December 3, 2019 3:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Catcher Elias Diaz will not return to the Pittsburgh Pirates after the club declined to offer him a contract for the 2020 season. The 29-year-old Diaz inherited the starting job last season while Francisco Cervelli dealt with a concussion before being released in August. Diaz hit .241 with two home runs and 28 RBIs in 101 games while splitting time with Jacob Stallings. Diaz struggled defensively. His 12 errors led all National League catchers and his eight passed balls ranked fifth.
December 3, 2019 2:54 am
Thomas Jefferson dominated from the opening kickoff, easily beating District 3 champion Lampeter-Strasburg, 44-2, and rolling to a berth in next week’s PIAA Class 4A championship game. Dylan Mallozzi ran 19 times for 167 and two touchdowns while quarterback Shane Stump hit 8-of-11 passes for 182 yards and three scores to lead the Jaguars to their 15th straight win. Dan Deabner caught four of Stump’s completiong for 113 yards and two scores, giving the tandem 42 career scoring connections. Ian Hansen also had a TD receptions and picked off L-S quarterback Conner Nolt twice, both inside TJ’s five-yard-line. Fullback Nate Werderber ran 22 yards for the games final score. TJ will play Dallas High School Thursday at HersheyPark Stadium, looking for a fourth PIAA title.
December 2, 2019 2:56 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — No fighting. No helmet swinging. Barely any trash talking. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns kept things civil in their highly anticipated rematch, which ended the way they always seem to end at Heinz Field: the Steelers walking off in triumph 20-13, leaving the Browns to ponder how another one got away. Devlin “Duck” Hodges threw for 212 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his second career start. Rookie Benny Snell ran for 63 yards and his first NFL touchdown, and the banged-up Steelers exacted revenge for their whipping at the hands of the Browns two weeks ago with a 20-13 victory on Sunday.
Pittsburgh (7-5) boosted its postseason chances by rallying from 10 points down thanks in large part to Hodges, a rookie undrafted free agent who happens to be a champion duck caller in his down time. He was aided by the emergence of wide receiver James Washington, who caught four passes for 111 yards and a juggling 30-yard score late in the first half. The Browns (5-7) saw their three-game winning streak come to a crashing halt when they failed to handle a Pittsburgh offense riddled with injuries and inexperience at the skill positions. Baker Mayfield completed 18 of 32 passes for 196 yards with a touchdown and an interception; he played the entire second half with his right hand in a protective glove after smacking it against the face mask of Pittsburgh linebacker Bud Dupree.
Nick Chubb ran for 58 yards and Kareem Hunt added 65 total yards and a touchdown reception. But Cleveland failed to pull even with the Steelers in the standings and sweep the season series from its rival for the first time in 31 years. The teams’ first meeting on Nov. 14 ended with an ugly altercation between Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett and Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph that ended with Garrett hitting Rudolph in the head with Rudolph’s helmet. The ensuing fallout — which included Garrett being suspended indefinitely; Rudolph fending off Garrett’s allegation that he used a racial slur shortly before things got out of hand; suspensions for Browns defensive end Larry Ogunjobi and Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey; and more than $700,000 in fines. That reignited a rivalry that’s been dominated by the Steelers since Cleveland returned to the NFL a generation ago.
Just in case it needed a little more stoking, Browns rookie head coach Freddie Kitchens was spotted wearing a “Pittsburgh started it” T-shirt on Friday night. Several Steelers responded with some inauspicious wardrobe choices while waking into work on Sunday. Pittsburgh’s response on the field was even more emphatic.
The Steelers spotted Cleveland the game’s first 10 points. The spark Hodges provided in relief of Rudolph in the second half last week against Cincinnati appeared to have evaporated thanks in large part to conservative play calling. One 39-yard lob from Hodges to Washington in the second quarter flipped the field and the momentum. The Steelers ripped off the game’s next 20 points, including a bobbling 30-yard touchdown catch by Washington to tie it late in the second quarter.
On Cleveland’s ensuing possession, Mayfield’s right hand hit Dupree’s facemask. He grabbed it in pain and jogged to the sideline, replaced by Garrett Gilbert. Though he returned to start the second half, he wasn’t the same. Neither were the Browns.
December 2, 2019 2:45 am
The 0-16 watch is over for this season in the NFL. The Cincinnati Bengals became the league’s last team to win a game, snapping snapped a 13-game skid dating back to last season with a 22-6 win over the New York Jets. Andy Dalton threw a touchdown pass and helped the Bengals end their longest skid in franchise history. It’s also the first career victory for rookie head coach Zac Taylor who benched Dalton after Cincinnati’s eighth loss this season.
December 1, 2019 1:26 am
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Ohio State has turned what’s known as The Game into ITS Game, making one of the greatest rivalries in sports a one-sided series with little suspense. Chasing a national championship, not simply beating the Wolverines, is how the Buckeyes measure a successful season. And under first-year coach Ryan Day, they have put themselves in a position to potentially win it all for the second time since the 2014 season and third time this century. J.K. Dobbins ran for four touchdowns and Justin Fields threw four TD passes, providing plenty of firepower for No. 2 Ohio State to rout No. 10 Michigan 56-27 Saturday for a school-record eighth straight win in the series. “It feels great just to continue the legacy of this great Ohio State tradition,” defensive end Chase Young said. “We’re just going to try to keep it moving and keep it rolling next week.” The Buckeyes (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1 CFP) will head to the Big Ten championship game to face either No. 9 Minnesota or No. 13 Wisconsin next Saturday with a spot in the College Football Playoff in sight.
Fields will likely use the limited time to rest and test out braces to protect his left knee that was injured for a second straight week. He went down in the third quarter and gingerly walked off the field to get evaluated in a tent behind Ohio State’s sideline. He came back in the game after a few plays and on the next snap, scrambled and threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson. “It was a magical moment,” Day said. “I thought it was a Heisman moment.” Fields has thrown 37 touchdown passes with only one interception and scored 10 more times rushing. The sophomore quarterback said he aggravated a strained ligament, forcing him to use a bulky brace after starting the game with a smaller one, but didn’t consider staying out of the game. “I wanted to show the team I was tough,” he said.
The Wolverines (9-3, 6-3, No. 13 CFP) will have to settle for a second- or third-tier bowl game after coach Jim Harbaugh fell to 0-5 in the rivalry, and the program lost to Ohio State for the 15th time in 16 years. “It’s just kind of the same thing every year,” Michigan tight end Sean McKeon said. “It gets old, but you’ve just got to play better against them. Harbaugh was asked if the difference between the teams was talent, preparation or coaching? “I’ll answer your questions, but not your insults,” Harbaugh said to a reporter.
November 30, 2019 3:58 am
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Jarret Doege threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Esdale with 2:10 left and West Virginia ended coach Neal Brown’s first season with a 20-17 win on Friday that kept TCU from getting bowl eligible. The game-winning drive by West Virginia (5-7, 3-6 Big 12) was extended by two huge penalties. There was a pass interference call on a fourth down, and then TCU defensive tackle Ross Blacklock was ejected for targeting for a hit on Doege on a third-and-12 incompletion. That shot came only two plays before the TD to Esdale, who managed to get his feet just inside the pylon in the front corner of the end zone. TCU (5-7, 3-6) isn’t bowl eligible for only the third time in Gary Patterson’s 19 full seasons as head coach. The Horned Frogs lost four of their last five games. All those losses were by a touchdown or less, including losses to Big 12 co-leaders Baylor and Oklahoma. Doege completed 20 of 35 passes for 158 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. The Bowling Green transfer will maintain his junior status next season after playing in only four games. Horned Frogs freshman quarterback Max Duggan was 15-of-36 passing for 144 yards with two interceptions as both teams had fewer than 300 total yards on a cool, damp day. TCU had 297 yards, and West Virginia 244. TCU went ahead 17-10 when Jalen Reagor had a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown early in the third quarter. Reagor initially took a step back and around to avoid a defender after fielding the ball, then charged forward and quickly past other defenders and the punter. It was an easy sprint to the end zone for his second punt return TD this season for the junior receiver, who could have played his last home game if he decides to bypass his senior season for early entry in the NFL draft.
November 29, 2019 3:48 am
MONTREAL (AP) – The New Jersey Devils have added to the Montreal Canadiens’ losing streak. Blake Coleman scored twice and had two assists as the Devils dealt the Habs their sixth consecutive loss, 6-4. Damon Severson provided the game-winner 8:21 into the third period to give New Jersey at 5-3 lead. Travis Zajac added a goal and two assists to back Mackenzie Blackwood, who stopped 44 shots in the Devils’ second win over the Canadiens in 12 days. Montreal has surrendered 20 goals in its last three games.
November 27, 2019 3:45 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – It’s officially “Duck season” again in Pittsburgh. Coach Mike Tomlin says rookie quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges will start when the Steelers face Cleveland. Hodges came on in relief of an ineffective Mason Rudolph in a 16-10 victory over Cincinnati, throwing for a 79-yard touchdown to James Washington on his third snap that gave Pittsburgh the lead for good. Tomlin said the decision is for one game only and does not impact Rudolph’s role with the team going forward.
November 27, 2019 2:53 am
WPIAL Football Brackets
Avonworth’s Jax Miller ran for 291 yards and four touchdowns leading the Antelopes to their first-ever outright WPIAL football title, beating Wash High, 28-6. The Little Prexies stuggled to move the ball all day and could not find a way to stop Miller who carried the ball 43 times for the winners. Wash High’s season ends at 13-1, one win shy of an eighth district championship. Avonworth’s win is their first title in 60 years. The Antelope’s shared the 1959 crown with Union following a 13-13 tie.
Playing in its first-ever WPIAL football title game, Peters Township fell behind 21-10 early in the third quarter. The Indians’ second-half rally came up one point short, losing to Gateway, 21-20. Two longs touchdown passes in the first half put the Gators up 14-10. Derrick Davis’ 70-yard sprint early in the third set up Jay Johnson’s one-yard score that proved to be the difference. Ryan Magiske scored twice for Peters Township. Andrew Massucci kicked two field goals and two extra points, but the Indians couldn’t convert a crucial fourth down in its own territory late. Peters Township’s season ends at 12-2. Gateway, also 12-2, won its seventh WPIAL football title, the second in three years.
PIAA Football Brackets
Dylan Mallozzi ran for two scores while quarterback Shane Stump threw for one touchdown and ran for another Friday night, leading Thomas Jefferson to a 28-13 win over three-time defending PIAA champion Cathedral Prep. Mallozzi ran 27 times for 151 yards, capping the opening drive with a one yard run. Then, trying to run out the clock, the senior running back scampered untouched 33 yards in the last two minutes to seal the win, the Jaguars’ first against the Ramblers after three straight playoff losses. Unbeaten Thomas Jefferson moves to next weekend’s state semifinals against Lampeter-Strasburg, a 35-21 winner over Berks Catholic in Friday’s District 3 championship game. The PIAA 4A semifinal game will be played Friday, 1 pm, at Hollidaysburg High School. We’ll have the game on WJPA-FM (95.3) and online. Listen Here!
November 26, 2019 3:40 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing an unlikely quarterback controversy heading into a rematch with the Cleveland Browns. Coach Mike Tomlin pulled Mason Rudolph in favor of Devlin Hodges in the second half of a victory over winless Cincinnati. Hodges came on and threw a game-changing 79-yard touchdown pass that gave the Steelers the lead for good. Tomlin says he may have already made up his mind. His decision could have a lasting effect on the franchise.
