Sports category, Page 834
Mark Madden: Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang provide needed synergy for Penguins
So far, so good for the Penguins. Well, except for that opening-night debacle vs. Chicago, a sure-shot draft lottery team. But two out of three ain’t bad. MA! THE MEAT LOAF! The most encouraging development might be the synergy between defensemen Kris Letang and new boy Erik Karlsson. They will...
Greensburg Central Catholic grad Max Pisula a 2-way terror for Saint Vincent opponentsVideo
Max Pisula remembers a particularly rainy football practice during his days at Greensburg Central Catholic. Then-coach Aaron Smetanka, as often was the ex-quarterback’s custom, was running the scout team offense. On one play, Smetanka rolled out and, as he did so, slipped on the wet sod and took a tumble....
Kiski Area grad Jack Colecchi earns national recognition for academics while playing new position again for Cal (Pa.) football
Cal (Pa.) football coach Gary Dunn rattles off a long list of compliments when talking about junior tight end Jack Colecchi. Leader. Great teammate. An example. First one to sign up for a community service project. In short, the Kiski Area graduate is a well-rounded guy. That perhaps is best...
Penn State’s defense to face stiffer test against Ohio State
STATE COLLEGE — Enough with the dress rehearsals, Penn State’s season is about to get serious. As expected, coach James Franklin’s Nittany Lions ran over one-win UMass, 63-0, on Saturday at Beaver Stadium in the rain. Penn State’s defense recorded its second shutout, allowing 109 total yards on 62 UMass...
Westmoreland County campus clippings: Saint Vincent soccer teams post shutouts under the lights
Saint Vincent’s soccer teams should play under the lights more often. The women’s team had six players score goals in an 8-0 victory over Thiel, and the Bearcats men tied Thiel, 0-0, last Tuesday night at UPMC Field. It was a historic doubleheader for SVC, which hosted night soccer for...
Penguins forward Lars Eller remains the pride of Denmark
On the scant occasions the Penguins have a practice session at their facility in Cranberry on a Sunday, they are typically sparsely attended. Especially when it’s football season. That’s to say most folks in Western Pennsylvania would rather worry about their fantasy football teams instead of watching the Penguins fine...
First Call: Steelers’ next foe brings WR challenge; AFC North goes 3-0 with boost from WPIAL alumni; Titans QB concern
Monday’s “First Call” examines a challenge facing the Pittsburgh Steelers for their first game back from the bye. We take a look at the AFC North after some WPIAL alumni helped the teams go 3-0 this weekend. The idea of a London Super Bowl is still on the table. An...
Tim Benz: Former Penguin’s daughter continues Pittsburgh hockey connection at Robert Morris
When Wayne Primeau was a Pittsburgh Penguin, he was part of one of the all-time memorable playoff runs in Penguins’ history. Acquired in February 2001, he was on the team during the Johan Hedberg “Moose Mania” trip to the Eastern Conference Final during Mario Lemieux’s return season. “He was a...
Madden Monday: Of the 4 games after the bye, Steelers ‘might lose every game, but they won’t win every game’
The Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) are coming out of the bye with a game in Los Angeles against the Rams, then home games versus Jacksonville, Tennessee, and Green Bay. Not exactly daunting stuff. The combined record of those teams is 11-12. Yet given the offensive struggles of the team over the...
Buffalo Bills hang on — barely — in a 14-9 win over the New York Giants
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen patiently oversaw two lengthy second-half scoring drives, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass to Quinton Morris with 3:58 remaining, and the Buffalo Bills defeated the undermanned but gritty New York Giants 14-9 on Sunday night. What was anticipated to be a Bills blowout turned...
Jordan Montgomery shuts out Astros, Taveras homers as Rangers get win in Game 1 of ALCSVideo
HOUSTON — Jordan Montgomery shut down the Houston Astros and Leody Taveras homered as the Texas Rangers did just enough against Justin Verlander to get a 2-0 win in the opener of the AL Championship Series on Sunday night. Montgomery pitched five-hit ball over 6 1/3 innings and Taveras provided...
Tom Kim wins in Las Vegas for the 2nd time in the same PGA Tour seasonVideo
LAS VEGAS — Tom Kim now has something in common with Byron Nelson as the only players to have won the same PGA Tour event twice in the same season. Kim successfully defended his title Sunday in the Shriners Children’s Open when he closed with a 5-under 66 to emerge...
Struggling offense, costly mistakes continue to haunt Patriots in loss
LAS VEGAS — The New England Patriots finally found some offense. Unfortunately for them, they also ran into the same self-inflicted mistakes that have haunted them most of the season during Sunday’s 21-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Patriots are 1-5 for the first time with Bill Belichick...
Browns substitute QB P.J. Walker makes just enough plays
CLEVELAND — As the San Francisco 49ers’ Jake Moody lined up for a potential winning field goal with six seconds left, Cleveland Browns quarterback P.J. Walker made a prediction to teammate Amari Cooper sitting next to him on the bench. “I told him he was going to miss it,” Walker...
PIAA names Freeport’s Phillips Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year for 2022
The Freeport girls volleyball team continued the storied tradition of the program in 2022, winning its 18th straight section title, its seventh WPIAL title since 2010, and the second state championship (2017) in school history. Yellowjackets head coach Tom Phillips said many people had a hand in making last season...
Kyle Larson earns spot in NASCAR’s championship race with win at Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS — Kyle Larson edged Christopher Bell at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway finish line to become the first driver locked into NASCAR’s championship race. The 2021 Cup champion earned the first of four spots in the Nov. 5 title-deciding finale with his win in Sunday’s opening race of...
Super Bowl in London is ‘not impossible,’ NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says
London could come calling for the Super Bowl, according to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell said at a recent fan forum he wouldn’t rule out London one day hosting the NFL’s title game, ESPN reported. “It is not impossible, and it is something that has been discussed before,” Goodell said...
NFL Week 6: C.J. Stroud throws 2 TD passes, defense makes late stops to lead Texans over Saints
HOUSTON — Rookie C.J. Stroud threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns and the Houston Texans got two defensive stops late to hold on for a 20-13 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The victory matches Houston’s win total from last season when the team finished 3-13-1. The...
2023 WPIAL football playoff picture heading into Week 8
There are two weeks left in the 2023 WPIAL football regular season. Already, 34 teams have guaranteed themselves a spot on the Playoff Path to the North Shore and to North Huntingdon. That leaves 33 district playoff spots up for grabs over the next two weeks. Here is the latest...
Westmoreland County high school notebook: WCCA all-star game returning to Ligonier Valley
After a successful debut last year, the Westmoreland County Coaches Association Volleyball All-Star Game will return next month. The event will be 6 p.m. Nov. 21 at Ligonier Valley. Last year, 16 local teams were represented in the East vs. West matchup that includes top senior players selected by coaches....
Browns stun 49ers 19-17, hand San Francisco its first lossVideo
CLEVELAND — From dominant to defeated — in less than a week. The San Francisco 49ers were reminded there are no perfect teams or givens in the NFL. Brock Purdy suffered his first loss as a starter and the Niners had their regular-season winning streak stopped at 15 when rookie...
ESPN announces ‘College GameDay’ will be in Columbus for Penn State-Ohio State
One of the Big Ten’s biggest games of the year is getting more national attention. ESPN announced today that “College GameDay” will be in Columbus for the Saturday, Oct. 21 showdown between No. 6 Penn State and No. 3 Ohio State. The network will set up its studio show on...
Justin Tucker kicks 6 FGs for Ravens in London win over Titans
LONDON — Lamar Jackson scrambled, evaded tackles and made big throws when he needed to in his international debut. The dynamic Baltimore Ravens quarterback got a glowing review from his coach after a 24-16 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. “Lamar Jackson played one of...
Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph and family star in national car commercialVideo
P.O Joseph might not be the most prominent name on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ roster. But the left-handed defenseman is the only member of the team who endorses a major automotive brand and even has a national commercial. Up north. Last week, Hyundai Canada began airing an advertisement that features Joseph...
AP Top 25: Washington into top 5 for first time in 6 years; Air Force ranked for 1st time since 2019
Washington moved up to No. 5 on Sunday in The Associated Press college football poll, the Huskies’ best ranking in six years, after a thrilling victory against Oregon and unbeaten Air Force was ranked for the first time since 2019. The top four teams in the country were unchanged after...
