December 21, 2024 4:53 am
(AP) A person familiar with the decision says Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was fined $5,628 by the NFL for wearing mismatched cleats that were not “constitutional team colors.” The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league had not disclosed the fine, which stemmed from Hurts wearing Air Jordan cleats in two different shades of green during the Eagles’ 27-13 victory over the Steelers on Sunday. The Nike subsidiary behind the shoes indicated on social media that it would pay Hurts’ fine. Jordan Brand said on X: “We’re paying the fine. You can’t ban greatness.”
December 21, 2024 7:00 am
High school basketball teams wrap up section play Thursday/Friday ahead of the two-week holiday break.
Friday Girls
5A Trinity 49, Baldwin 33
Friday boys
5A Baldwin 56, Trinity 45
5A Bethel Park 60, Ringgold 52
3A Bishop Canevin 61, Wash High 59
3A Southmoreland 52, Charleroi 45
3A Waynesburg 69, Brownsville 41
2A Springdale 63, Bentworth 41
2A Greens. Central Catholic 96, California 37
2A Beth-Center 71, Fort Cherry 58
2A West Greene 52, Chartiers-Houston 51
2A Jeff-Morgan 75. Mapletown 29
Thursday girls
6A Upper St. Clair 66, Canon-McMillan 44
4A Yough 37, Ringgold 30
3A McGuffey 67, Charleroi 6
2A Burgettstown 44, Northgate 11
2A Ft. Cherry 66, Carlynton 18
2A Bentworth 29, Jeff-Morgan 28
2A Chartiers Houston 48, Beth Center 15
2A California 51, Carmichaels 17
1A Serra Catholic 71, Avella 46
1A Clairton 83, West Greene 72
1A Monessen 45, Mapletown 28
Thursday boys
1A Nazareth Prep 80, Avella 41
December 20, 2024 4:24 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Bryan Rust scored his second goal of the game 1:07 into overtime and Sidney Crosby had a season-high four points as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Nashville Predators 5-4. Rust also had two assists and Crosby finished with a goal and three assists. Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who have won three of four. Tristan Jarry made 22 saves. Crosby, the Pitsburgh captain, snapped a 10-game goal drought. Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Luke Evangelista and Brady Skjei scored for Nashville. Juuse Saros stopped 15 shots, and Filip Forsberg had two assists.
December 20, 2024 4:21 am
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Anna DeBeer recorded 14 kills before leaving with a right ankle injury, Payton Peterson recorded consecutive aces in her place and top-seeded Louisville beat No. 1 overall seed Pittsburgh 3-1 to reach its second NCAA volleyball championship in three years. The host Cardinals stopped a four-match losing streak against the Panthers, including two this season, and will face the winner of the second semifinal between Big Ten foes Penn State and Nebraska in Sunday’s championship. Louisville overcame a 25-21 opening-set loss to beat Pitt 25-23, 29-27 and 25-17. All-American outside hitter/right setter Olivia Babcock had 33 kills for the Panthers, whose 18-match winning streak was snapped.
Jess Mruzik had 26 kills, Caroline Jurevicius had 20 and Penn State rallied from an 0-2 semifinal hole for a five-set victory over Nebraska to reach the NCAA championship. Penn State will face host Louisville, which eliminated No. 1 overall seed Pitt 3-1 in the first semifinal, and set up a historic NCAA final between two women coaches. Katie Schumacher-Cawley guides the Lions, while Dani Busboom-Kelly leads the Cardinals. The Nittany Lions dropped the first two sets 23-25 and 25-18 before winning the next two 25-23 and 28-26 and 15-13 in the tiebreaker.
December 19, 2024 4:47 am
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins are bringing a familiar face back to their blue line. The Penguins traded future considerations to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph. Joseph has played in 23 games with St. Louis this season and amounted two assists. Joseph made his NHL debut with the Penguins in the 2020-21 season and signed with the Blues as a free agent in July 2024. In Pittsburgh, he played in 147 games and had eight goals and 29 assists. Joseph was traded to the Penguins in 2019, along with Alex Galchenyuk, for Phil Kessel, Dane Birks and a fourth-round pick in 2021 NHL Draft.
December 19, 2024 4:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — New Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz is eager to get to work. Horwitz was acquired by the Pirates during a dizzying 90-minute stretch in early December in which he was traded from Toronto to Cleveland to Pittsburgh. The Pirates are hoping the 27-year-old can bring some stability to a position that’s been a revolving door of late. They have had four different opening day first basemen in each of the last four seasons. Horwitz hit .265 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 97 games in 2024 for the Blue Jays.
December 19, 2024 4:39 am
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Lamar Jackson will finally have help he’s never enjoyed before against Pittsburgh. He’ll face the Steelers in front of a packed stadium that’s actually cheering for him. This weekend’s showdown between the Steelers and Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens is only the second time the star quarterback has faced Pittsburgh at home. The other was in 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic limiting the announced crowd to 4,345. Jackson is 1-4 as a starter against Pittsburgh. He’s never had a passer rating higher than 80.1 in a full game against the Steelers.
December 19, 2024 4:41 am
Besides first-round games at on-campus sites, the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff also serves up something now for this postseason: cold-weather northern venues as opposed to bowl games in warm, sunny climates. Whether that provides a home-field advantage for sixth-seeded Penn State, No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 8 Ohio State remains to be seen, but it’s a factor southern schools such No. 11 SMU and No. 9 Tennessee must prepare for. Tenth-seeded Indiana only has to travel a couple hundred miles north to South Bend but December football will be new to the Hoosiers, especially at No. 7 seed Notre Dame.
December 17, 2024 2:38 am
With a week left before the holiday break, many Washington/Greene County teams continue section play this week. A handful of schools won’t begin section games until this weekend.
Tuesday girls
5A Peters Township 64, Baldwin 42
5A Thomas Jefferson 60, Trinity 39
Tuesday boys
6A Upper St. Clair 62, Canon-McMillan 32
5A Baldwin 56, Peters Township 49
5A Thomas Jefferson 68, Trinity 63
2A Jeannette 70, Bentworth 42
2A Springdale 81, California 45
2A Jeff-Morgan 61, Beth-Center 54
2A Fort Cherry 67, Burgettstown 55
2A Chartiers-Houston 65, Carmichaels 30
2A West Greene 53, Mapletown 21
Monday girls
4A Southmoreland 62, Ringgold 58
3A Seton-La Salle 70, Charleroi 12
3A Keystone Oaks 58, McGuffey 29
3A Brownsville 63, Wash High 37
1A Avella 47, Monessen 39
1A West Greene 41, Mapletown 23
Monday boys
3A McGuffey 62, Carlynton 26
December 18, 2024 4:36 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rickard Rakell scored at 1:44 of overtime and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Tuesday night. Rakell deflected Erik Karlsson’s point shot behind Darcy Kuemper for the game-winner. Evgeni Malkin scored, while Matt Grzelcyk forced overtime with 5:35 left in the third period with his first goal as a Penguin. Michael Bunting had two assists in his 300th NHL game. Alex Nedeljkovic made 29 saves. Adrian Kempe scored 33 seconds into the game for Los Angeles, and Alex Turcotte also scored. Vladislav Gavrikov added two assists. Kuemper stopped 28 shots.
