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Donald not about to let go of Super Bowl trophy

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Aaron Donald was in the Cincinnati backfield one last time, his arms closing in around Joe Burrow with everything on the line. On a Rams team loaded with stars, this was his moment in his town and Donald wasn’t about to let go. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp had just finished giving Los Angeles the late lead with a long drive that came out of nowhere. Now it was up to Donald and the rest of the Rams defense to seal the deal. No real pressure. Just the first Super Bowl championship at stake in a city rediscovering its love affair with the Rams. No real ...

Stars line up for surprising Bengals

It’s not that difficult to figure out how the Los Angeles Rams made it to the Super Bowl. They were built much like the glorious edifice that is their new home, with the checkbook always open whenever a new shiny bauble attracted their attention. The quarterback came in an audacious swap of passers with the lowly Lions. A feared, if somewhat disgruntled, receiver was picked up midway through the season after the Browns couldn’t find a way to trade him. And, of course, defensive star Von Miller was making tackles in Denver one week, and in a Rams uniform the next. From Matthew ...

PIAA yet to perfect formula

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association began counting points for its competitive balance formula in 2018 for high school football and basketball, and there have been plenty of bumps along the way. There was a major one Wednesday when the Aliquippa and Wyomissing football teams won their appeals to remain at Class 4A and 3A, respectively, despite being tabbed by the formula to move up. Earlier in the appeal process, teams like Southern Columbia (2A) and Redbank Valley (1A) had already won their arguments against the formula without a hearing by sending documentation ...

QB security gone with Ben’s departure

Ben Roethlisberger made it official on Thursday — his 18-year NFL career is finished. He certainly produced a Hall of Fame resume as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, winning two Super Bowls, three AFC championships and 165 regular-season games, along with throwing for more than 64,000 ...

Basketball playoffs on horizon

By Michael Boytim mboytim@altoonamirror.com District 6 recently announced that its basketball championship round will begin on Feb. 24 at Mount Aloysius and that all games prior to the championship and semifinals will be played at the home of the higher seeded team. The season has reached its midway point, so it’s worth looking at some of the top-seeded area squads. On the boys side, Williamsburg is on top in Class 1A and will likely stay there, but that doesn’t mean the Blue Pirates are in the clear of Bishop Carroll Catholic. The Huskies have been a lower seed the last two ...

Revamped schedule helps PSU football

By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com Penn State has spent a portion of its Big Ten existence — now since 1993 — wondering whether it was an equal member or still pledging the conference. In that regard, news this week that the league has reworked the Nittany Lions’ 2022 football schedule came as a surprise. As the 2021 was careening out of control, going from 5-0 to six losses in the last eight games and a full faceplant of 7-6, the PSU narrative shifted to 2022 and probably the most murderous six-game stretch to open a season ever. The first six weeks, with no bye, ...