Sports briefs
In football
Former NFL tight end Russ Francis, a three-time Pro Bowl selection with the New England Patriots who won a Super Bowl with the 1984 San Francisco 49ers, was killed along with another aviation enthusiast when their small plane crashed after takeoff from an upstate New York airport, authorities said Monday.
Francis, 70, and Richard McSpadden, 63, had just departed from the Lake Placid Airport shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday in a single-engine Cessna 177 when the plane encountered trouble. The New York State Police said the aircraft crashed into an embankment at the corner of the airport.
Francis was president of Lake Placid Airways, which runs charter and scenic flights.
Francis was a Patriots first-round draft pick in 1975 and played in New England until 1980, making the franchise’s all-decade team for the 1970s and the 35th anniversary team. He was named to the Pro Bowl three straight seasons from 1977-79.
- The Indianapolis Colts will activate All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor this week and he could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Coach Shane Steichen told reporters Monday he expects Taylor to practice starting Wednesday and the team will then evaluate whether he’s ready to start playing in games.
Girls soccer
Bella Carroto and Mckenna DeUnger each scored four goals as Charleroi overpowered Beth-Center 12-0 in Class A Section 2.
Carroto’s goals give her 98 for her career. She also had three assists and DeUnger had two as the first-place Cougars improved to 8-1 in section and 2-9 overall.
Taylor Ramsdell had a pair of goals, and Anna Kondratowicz and Rhianna Grogan tallied the final two goals.
- Connellsville used a pair of second-half goals to beat visiting Belle Vernon 3-1 in a Class 3A Section 2 match.
Kataira Rhodes scored the lone goal for Belle Vernon (3-6-1, 4-7-1) on a direct kick in the first half, which ended tied at 1-1. Leps goalkeeper Abby Showman made seven saves.
- Jenna Burt scored two goals in the first half, and goalkeeper Jenna Pattison and some strong defense kept Brownsville scoreless, as McGuffey blanked the Falcons 2-0 in Class 2A Section 4.
The Highlanders are 2-5 in section and 3-6 overall.
- Amelia Brose’s goal with 2:34 remaining, off an assist by Ella Richey, gave Chartiers-Houston a 2-1 win at Waynesburg in Class A Section 2.
Ava Capozzoli had the first goal for the Bucs, who are 7-2 in section and 11-2 overall.
Waynesburg slipped to 6-3 in section and 9-3 overall.
- Bentworth helped its playoff chances with a 1-0 win in double overtime over South Allegheny.
Bella Moyer scored the lone goal of the match with three minutes remaing. The Bearcats are 3-5-1 in the section and 5-6-1 overall.
In auto racing
Michael Andretti cleared a major hurdle in his bid to launch an American team in Formula One after the FIA said Monday that Andretti Global meets all required criteria to expand the world’s top motorsports series to 11 teams.
The decision does not guarantee Andretti will get the two-car team he wants and just how far he has to go was made clear in the brusque response issued by F1 after the announcement.
Liberty Media holds the F1 commercial rights and it is to the corporate giant that Andretti Global and partner Cadillac must next prove their commercial value. Liberty Media and F1 President Stefano Domenicali have mostly sided with the existing 10 teams, which vehemently oppose expanding the 20-car grid. The teams, however, have no vote on expansion.