Briefs
PIAA sites
On Sunday the PIAA announced first round sites for soccer and volleyball.
In boys soccer, Benworth will play District 9 champion Brockway, 6 p.m. Tuesday at Peters Township. Belle Vernon hosts District 5 champion Somerset in the Class 2A first round, 6 p.m. Wednesday.
In girls soccer, Bentworth will travel to District 10 champion Seneca, 6 p.m. Tuesday for a Class A first round match.
Three local girls volleyball teams made the playoffs.
WPIAL champ Peters Township hosts District 3’s Lower Dauphin, 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Class 5A first round.
Waynesburg, a 3-1 winner against Seton LaSalle Saturday in a consolation match, travels to District 5 champion Chestnut Ridge, 6 p.m. Tuesday for a Class 3A first round match.
Fort Cherry will make the trip to play District 6 champ Purchase Line, 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Class 2A first round.
College basketball
A lopsided fourth quarter allowed the Washington & Jefferson women’s basketball team (2-0) to secure a 65-59 victory over visiting Case Western Reserve (0-2) in the final game of the 2026 Vicki Staton Tipoff Classic.
The Presidents trailed by eight in the fourth quarter, but held Case Western scoreless over the final nine-plus minutes. Following a triple by Bri Morreale, Katie Kovalchick converted three straight field goal attempts. Kovalchick’s layup tied the game with 3:17 remaining. Following consecutive defensive stops, Kovalchick converted another layup to push the Presidents in front for good.
Kovalchick recorded a near triple-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Jaden Wan added 15 points and nine rebounds to finish off a strong opening weekend.
• The Washington & Jefferson men (0-1) dropped their season opener 105-69 against Lancaster Bible (1-0).
Nathan Plotner led the Presidents with 13 points and is seven points away from 1,000 for his career. Plotner also had 12 rebounds. Julian Semplice, Matthew Carte and Harrison Sowers had 11 points apiece.
Ham hospitalized
Penn State and Steelers great Jack Ham was in stable condition at the University of Washington Medical Center after a medical emergency Saturday as he was preparing for a radio broadcast, Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell said after the game. Campbell opened his news conference after the Nittany Lions’ 28-25 victory by calling it “a gut-wrenching day for Penn State football.” According to Campbell, Ham’s broadcast partner, Steve Jones. made a “heroic effort” when the 77-year-old analyst experienced the emergency arriving at Husky Stadium. Ham was transported across the street to UW Medical Center. An All-American linebacker for Penn State in 1970, Ham went on to make eight Pro Bowls and win four Super Bowls in a 12-year NFL career.
NFL
Tyler Shough floated a 15-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Johnson toward the right corner of the end zone, and the desperate New Orleans Saints stopped a do-or-die 2-point conversion to outlast the Cleveland Browns 23-22 in overtime. After the Saints scored on the first possession of overtime, Cleveland answered when Harold Fannin Jr. turned a short catch from Browns backup Shedeur Sanders into a tackle-breaking, 39-yard touchdown. The Browns chose to try a 2-point conversion for the win, but Sanders was forced to roll right under pressure and threw incomplete.
• Joe Burrow threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another and the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense kept rolling to defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-17 in Madrid for their fourth straight win. Ja’Marr Chase had eight receptions for 142 yards in the first half, and Tee Higgins added two touchdown catches at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Chase finished with 10 catches for 155 yards and a touchdown.