team stands as we move into the final two weeks of the regular season.
Boys
6A Canon-McMillan (2-3) and Peters Township (1-4) are on the bottom of the six-team section but each has a win against a team above them. With five games left, they’ll need to beat more than just one team in the top four spots to reach the playoffs.
5A Trinity (0-5) is last in Section 2 and trails the last playoff spot by two games with five to play. The Hillers basically need to go 4-1 the second time through and get some help. Ringgold (1-4) is in fifth place in Section 1, one game out of a playoff spot.
3A Wash High (4-0) leads Section 4 and has two make up games to play. Charleroi (3-2) is in fourth place, three games up on McGuffey (0-5) and Beth-Center (0-5).
2A Fort Cherry (4-1) is one game back of Section 2 leader Carlynton, having lost to the Cougars 38-35 in 3 overtimes. Chartiers-Houston (2-3) sits in 4th place with Burgettstown (0-5) two games back with five left to play. California (2-3) is in 4th place in Section 4, one game ahead of Bentworth (1-4).
1A Avella (0-5) is in last place in Section 2, two games back of the final playoff position.
Girls
6A Peters Township (3-3) is currently in 4th place in Section 2, a half-game up on Baldwin, a team that beat the Indians first time through. Canon-McMillan (0-7) is in last place, three games out of a playoff spot.
5A Trinity (6-0) leads Section 3, cruising through the first time. The Hillers closest game was a 14-point win over Albert Gallatin a week ago. The two meet again Feb. 7 at Trinity. Ringgold (2-3) is currently tied for fourth and has to make up a game vs. Thomas Jefferson, a game that could bump the Rams a game out of the playoffs.
3A Charleroi (2-3) has the best mark of the four county teams in Section 2, and that’s good enough for fourth place. McGuffey (1-4), Bentworth (1-5) and Wash High (0-5) are playoff longshots at best.
2A California (2-2) is in third place in Section 2, 1.5 games up on fourth place Beth-Center, still looking for its first win. The Bulldogs are tied with Carmichaels and Frazier at the bottom of the standings. Burgettstown (4-0) leads Section 3, having gone unbeaten overall until Thursday night’s non-section loss to Laurel. Fort Cherry (3-2) is third, Chartiers-Houston (2-3) fourth, both likely to make the post-season. The Bucs & Rangers play at Fort Cherry Jan. 27.
1A Avella (3-2) is currently third in Section, losing to the top two teams, beating the three teams below them.
January 20, 2022 2:48 am
WPIAL dual meet wrestling regular season ended Wednesday night. Up next, Section Dual Meet Championships next Wednesday night. The League reduced its Team Tournament field to the top two teams in each Sub-Section, meaning there will not be any third-place qualifiers this year. All qualifiers for the Section Duals also advance to the WPIAL Team Tournaments. Brackets for all seven Section Duals are set. Click Here
Class 3A, Section 4A–Defending WPIAL/PIAA champion Waynesburg won the first 10 bouts and rolled to an easy 55-10 win at Canon-McMillan. Both had already clinched spots in the Section Duals.
Class 3A, Section 4B–Peters Township finished the dual meet regular season unbeaten, capped off with a 32-23 win over Bethel Park. Both teams previously clinched spots in the Section Duals. Peters Township will host the Section Duals next week, taking on Canon-McMillan while Bethel Park faces Waynesburg. Hear the 4-AAA Section Duals on WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here
Class 2A, Section 1A–Burgettstown blanked Chartiers-Houston, 78-0 to take the top spot in the Sub-Section. Wash High knocked off Fort Cherry, 34-33, but the Rangers win the three-way tie-breaker against the Little Prexies and Buccaneers with more total bouts won in the three head-to-head dual meets. Fort Cherry takes second place and advancec to the Section Duals.
Class 2A, Section 1A–Beth-Center finished their section schedule with a 46-27 win at McGuffey. The Bulldogs went unbeaten through the Sub-Section. Jeff-Morgan scored a 43-27 win at Frazier, taking second place and a spot in the Section Duals. Beth-Center hosts the Section Duals next week, taking on Fort Cherry while Jeff-Morgan wrestles Burgettstown. We’ll have the 1-AA Section Duals on WJPA-FM (95.3) or Listen Here
January 20, 2022 3:54 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Reece Beekman had 19 points, Jayden Gardner scored 14 and Virginia continued its mastery over Pitt beating the Panthers 66-61. The Cavaliers led 29-25 at halftime, and Kihei Clark’s 3-pointer with 7:29 left gave Virginia a 54-44 lead before Pitt outscored the Cavs 15-7 over the next six minutes and drew within 62-59 on a pair of Femi Odukale foul shots. But Armaan Franklin made a layup with 26 seconds to go and Clark buried two foul shots with nine seconds left and Virginia held on. John Hugley scored 23 points for Pitt.
January 20, 2022 3:53 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins are eager for a chance to become the man who replaces Ben Roethlisberger. The two Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterbacks will be in the mix to take over for Roethlisberger, who is likely retiring after 18 seasons. Rudolph has met with mixed results during his four years filling in for Roethlisberger and says there are too many factors for him to consider himself the favorite. Haskins is attempting to resurrect his career after fading out in less than two seasons in Washington, which took him with the 15th overall pick in the 2019 draft.
