Sports category, Page 872
William Byron aims to give Hendrick 300th Cup Series win
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Every driver in the Hendrick Motorsports stable pulled into Kansas Speedway for this week’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race knowing he could be the one to give the team boss his 300th series win. If Rick Hendrick had his druthers, he might well put William Byron...
Rams put WR Cooper Kupp on IR with lingering hamstring issueVideo
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Los Angeles Rams placed receiver Cooper Kupp on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least their first four games. The Rams also put new tight end Hunter Long on injured reserve Saturday, one day before their season opener at Seattle. Kupp injured his hamstring Aug....
Coco Gauff wins U.S. Open for her 1st Grand Slam title at age 19
NEW YORK — Coco Gauff is still a teenager, after all, and so it should surprise no one that she was on her phone in the locker room, scrolling through social media, right up until 10 minutes before heading out on court for the U.S. Open final. What the 19-year-old...
No. 22 Colorado dominates Nebraska in sold-out home debut for Deion SandersVideo
BOULDER, Colo. — Shedeur Sanders accounted for three scores, Colorado’s defense forced four turnovers and the 22nd-ranked Buffaloes beat longtime rival Nebraska, 36-14, on Saturday in the home debut of Deion Sanders at sold-out Folsom Field. After Coach Prime’s team was the story of Week 1 with an upset of...
Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen help No. 7 Penn State roll past DelawareVideo
STATE COLLEGE — Penn State running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen want to break opposing defenses with their combined physicality. So far, the sophomores are off to a good start. Singleton ran for three touchdowns, and Allen added 103 yards and another rushing score as No. 7 Penn State...
Bill Cowher, other NFL analysts see Steelers QB Kenny Pickett ready to ‘take the next step’
By virtue of their decision to name Kenny Pickett the lone offensive captain, Pittsburgh Steelers players — and by extension the coaching staff — recognize the growth and leadership the 25-year-old quarterback has displayed as he enters his second NFL season. Pickett also is starting to gain respect nationally, at...
Danilina and Heliovaara win U.S. Open mixed doubles title, defeating Americans Pegula and Krajicek
NEW YORK — Anna Danilina and Harri Heliovaara won the U.S. Open mixed doubles championship Saturday, the first-time partners defeating top-seeded Americans Jessica Pegula and Austin Krajicek 6-3, 6-4. The pair came together just before the tournament and quickly clicked, both picking up their first Grand Slam titles. “I didn’t...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Eagles over Bengals for Super Bowl LVIII and other NFL predictions
In my prior missive, I predicted the Pittsburgh Steelers to go 9-8 and miss the playoffs. Now, by way of formulaic preseason drivel, here are the rest of my NFL prognostications: AFC East winner: Buffalo. AFC West winner: Kansas City. AFC North winner: Cincinnati. AFC South winner: Jacksonville. AFC wild...
Bengals QB Joe Burrow, now the NFL’s highest-paid player, says contract talks weren’t a distraction
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, in his first comments to reporters since becoming the highest-paid player in the NFL, said contract negotiations weren’t a distraction as he worked to rehab from a training camp injury and then game plan for Sunday’s opener at Cleveland. “I’ve always been pretty good at...
Injured Laurel Highlands football player Antwan Black, flown by medical helicopter, ‘in good spirits’
As injured teammate Antwan Black Jr. was on his way to the hospital, first by ambulance and then by helicopter, Laurel Highlands players had a tough decision to make. Should they play the final 34 seconds or cancel the rest of the game? “We just kind of said, ‘This is...
Steelers 4 Downs: Analytics peg Najee Harris as maybe NFL’s worst returning starting RB
1. Need better from Najee The data compiled by NFL Next Gen Stats last season said the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Najee Harris was one of the worst starting running backs in the league. Among the company Harris kept toward the bottom of those lists, Harris is the only one to hold...
Pirates farm report for Sept. 8, 2023: Bubba Chandler dominates in 1st start for Altoona
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 62-72) used three pitchers to throw a five-hit shutout in a 2-0 win over Toledo (Tigers). RHP Jared Jones (4-4, 5.17) started and went seven innings, allowing four hits and a walk and striking out four. RHP Chase de Jong (4.18) did not allow a hit in the...
Quarterback Julian Dugger shows his versatility as No. 1 Penn Hills holds off No. 2 Pine-Richland
It’s no exaggeration when Penn Hills quarterback Julian Dugger says he did everything he could to win this one. After Dugger passed for two touchdowns, rushed for two more and served as the team’s punter, he joined the defense in the final seconds when the Indians were shorthanded in the...
High school football roundup for Sept. 8, 2023: Payton Wehner contributes 7 TDs in Central Catholic win
Payton Wehner threw for 298 yards and five touchdowns and added two TDs on the ground to lead Class 6A No. 2 Central Catholic to a 62-46 win against Class 5A No. 4 Bethel Park (1-2) in a nonconference football game Friday night. Vernon Settles caught five passes for 130...
Belle Vernon withstands McKeesport in overtime
Friday night’s game against McKeesport seemed eerily similar to last season’s game for Belle Vernon coach Matt Humbert. But in the end, the Leopards found themselves right at home — with their backs on their goal line in crunch time. Twice. The Leopards defense did it again, this time keeping...
Penguins extend tryout to former Panthers forward Colin WhiteVideo
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed former Florida Panthers forward Colin White to a professional tryout contract (PTO). White, 26, appeared in 68 regular-season games last season with the Panthers and scored 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) while averaging 9 minutes, 38 seconds of ice time. In the playoffs, as the...
Kiski Area victory tempered by injury to Laurel Highlands standout Antwan Black Jr.
Kiski Area scored the winning touchdown with less than a minute to play to defeat Laurel Highlands, 28-24, on Friday at Richard A. Dilts Stadium. But the high-intensity contest was marred by a late injury to Laurel Highlands star Antwan Black Jr. After catching a pass near midfield with 34...
Highlands overcomes penalties to beat Chartiers Valley
When Chartiers Valley and Highlands met for the first time last year, they played a tight contest with the Golden Rams prevailing by eight points. Friday night was not as close as last year’s contest but had all the excitement and tenacity a Class 4A showdown brings. Highlands (3-0) remained...
Leechburg uses blocked field goal return to help hold off Bentworth
Leechburg already has been on the wrong side of a scoop ’n’ score this season in its season-opening loss to Apollo-Ridge. But Friday night, Randy Walters’ squad took back one of its own in a 28-21 victory over Bentworth. Leechburg led much of the game, including by 14 with just...
Braves batter Mitch Keller for a career-high 12 hits in cruising past Pirates
The Atlanta Braves got so many bloops, they didn’t need a blast. They got a couple anyway. A six-single inning featured three bloops that scored four runs against Pittsburgh Pirates starter Mitch Keller in the third inning, then Ronald Acuna Jr. and Eddie Rosario added blasts in the fourth to...
Magic Johnson, other new Commanders owners introduce themselves
WASHINGTON — Magic Johnson handed Kanga Gwanyama $5,000 in cash, telling the 13-year-old he only could hold on to the money for five minutes and that most of it would go into savings. Johnson brought cheers and a few tears to Gwanyama and hundreds of kids and parents at the...
NFL kickoff weekend features 3 starting rookie QBs, 2nd most in league historyVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bryce Young is ready to roll in Carolina. C.J. Stroud is set to let it fly with Houston, and Anthony Richardson will get his shot right away in Indianapolis. The 2023 NFL season begins with three rookie quarterbacks — all taken among the first four picks in...
Damar Hamlin ready to complete his comeback as he prepares for Bills openerVideo
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Damar Hamlin once wondered if life would ever be the same again during his quest to resume his football career after a near-death experience, but the Buffalo Bills safety caught a glimpse of what his new normal might be this week. On Labor Day, Hamlin visited...
Chiefs get by just fine without holdout Chris Jones, but injury to Travis Kelce proved costlyVideo
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs proved in their season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night that their defense can get by just fine without Chris Jones, at least for a while, as the All-Pro defensive tackle continues his holdout. Travis Kelce is another matter. While...
Novak Djokovic reaches 10th U.S. Open final by beating Ben Shelton in straight sets
NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic is back in the U.S. Open final for a record-tying 10th time after a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4) victory Friday over unseeded American Ben Shelton at a tournament the 23-time Grand Slam champion missed last year because he is not vaccinated against covid-19. Shelton made...
