Sports briefs
Charleroi to open football coaching job
Charleroi High School’s football program just completed it best season in 20 years under fourth-year head coach Donnie Militzer.
Tuesday night, Militzer was called by two school district administrators and told that his position will be opened Tuesday at the Charleroi School Board meeting.
Militzer declined comment on the matter and Charleroi athletic director Bill Wiltz could not be reached for comment.
The Cougars finished the season with a 9-2 record and in second place in the Century Conference. The Cougars lost a first-round playoff game to Avonworth.
The playoff berth was Charleroi’s first since 2004 and the Cougars’ offensive nucleus of quarterback Geno Pellegrini, wide receiver Dakota Romantino and running back Brayden Mihalcin return next season.
Militzer was told that he can reapply after the position is opened.
If Militzer is not rehired, the program will have to reboot under a new coaching staff and it will have a ripple effect as Militzer’s offensive system has been implemented in with the middle school program and down to the midget program.
While there is speculation as to what is at the root of this move, Militzer’s tone when contacted Wednesday evening told his disappointment.
Charleroi players took to social media Wednesday night to show support for Militzer.
Pitt football schedule released
A home game against Penn State and the first visit to Notre Dame in six years are among the highlights on Pitt’s 2018 football schedule, which was released Wednesday.
Pitt will be looking for revenge against Penn State after the Nittany Lions’ 33-14 win over the Panthers at Beaver Stadium last season.
In addition to Penn State, teams visiting Heinz Field will include Virginia Tech, Duke, Syracuse and Georgia Tech. The season opener is Sept. 1 at home against Albany and the ACC opener is Sept. 15 against Georgia Tech.
The Panthers will play at Notre Dame for the first time since a triple-overtime loss to the Fighting Irish in 2012.
Pens’ Murray
takes leave
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray is taking a leave of absence from the team following the death of his father.
The Penguins announced Wednesday that James Murray, Matt’s father, died on Tuesday in Ontario, Canada. Matt Murray, who backstopped Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017, will be away from the team indefinitely.
Murray took a brief trip home last week to tend to what the team called a “personal matter” at the time.
The Penguins began a three-game West Coast road trip on Wednesday in Anaheim.
Mullens to chair CFP selection committee
Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens will become the new chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee starting next season, and three new Power Five ADs will join the 13-member panel.
Mullens, a native of Morgantown, W.Va., will be the third chairman, replacing Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt.
Hocutt replaced Jeff Long, who held the position for the first two seasons of the playoff. Mullens will serve a two-year term.
Australian Open
Maria Sharapova ticked off more items on her “to do” list at the Australian Open, returning to center court and accounting for the only person who has beaten her at a Grand Slam since her comeback from a doping ban.
Sharapova advanced to the third round with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) win over No. 14-seeded Anastasija Sevastova as the temperature began to rise at Melbourne Park.
With a forecast high of 39 Celsius (102 Fahrenheit), Sharapova appeared to be in a hurry to get off the Rod Laver Arena court ASAP and won the first set in 23 minutes.
The five-time major winner was broken while serving or the match, but recovered quickly in the subsequent tiebreaker to advance in the tournament.
Ninth-seeded Johanna Konta was more exposed to the heat on an outside court, and lost to U.S. lucky loser Bernarda Pera 6-4, 7-5.