September 8, 2021 3:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt will be available when the defending AFC North champions open the season in Buffalo. The three-time Pro Bowler is entering the final year of his contract and negotiations on a possible extension are ongoing. Watt didn’t play during the preseason and did not participate in 11-on-11 drills during training camp. If Watt for some reason can’t go, veteran Melvin Ingram will likely get the start against the Bills.
September 7, 2021 3:49 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ke’Bryan Hayes and Yoshi Tsutsugo each hit a two-run single during Pittsburgh’s four-run seventh inning, and the Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 6-3 to stop their six-game losing streak. Hayes finished with three hits, and Tsutsugo, Jacob Stallings and Cole Tucker each had two. Kevin Newman hit a two-run homer in the first for Pittsburgh. Niko Goodrum hit a two-run double for Detroit.
September 7, 2021 3:46 am
UNDATED (AP) – Coaching football is the genes for the Sirianni family. Nick Sirianni spent three hours listening to his brother coach Washington and Jefferson College to victory over John Carroll in a Division III college football game Saturday. On Sunday, the entire family will tune in to watch Nick coach his first regular-season game in the NFL when the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Atlanta Falcons. Fran Sirianni is a legendary football coach in New York and a member of the Chautauqua (County) Hall of Fame for his successful career as a head coach at Southwestern High School. His three sons, Mike, Jay and Nick, each coach football at various levels.
September 7, 2021 3:51 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Novak Djokovic was able to turn a lousy opening set into a berth in the U.S. Open quarterfinals. The top-ranked Djokovic pulled out a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 win over American Jenson Brooksby. Djokovic was broken twice in the opening set, which he lost in just 29 minutes. Djokovic converted six of his 12 break points and is now three match victories away from becoming the first male to complete a calendar Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969. Djokovic will next face No. 6 seed Matteo Berrettini, the man he beat to win Wimbledon and give him 20 Grand Slam titles. He’ll break a tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for most major championships by a male if he wins at Flushing Meadows. Berrettini advanced by defeating Oscar Otte, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
September 6, 2021 3:57 am
CHICAGO (AP) – Frank Schwindel hit a go-ahead grand slam, Matt Duffy homered twice, including a grand slam, and the Chicago Cubs outslugged the Pittsburgh Pirates for an 11-8 win. With Chicago trailing 8-7 with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh, Schwindel hit a curveball off reliever Nick Mears to the bleachers in center turn the game around. Duffy also had three hits and Jason Heyward also went deep as the Cubs won their sixth straight. He had just one homer before Sunday.
September 6, 2021 3:58 am
ATLANTA (AP) – Patrick Cantlay has won the FedEx Cup and its $15 million prize. Cantlay had a one-shot lead over Jon Rahm on the final hole of the Tour Championship. With Rahm just behind the green in light rough in two, Cantlay hit a 6-iron to 12 feet. Rahm narrowly missed his chip-in for eagle. That left Cantlay a safe two-putt birdie for a 69. Rahm made $5 million as the runner-up. Cantlay is now a front-runner for player of the year.
September 5, 2021 1:01 am
Justin Heacock completed 23 of 27 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns, all caught by Andrew Wolf as #19 Washington & Jefferson knocked off #11 John Carroll, 21-14, Saturday afternoon in University Heights. The hosts broke a scoreless halftime tie with Demerius Goodwin’s 37-yard spring up the middle. Heacock and Wolf answered two plays later on a 65-yard bomb. The teams combined for just four first downs, two by penalty, over the next five possessions, leading to the end of three quarters. Heacock and connected again, giving the Presidents a lead never surrendered on a 56-yard streak route past the JCU defense. After forcing a short punt, W&J took over at the John Carroll 27-yard line. Joey Koroly carried three times, giving W&J a third down at the seven. Heacock threw a nearly perfect fade to the deep right corner with Wolf making the grab for a 19-0. Koroly caught a conversion pass to give the Presidents a 14-point lead. Two penalties and a long pass play set the Blue Streaks up at the W&J 22 yard line with just under three minutes to play. Jake Floriea scrambled away for a near sack and found Joe Torok open at the goal line. After recovering the onside kick attempt, the Presidents were able to run out the clock and seal the win. The meeting was the first between the two teams since John Carroll left the Presidents Athletic Conference following the 1988 season with W&J winning six straight times.
September 5, 2021 7:39 am
MADISON, Wis. — Penn State’s defense continually stood tall and Wisconsin kept stubbing its toe whenever the Badgers approached the end zone. Those contrasting approaches made the difference Saturday when the 19th-ranked Nittany Lions outlasted No. 12 Wisconsin 16-10 to end the Badgers’ 25-game winning streak in home openers. Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown intercepted Graham Mertz’s passes deep in Penn State territory in the final 2 1/2 minutes. Wisconsin had four scoreless trips inside Penn State’s 25, including three inside the 10. Penn State won despite getting just one first down before halftime and allowing Wisconsin to control possession for over 42 minutes. The victory assured Penn State would have a better start this year after losing its first five games in the pandemic-delayed 2020 season. Brisker picked off a fourth-and-goal pass at Penn State’s 2 and returned it 41 yards with 2:15 left to preserve a 16-10 lead. Brown sealed the victory with an interception on the game’s final play.
September 4, 2021 4:56 am
Most schools in the two-county area played their second games of the 2021 High School Football season Friday. A handful of others played their first. And one county team was supposed to play Friday but did not due to COVID-19 concerns with their opponent.
Maddox Truschel threw three TD passes and ran for another score, leading Fort Cherry to a 45-8 win over Avella. Dylan Rogers caught all three of the scoring passes for the Rangers. Anthony D’Allesandro returned an interception 57 yards for a score, with Nate Heinrendt and Billy Felton adding rushing touchdowns as Fort Cherry evened its record at 1-1. Avella’s only score came in the third quarter, a 10-yard run by quarterback KJ Rush as the Eagles dropped to 0-2.
Peters Township 29, Canon-McMillan 7
West Allegheny 43, Trinity 34
Ringgold 40, Yough 0
McGuffey 44, Brownsville 0
Wash High 60, Jeff-Morgan 0
California 36, Beth-Center 30
Carmichaels 42, Charleroi 7
Waynesburg 64, Bentworth 20
Burgettstown 20, West Greene 0
Fort Cherry 45, Avella 8
Mapletown 20, Northgate 14
Riverview at Chartiers-Houston postponed (COVID)
September 5, 2021 7:37 am
CHICAGO — Rookie Frank Schwindel hustled hard and sprawled for an RBI single that capped a three-run rally with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Chicago Cubs over the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6 Saturday for their fifth straight win. Schwindel had three hits, including a solo home run that sailed into Wrigley Field’s left-field video board. He has five homers in six games and 10 this season. Alfonso Rivas singled home a run in the ninth that drew the Cubs within 6-5 and Rafael Ortega’s third hit of the game tied it when right fielder Ben Gamel couldn’t make a diving catch. With runners on second and third, Schwindel hit a grounder that shortstop Kevin Newman gloved in the hole. Newman pivoted and made a midair throw to first that was wide, and Colin Moran came off the base to catch it. Schwindel made a dive into the bag and narrowly avoided the tag. The play withstood a video review, handing the Pirates their fifth straight loss.
