Category: Sports

Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame announces its Class of 2026

(File Photo of the Beaver County Radio Sports Report Logo)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Beaver County, PA) The Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame announced yesterday who will be inducted into its Class of 2026. The ten people that were selected for this distinction will all be honored at a banquet at The Club at Shadow Lakes in Aliquippa on June 13th, 2026. The people that were chosen for this honor are as follows:

  • Jim Cantamessa (Basketball)
  • Christa Harmotto Dietzen (Volleyball)
  • Clayton Hamilton (Baseball)
  • Joe Klimchak (Sports Media)
  • Troy Martin, more commonly known as “The Franchise” Shane Douglas (Professional Wrestling)
  • Tim Moore (Coaching)
  • Anthony Piroli (Coaching)
  • Mark Ridgley (Coaching)
  • Mike Sirianni (Coaching)
  • Terry Smith (Coaching)

Quaker Valley High School forward Mimi Thiero becomes the all-time leading scorer in Quaker Valley girl’s high school basketball history

(Photo Courtesy of Maryland Terrapins on 247 Sports, Posted on December 16th, 2025, Quaker Valley high school senior basketball forward Mimi Thiero is seen with her sign that recognizes her as Quaker Valley’s all-time leading scorer for their girl’s high school basketball program standing next to the University of Maryland women’s college basketball head coach, Brenda Frese)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Leetsdale, PA) Quaker Valley high school senior basketball forward Mimi Thiero broke a record yesterday to become the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Quaker Valley girl’s high school basketball program in the third quarter of the girl’s high school basketball game in Leetsdale that day between Quaker Valley and Sto-Rox in which the Quakers won 65-18. Thiero finished the game with 28 points, which put her at 1,399 points for her career, which passed the record of 1,396 set by Farrah Causby in the 1995 season. On November 12th, 2025 in Leetsdale, Thiero commited to playing women’s college basketball at the University of Maryland, located in College Park, Maryland. The University of Maryland women’s college basketball head coach, Brenda Frese, was also at the game yesterday in Leetsdale to see Thiero break the record for the most points scored in the history of Quaker Valley girl’s high school basketball. Thiero continues the basketball legacy of her older brother, Adou, who was drafted at #36 overall in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft which sent him in a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers and played for Naismith Hall of Fame coach and Moon Township native John Calipari at both the University of Kentucky and the University of Arkansas. Thiero also continues the basketball legacy of her parents, Almamy and Mariam, as Almamy played under Calipari for most of his career in college basketball at Memphis University and Mariam was drafted by the Washington Mystics at #33 overall in the third round of the 2006 WNBA Draft after being an NAIA first-team all-American at Oklahoma City University.

Pitt’s women’s college volleyball team advances to the NCAA Division I women’s college volleyball tournament’s Final Four for the fifth year in a row

(Photo Courtesy of Pitt Volleyball, Posted on Facebook on December 13th, 2025)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pitt’s women’s college volleyball team has made it to the NCAA Division I women’s college volleyball tournament’s Final Four for the fifth year in a row by defeating #3 seeded Purdue 3-1 in Pittsburgh at the Petersen Events Center on Saturday. The #1 seeded Panthers will take on the #3 seeded Texas A&M this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri for a spot in the 2025 women’s college volleyball National Championship game. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN. 

Guenther scores in OT to complete Mammoth’s 5-4 comeback win over reeling Penguins

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) and Nick Schmaltz (8) celebrate after their team defeated the Vancouver Canucks in an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dylan Guenther scored 42 seconds into overtime and the Utah Mammoth rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Sunday.

Guenther, who has five goals in his last four games, beat Sergei Murashov with a wrist shot from the slot. Utah won its second straight following a three-game losing streak.

Michael Carcone scored twice for Utah, while Nate Schmidt and Sean Durzi also added third-period goals, as the Mammoth briefly pulled ahead, 4-3, after trailing 3-0 entering the final 20 minutes.

Karel Vejmelka made 12 saves.

Justin Brazeau scored twice for Pittsburgh and Bryan Rust scored in his third straight game. Ben Kindel also scored on a breakaway and added two assists.

Sidney Crosby’s four-game point streak ended and he remains within two of tying Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux’s franchise record for career points.

Kris Letang had an assist to pass Hall of Famer Borje Salming for the 21st-most points by a defenseman in NHL history.

Murashov stopped 32 shots.

Pittsburgh earned a point for the ninth time in 11 games, but the Penguins lost their fifth straight. The Penguins, who are 1-9 in overtime, blew a 5-1 third-period lead against San Jose on Saturday and lost to Anaheim earlier this week after the Ducks forced overtime with one-tenth of a second left.

Utah needed just six minutes to erase a three-goal deficit and take a brief third-period lead.

Schmidt scored off a rebound at 1:07 of the third and Carcone scored his first goal at 1:22 when he banked his own rebound off Murashov’s back. Durzi tied the game at 5:35 on a shot through traffic. Pittsburgh challenged it for goaltender interference. When the goal was upheld, Carcone gave the Mammoth a 4-3 lead with a power-play goal on a one-timer from the right circle.

Brazeau tied it at 14:06 when he tipped Erik Karlsson’s point shot behind Vejmelka.

Pittsburgh played again without goaltender Stuart Skinner and defenseman Brett Kulak, who were acquired Friday from Edmonton in a trade for Tristan Jarry and Sam Poulin. Skinner and Kulak were granted non-roster status to settle the immigration process.

Up next

Mammoth: Continue a three-game road trip Tuesday at Boston.

Penguins: Close a five-game homestand Tuesday against Edmonton.

Sharks rally from four-goal third-period deficit to stun Sidney Crosby and the Penguins 6-5

(File Photo: Source for Photo: San Jose Sharks defenseman John Klingberg reaches for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — John Klingberg capped off a frantic late rally by scoring his second goal of the game 2:57 into overtime to lift the San Jose Sharks to an improbable 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

Klingberg’s seventh of the season off a feed from Macklin Celebrini gave the Sharks their first victory in the franchise’s 34-year history when trailing by four goals in the third.

San Jose trailed 5-1 with less than 14 minutes to go. Klingberg and William Eklund scored to get the Sharks back in it, and Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli beat Pittsburgh goalie Arturs Silovs with the goaltender pulled to force overtime.

Toffoli, whose tying goal came with 1:38 to play, finished with two goals and two assists. Celebrini had a goal and two assists to push his season point total to 44.

Yaroslav Askarov withstood a second-period deluge from Pittsburgh and finished with 38 saves as San Jose finished a five-game road trip at 3-2.

Sidney Crosby scored a goal and added an assist to move within two of Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux’s franchise record for career points. Crosby beat Askarov in the first period for his 19th goal of the season and assisted on Bryan Rust’s power-play goal in the second to push his career point total to 1,721.

Kevin Hayes, Rutger McGroarty and Anthony Mantha also scored for the Penguins. Rickard Rakell played 22:12 in his return from a 20-game absence due to a hand injury. Silovs stopped 26 shots as Pittsburgh dropped its fourth straight.

The Penguins fell to 1-8 in overtime and are winless through three games of a season-long five-game homestand. The first loss came against Anaheim on Tuesday when the Ducks forced overtime with one-tenth of a second left.

The loss marked the first time the Penguins blew a four-goal lead in the third period since March 10, 1976.

Up next

Sharks: Begin a three-game homestand on Tuesday against Calgary.

Penguins: Host Utah on Sunday.

The Steelers and Dolphins have weathered adversity heading into their 2025 Monday Night Football showdown

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) celebrates with running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) after a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

(AP) Mike Tomlin is only sort of joking when the Pittsburgh Steelers coach says he feels like he’s been on the hot seat during the entirety of his 19-year tenure.

“I always feel like I got something to prove,” Tomlin said. “Not necessarily to anyone in particular. That’s just the spirit in which I go about what I do professionally.”

A spirit that has served Tomlin well throughout his nearly two-decade-long run in Pittsburgh, and one that hasn’t been lost among those who have watched Tomlin from afar, though Miami coach Mike McDaniel will get an up-close look on Monday night when the Dolphins (6-7) visit the Steelers (7-6).

“I think (Tomlin’s teams) play physically every year, regardless of what the nameplates are, and they find a way to play sound football and they become pretty hard to beat,” McDaniel said. “So you know, I think that’s by and large what the last two decades have taught us, is being able to inspire a group of individuals to come together and win more than they lose. I think within that there’s a lot of pride in the organization and the team.”

Just two weeks ago, the Steelers’ season appeared on the verge of spinning out of control following a dismal home loss to Buffalo that dropped Pittsburgh into a first-place tie with Baltimore atop the AFC North and led a portion of the fans who stuck around until the end to call for Tomlin’s firing.

All the Steelers did was respond by beating the Ravens on the road to restore their division lead and offer a reminder that they are dangerous, even if they’re rarely dominant.

While Tomlin’s critics are quick to point out the team hasn’t won a playoff game in eight-plus years, Pittsburgh has also never bottomed out. Tomlin’s next losing season will be his first and as jagged as the Steelers have been over the last three months, they’re also right where they expected to be despite a midseason funk in which they dropped five of seven and looked overmatched against quality teams.

“It’s easy when, if you lose a few games, to fall into selfish cliques and do stuff like that,” Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “And our guys don’t do that. Our guys just figure out, ‘Hey, how can we work hard to figure out a way to get us out of this rut and keep moving forward?’”

It’s been much the same in Miami. This year, anyway.

The Dolphins appeared in disarray following an ugly 2-7 start that cost general manager Chris Grier his job. McDaniel’s job status seemed tenuous at best — and still may well be — but Miami has responded by winning four straight.

“There’s a lot of hard work that’s going into our game, a lot of pride that’s taken in how we play football,” McDaniel said. “So to watch a brand unique unto ourselves in three phases, I really appreciate that.”

Minkah magic

The Steelers and Dolphins pulled off a rare blockbuster trade during the summer doldrums in late June when Pittsburgh sent safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami in exchange for defensive back Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith.

The move may have worked for both sides. Ramsey has stabilized the Pittsburgh secondary after moving to safety following a season-ending injury to DeShon Elliott. Fitzpatrick has thrived while bouncing between safety and slot corner.

“He’s unbelievable,” Austin said of Fitzpatrick. “He’s really smart, really tough, got a nose for the ball, makes the guys around him better, really good communicator, all the good things.”

Fitzpatrick, in his typical understated fashion, downplayed the importance of seeing so many familiar faces on the other sideline.

“No, the only reason why it’s a big week this week is because we’ve got a game and we’ve got to win it,” he said.

Deep thoughts

Rodgers and Pittsburgh’s passing game broke out of a month-long funk against the Ravens, stretching the field in a way they had been unable to for long stretches this season.

The NFL’s oldest (OK, now second-oldest thanks to the return of Philip Rivers) player unleashed a 53-yard strike to DK Metcalf on the first play in Baltimore and kept on firing on his way to a season-high 284 yards.

The arrival of Adam Thielen and the promotion of Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the gameday roster gave Rodgers experienced options opposite Metcalf, and Metcalf ended up having by far his best game of the season (seven receptions, 147 yards).

“We know what winning looks like,” Metcalf said. “We know what I think we still have yet to play our best football game because we had a little lull in the second half, but we’re definitely heading in the right direction.”

“That’s dope”

Tua Tagovailoa was impressed that Rodgers has been putting up numbers at age 42. The Dolphins quarterback was even more excited at the idea of Rivers doing that at age 44.

“Dude,” Tagovailoa said. “Now we got Philip Rivers (back)? That’s dope. These are guys that I used to freaking watch when when I was young, young, you know? And so now that Philip gets an opportunity to come back, that’s super cool.

“And then A-rod, I mean everyone knows he can still throw it, he can still sling it, whether he’s on the opposite 40 throwing it to the back left side pylon, you know he’s still got it.”

Owner of Monroeville volleyball facility taking “first step” in establishing women’s professional volleyball team in Pittsburgh

(Source for Photo: Courtesy of the All AMERICAN+ Field House)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Monroeville, PA) Craig Cozza, the owner of All AMERICAN+ Field House in Monroeville, is starting to develop what could be the first step in an approach to establish a women’s professional volleyball team in Pittsburgh. The first local youth clubs at the All AMERICAN+ Field House can be a way to harness the popularity of the sport of volleyball. On December 1st, 2025, League One Volleyball (LOVB), signed a ten-year lease with the Monroeville-based complex and LOVB oversees thirteen volleyball courts there. Cozza had this to say about this deal that was struck to lease 33,000 square feet, which comprises thirteen volleyball courts at the Monroeville facility to LOVB: “The idea was we need the best and they’re the best and it leads to a professional level.”

Penguins send two-time All-Star goalie Tristan Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers in a goaltender swap

(File Photo: Source for Photo: A shot by Montréal Canadiens’ Alexandre Texier gets by Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (35) for a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins sent two-time All-Star goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to Edmonton on Friday in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a second-round pick in the 2029 draft.

The move closes an eventful 10 years in Pittsburgh for Jarry, an All-Star selection in 2020 and 2022, who was demoted to the minors multiple times last season after struggling with his form.

The 30-year-old Jarry has bounced back this season under first-year Penguins coach Dan Muse. Jarry is 9-3-1 with a 2.66 goals against average and a .909 save percentage for surprising Pittsburgh. He is signed through the 2027-28 season.

The Penguins have an increasingly deep prospect pool in net, led by 21-year-old Sergey Murashov, who played well during a brief stint in Pittsburgh earlier this season.

Skinner, who will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, is 11-8-4 with a 2.83 goals against average, though his save percentage is just .891. Goaltending has been an issue for the two-time defending Western Conference champions. Only six teams have allowed more goals per game than Edmonton entering Friday.

The problems in net in recent years have played an outsized role in keeping Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers from getting over the hump and winning the Stanley Cup, especially in the final the past two years against Florida.

Skinner allowed 19 goals on 137 shots, an .861 save percentage, in the 2025 final, and Calvin Pickard was not much better at .878. Skinner also allowed a soft goal in Game 7 in 2024.

Edmonton this season had the fourth-worst team save percentage in the NHL. And while Skinner ranks 38th in the league among goalies who have appeared in nine or more games, Pickard — who remains on the roster in tandem with Jarry — is last at .851.

Yet the swap for Jarry — who will be returning to Edmonton after starring for the Oil Kings during his junior career — contains a bit of the unknown. Jarry is just 2-6 in the postseason with a 3.00 goals against and an .891 save percentage. His shaky play in the opening round against the New York Islanders in the 2021 playoffs played a major factor in the Penguins losing the series in six games.

The 31-year-old Kulak posted career highs in goals (seven), assists (18) and points (25) last season for Edmonton. He has two assists this year for the Oilers.

Poulin was Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in 2019 but has been unable to find his footing at the NHL level. Poulin has only two points in 15 games for Pittsburgh.

The move wasn’t the only one made by the Oilers on Friday. Edmonton also sent a third-round pick in the 2027 draft to Nashville for defenseman Spencer Stastney. The 25-year-old Stastney has one goal and eight assists in nine games for the Predators this season.