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Bergman gets title chance in Kiev

5 min read
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Washington’s Jason Bergman is headed to another former state in the Soviet Union, only this time it won’t be as a sparring partner.

Bergman, who went to Russia’s Olympic Training Center outside of Moscow in 2015 to train with top-rated heavyweight Alexander Povetkin, is scheduled to fight WBC International Silver heavyweight champion Andriy Rudenko as the main event of a card at the Olympic Yard in Kiev, Ukraine, Dec. 24.

Bergman, 32, will take a 26-12-2 record into the fight but is 17-3 in his past 20 matches. His last fight came July 29 of this year when he beat Arthur Saribekian by technical knockout in Wheeling. Prior to that, he fought unbeaten and current WBO champion Joseph Parker, the fifth-ranked heavyweight in the world, in January in Samoa, losing by technical knockout in the eighth of 12 rounds.

Parker handed Andy Ruiz his first loss last week to win the WBO championship.

Rudenko, 30-2, will offer Bergman another stiff test. The 33-year-old is ranked 36th in the world and 19 of his 30 wins have come by knockout.

Bergman, a lefty, could provide a strong challenge to Rudenko, whose two losses came in late 2014 and early 2015 in back-to-back fights against Lucas Browne and Hughie Fury. Rudenko has won six fights in a row since those losses, but all have come against right-handed fighters.

Bergman has the power to knock Rudenko out, though that has yet to happen in Rudenko’s career. And his unorthodox style could give the Ukrainian fighter fits.

• There’s still a lot that must happen between now and the draft, but Waynesburg native Scott Orndoff could see himself become the first Greene County native selected in the NFL draft since Joe Taffoni of Carmichaels was taken by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round in 1967.

Taffoni, an offensive lineman, spent four seasons with the Browns and two with the New York Giants after a stellar career at West Virginia.

Orndoff, who graduated from Seton-La Salle High School, had largely been a red zone target at Pitt in his first three seasons at tight end, scoring eight touchdowns on his 23 career catches entering this season after serving in a secondary role to J.P Holtz and receiver Tyler Boyd.

But Orndoff (6-5, 255) emerged as a big factor in Pitt’s offense this season, catching 33 passes for 558 yards and five scores. He averaged 16.9 yards per catch.

His best game came in Pitt’s upset of Clemson, when he had nine catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

If Orndoff can run in the 4.7 to 4.8-second range in the 40-yard dash at his on-campus workout, he’s got a good chance to be drafted.

He’s a willing blocker and has shown the ability to make big plays throughout his college career.

• Miami middle linebacker Kiko Alonso has been limited at practice both Wednesday and Thursday as he tries to return to the Dolphins’ lineup in time for Saturday night’s game against the New York Jets.

If Alonso is unable to play, Canon-McMillan graduate Mike Hull would make his second career start for the Dolphins Saturday night. Hull had eight tackles and an interception last week for Miami playing in place of Alonso.

• Following their Oct. 16 loss at Miami in Week 6, the Steelers’ defense was ranked 28th in the NFL. They were attempting to play a lot of coverage in the secondary with very little blitzing.

After their latest defensive effort in Buffalo, the Steelers are 11th in total defense.

The difference, in addition to rookies Javon Hargrave, Artie Burns and Sean Davis becoming more comfortable with their positions, has been defensive coordinator Keith Butler’s scrapping of the conservative defensive game plans and sending more blitzes.

The Steelers rarely blitzed in the first seven weeks of this season. But coming out of their bye week against Baltimore, Butler started sending more players at opposing quarterbacks.

The Steelers had eight sacks in their first seven games. They have 23 in their past six.

That pressure also has led to more turnovers. The Steelers had three interceptions in their first seven games. They have seven in the last six outings.

Getting to the quarterback with four pass rushers would be nice. But the Steelers are much more effective as a defense when they send blitzers from different areas.

• My thoughts go out to Jefferson-Morgan athletic director Scot Moore and his wife, Lisa, who lost their home in a Thursday morning fire.

Scot Moore is one of the hardest-working athletic directors in the WPIAL and losing your home and possessions in a fire is never easy, let alone having it happen a week before Christmas.

The Jefferson-Morgan School District has set up a fund to help the Moore family. For information, please call 724-883-2310.

Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com

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