December 8, 2023 2:07 am
Steelton-Highspire scored on five of six first-half possessions on the way to a dominant 42-8 win over Fort Cherry in the PIAA 1A championship game. The Rollers Alex Erby, who is heading to the Naval Academy, completed 28 of 37 passes for 335 yards and five touchdowns. Steel-High has now three of the last four state titles and remains perfect in the finals, winning its fifth overall championship. Fort Cherry sophomore quarterback Matt Sieg ran 30 times for 153 yards and the Rangers only touchdown, his 40th rushing score of the season.
Friday night, Peters Township looks to win its first-ever PIAA championship, taking on District 12 champion Imhotep Charter. The Indians’ best-ever season includes the school’s first WPIAL championship and their first two PIAA playoff wins. We’ll have the Peters Township game live on-air and online.
Thursday, PIAA 1A Championship
Steelton-Highspire 42, Fort Cherry 8
Friday, 6:30 pm: PIAA Football 5A Championship at Cumberland Valley
Peters Township vs. Imhotep Charter, WJPA-FM (95.3) or Listen Here
December 8, 2023 4:37 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bailey Zappe threw three first-half touchdown passes, and the New England Patriots snapped a five-game skid while damaging the playoff hopes of the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 21-18 victory. Zappe passed for 240 yards in his second start for the Patriots, who became the second two-win team in five days to hand the Steelers a potentially season-altering loss at home. Hunter Henry had two touchdown catches for New England. Ezekiel Elliott had 140 yards from scrimmage and caught a TD for the NFL’s lowest-scoring offense. Mitch Trubisky had a touchdown pass and a rushing TD for Pittsburgh but made some questionable throws in place of the injured Kenny Pickett.
December 8, 2023 4:39 am
Jon Rahm is now part of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. The shocking news was confirmed when Rahm donned a black LIV Golf jacket during an appearance on Fox News. Rahm leaves right as the PGA Tour and the Saudi backers of LIV Golf are racing to finalize an agreement to become commercial partners. Those talks now are in jeopardy. One of golf’s best players and the current Masters champion going to the rival league is certain to deepen the divide in golf. The deal is reported to be in the $500 million range, which likely includes equity in his new team.
December 7, 2023 12:01 am
In the first 35 years, Wash High is the only Washington County team to reach the state finals. Now, 22 years after the Little Prexies won the County’s only title, two more local teams will take their shots at PIAA Gold! Within a span of about 30 hours, Fort Cherry and Peters Township will each look to wrap-up perfect seasons with state championships. We’ll have both games live on WJPA and online.
Thursday, 12;30 pm: PIAA Football 1A Championship at Cumberland Valley
Fort Cherry vs. Steelton-Highspire, WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here
Friday, 6:30 pm: PIAA Football 5A Championship at Cumberland Valley
Peters Township vs. Imhotep Charter, WJPA-FM (95.3) or Listen Here
December 7, 2023 2:48 am
Every two years, schools submit enrollment numbers to PIAA for classifications for the next two-year cycle. Charleroi administration discovered an error in their submission, one that would force the Cougars football team to move up to Class 3A. The discovery wasn’t made until after the deadline for corrections had passed, forcing the District to file an appeal with PIAA Board of Directors. The Charleroi appeal was upheld Wednesday meaning the Cougars will remain in 2A football. No other major sports were impacted by the Charleroi error. Woodland Hills also submitted incorrect numbers and appealed successfully. That will allow the Wolverines to play 5A football instead of being moved into the largest classification.
The PIAA Board of Directors also approved school district “play-up” requests. Waynesburg has wrestled up in class for several years and has elected to do so in the new cycle. Mapletown’s boys basketball team was eligible to play 1A but requested to “play-up” in 2A with Carmichaels, Jeff-Morgan and West Greene.
December 7, 2023 4:35 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 24 shots, NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1. Anthony Cirelli and Tanner Jeannot also scored for the Lightning, who have won four in a row after a four-game skid. Kucherov extended his point streak to 11 games, and has 44. points in 26 games. Vasilevskiy, making his sixth start since recovering from back surgery delayed his season debut, lost his shutout bid when Jake Guentzel scored with 53 second left in the third. Tristan Jarry had 24 saves for the Penguins, who have lost eight of 11 (3-5-3). Pittsburgh went 0 for 4 on the power play to fall to 0 for 33 over the last 12 games.
December 7, 2023 4:33 am
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Blake Hinson scored a career-high 29 points, including a school-record nine 3-pointers, to lead Pittsburgh to a 80-63 win over West Virginia. Pittsburgh broke a two-game losing streak, along with a six-game losing streak in the Backyard Brawl series with the Mountaineers. Carlton Carrington added 16 points and Guillermo Diaz Graham scored 15 for the Panthers. Pittsburgh made a season-high 16 3-pointers. Hinson broke the record of eight that he had shared with several others. Quinn Slazinski scored a career-high 22 points and Jesse Edwards had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Mountaineers. West Virginia’s 3-5 record is its worst start since opening the 2012-13 season 4-5.
December 7, 2023 4:37 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees have acquired All-Star slugger Juan Soto in a blockbuster trade with the cost-cutting San Diego Padres. San Diego received right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe along with catcher Kyle Higashioka. In addition to Soto, the Yankees get Gold Glove center fielder Trent Grisham. It’s the second blockbuster deal involving the 25-year-old Soto in less than two years. The three-time All-Star has one season of team control left and is likely to get a salary around $32 million after batting .275 with 35 homers, 109 RBIs and a .930 OPS in his only full season with the Padres. San Diego acquired Soto from Washington on Aug. 2, 2022, after he turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from the Nationals.
December 6, 2023 4:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mitch Trubisky is trying to focus on his present and not his future. Trubisky will start in place of the injured Kenny Pickett when the Steelers host reeling New England on Thursday. Trubisky was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft, who has spent most of the past three seasons as a backup. Trubisky says he’s trying to embrace the opportunity and plans to be aggressive in hopes of providing the NFL’s 28th-ranked offense with a spark. The Steelers are 7-5 and in the thick of the AFC wild-card race with five games remaining.
December 6, 2023 4:36 am
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — All signs point to quarterback Bailey Zappe making his second straight start for the New England Patriots on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2022 fourth-round pick addressed the media from the podium on Tuesday. That’s usually a good sign when trying to figure out who will be under center for the Patriots’ next game. Zappe said he made some “misreads and misfires” during a 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. But he didn’t turn the ball over, which was a positive sign considering fellow QB Mac Jones has struggled in that area.
