Sports category, Page 1703
Jeb Burton break drought, wins 1st Xfinity Series race at TalladegaVideo
TALLADEGA, Ala. — The rain came at a good time for Jeb Burton, helping him end a years-long personal winless stretch that had left him at times doubting his future in racing. Burton got his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory Saturday when heavy rain halted the action with 23 laps...
Penguins notes: Defenseman Cody Ceci keeps producing
To little surprise, All-Star Kris Letang has been the Pittsburgh Penguins’ most prolific defenseman this season with 39 points (seven goals, 32 assists) in 47 games. Their second-most productive blue-liner might be a bit surprising, particularly to those in Toronto. Cody Ceci. During Saturday’s 4-2 home win against the New...
UEFA president Ceferin details crushing the Super League rebellionVideo
LONDON — A moment that prepared Aleksander Ceferin for the stresses and tensions running European football came three decades ago, in a far graver moment for the continent. The law graduate was relaxing at his family home in Slovenia on June 25, 1991, sitting on the terrace with his parents,...
Positive signs abound during Pitt’s spring game, but can they last into the season?
The big questions that need to be answered after Pitt’s Blue Gold game Saturday at Heinz Field are these: What did all the positive signs mean? • Can they be sustainable through the summer, into training camp and during the season when the games count? • What about the improved...
Seton Hill freshman pitching duo dominant from the start
You might call it unique that Seton Hill has two freshman pitchers who have been mowing down opposing lineups in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Or maybe unusual is the right word to describe the upsurge from the first-year arms. Griffins coach Jessica Strong is going another direction. “Lucky,” she...
Real Madrid president: Super League clubs ‘can’t leave’ planVideo
MADRID — Real Madrid’s president insists all 12 clubs that signed up for the ill-fated Super League are bound by contract to launching the controversial breakaway of Europe’s elite soccer teams. In an interview with Spanish sports daily AS on Saturday, Madrid president Florentino Pérez said the clubs can’t back...
Trevor Cahill throws 6 strong innings, as Pirates beat Twins
Nothing about the Trevor Cahill-Michael Perez battery should have given the Pittsburgh Pirates high hopes, given the right-hander twice had allowed seven runs and the catcher had one hit all season. Instead, Cahill made it as easy as 1-2-3 and Perez went 3 for 3 with three RBIs to lead...
Bryan Rust reaches 20-goal mark as Penguins defeat Devils
There was a time when Bryan Rust wanted nothing to do with 20 goals. Not the idea. The discussion. On the occasions Rust got up around 17 or 18 goals in earlier stages of his career, a reporter might ask the versatile Pittsburgh Penguins winger if potentially reaching the 20-goal...
Todd Frazier ‘humbled’ by promotion to Pirates, hopes to bring veteran presence, pop to lineup
When the Pittsburgh Pirates released Todd Frazier at the end of spring training, it wasn’t so much stunning to as it was humbling for the 10-year veteran and two-time All-Star infielder. Instead of joining another team, he made alternate plans. The 35-year-old Frazier signed a minor league contract with the...
Pitt’s Izzy Abanikanda, John Petrishen named Conway Award winners as most improved players in spring drills
Two players pushing starters for playing time were named the most improved players during Pitt’s spring drills. Running back Izzy Abanikanda and senior outside linebacker John Petrishen (Lower Burrell/Central Catholic) were chosen on both sides of the ball by coach Pat Narduzzi and his staff. The announcement was made Saturday...
Hampton product Bischke roams to Oklahoma juco
Former Hampton infielder Tyler Bischke took the long way to end up “in the middle of nowhere.” After playing an abbreviated season at Division I Kent State, the 2019 Hampton graduate has found a new home following a transfer to Murray State, a tiny junior college in Southeastern Oklahoma. Bischke...
Penguins to start goaltender Casey DeSmith against Devils
The Penguins are scheduled to start goaltender Casey DeSmith for Saturday’s home game against the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena. His status was annouced via a statement from the team. In 18 games this season, DeSmith has a 10-6-0 record along with a 2.44 goals against average, a...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Steelers’ need to improve transcends NFL Draft
The NFL Draft begins Thursday. Good. It’s so tiresome to discuss. Get it over with. “Experts” pretend the draft is an exact science. But it’s a crapshoot. The Steelers have the 24th pick in the first round. If the Steelers want to help their team now, take a running back....
Outside linebacker class carries plenty of question marks heading into NFL Draft
Given that their biggest free agent loss was at outside linebacker, it’s not a matter of if the Pittsburgh Steelers will select a pass rusher in the NFL Draft. It’s how soon and, possibly, how many. As the draft approaches, outside linebacker arguably is the least fortified position on the...
25 years later: Penguins beat Capitals in 4-overtime playoff nail-biterVideo
The Pittsburgh Penguins played in, at the time, the third-longest NHL playoff game 25 years ago today. Well, technically, the game started on April 24, 1996, but it actually ended at 2:15 a.m. April 25. Petr Nedved scored with 44.6 seconds left in the fourth overtime period to give the...
This Date in Sports History: April 24
1945 — Albert B. “Happy” Chandler, junior Senator from Kentucky, is elected baseball commissioner by a unanimous vote of the major league club owners. Chandler is elected to a seven-year term and succeeds Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who died in November 1944. 1963 — Bob Cousy ends his 13-year career by...
Westminster rallies past Washington & Jefferson in PAC championship game
Moon grad Cole Konieczka threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes to lead Westminster to a 27-20 victory over Washington & Jefferson in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship game Friday night. Konieczka completed 12-of-24 passes for 198 yards. Defensive lineman Brayden Thimons, a Highlands grad, had a big night on...
Minor league report: Nailers fall in Derek Army’s debut as coachVideo
Goaltender Shane Starrett made 31 saves on 36 shots for the Wheeling Nailers in a 5-2 road loss to the Fort Wayne Komets at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind. on Friday. The defeat came in Derek Army’s debut as the Nailers’ interim head coach. Defensemen Matt...
Duquesne freshman Chad Baker decides to transfer
Freshman Chad Baker wasn’t Duquesne’s best player during the 2020-2021 season, but he flashed impressive shooting ability that offered hope for the Dukes’ future. Duquesne won’t get an opportunity to benefit from Baker’s potential, however, after the 6-foot-7 forward from the Dominican Republic informed coach Keith Dambrot that he intends...
Jacob Stallings breaks up J.A. Happ’s no-hit bid in 8th, but Twins blank Pirates
For seven innings, J.A. Happ no-hit the Pittsburgh Pirates, the deepest the Minnesota Twins 38-year-old left-hander had gone in a game without allowing a hit. As Happ’s pitch count inched toward the century mark, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli had Tyler Duffey start warming up in the bullpen. With one out...
Browns enter draft with Super Bowl expectations, needs on ‘D’
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns are hosting the NFL Draft this year. Usually, they’re headlining it. After finally ending their nearly two-decades-old postseason drought last season, winning their first playoff game since 1994 — over the dreaded archrival Pittsburgh Steelers — and establishing themselves as one of the NFL’s rising...
Finau-Champ, Hovland-Ventura share 2nd-round lead at Zurich
AVONDALE, La. — Tony Finau and Cameron Champ shot a 4-under-par 68 in alternate-shot play Friday for a share of the Zurich Classic lead with the Norwegian duo of Viktor Hovland and Kris Ventura. “I know we’re having a good time with this format up to this point,” Finau said...
Ravens look to boost passing attack through NFL DraftVideo
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta doesn’t appreciate the criticism surrounding the team’s wide receivers. Baltimore ranked last in the NFL averaging 171.2 yards passing per game and had the fewest pass attempts with 406 last season. That’s partly because the running game was so proficient behind...
Harrison Burton, 20, set for NASCAR Cup Series debut at Talladega
TALLADEGA, Ala. — Jeff Burton the former NASCAR driver sees some benefits to his son making his Cup Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway. Jeff Burton the father is more anxious about it. “As mom and dad, it’s going to be a little nerve-racking,” Jeff Burton said. “Obviously Talladega is a...
Greensburg’s Mark Goetz, WVU looking to make noise at Big 12 golf championship
The Big 12 golf championship begins Monday at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan., and West Virginia senior Mark Goetz is ready to roll. The Greensburg native and Kiski School graduate is coming off his first collegiate victory and a career-low 65. Goetz won the Mountaineer Invitational at the...
