WPPA/T102 SPORTS-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009

PIAA PLAYOFFS

THE TRI VALLEY BULLDOGS ARE HEADED TO THE STATE FOOTBALL SEMI-FINALS AFTER A BIG WIN FRIDAY NIGHT 35-32 AGAINST THE SOUTHERN COLUMBIA TIGERS AT ROTARY FIELD IN SCHUYLKILL HAVEN. THE DAWGS PUT UP NEARLY 450 YARDS IN TOTAL OFFENSE, WITH MATT MCGINLEY RUSHING FOR TWO TOUCHDOWNS AND THROWING TWO MORE. THE 10-4 BULLDOGS NOW AWAIT THE WINNER OF TODAY'S OTHER QUARTERFINAL BETWEEN MILLERSBURG AND BISHOP MCCOURT AT HERSHEYPARK STADIUM.

OTHER SCORES FROM THE PIAA PLAYOFFS LAST NIGHT:

AAA

SELINSGROVE 31
ALLENTOWN CENTRAL 10

TODAY, IT'S THE AA QUARTERFINAL FROM PALISADES HIGH SCHOOL IN KINTNERSVILLE, AS THE NORTH SCHUYLKILL SPARTANS TAKE ON THE BURRS FROM WEST CATHOLIC. PREGAME ON WPPA AND WPPA RADIO DOT COM.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - PHILADELPHIA FLYERS GENERAL MANAGER PAUL HOLMGREN SAYS THE TEAM NEEDS A NEW COACHING VOICE -- SO HE HAS HIRED PETER LAVIOLETTE TO REPLACE FIRED COACH JOHN STEVENS. LAVIOLETTE LED THE CAROLINA HURRICANES TO THEIR ONLY STANLEY CUP TITLE IN 2006. HE WAS FIRED IN DECEMBER 2008 AND WAS STILL UNDER CONTRACT.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A SLOW-STARTING PITTSBURGH HELD NEW HAMPSHIRE TO SEVEN POINTS DURING A FIRST HALF BEFORE PULLING AWAY FOR A 47-32 VICTORY ON FRIDAY NIGHT. THE TIRED PANTHERS (7-1) LED ONLY 15-7 AT HALFTIME. THE 22 COMBINED POINTS WERE THE FEWEST IN A FIRST HALF OF A DIVISION I GAME SINCE THE SHOT CLOCK ERA BEGAN IN 1985.

ANNAPOLIS, MD. (AP) - JORDAN SUGARS HAD 21 POINTS, 12 REBOUNDS AND THREE STEALS TO HELP NAVY HOLD OFF PENN 73-67 ON FRIDAY NIGHT, DENYING THE QUAKERS THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON. PENN (0-5) LED 44-43 WITH 11:50 REMAINING. JEREMY WILSON MADE A FREE THROW TO TIE THE SCORE, THEN MARK VEAZEY'S THREE-POINT PLAY GAVE THE MIDSHIPMEN THE LEAD FOR GOOD.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - THANKS TO SOME SMART SCHEDULING, THE BIG EAST THIS YEAR HAS WHAT AMOUNTS TO A TITLE GAME WITHOUT ADDING A WEEK TO THE SCHEDULE. NUMBER 5 CINCINNATI ALREADY OWNS A SHARE OF THE BIG EAST TITLE, AND NUMBER 14 PITTSBURGH CAN CLAIM THE OTHER HALF WITH A WIN OVER THE BEARCATS ON SATURDAY.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - COULD XAVIER NADY MAKE A RETURN TO PITTSBURGH? THE PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE REPORTS THE PIRATES HAVE MADE INITIAL INQUIRIES ABOUT THE FREE AGENT OUTFIELDER, AS THEY CONSIDER THEIR
OFF-SEASON SIGNING OPTIONS. NADY PLAYED WITH THE PIRATES IN 2007
AND 2008 BUT WAS PART OF A TRADE WITH THE YANKEES THAT BROUGHT
DANIEL MCCUTCHEN, ROSS OHLENDORF AND JEFF KARSTENS TO PITTSBURGH.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - WIDE RECEIVER DESEAN JACKSON IS ONE OF FOUR PHILADELPHIA EAGLES RULED OUT FOR SUNDAY'S GAME AGAINST THE ATLANTA
FALCONS. JACKSON SUFFERED A CONCUSSION IN LAST WEEK'S WIN OVER THE
REDSKINS. WIDE RECEIVER KEVIN CURTIS, RUNNING BACK BRIAN WESTBROOK
AND LINEBACKER AKEEM JORDAN ARE ALSO OUT OF ACTION FOR SUNDAY.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THERE'S A GRASS ROOTS EFFORT UNDER WAY TO ERECT A STATUE IN HONOR OF THE LATE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BROADCASTER HARRY KALAS. IT WOULD BE A GIFT FROM THE FANS TO THE PHILLIES. A NEWLY FORMED NONPROFIT "DEAR HARRY, INC." IS COLLECTING CORPORATE AND INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS TO PAY FOR A SEVEN-FOOT BRONZE STATUE OF KALAS.