Category: Sports

Roethlisberger throws TD in Steelers win over Titans 16-6

Roethlisberger throws TD in cameo, Steelers top Titans 16-6
By WILL GRAVES, AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ben Roethlisberger believes his right arm feels as good as it has at any point in his 15-year career. Maybe too good.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback threw for 114 yards and a touchdown in his brief preseason cameo during a 16-6 victory over Tennessee on Saturday, the 36-year-old admits it’s the throws he didn’t make that will stick with him as the defending AFC North champions get ready for the Sept. 9 season opener at Cleveland.
“I wasn’t real happy with the way I threw the ball tonight,” said Roethlisberger, who completed 11 of 18 passes in three series. “I was kind of sailing some passes.”
Blame it on a combination of rust and the adrenaline rush that comes when facing an opposing pass rush for the first time in eight months.
Still, there was plenty to like from Roethlisberger and the starting offense even without star wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell, including a 32-yard rainbow from Roethlisberger to Justin Hunter in the first quarter for Pittsburgh’s lone touchdown.
“I wanted to leave one in play for him and I’m glad he made the play,” Roethlisberger said.
New offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner allowed Roethlisberger to do a little bit of everything. They dabbled in no-huddle, earned at least two first downs on all three drives and Roethlisberger managed to spread the ball around even as he tried to get a handle on his accuracy.
“A lot of guys caught passes and guys made plays,” Roethlisberger said. “So when you don’t have those big names out there, I like it because it showed to everybody that we can do it.”
MARIOTA OFF THE MARK
Tennessee quarterback Marcus Mariota’s hot start to the preseason — he’d led the Titans to touchdowns on two of the three drives he worked coming in — came to an abrupt halt against a defense that led the NFL in sacks last season.
Mariota completed just 5 of 8 passes for 43 yards while playing most of the first half. He missed a wide-open Corey Davis for what would have been a long touchdown on Tennessee’s opening drive and his afternoon ended late in the second quarter when Steelers rookie safety Terrell Edmunds picked off a floater intended for Taywan Taylor.
“Should’ve made that throw on third down, give Corey a chance to score,” Mariota said. “They busted the coverage. We should’ve made the most of that one.”
Davis took the blame for the incompletion, calling it a “miscommunication.” Either way it was as close as Tennessee’s first-string offense came to a big play. Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis combined for 23 yards rushing on eight carries. Tennessee’s lone touchdown came on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Blaine Gabbert to tight end Anthony Firkser in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve shown flashes of stuff we can do, we show flashes of potential, but potential means nothing,” Mariota said. “You’ve got to go out there and continue to get better and looking at this game, this past game, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.”
BACKING UP BELL
While Bell remains away from the team while waiting to sign his franchise tender, James Conner and rookie Jaylen Samuels impressed against the Titans. Conner ran 10 times for just 18 yards but also caught six passes for 52 yards, a portion of his game that has not been a strong suit.
Samuels, a fifth-round pick trying to earn a roster spot, was a workhorse in the second half. He ran 11 times for 41 yards and caught four passes for another 36.
“I’m not even happy,” Samuels said. “I’m not satisfied yet. I had a good game but there’s still work to do, still improvement to do.”
MADE MEN
The Steelers signed inside linebacker Vince Williams to a new four-year deal on Thursday just hours after inking Pro Bowl kicker Chris Boswell to a new five-year contract. Both showed why they’re worth the money. Williams took down Mariota in the second quarter for the first of Pittsburgh’s six sacks while Boswell converted all three of his field-goal attempts.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
There were no outward signs of protest during the national anthem.
POSITION BATTLES
The Steelers remain in search of a punt returner. Pittsburgh gave second-year safety Cam Sutton a shot in the first half. He ended up fumbling on his first return (though it was recovered by teammate Rosie Nix) and making a fair catch on another. Rookie wide receiver Quadree Henderson, an All-American as a return specialist at Pitt, returned two punts for 14 yards.
Landry Jones appears set as the primary backup behind Roethlisberger. He completed 6 of 9 passes for 44 yards and a pick. Rookie Mason Rudolph hit on 7 of 11 passes for 65 yards. Second-year quarterback Josh Dobbs did not play.
INJURY WATCH
Titans rookie linebacker Harold Landry, in the midst of an impressive first camp after being taken in the second round of the draft, left with an ankle injury in the first half and did not return. Tennessee remains without Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker, who is out after getting hurt during a joint practice with Tampa Bay. Linebacker Brian Orakpo (shoulder) missed his third straight game.
Pittsburgh rookie wide receiver James Washington left in the second half with an abdominal injury. Wide receiver Marcus Tucker went down with an ankle issue and tight end Jesse James has a contusion on his back.
UP NEXT
Titans: Finish up the preseason when they host Minnesota on Thursday.
Steelers: Play their annual exhibition finale against Carolina on Thursday when the Panthers visit Heinz Field.
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Rochester 42, New Brighton 14

WBVP:

New Brighton- 13
Rochester 42
FINAL

In a game dominated early by Rochester they jumped out to an early 14-0 lead. then made it 30-6 by halftime. They never looked back. New Brighton adding a late score, not going away easily. The final of the game was 42-13 in favor of Rochester in the week 0 match up.

Images from tonight’s game:

Hopewell 6 vs Freedom 39 Final

Tonight’s game on WMBA was between freedom and Hopewell. Freedom started the game off with a touchdown on they’re first play of the game. they scored one more time in the first to bring the lead to 14 to 0. the only scoring in the second was a field goal by freedom bringing the first half score to 17 to 0. freedom then put up 13 more points in the third then Hopewell got a touchdown at the start of the fourth and missing theyre field goal. Freedom the answered with 13 more points bringing the final score to Freedom 39 Hopewell 6

Link to Hopewell vs. Freedom at 7 pm August 24, 2018 on Beaver County Radio and Trib-Live Network

1460 WMBA’s Bob Barrickman and Jason Colangelo have the call from Freedom High School of this WPIAL Class 2-A vs Class 4-A Non-Conference high school football game as the Bulldogs battle the Vikings. If you can’t listen to the game on the radio click the Trib-Live Log below at broadcast time to here the broadcast via the internet…..

 

Link to New Brighton vs. Rochester at 7pm August 24, 2018 on Beaver County Radio and the Trib-Live Network

1230 WBVP’s Tom Hays and Bruce Frey have the call from Rochester High School of this WPIAL Class 1-A vs Class 2-A Non-Conference high school football game as the Rams battle the Lions. Austin Bailey will be providing sideline reports throughout the game. Air-time is 7 o’clock and kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm. If you can’t listen on the air click the Trib-Live Logo below at the time of broadcast to listen to the game on line…….

Steelers sign Boswell for 5 more years!!

Chris Boswell, who was voted to his first Pro Bowl last year, kicked four game-winning field goals in 2017 has been  signed to a new five-year contract.

Boswell connected on 35 of 38 field goal attempts and 37 of 39 extra point attempts. His 35 field goals set a Steelers single-season record and the first time a Steelers kicker made at least 30 field goals since Shaun Suisham did so in 2013. Boswell also set a team single-season record for most points with 142 and has the sixth-most field goals in team history with 85.

In his career Boswell has connected on 85 of 95 field goal attempts, with the long being his 53-yarder last year, and hit 99 of 102 extra points.

No. 1 Alabama tops preseason Top 25

No. 1 Alabama tops preseason Top 25; Clemson, Georgia next
By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer
Alabama will begin its quest for a second consecutive national championship with a rare three-peat.
The Crimson Tide is just the second team to be ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll for three straight seasons. Alabama received 42 out of 61 first-place votes.
No. 2 Clemson received 18 first-place votes. Georgia is No. 3 and Wisconsin is fourth. The Badgers received one first-place vote. Ohio State was ranked No. 5.
The preseason AP poll started in 1950 and since then only Oklahoma from 1985-87 had started No. 1 in three straight years until now.
Ring up another milestone for coach Nick Saban’s Tide dynasty. Alabama has won five national championships since 2009 and now has been No. 1 to start the season five times under Saban. Last season was the first time Saban’s team started and finished the season No. 1.
The Tide enter this season with a question at quarterback, but there appears to be two good answers from which Saban has to choose: Tua Tagovailoa won the College Football Playoff championship game for Alabama with a second-half comeback and overtime touchdown pass. Jalen Hurts has led the Tide to the national title game in each of his two seasons as a starter.
Whoever is quarterback, Alabama’s offense should be potent with running back Damien Harris working behind a powerful line anchored by tackle Jonah Williams.
The Tide’s always tough defense will have all new starters in the secondary, but defensive end Raekwon Davis and linebackers Mack Wilson and Dylan Moses are primed to be Alabama’s next All-Americans.
The machine never stops in Tuscaloosa. One again, everybody is chasing Alabama.
NO. 1 AT BEING NO. 1
The AP poll began in 1936 and Alabama is approaching the top of a very storied list:
Ohio State — 105 weeks at No. 1
Alabama — 104
Oklahoma — 101
Notre Dame — 98
Southern California — 91
Florida State — 72
Nebraska — 70
PRESEASON FAVORITES
This is Alabama’s seventh time overall being a preseason No. 1, matching USC for fourth most.
Oklahoma — 10 preseason No. 1 rankings
Ohio State — 8
Alabama — 7
USC — 7
Florida State 6
Nebraska — 6
THE OTHER CHAMPS
Central Florida was the only team in the country to go undefeated last season and — you might have heard — the school decided to declare the Knights national champions because why not? This is college football and nobody is really in charge.
UCF is ranked in the Top 25 for the first time to the start the season, coming in 21st in the preseason poll. The Knights are the highest-ranked team not in a Power Five conference, one spot ahead of Boise State from the Mountain West. If that ranking after going unbeaten seems unusually low, it is but it is not unprecedented. In the CFP/BCS era (1998-present), 19 teams have had unbeaten seasons. Three of those teams — 1998 Tulane, 1999 Marshall, 2004 Utah — were unranked in the preseason poll the next season. Not surprisingly, all those teams played outside of what were then called BCS automatic qualifying conferences. Five other teams were ranked outside the top 10, including three from outside BCS-auto bid leagues. Boise State in 2007 was No. 24 in the preseason. Utah in 2009 started 19th. TCU began 2011 at No. 14.
The only so-called power conference team to go unbeaten in the BCS/CFP era and be ranked similarly low the next season was Auburn — twice. After going 13-0 in 2004, the Tigers started 2005 ranked 16th. After Cam Newton led Auburn to the 2010 national title, the Newton-less Tigers were ranked No. 23 to begin 2011.
BUCKEYE QUESTIONS
Urban Meyer’s uncertain status as Ohio State coach cost the Buckeyes some points in the AP poll, and probably at least one rankings spot.
The AP asked voters whether Meyer being on administrative leave as Ohio State investigates what he knew about domestic violence allegations against a former assistant coach influenced how they voted in the preseason poll. Thirteen voters responded saying the uncertainty caused them to move Ohio State down.
“It’s hard not to bump Ohio State down a tick,” said Andy Greder of the St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press. “It’s an undoubted distraction. I feel like going through fall camp without your head coach only adds to it. I gave Wisconsin a corresponding slight bump up.”
Ohio State had 1,256 points, 15 behind Wisconsin (1,271). No. 3 Georgia had 1,350 points.
The deadline for voters to submit preseason ballots was Aug. 13. The AP allowed voters to adjust their votes if any major news happened in college football from the deadline until Aug. 15 at noon ET.
NOTABLE
— No. 2 Clemson matched its best preseason ranking. The Tigers were No. 2 in 2016 and went on to win the national championship.
— No. 4 Wisconsin has its best preseason ranking since 2000, when it was also No. 4. The Badgers also had one first-place vote that year.
— No. 5 Ohio State is making it 30th straight appearance in the preseason rankings (1989-2018). Only Penn State (34) and Nebraska (33) have had longer streaks.
— No. 6 Washington has its best preseason ranking since 1997, when the Huskies were No. 4.
— No. 8 Miami has its best preseason ranking since being No. 6 to start the 2004 season.
— No. 18 Mississippi State has its best preseason ranking since 1981, when the Bulldogs were No. 14.
CONFERENCE CALL
Big Ten — 5 (all top 15)
SEC — 5 (3 top 10)
ACC — 4
Big 12 — 4
Pac-12 — 4
American — 1
Mountain West — 1
Independent — 1
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Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP and listen at https://www.podcastone.com/AP-Top-25-College-Football-Podcast
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More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org/poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Bucs to face Cubs in 2019 Little League Classic!!

Cubs to face Pirates in 2019 Little League Classic
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — The Chicago Cubs will face the Pittsburgh Pirates in next year’s Little League Classic.
The game will be held at Bowman Field on Aug. 18, 2019. The Cubs and Pirates will attend Little League World Series games earlier in the day.
The matchup was announced Sunday night during the Mets-Phillies game in Williamsport. It will once again be part of ESPN’s Sunday night schedule.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says the Little League Classic “has been a fun summer highlight for baseball the past two years.”
Bowman Field, home of the Phillies’ team in the Class A New York-Penn League, is about five miles from the site of the Little League World Series. It’s the second-oldest minor league ballpark in the U.S.
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Frazier hits walk off homer in the 11th. Bucs and Cubs split series

Frazier homers as Pirates top Cubs 2-1 in 11 innings
By WES CROSBY, Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh’s pitchers delivered once again, and Adam Frazier rewarded them with one big swing.
Frazier hit a game-ending homer in the 11th inning, and the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Sunday for a split of their four-game series.
Josh Harrison grounded out and Adeiny Hechavarria struck out before Frazier drove a 3-0 pitch from Brandon Kintzler (1-3) deep to right. It was Frazier’s fifth homer of the season.
“It’s probably the most excited I’ve ever been going around the bases,” Frazier said. “It was pretty cool.”
The Cubs had a prime scoring chance against Richard Rodriguez (3-2) in the top half of the inning, but came up empty. Addison Russell was picked off third by catcher Elias Diaz, and Albert Almora Jr. struck out looking with the bases loaded with two out.
“We tried that play because the situation dictated it,” Diaz said about the pickoff. “(Wilson Contreras) showed bunt and (Russell) was waiting for the bunt and was halfway (down the third-base line). So, that’s why we called the play, and we executed. It felt great. It saved a run. It was beautiful.”
NL Central-leading Chicago managed just one run in each game of the series, but took the first two behind strong pitching performances by Jon Lester and Cole Hamels. It was the fewest runs allowed by Pittsburgh in a four-game series since it also allowed four against St. Louis from July 30-Aug. 2, 1992.
“We have to get our offense straightened out,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “I can’t make any excuses for it. There are none. We just have to get better. But we did pitch. We played great defense. We did a lot of really good things. We just didn’t hit the baseball.”
The Cubs lost two straight for the first time since July 27-28.
Chicago jumped in front on Kyle Schwarber’s 22nd homer off Jameson Taillon in the second. Schwarber belted a ball just foul past the pole in left field before driving the next pitch into the last row beyond right field.
Schwarber also connected during Friday night’s 1-0 victory.
“That was a different series, that’s for sure,” Schwarber said. “The pitching was on all four games. You tip your hat to their side, to what they were able to do the last two days. All four days. What did we score? Four runs in four days, and won two games. Tip the hat to their team, and you obviously tip the hat to our pitchers too.”
Gregory Polanco hit a tying RBI double for Pittsburgh in the sixth. Carl Edwards Jr. then replaced Jose Quintana with runners on second and third and no outs, and wiggled out of the jam.
Quintana allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two. The veteran left-hander was just 1-3 with a 7.52 ERA in his previous four starts.
Pittsburgh had a chance to win it in the ninth after Pedro Strop walked Hechavarria and hit Frazier to load the bases. But Maddon employed a five-man infield and Corey Dickerson grounded into a 4-9-3 double play, ending the inning.
Taillon struck out eight in six innings. He allowed five hits and walked three.
“Jameson had to roll up his sleeves,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “The numbers are good. The results are really good, but there was work to be done today by him.”
DARVISH’S DAY
Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish lasted just one inning in his rehab start with Class A South Bend, casting doubt on his availability for the rest of the year. Darvish, who has been sidelined by triceps and elbow injuries, said he would ask for an MRI when he got back to Chicago.
He wasn’t sure if would miss the rest of the year.
“I can’t really tell right now,” Darvish said. “It depends how I feel tomorrow. I really want to come back this season. I am going to work hard and do my best to try and come back.”
Maddon didn’t provide any additional information following the loss.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (9-9, 4.11 ERA) gets the ball at Detroit on Tuesday. He is 3-0 with a 4.38 ERA in his last four starts.
Pirates: RHP Chris Archer (4-5, 4.49 ERA) faces visiting Atlanta on Monday. Archer is 1-0 with a 5.65 ERA in three starts since he was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay.
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Bucs swept by the Twins lose 6-4.

Forsythe has 3 RBIs in Twins’ 6-4 win over Pirates
By MIKE COOK, Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Logan Forsythe may be best known by Minnesota fans as the player who replaced fan favorite Brian Dozier.
The lone major leaguer of the three players the Dodgers sent to the Upper Midwest on July 31 for the second baseman, Forsythe has filled in capably.
Forsythe had three RBIs, the Minnesota bullpen tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings and the Twins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 Wednesday.
In 13 games with Minnesota, Forsythe is hitting .386 with six multi-hit games. He had eight in 70 games this season with the Dodgers.
“It’s about consistency and these guys throwing me out there every day and letting me play my game is luckily paying off getting some hits and playing some good ball,” he said.
Oliver Drake, Gabriel Moya (3-0), Tyler Duffey and Taylor Rogers allowed five hits and struck out three before Trevor Hildenberger picked up his third save in four chances.
Minnesota is 16-4 in its past 20 home games.
Josh Harrison had three hits for the Pirates, who were 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Pittsburgh has dropped three straight.
Forsythe’s two-run single off reliever Edgar Santana (2-2) highlighted a three-run sixth as the Twins took a 5-4 lead.
“He just has a calmness about situational hitting. He knows how to execute, he knows how to put the ball in play for a chance to get guys in from third, hits the ball up the middle really well,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said.
Pirates starter Chris Archer retired 10 straight batters before giving up back-to-back singles, including an RBI by Jorge Polanco, to start the sixth, ending his day.
Acquired from Tampa Bay on July 31, Archer allowed four earned runs and six hits in five innings. In his first three starts with the Pirates, Archer has allowed nine earned runs in 14 1/3 innings.
“They had some productive at-bats,” he said. “They fouled some, they had some good takes. But I got to be better than that. I am better than that. And I will be better than that.”
Minnesota starter Jose Berrios allowed four runs — three earned — as he labored through 3 2/3 innings, his shortest start since April 29.
After a 1-2-3 first, Pittsburgh had at least two runners on in three straight innings, with a two-run single by Gregory Polanco putting the Pirates up 4-2 in the fourth. Elias Diaz homered to start the inning.
Berrios has allowed nine earned runs in 12 2/3 innings in three August starts.
NIGHT AND DAY
Berrios is 8-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 13 nights starts this season, but 3-6 with a 4.91 ERA in 12 day starts. Both his complete games have been during the day.
ROUGH DAY
Pittsburgh C Francisco Cervelli was hit by a pitch for a team-high 11th time in the second inning. One inning later, he fouled a ball off his foot — and took a minute to walk it off — before striking out on a called third strike at the knees. He briefly jumped up and down and said a few words to umpire Doug Eddings.
In the fifth, Cervelli tagged Joe Mauer on what he thought was a third strike and took a couple of steps to the dugout. However, Eddings called it a ball, leading to another discussion.
WEST IS SECOND BEST
Umpire Joe West worked his 5,164th career game, passing Bruce Froemming for second all time. Bill Klem worked 5,375.
“We got Dom Perignon for him. The base he worked. It’ll never happen again, ever. … It’s history. No one is close enough to ever get there again,” Eddings said.
TRAINERS ROOM
Pirates: CF Starling Marte missed the game with an illness. … SS Jordy Mercer, who left Tuesday’s came with left calf discomfort, did not play.
Twins: OF Robbie Grossman, on the disabled list since Aug. 6 with a right hamstring strain, will go to Triple-A Rochester on a rehab assignment. The plan is for him to DH Thursday, then play a couple of games in the outfield before being evaluated.
UP NEXT
Pirates: Face division-leading Chicago at PNC Park Thursday to begin a four-game series with RHP Ivan Nova (7-6, 4.42 ERA) scheduled to start the opener.
Twins: RHP Ervin Santana (0-1, 6.53) takes to the hill Thursday when Minnesota opens a four-game home series against Detroit.
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