Category: Sports

Mc Donald’s High School Football Preview: Week 6

McDONALD’S BEAVER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

It’s time for our weekly look around the area at this week’s high school football games involving Beaver County teams.

Our high school football preview is brought to you by Tri- County McDonald’s (mmm I’m Lovin It!).

And we start with our Pond Lehocky Game of the Week — Blackhawk at New Castle. This could be one of the best games of the night. Blackhawk puts its perfect 5-and-0 record on the line against a New Castle team coming off its biggest win of the season. The Cougars have been an offensive machine, scoring 228 points through five games — better than 45 points per game. Last week, Blackhawk survived its closest test of the year, beating Shaler 40-31. But New Castle just sent a message of its own by knocking off Aliquippa 42-21. So we’ve got an undefeated Blackhawk team against a New Castle team playing with a ton of confidence. I expect points, and I expect Blackhawk to get one of its toughest tests of the season.

We’ll have the Pond Lehocky Game of the Week Friday night. Pregame at 6:30, kickoff at 7:00 on Beaver County Radio.

Now let’s get to the rest of the games.

Western Beaver travels to New Brighton.

Both teams are 1-and-4 and desperately need a win. Western Beaver has shown flashes, including that impressive 28-10 upset of Riverside. New Brighton lost to Riverside 33-22 last week, but the Lions showed improvement offensively. Keep an eye on Heath Lewis for New Brighton. If the Lions can get him into the open field, he can change the game quickly.

Hopewell travels to Beaver.

The Vikings are 4-and-1 and rolling right now. They’ve beaten Central Valley 34-6 and Western Beaver 47-6 in consecutive weeks. Quarterback James Armstrong gives Hopewell a dangerous threat with both his arm and his legs. Beaver is 1-and-4 and trying to bounce back from a 49-6 loss to Avonworth. We know quarterback Jaivin Peel can put up huge numbers, but Hopewell is playing too well for me to pick against the Vikings.

Ambridge travels to Aliquippa.

Aliquippa is coming off that surprising 42-21 loss to New Castle, and I expect the Quips to come out with something to prove.

How about Beaver Falls at Mohawk?

Don’t look now, but the Tigers have won three straight. And last week’s was the biggest — Beaver Falls handed previously unbeaten Freedom its first loss, 24-13. Mohawk was beaten 48-6 by Neshannock last week. Beaver Falls is getting better as the season goes along.

Montour visits Central Valley.

The Warriors are 2-and-3 and have lost two straight, including a heartbreaking 16-14 loss to Hampton last week. Montour is 3-and-2 and is coming off a 34-29 loss to Thomas Jefferson. Central Valley needs to establish the running game and avoid falling behind early.

Neshannock travels to Freedom.

Freedom started the season 4-and-0 before Beaver Falls handed the Bulldogs their first loss. Now they get a Neshannock team that’s 4-and-1 and has won three straight. Freedom is dangerous at home, but right now Neshannock has the momentum.

Northgate visits Rochester.

Rochester is 1-and-4, while Northgate comes in at 3-and-2 after barely escaping South Side last week, 21-20. That’s why I’m going with my upset pick here. Rochester is at home, and if the Rams protect the football, I think they can steal one.

Shenango travels to South Side.

South Side nearly picked up its first victory last week before losing to Northgate by one. But now the Rams face an undefeated Shenango team that just hammered Rochester 49-8.

And OLSH travels to Ellwood City.

Somebody is getting its first win because both teams enter at 0-and-5. Ellwood City showed some offensive improvement last week in a 27-13 loss to Shady Side Academy. With the Wolverines playing at home, I’ll give them the slight edge.

And finally, Riverside has the week off.

The Panthers enter their bye at 4-and-1. They started 3-and-0 before losing to Western Beaver, then bounced back last Friday with a 33-22 win over New Brighton. Riverside returns next week against Freedom.

But the spotlight Friday night is on Blackhawk at New Castle.

Blackhawk is 5-and-0. New Castle just knocked off Aliquippa. And the Cougars are averaging better than 45 points per game. It’s the Pond Lehocky Game of the Week.

Pregame coverage begins at 6:30, with kickoff at 7:00, right here on Beaver County Radio.

That’s your McDonald’s Beaver County High School Football Preview.

Cowboys acquiring cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the Steelers for 2 draft picks, AP sources say

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. during warmups before an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys are acquiring disgruntled cornerback Joey Porter Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers, two people with knowledge of the deal said Wednesday night.

Pittsburgh will receive two draft picks from Dallas, a sixth-rounder in 2027 and a second-rounder in 2028, one of the people told The Associated Press. Both people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn’t announced the deal.

Porter has been inactive all three games this season for the Steelers. The fourth-year pro has been dealing with a back issue and had also been in the middle of a stalemate with the Steelers over a new contract.

The 26-year-old Porter, a second-round pick out of Penn State in the 2023 draft, was seeking an extension as he entered the final year of his four-year rookie deal.

The Cowboys are getting Porter after earlier Wednesday putting safety Jalen Thompson (hamstring) on injured reserve with a designation to return. They also signed three defensive backs to their practice squad.

Safety P.J. Locke (torn plantar fascia) was already on injured reserve. He and Thompson were offseason acquisitions by the Cowboys as a part of retooling the secondary.

It’s the second major trade between the Cowboys and Steelers in two years.

Before the 2025 season, Pittsburgh sent receiver George Pickens to Dallas for draft picks. He made the Pro Bowl in his Dallas debut, setting career highs with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Pickens is playing this season on a $27.3 million franchise tag and has 16 catches for 150 yards without a score.

The Steelers took Pickens out of Georgia in the second round in 2022. While his talent was on display during three seasons with the Steelers, so were enough instances of petulant or indifferent behavior for then-coach Mike Tomlin to question his maturity.

Dallas and Pittsburgh also made a lower-profile trade during the preseason this year. The Cowboys acquired offensive tackle Broderick Jones and a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft for third- and sixth-round choices.

Not only is Dallas suddenly seeking reinforcements in the secondary, but the defense as a whole is off to another rough start after being one of the NFL’s worst in 2025.

The Cowboys are second-to-last in rushing defense and one of four teams without an interception. Dallas had a franchise-worst six picks on defense last season.

In a 34-31 loss to Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, the Cowboys let Lamar Jackson complete a 27-yard pass to Zay Flowers when the Ravens had just 7 seconds on the clock after a tying field goal by Dallas. Jackson got a timeout called with a second remaining, and Tyler Loop kicked a winning 56-yard field goal.

While the Cowboys had hopes of a quick turnaround with 34-year-old Christian Parker as a first-time defensive coordinator, the first three weeks have shown otherwise. In a season-opening loss to the New York Giants, Dallas had just two possessions in the second half because the defense couldn’t get a stop.

Porter was among the top 20 in the NFL in pass breakups over his first three seasons with 31. He had two seasons of double-digit passes defended. Last season, DaRon Bland was the leader for Dallas with six as the Cowboys finished last in the league in passing defense.

Malkin scores, Silovs stops 19 shots as Penguins pile on in 7-0 win over Flyers in teams’ 2026-2027 season opener

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Filip Hallander (11), Ville Koivunen (41), Kaedan Korczak (6) and Samuel Girard (49) celebrate after a goal by Koivunen during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Evgeni Malkin, Hendrix Lapierre and Filip Hallander scored in the second period and Arturs Silovs stopped 19 shots to help the Pittsburgh Penguins steamroll the Philadelphia Flyers 7-0 on Wednesday night.

Silovs posted his third career shutout in his 57th start. Nick Robertson scored two goals and Ville Koivunen and Egor Chinakhov also scored for the Penguins. Sidney Crosby added an assist.

The Penguins’ season ended on the same Philadelphia ice in April when the Flyers won a first-round playoff series in six games.

The Flyers left the clincher to a roaring ovation on Cam York’s winner. Five months later, the Flyers were soundly booed off the ice – reaching a crescendo after the second period – and the opening night festivities were spoiled for a team trying to become a force in the Eastern Conference.

The Penguins are trying to run it back at least one more time between the longtime core of Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang. Malkin signed a one-year deal to remain in Pittsburgh, and the hope is there’s enough magic left to help put the Penguins in position to win a playoff series for the first time in nearly a decade.

The 40-year-old Malkin ripped a one-timer from the slot early in the second period for the 3-0 lead that also gave him 100 career points against the Flyers. He became the sixth player with at least 100 points against the Flyers. Crosby’s assist on Robertson’s game-opening goal extended his record with 140 career points against Philly.

The Penguins scored five goals on their first 18 shots against Dan Vladar. Vladar didn’t play a full period in the preseason as he battled an unspecified injury, and with the Flyers in the first game of a back-to-back set, he was left in the game to take the beating.

Vladar knocked Robertson’s second goal of the game into the net with the back of his skate in a gaffe that made it 6-0.

Up next

Penguins play their home opener Saturday against Montreal.

Flyers play Thursday at New Jersey.

2026 Pirates earn winning record, first time for the team since 2018

(Credit and Caption for Photo: Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe celebrates an RBI single against the Boston Red Sox next to first base coach Tarrik Brock on Aug. 16 at PNC Park. (Christopher Horner | TribLive))

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates finished their season with a winning record of 82-80 after their 4-2 win yesterday against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit.

The Pirates have not finished an MLB regular season with a winning record since 2018, which was when they finished with a record of 82-79.

Even though the Pirates did not make it to the 2026 MLB playoffs, they head into the 2026 offseason with several improvements from their 2025 season.

The 2026 Pirates had 11 more wins than all of last season, and they broke several franchise records in this year’s campaign.

These include the most home runs ever hit by a Pirates team with 186, and the most strikeouts by Pirates pitchers with 1,496.

The 2026 Pirates also had a major improvement on offense from last season, because they scored 767 runs this year, compared to 583 runs in 2025. 

Pitt college football breaks two school records in 59-0 blowout win over Bucknell

(Credit and Caption for Photo: Pitt wide receiver Bryan Hamilton scores a touchdown during the second half of a college football game against Bucknell at Acrisure Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Matt Freed, Post-Gazette))

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pitt’s college football team improved to 4-0 on the 2026 season and broke two school records in their 59-0 blowout win against Bucknell on Saturday at Acrisure Stadium.

Pitt had 579 passing yards and 766 total yards in that game, which are both school records.

Sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel also tied an Atlantic Coast Conference record with his second game of the season with six touchdowns.

Heinstchel had six touchdowns and threw for 403 yards in that game.

The Panthers will travel to Blacksburg, Virginia to play Virginia Tech on the road this Friday, October 2nd at 7 p.m. Eastern Time for their next game.

Brighton Township youth football teams disqualified from playoffs over age rule

(File Photo of a Football)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Brighton Township, PA) Over 100 young athletes in Brighton Township will miss the chance to compete in their respective playoffs this fall due to an age eligibility issue that involves one player.

These playoffs will occur in two weeks.

The affected teams consist of players that are from kindergarten through fifth grade and according to Amanda Dobrich, “They’re penalizing our children, all three teams, the Mighty Mites, Termites and the Twerps for the Brighton Township Bears.”

This eligibility issue comes from a player who turned thirteen years old in April, which violated the rules of the Beaver County Youth Football League (BCYFL).

That football league made an emphasis that the situation was not the fault of the family of the player. 

According to a letter sent to families by the league, Brighton Township was aware months before the season began that the player’s age would create an eligibility issue.

The family received information from Brighton Township that an exemption would need to be requested.

However, the league stated that this request was never brought before the board and no exemption was approved.

Pirates pitcher Kirby Yates makes first career start, then retires after 12 MLB seasons

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Kirby Yates, right foreground, is hugged by a teammate after being taken out of the game during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

DETROIT (AP) — Two-time All-Star reliever Kirby Yates says he is retiring after making his first start Saturday in a 12-year big league career.

The 39-year-old Yates, who went undrafted out of junior college, shook hands with teammates and plate umpire Laz Diaz while leaving the field after pitching 1 2/3 innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He started opposite Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander, who was also making his last appearance before retiring.

It was Yates’ 518th appearance since debuting with Tampa Bay in June 2014, and he confirmed after the game that it was his last.

“This is it,” he said. “Just didn’t really want to say anything publicly before, until the end. It was great. It was an awesome day. Really cool thing to kind of be a part of, especially what’s going on on the other side. Seeing emotions on both sides was something you don’t forget. It was a good day.”

This was the third time both starting pitchers made their final regular-season appearance in the same game after at least 12 seasons. Hall of Famers Christy Mathewson and Mordecai Brown did it in 1916, and Paul Derringer and Vern Kennedy did it in 1945, according to MLB.com.

Yates led the majors with 41 saves for San Diego in 2019. He finishes 32-29 with 101 career saves, including three this season for the Los Angeles Angels.

The right-hander pitched for the Rays, Yankees, Angels, Padres, Braves, Rangers, Dodgers and Pirates. He was an All-Star in 2019 with San Diego and 2024 with Texas. Yates was left off the Dodgers’ postseason roster last season but did receive a ring as part of the World Series championship celebration.

Yates was born in Hawaii and went to high school there. He was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 26th round of the 2005 amateur draft out of high school, but did not sign. Four years later, he signed with Tampa Bay after going undrafted out of Yavapai College in Arizona.

Despite compiling a 3.19 ERA in 46 outings this season, Yates says he knows it’s time to step away.

“I don’t have anything left, let’s put it that way,” he said. “I’ve been running on fumes here for a while.”

Griffin’s homer helps Pirates finish with winning record, beating Detroit 4-2

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

DETROIT (AP) — Konnor Griffin homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates recorded their first winning season in eight years with a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday in the final game for both teams.

Pittsburgh (82-80), which improved by 11 wins over 2025, hadn’t finished with a record over .500 since going 82-79 in 2018.

Detroit, which made the postseason the previous two years, finished 76-86, an 11-win drop from 2025.

Griffin led off the game against River Ryan (0-1) with his sixth homer, and the Pirates doubled the lead in the second on an RBI single by Jake Mangum. Pittsburgh had the bases loaded with one out later in the inning, but Beau Brieske came out of the bullpen to get Griffin to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Pittsburgh increased the lead to 4-0 with a pair of runs in the fourth. Billy Cook’s two-out double brought home Nick Gonzales, and Griffin followed with an RBI single.

Detroit got on the board with two homers off Antwone Kelly in the seventh.

Kevin McGonigle, who had Detroit’s only hit in the first six innings – a fourth-inning single – led off with his 18th home run to make it 4-1. After Riley Greene grounded out, Eduardo Valencia homered for the second straight game.

The Tigers, though, didn’t score again. Mason Montgomery pitched the ninth for his 18th save.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch removed McGonigle in the top of the eighth, allowing him to receive a standing ovation after a season that has made him the favorite for the American League Jackie Robinson Award.

The 21-year-old finished the season hitting .278 with 18 homers, 97 runs and 95 walks, becoming the fourth rookie to finish with 95 runs and 95 walks since 1947. He joins Jim Gilliam (1953), Joe Morgan (1965) and Aaron Judge (2017).

Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds started, but came out of the game in the third inning, allowing him to play in all 162 games this season.

The game drew a crowd of 30,165, bringing Detroit’s season total to 2,322,353 – a 3.8% drop from last season.

Justin Verlander makes teary farewell to 21-year career as Tigers rally to beat Pirates 4-3

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Genevieve Verlander, left, hugs her dad, Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander, during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander made a teary farewell, accompanied by his 7-year-old daughter as he left a major league mound for the final time in the Detroit Tigers’ 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Eduardo Valencia hit a game-ending, two-run homer off Mason Montgomery (6-4) in a three-run ninth that included Kevin McGonigle’s RBI groundout. Valencia became the first Detroit rookie with a walk-off homer while trailing since Lou Whitaker on July 28, 1978, according to Major League Baseball.

Verlander allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings with one walk and six strikeouts in his 91-pitch outing. The 43-year-old right-hander was making his second start of the year and first since March 30 in a season derailed by a sore hip and hamstring injury.

After Brandon Lowe hit a foul popup starting the sixth, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch walked from the dugout toward the plate and pointed toward the seats. Genevieve Verlander, wearing a Tigers jersey with her dad’s name and number, sprinted to the mound and hugged her father, who reached down to embrace her and started shaking and sobbing.

Verlander finished 266-159 in 557 starts with a 3.33 ERA and 3,560 strikeouts, eighth on the career list.

Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead on solo homers by Brandon Lowe in the fourth and Nick Gonzales.

Javier Báez hit an RBI double in the sixth, and Bryan Reynolds extended Pittsburgh’s lead to 3-1 with a run-scoring triple in the eighth.

Jacob Waguespack (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Pittsburgh (81-80) needs one win for its first winning season since 2018.

The Pirates’ Kirby Yates made his first career start after 517 relief appearances, then said he is retiring. The 39-year-old right-hander allowed two hits over 1 2/3 innings.

Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz left in the third inning. He fell awkwardly while trying to field McGonigle’s bloop single in the first.

Up next

Tigers RHP River Ryan (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Pirates RHP Jared Jones (5-6, 3.87) start Sunday in the final game before Comerica Park’s name changes to Fifth Third Park for 2027.

Torkelson narrowly misses cycle as Tigers hang on to beat Pirates, 8-7

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson celebrates after his solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

DETROIT (AP) — Spencer Torkelson finished a single short of the cycle, Jackson Jobe allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 on Friday night after nearly wasting a six-run lead.

Detroit led 8-2 after seven innings, but RBI singles by Nick Gonzales and Ryan O’Hearn and a three-run homer by Rafael Flores Jr. pulled the Pirates within one run in the eighth.

Torkelson got some help from the Pirates defense – his second-inning triple was a sinking liner to right that evaded a diving Jake Mangum, and his double was a routine fly ball to shallow right-center that fell untouched among three fielders. He hit his 26th homer in the seventh and was on deck when the Tigers made the final out of the eighth.

Pittsburgh (81-79) needs one win for its first winning season since 2018.

Jobe (3-3) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out eight. He returned in August from Tommy John surgery and finished with a 3.91 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 46 innings.

Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 498th save, his 22nd in 28 chances this season.

Bubba Chandler (9-9) gave up six runs, four hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.

Dillon Dingler had a two-run single, raising his career-high RBIs total to 91.

The game started 30 minutes late because of lengthy ceremonies honoring Justin Verlander on the eve of his final MLB start.

Up next

Verlander (0-1, 12.27) makes his first start at Comerica Park since Aug. 20, 2017, when he beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1.