January 7, 2025 4:26 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers are planning to sign running back Ezekiel Elliott to their practice squad pending a physical. That’s according to two people familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move had not been completed. The Chargers are the No. 5 seed in the AFC and open the playoffs at Houston on Saturday in a wild-card round game. Elliott was released by the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 31 so that he could possibly sign with a playoff team seeking a veteran running back.
January 6, 2025 4:33 am
Losers of four in a row, The Steelers get to open the playoffs in Baltimore against their division rival. The L.A Chargers secured the fifth seed by beating the Raiders Sunday. This will be the fifth time the two have met in the playoffs. The Steelers are 3-1 in the first four but those were all in Pittsburgh and theywill be a decided underdog in the Saturday night matchup. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m.
January 6, 2025 4:33 am
DETROIT (AP) — Jahmyr Gibbs scored three of his franchise-record tying four touchdowns in the second half, and the Detroit Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-9 to win their second straight NFC North title and earn home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. The Lions and Vikings could meet again in two weeks. Detroit will have a much-needed bye for its banged-up team during the first week of the playoffs while Minnesota plays at the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams next Monday night. Gibbs had 23 carries for 139 yards with a career-high three rushing touchdowns and caught five passes for 31 yards and another score.
January 6, 2025 9:48 am
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Doug Pederson is out as Jacksonville’s head coach after the franchise’s “best team assembled” won just four games. Jaguars owner Shad Khan fired Pederson following a 26-23 overtime loss at Indianapolis. It was the team’s 18th loss in its last 23 games. But Khan kept general manager Trent Baalke, a questionable decision that surely will affect who will become Jacksonville’s next coach. Khan made the move with one year remaining on Pederson’s contract. The 56-year-old Pederson went 23-30 with Jacksonville, a far cry from the Super Bowl-winning coach Khan thought he hired in February 2021.
January 6, 2025 4:35 am
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have fired coach Jerod Mayo after one season, beginning another reboot for the franchise just a year after it parted with longtime coach Bill Belichick. Owner Robert Kraft announced the firing in a statement shortly after New England closed its 4-13 season with a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills. Kraft called it “one of the hardest decisions” he’s had to make. A former Patriots linebacker who worked as an assistant under Belichick, Mayo started the season with a strong endorsement from Kraft. But he struggled to get the most out of a young roster that included rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
January 6, 2025 4:25 am
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho’s goal at 1:30 in overtime led the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night. Aho added two assists. Seth Jarvis had two goals and Jalen Chatfield also scored for the Hurricanes, who improved to 3-0 against Pittsburgh this season. Dustin Tokarski had 16 saves for the Hurricanes. Kevin Hayes, Michael Bunting and Erik Karlsson scored for the Penguins. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 26 shots for Pittsburgh.
January 5, 2025 6:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t want to talk about the past with the playoff approaching. The Steelers finished the regular season on a four-game losing streak after a fourth-quarter rally fell short, as Cincinnati kept its playoff hopes alive with a 19-17 victory Saturday night. Said Wilson: “I think the best thing we can do is get ready for the playoffs. It’s a new season. That’s the only thing that really matters anymore at this point.” Pittsburgh locked up a playoff berth weeks ago. The Steelers are the third team in NFL history to enter the playoffs on a four-game skid.
January 5, 2025 12:01 am
The Tri-County Athletic Directors Association 19th annual wrestling tournament took place Friday and Saturday at West Greene High School in Rogersville. McGuffey edged Trinity to win the team title, 220.5 – 219.0. Peters Township (191.5), Ringgold (178.0) and Canon-McMillan (151.5) round out the top five. Jake Conroy (Ringgold) was named the Outstanding Wrestler.
Championship Finals
107 Leif Syrko (Ringgold) MD Jackson Hoy (Trinity), 10-1
114 Nicholas McGarrity (Peters Township) F Darius Simmons (Burgettstown), 1:03
121 Evan Tolliver (Ringgold) F Brock Dennison (South Fayette), 5:14
127 Dominic Canali (Trinity) F Danny Smith (Burgettstown), 2:40
133 Collier Hartman (Canon-McMillan) DEC Drake McClure (Bentworth), 6-5
139 Lucas Barr (McGuffey) TF Devin Junko (Trinity), 19-3 4:17
145 TJ Allison (Trinity) MD Talan Mizenko (South Fayette), 14-3
152 Darius Mcmillon (Peters Township) DEC Jonah Erdely (Frazier), 5-4
160 Owen Ivcic (Bentworth) MD Brock Evans (Waynesburg), 13-4
172 Jackson Angelo (Frazier) F Parker Nave (Peters Township), 2:11
189 Braedon Welsh (Fort Cherry) F Owen Conroy (Ringgold), 0:33
215 Jake Conroy (Ringgold) TF Brayden Collins (Canon-McMillan), 19-2 3:31
285 Alex Rusilko (Bentworth) MD Owen Rush (Canon-McMillan), 10-1
Third Place
107 Caleb Dulaney (Jefferson Morgan) DEC Brayden Hanning (Jefferson Morgan), 13-6
114 Jorden Moore (Avella) DEC Alex Medlen (Beth Center), 4-2
121 Tucker Main (McGuffey) DEC Gionno Gardner (Canon-McMillan), 5-3
127 Lane Ealy (McGuffey) DEC James Dulaney (Jefferson Morgan), 1-0
133 Emmett Wolfe (McGuffey) DEC Mason Wright (Beth Center), 14-8
139 Ryder Baker (Peters Township) F Aidan Finnigan (Canon-McMillan), 4:51
145 Mason Calgaro (Canon-McMillan) DEC AJ McGarrity (Peters Township), 4-1
152 Luke Dunlap (South Fayette) TF Caleb Patton (Washington), 17-1 2:24
160 Cristian Lowther (Ringgold) MD Logan Noyes (Burgettstown), 9-0
172 Noah Layhue (Beth Center) MD Reid Teagarden (McGuffey), 8-0
189 Bryce Collins (Canon-McMillan) DEC Malachi Peak (Beth Center), 2-1 TB2
215 Ian Holub (Trinity) F Colin Rockwell (Albert Gallatin), 0:52
285 Colin Whyte (West Greene) F Zack Stromock (Peters Township), 2:10
Fifth Place
107 Blake Jamison (McGuffey) MD Geoffrey Douglas (Beth Center), 11-1
114 Clayton Ealy (McGuffey) F Parker Jennings (Trinity), 0:14
121 Landon Ault (Trinity) F Floyd Huff (Waynesburg), 1:22
127 Andrew Barkey (Ringgold) DEC Peyton Garove (Chartiers-Houston), 7-0
133 Jake Wright (Trinity) DEC Carter Katus (Burgettstown), 4-2
139 Bryce Crowson (Bentworth) FOR John Radnor (Peters Township)
145 Victor Bonus (McGuffey) F Luke Rush (Waynesburg), 2:14
152 Garrett Newman (McGuffey) F Luke Poland (Trinity), 2:13
160 Behr Bruckner (Trinity) TF Jesus Chavez (Chartiers-Houston), 17-2 2:53
172 Brayden Taggart (Bentworth) F Nick Hillyard (Albert Gallatin), 1:31
189 Aaron Supler (McGuffey) DEC Hayden Hamilton (West Greene), 3-0
215 Carson Kiger (Peters Township) F Homer Headlee (Beth Center), 4:45
285 Landon Heath (Jefferson Morgan) F Jacob Lyle (Chartiers-Houston), 0:30
January 4, 2025 12:02 am
With the holidays in the rear-view mirror, area high schools return to section play on the hardwood.
Saturday Boys
6A Mt. Lebanon 55, Canon-McMillan 49
Thursday Girls
3A Keystone Oaks 59, Charleroi 35
3A McGuffey 57, Brownsville 55
2A Fort Cherry 51, Brentwood 18
2A South Side Beaver 62, Burgettstown 29
2A Chartiers-Houston 57, California 23
2A Beth-Center 57, Jeff-Morgan 21
1A Geibel 54, Avella 49
1A Serra Catholic 72, Mapletown 15
1A West Greene 48, Monessen 14
Friday Girls
6A Canon-McMillan 54, Mt. Lebanon 51
5A Peters Township 51, Trinity 33
3A Seton-La Salle 49, Waynesburg 34
2A Bentworth 39, Carmichaels 26
Friday Boys
6A Central Catholic 67, Canon-McMillan 13
5A Peters Township 59, Trinity 52
3A Bishop Canevin 60,McGuffey 44
3A Keystone Oaks 56, Wash High 45
2A Clairton 63, California 41
2A Greensburg Central Catholic 67, Bentworth 29
2A Beth-Center 66, Carmichaels 34
2A Chartiers-Houston 71, Burgettstown 40
2A Fort Cherry 73, Mapletown 36
2A Jeff-Morgan 50, West Greene 35
January 4, 2025 3:45 am
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell scored in the shootout, and the Florida Panthers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 on Friday night. Matthew Tkachuk got a power-play goal midway through the third period for Florida, which also got a goal from Gustav Forsling. Spencer Knight stopped 29 shots for Florida, then stopped Rickard Rakell and Sidney Crosby in the shootout. Lundell’s score won it for the Panthers.
