December 7, 2019 4:24 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Tristan Jarry spoiled Phil Kessel’s return to Pittsburgh. He turned aside all 33 shots he faced to post his second straight shutout and lead the Penguins to a 2-0 victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Kessel received a standing ovation in his first game in Pittsburgh since being traded to the Coyotes last summer. Kessel helped the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 and is one of the reasons the Coyotes are off to one of the best starts in franchise history. Kessel and the Coyotes couldn’t solve Jarry. The goalie has won 5 of 6 starts.
December 7, 2019 2:47 am
Shane Stump ran for four touchdowns and threw for another as Thomas Jefferson crushed Dallas Area, 46-7, to win the PIAA Class 4A football championship Thursday night. The Jaguars dominated the Mountaineers on both sides of the ball, running for nearly 300 yards while holding Dallas to just 60 yards rushing. TJ picked off Dallas QB Michael Starbuck three times, including Ian Hansen’s 38-yard “pick six” on the third play of the second half. Running back Dylan Mallozzi carried 24 times for 212 yards and one touchdown as Thomas Jefferson finished the season 16-0 and won its fourth PIAA football title, the first since going back-to-back in 2007-2008. Dallas suffered its first loss of the year, losing in its first state championship game since beating Washington in 1993.
Two weeks ago, Avonworth won its first outright WPIAL football championship and Friday afternoon, it was all over. The Antelopes were crushed by District 4 champion Southern Columbia 74-7 in the PIAA Class 2A football championship game. The Tigers have been the premier football program, all classes, in the state for many years, winning a record nine PIAA titles and were in the finals for the 18th time in 26 seasons. Avonworth (15-0) failed to find a way to slow down an SCA team, also 15-0, that’s scored an average of 54 points a game this year, and allowed just 75 points all season, including 10 shutouts. The Antelopes have allowed an average of 11 points a game, a mark that’s held steady through a perfect five-game run in the postseason.
December 5, 2019 4:57 am
Derek Shelton’s garage is clean, the byproduct of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ drawn out managerial hiring process, one that took extended after the club fired general manager Neal Huntington in late October. A 49-year-old baseball lifer who spent last season as the bench coach for the Minnesota Twins, Shelton already had interviewed for the chance to be Clint Hurdle’s replacement when Huntington was let go on Oct. 28. While the search was paused until Huntington’s successor was hired, Shelton wandered around his Florida home to burn off the nervous energy. He kept finding himself in the garage, arranging and rearranging in a waiting game that he admits made him “a little bit uncomfortable.” Shelton estimated he went through the garage “about 15 times.” The Pirates introduced Shelton as the team’s 40th manager on Wednesday, tasking him to create a more positive clubhouse culture following a second-half slide that included sloppy play and a series of clashes between players and staff off the field. The self-described former “poor minor league catcher” said his focus will be on making sure players don’t settle for thinking they’ve arrived once they reach the majors.
December 4, 2019 3:46 am
UNDATED (AP) – Ohio State goes into championship weekend as the top team in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s rankings, followed by LSU, Clemson and Georgia. The Buckeyes take on Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game on Saturday, while the Tigers battle the Bulldogs for the SEC crown. Clemson is preparing for an ACC title game matchup with Virginia. Utah is fifth in the CFP rankings, followed by Oklahoma, Baylor, Wisconsin, Florida and Penn State. The Sooners and Bears square off for Big 12 bragging rights. Alabama has dropped to 12th, its lowest ranking in the six years the committee has been doing a weekly top 25 over the final third of the season. The final rankings that set the pairings for the national semifinals come out Sunday.
December 4, 2019 3:43 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – It’s still officially Duck season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach Mike Tomlin says quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges will make his second straight start when the Steelers visit the Arizona Cardinals. Hodges is 2-0 as a starter this season and passed for 212 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a victory over Cleveland. Tomlin said he likes what he’s seen from Hodges on the road. Hodges played a major role in road wins over the Chargers and Bengals earlier this season.
December 2, 2019 3:48 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Baltimore Ravens are 10-2 after winning a matchup of two of the NFL’s best teams. Justin Tucker drilled a 49-yard field goal as time expired to give the Ravens their eighth consecutive win, 20-17 over the San Francisco 49ers. Lamar Jackson prolonged the winning drive with a three-yard run on fourth-and-one and finished with 101 yards under miserable conditions in Baltimore. Baltimore relied on its running game for points while Jackson completed just 14 of 23 passes for 105 yards and a lost fumble. Raheem Mostert ran for a career-high 146 yards and a touchdown for the 10-2 49ers, who are tied with New Orleans for the best record in the NFC. Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo went 15 of 21 for 165 yards.
Baltimore now shares the AFC’s best record with New England following the Patriots’ 28-22 loss to the Texans. Deshaun Watson had 234 yards passing and threw touchdown passes of 14, 13, and 35 yards as Houston built a 21-3 lead against New England’s vaunted defense. Watson also had a TD catch on a short flip from receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a trick play from the 6-yard line to help the Texans improve to 8-4. Tom Brady completed two of his three TD passes in the final 4 minutes to pull the Pats within six.
December 1, 2019 6:47 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Justin Faulk and Nathan Walker each scored for the first time with the Blues, and St. Louis beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Jaden Schwartz had a goal and an assist and Ivan Barbashev and Mackenzie MacEachern also scored for the Blues, who won their third straight game and have points in their last four. Jordan Binnington made 28 saves and improved to 13-4-4. Sam Lafferty and Kris Letang scored for the Penguins, who lost their second straight game.
December 1, 2019 2:21 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — If this was Steve Addazio’s last stand at Boston College, he went out with a bang. AJ Dillon ran for 178 yards and a touchdown, Aaron Boumerhi booted four field goals and the Atlantic Coast Conference’s worst defense forced four turnovers as the Eagles beat sloppy Pittsburgh 26-19 on Saturday to become bowl eligible and perhaps give their embattled coach a lifeline. Boston College (6-6, 4-4 ACC) reached bowl eligibility for the sixth time in seven seasons under Addazio by beating the Panthers in Pittsburgh for the first time in 21 years. Dillon’s ever-churning legs played a major role as the Eagles rolled up 264 yards on the ground against a team that entered ranked sixth in the country in run defense, allowing just 92.6 yards per game. Dillon surpassed that total on his own, including a 61-yard dash to the end zone in the third quarter that put Boston College ahead to stay shortly after Pitt went in front on a 39-yard sprint by Vincent Davis. Dennis Grosel passed for 123 yards and a touchdown and added 51 yards rushing for the Eagles. Kenny Pickett threw for 323 yards for the Panthers (7-5, 4-4) but Pitt drives regularly bogged down in Boston College territory. A week after getting shut out on the road at Virginia Tech, the Panthers managed just a single touchdown against a team that ranked next to last in the ACC in points allowed and last in yards allowed. Alex Kessman hit four field goals for Pitt, including a 43-yard field goal with 5:26 to go that pulled the Panthers within a touchdown. Pitt never got the ball back. Boston College chugged 40 yards on 11 plays — all runs — to drain the clock.
November 29, 2019 3:46 am
UNDATED (AP) – The New Orleans Saints are NFC South champions for the third consecutive year following a victory over the Falcons in Atlanta. Taysom Hill and the New Orleans defense highlighted a 26-18 victory against the Falcons. Hill blocked a punt to set up his 3-yard touchdown catch, and he later scored on a 30-yard run to put New Orleans ahead, 17-6 late in the first half.
Cameron Jordan recorded four of the Saints’ nine sacks of Matt Ryan, the last coming on fourth down in New Orleans territory with 38 seconds to play. Drew Brees passed for 184 yards and a TD to help the 10-2 Saints avenge their Nov. 10 loss to the Falcons in New Orleans. Ryan was picked off twice while completing 32 of his 50 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns for the 3-9 Falcons. The Buffalo Bills have fortified their postseason chances by earning their first Thanksgiving Day victory in 44 years. Josh Allen threw for a touchdown and ran for another as the Bills knocked off the Dallas Cowboys, 26-15. Allen also turned a fourth-down fumble into a first down before John Brown became the first Buffalo receiver to throw a touchdown pass. Brown’s 28-yard scoring pass to Devin Singletary put Buffalo ahead to stay just after the two-minute warning in the first half. Cole Beasley had 110 yards receiving and a touchdown in his first game against his former team, helping the Bills improve to 9-3. It was Buffalo’s first Thanksgiving Day appearance in 25 years. Dak Prescott threw a TD pass on the Cowboys’ opening drive, but Dallas didn’t score again until Prescott found Ventell Bryant for a touchdown with 4:01 remaining. Dallas is 6-6 following its sixth loss in nine games. The Eagles can catch the Cowboys for first place in the NFL East by defeating the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday. In Detroit, the Chicago Bears have given their fading playoff hopes a big boost with a second-half comeback against the Lions. Mitchell Trubisky tossed a three-yard scoring pass to David Montgomery with 2:17 remaining to send the Bears to their third win in four games, 24-20 over the Lions. The nine-play, 90-yard drive left the Bears 6-6 and allowed Trubisky to finish with 338 yards and three touchdowns. The Lions got to the Chicago 26 on their final drive before Eddie Jackson intercepted a pass on fourth down in the closing seconds. David Blough didn’t look bad in his first NFL start. The undrafted rookie from Purdue was 22 of 38 for 280 yards with two TDs and an interception for Detroit. The Lions are 3-8-1 following their fifth straight loss, eliminating them from postseason contention.
November 28, 2019 4:01 am
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Justin Champagnie had 21 points to lead Pittsburgh to a 72-59 victory over Northwestern in the Fort Myers Tip-Off championship game on Wednesday night. Eric Hamilton added 10 points and 12 rebounds as the Panthers (6-2) prevailed in a game that featured former Duke teammates and assistant coaches Jeff Capel and Chris Collins. Pat Spencer had 18 points and Bob Buie 13 for Northwestern (3-3). Champagnie hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the second half to push Pitt’s lead to 56-43 with 5 1/2 minutes to play. The Wildcats cut the deficit back to six with just under three minutes left but a 9-0 surge, with Champagnie hitting another 3, sealed the deal. After a slow start, the Panthers made 7 of 25 treys. At one point, the Panthers were 2 of 33 behind the arc in the tournament. A 13-4 run by Pitt gave it a 17-8 lead in the first half, which ended with the Panthers on top 25-23.
