Our Lady Of The Valley Parish Fish Fry (St. Cecilia): Fridays During Lent
Author: Beaver County Radio
Michigan overpowers Washington 34-13 as Jim Harbaugh delivers a national title
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with the trophy after their win in the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game against Washington Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer
HOUSTON (AP) — Jim Harbaugh raised the championship trophy as gold and white confetti sprayed over his team and “We Are the Champions” blared.
Nine years after he took over at Michigan, Harbaugh delivered on the lofty expectations he brought with him to his beloved alma mater.
Blake Corum ran for 134 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Harbaugh and the top-ranked Wolverines — undeterred by suspensions and a sign-stealing case that shadowed the program — completed a three-year surge to a national title by beating No. 2 Washington 34-13 Monday night in the College Football Playoff.
“We’re innocent and we stood strong and tall because we knew we were innocent. And I’d like to point that out,” Harbaugh said when asked about off-field issues, jumping in to answer a question posed to his players. “And these guys are innocent. And overcome that? It wasn’t that hard because we knew we were innocent.
“(The season) went exactly how we wanted it to go. It went exactly how we wanted it to go.”
The Wolverines (15-0) sealed their first national title since 1997 when Corum, who scored the winning touchdown in overtime against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, blasted in from the 1-yard line with 3:37 left to put Michigan up by 21 and set off another rousing rendition of “The Victors” from the band.
After a third consecutive playoff appearance, Harbaugh won the championship so many expected when he took over a struggling powerhouse in 2015 — despite missing six regular-season games this season while serving two suspensions.
“That man, he’s the reason we’re here today,” Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy said of his coach.
And Harbaugh did it with a team his old coach, Bo Schembechler, would have adored. The Wolverines ran for 303 yards against Washington (14-1), and their rugged defense held Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies’ prolific passing game to just one touchdown while intercepting the Heisman Trophy runner-up twice.
“There are more than 100 Michigan men who are on this team,” Harbaugh said. “What they’ve done is amazing. They will forever be known as national champions.”
Penix’s remarkable six-year college career ended with maybe his worst performance of the season. Usually unfazed by pressure, Penix was not nearly as precise against a Michigan defense that took away his signature deep throws.
“That was a spectacular game by our defense,” Harbaugh said.
The Indiana transfer who came back from two knee surgeries and two shoulder injuries was roughed up by the Wolverines, limping at times, stepped on another time.
Asked how he was feeling, Penix said, still undaunted: “Better than I was three years ago.”
Penix finished 27 for 51 for 255 yards and a touchdown as the Huskies had their 21-game winning streak snapped.
“They’ve given me everything they possible can,” coach Kalen DeBoer said of a group of players who went 4-8 just two seasons ago and 25-3 since he took over in 2022.
McCarthy had a modest game, throwing for 140 yards and running for 31. But it was enough for him to improve to 27-1 as a starter for the Wolverines.
Michigan gave Washington a taste of life in the Big Ten, where the Pac-12 champions are heading next season, and the Huskies were up for the grind for a while.
Two long touchdown runs by Donovan Edwards and 229 yards rushing in the first quarter put the Wolverines up 17-3 early in the second and conjured up memories of last year’s historic Georgia blowout of TCU.
Washington stabilized and didn’t allow the Wolverines another point in the first half. After the Huskies stopped Michigan on a fourth-and-2 from the UW 38 with 4:46 left in the second quarter, Penix went to work.
He found Jalen McMillan on a fourth-and-goal with 42 seconds left for a 3-yard touchdown. After being on the verge of getting buried by the Wolverines, the Huskies fans sang along to “Who Let the Dogs Out,” happily down only 17-10 at half.
Will Johnson’s interception of Penix on the first play of the second half gave Michigan another opportunity to open up a two-touchdown lead, but the Huskies forced a field goal by James Turner to make it 20-10.
“Today was a complete, complete team effort,” Corum said.
Michigan nursed a touchdown lead until halfway through the fourth quarter, when it put together a 71-yard drive, capped by Corum’s tackle-breaking 12-yard touchdown that finally gave the Wolverines some room with a 27-13 lead and 7:09 left.
Corum, the engine of the ground-and-pound offense and heart and soul of a team loaded with fourth-, fifth- and even sixth-year players, missed the CFP last year with a knee injury. He was named offensive player of the final national title game in before the College Football Playoff expands from four teams to 12 next season.
“Michigan, this is for you,” Corum told the Wolverines fans.
Michigan seemed to be steaming toward a third consecutive Big Ten championship when in October it was revealed the NCAA was investigating the program for potentially breaking rules that prohibit in-person scouting of opponents and using video equipment to attempt to decode opponents’ play signals.
The scandal turned Connor Stalions, the low-level Michigan recruiting staffer accused of orchestrating the scheme, into a household name and threatened to derail the Wolverines’ season.
The NCAA process will linger well into 2024 and it is unknown what penalties Michigan could face. The Big Ten, though, decided to act quickly and punished Michigan by suspending Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season, including matchups with Penn State and rival Ohio State.
With offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore taking Harbaugh’s place, it became Michigan vs. Everybody and nobody could stop the Wolverines.
Harbaugh returned for the postseason, completed the mission and got to celebrate with his 84-year-old father, Jack — himself a former college football coach — as he accepted the trophy.
Michigan became the first college football program to record 1,000 victories when it beat Maryland in November and won its third national title in January.
“Who has it better than us?” Jack Harbaugh asked the fans during the trophy ceremony. They replied with a boisterous: “Nobody!”
Now the question is whether Harbaugh has coached the team he once quarterbacked for the last time, with the NFL seemingly beckoning again.
Harbaugh said it felt good to no longer be the only coach in the family without a national championship. His father won a Division I-AA title with Western Kentucky and brother John won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens by beating Jim’s San Francisco 49ers 11 years ago.
“I can now sit at the big person’s table in the family,” Harbaugh said.
As for what’s next?
“I just want to enjoy this,” he said. “I hope you give me that. Can I have that? Does it always have to be what’s next, what’s the future?”
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Follow Ralph D. Russo at https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at http://www.appodcasts.com.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Park Service retracts decision to take down William Penn statue at Philadelphia historical site
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The National Park Service withdrew a proposal Monday to take down a statue of William Penn at a Philadelphia historical site as part of a renovation that touched off a torrent of criticism over the legacy of the man who founded the province of Pennsylvania.
In a brief statement, Independence National Historical Park said it has withdrawn the proposal it had announced quietly before the weekend about a wider renovation of Welcome Park, located just blocks from the Liberty Bell and the National Constitution Center.
The proposal, it said, was released “prematurely” and hadn’t undergone a complete internal review.
“No changes to the William Penn statue are planned,” it said. The park service never explained the reason for the impetus to remove the statue.
The plan had also involved expanding the telling of Philadelphia’s Native American history and fixing up a deteriorating hardscaped park.
Taking down the statue of William Penn, however, looked like it might become the latest front in a fight over how to tell the nation’s history through its monuments.
Pennsylvania’s top Republican state House member, Rep. Bryan Cutler, had accused President Joe Biden in a statement of trying to “cancel” William Penn. Cutler called it “another sad example of the left in this country scraping the bottom of the barrel of wokeism to advance an extreme ideology and a nonsensical view of history.”
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro took credit for the park service’s reversal, saying in a statement that “my team has been in contact with the Biden Administration throughout the day to correct this decision.”
Welcome Park is a section of a city block bordered by apartments and a bed and breakfast. It is named for the ship that brought Penn to Philadelphia from England in 1682 and is built on the site of Penn’s home, the Slate Roof House, which was demolished in the 1800s.
Penn founded Pennsylvania after King Charles II granted him a charter for over 45,000 square miles (116,500 square kilometers) of land in 1681.
Andrew Murphy, a political science professor and biographer of Penn at the University of Michigan, said it didn’t surprise him that some people would object to tearing down the Penn statue.
Murphy said that being a Quaker in Penn’s time meant dressing in plain clothes, using plain speech and worshipping in plain spaces. Quakers at times refused to have grave markers to avoid calling attention to themselves.
Penn claimed that he did not want Pennsylvania named after him and that King Charles II chose the name to honor Penn’s father, Murphy said.
Murphy wondered if Penn would have even wanted a statue of himself.
“It may or may not make a difference, but the idea of there being a statue of Penn himself, it strikes me as something that Penn himself might have been quite ambivalent about,” Murphy said.
Daugherty Twp. Volunteer Fire Department Cash Bash: 3/09/24
The Daughterly Township Volunteer Fire Department is holding their annual Cash Bash on March 9th this year.
Join us for an evening of fun!!! Ticket includes food and beverages, Cash prizes every 15 minutes. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. First drawing begins at 7:00 p.m. Last drawing for the grand prize of $4,000 will be at 10:00 p.m. There are four (4) three (3) digit numbers on each ticket. Ticket admits one person, $45.00 each.
You can purchase tickets from the square link below, or stop at the Fire Department. Mondays and Thursdays 7:00p.m.
Thank you for your support
***Must be 18 years of age to attend***
SGOC #05059
Paul Posluszny, Larry Fitzgerald Among Newest Members Of College Football Hall Of Fame
(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)
Hopewell graduate Paul Posluszny was named as a new member of the College Football Hall of Fame last night. He was selected as one of nineteen players and three coaches announced as members who will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame later this year.
Following a WPIAL Championship in 2002 with the Vikings, “Puz” went on to play at Penn State University at linebacker for four seasons. He was a two-time winner of the Chuck Bednarik award for best defensive player in college football, adding the Dick Butkus award for top linebacker in 2005.
Posluszny was then drafted 34th overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2007 NFL Draft for what would become an 11-year career with Buffalo and Jacksonville. He would earn a Pro Bowl appearance with the Jaguars in 2014, and helped Jacksonville to the AFC Championship in what would be his final season. He retired in 2018.
Former Pitt wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will also be inducted this year. The Minnesota native played two seasons for the Panthers, catching for 2,677 yards in just 26 games. He finished as runner-up to Oklahoma QB Jason White in voting for the 2003 Heisman Trophy. He would then be selected 3rd overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, where he would spend the entirety of his 17-year professional football career.
Evgeni Malkin leads Penguins past Flyers 4-1 in Scrappy Contest
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in a scrappy contest on Monday night.
Rickard Rakell, Erik Karlsson and Chad Ruhwedel also scored for Pittsburgh, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 36 saves.
“I thought we got better as the night went on,” Nedeljkovic said.
Owen Tippett scored for the Flyers, who have lost seven of nine.
“They were the better team,” Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said. “We weren’t good enough in either end.”
The game was feisty between the in-state rivals, with several scrums around the net and in the corners after plays. The teams combined for 11 penalties that totaled 24 minutes.
Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang was bloodied 5:43 into the third after he threw Philadelphia’s Garnet Hathaway to the ice before getting a stick in the face from Nicolas Deslauriers. Twenty-six seconds later, Scott Laughton and Malkin were scuffling along the back boards.
The Flyers honored their late founder and owner Ed Snider on Saturday, and Snider certainly would have approved of the physical play from the Flyers, whose tough fighting style earned them the nickname “Broad Street Bullies” when they won back-to-back Stanley Cups during Snider’s tenure in 1974 and ’75.
Perhaps Philadelphia was showing its frustration after Malkin capitalized on a turnover by defenseman Egor Zamula and netted his 15th of the season 4:29 into the third to put Pittsburgh comfortably in front 4-1.
“We’ve been playing really well as of late and it makes it easy, makes it fun,” Nedeljkovic said. “That’s how you want to play.”
The Penguins will have a chance to even the four-game season series when they host Philadelphia in the final contest between the teams on Feb. 25.
Rakell opened the scoring just 45 seconds into the contest with a power-play tally after an early tripping penalty on Sean Couturier. Karlsson’s shot from long range through a screen almost seven minutes later beat goalie Carter Hart, who made 36 stops.
Tippett got the Flyers on the board with 5:05 left in the first period with a rare power-play goal for Philadelphia. The Flyers entered last in the league by converting on just 10.2% (13 of 128) of their chances this season. But Tippett finished on a wrist shot from the right circle after a beautiful setup from Zamula.
“We’re just struggling scoring,” Tortorella said. “We don’t have enough people going offensively.”
A surprising trade was announced in the first period. The Flyers acquired defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in 2025 from Anaheim for high-scoring college left wing Cutter Gauthier.
Department of Labor & Industry to Award up to $2.8 Million In Grant Funding to Direct Care Workforce
(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry announced Monday that $2.8 million in grant funding will be heading to the direct care workforce, in the hopes of improving job quality and advancement opportunities for direct care workers who handle patients with disabilities and older patients..
Organizations including local workforce development boards, non-profit and non-governmental entities, community-based organizations, healthcare organizations, and others are eligible to apply.
Applicants may request awards of up to $600,000 each with a performance period beginning July 1, 2024, to February 28, 2026. The deadline to apply is Feb. 29, 2024.
Frances M. Kathary (1942-2024)
Frances M. “Fran” Kathary, 81, of Center Twp., passed away at home, on Saturday, January 6, 2024, with her husband by her side.
Born on July 14, 1942, in Pittsburgh, Fran was the daughter of the late Lawrence and Elizabeth Huffman. Fran was a member of the Slippery Rock Camp Ground, where she enjoyed spending a majority of her summers for the past 40 years. She will be remembered as loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Along with her parents, Fran is preceded in death by her brother, Raymond Huffman; and sister, Carol Huffman.
Fran will be greatly missed by her beloved husband of nearly 59 years, Donald C. Kathary; daughters Crystal (Gregory) Conjeski, Beaver, and Tina (James) Lowman, Plum; grandchildren, Michael ( Whitney) Conjeski, Eric (Maggie) Conjeski, and Colton Lowman; great-grandchildren, Benjamin Conjeski, Alexia Conjeski, and Zackary Conjeski; and her faithful four-legged companion, Susie-Q.
Friends will be received in the Noll Funeral Home Inc., 333 Third Street, Beaver, PA 15009, on Thursday January 11, 2024 from 2pm until the time of service at 5:30pm. Online condolences may be shared at www.nollfuneral.com.
Inurnment to take place at a later date at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.
Mark Alan Smilek (1973-2024)
Mark Alan Smilek, 50, of Brighton Township, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at Good Samaritan Hospice, Heritage Valley – Beaver.
Born on March 23, 1973, in New Brighton, he was the son of Robert Smilek and Arlene (Frederick) Ciccone.
Mark was a survivor of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, where he was a member of the Pentagon Protection Defense Force. He was a valued member of the Beaver Valley community as he served as a Police Officer for Sewickley Borough Police Department, Baden Academy SRO, as well as Chief of the Ohioville Police Department. He was a proud member of the Beaver Valley Chiefs of Police Association, Pennsylvania Association of School Resource Officers, the NRA, and the Steel Valley Lodge. Mark was an outdoorsman, having been an avid hunter and fisherman.
In addition to his parents, Mark is survived by his loving wife of 8 years, Dr. Hilary (Miller) Jones; stepdaughters, Gwendolyn and Meredith Jones; his sisters, Tammy (Duane) Popham and Adrienne (Walter) Miller; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends throughout the Beaver Valley.
Mark was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Floyd and Stella Smilek; and maternal grandparents, Robert and Freda Frederick.
Friends will be received on Friday, January 12th from 2PM to 7PM at the GABAUER-LUTTON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., Chippewa Township, 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls.
A Blessing Service will be held in the funeral home on Saturday, January 13th at 11AM with Fr. Kim Schreck as celebrant.
Interment will follow in Beaver Cemetery.
Mark’s family wishes to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to Dr. Rafic Farah of Hillman Cancer Center, along with nurses Linda, Anna, Jules, and Sandy; his nurses at UPMC Shadyside, Stephanie, Tina, and Andrea; as well as his Nurse Practitioner, Densie Winfield.
In lieu of flowers, Mark’s family kindly requests memorial contributions be made in his name to www.reelrecovery.org
Phyllis Rosalie Alice Eaton (1932-2024)
Phyllis Rosalie Alice Eaton (Holland) age 91, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 6, 2024. Phyllis was born on October 24, 1932, to the late George and Winifred Holland, in Holmbury St. Mary, Surrey, England. She attended school in Dorking Surrey and Art College in Kingston, Surrey. She was a very talented artist, that talent has been carried on in her children and grandchildren. She was the beloved wife of the late David Malcom Eaton who passed away in 2019.
The family emigrated to the U.S. in 1971 where Phyllis continued to be an amazing wife and mother as they raised their family. She leaves to grieve her 4 children, Sara Young (Anthony) Nassau New York, Matthew Eaton (Kathleen) Beaver Falls, PA, Jeremy Eaton Seattle, WA and Sophie Eaton San Rafael, CA. 6 Grandchildren, Aimee Suchocki (Billy), Jessica Eaton, Zachary Gorrell, Brittany Elwonger (Austin), Katie Eaton, JayJay Eaton and 4 great-grandchildren, Sacred and Brelon Allen, Ella and Ali Suchocki, and her wonderful companion over the years, her cat Ladybird.
The family would like to thank our dear family friend and caretaker Sherry, for the years of companionship and care she gave to Phyllis. Barb our dear aid who gave Phyllis undivided attention and kept her engaged during her final stage of Alzheimer’s. Kay and Liz for filling in as needed. Advanced Hospice, for going above and beyond until our last hours together. You were all God sent and we could not have survived this without you or your prayers.
We will think of Phyllis in heaven with David, her husband, watching over all their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, in their lifetime achievements. Also, cheering on their beloved Pittsburgh sports teams. Love and miss you, Mum.
Services will be held privately at Gabauer-Lutton Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., Chippewa Township, 117 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls.