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Penn Cambria boys basketball coach Jim Ronan’s active roster more than doubled in the past week. The Panthers’ early-season practices had included 10 players, only a few of whom had previous varsity time. Those workouts now will become more crowded. Penn Cambria begins the scholastic season Monday with reinforcements at host Westmont Hilltop. Twelve members of the Penn Cambria state semifinalist football team have rejoined the hoops squad. No one in Cresson wanted to see the 14-1 Panthers’ historic football season close this past Friday. Still, when the football season concluded one round short of the state championship game, the basketball team received an injection of experienced players who are accustomed to winning. “We’ve been missing a lot of players,” said Panthers senior guard and returning starter Brandon Rabish during the Cambria County Basketball Coaches Association media day Nov. 26 at Forest Hills High School. “With the younger players being here (at practice), I feel like we can develop them a lot and help them. I think they can help us at the beginning of the season.” The District 6 Class 3A Panthers went 11-12 during the 2023-24 basketball season. The current senior group has been part of three basketball teams that went a combined 57-24. The highlights included a PIAA Class 3A semifinal appearance during a 24-6 season in 2022-23, and a 22-6 state playoff team in 2021-22. The Panthers won the District 6-3A championship in 2023 after claiming gold in District 6-4A in 2022. “Learning how to win is a huge thing,” said Ronan, who is two victories shy of his 200th career win. “When the kids already know how to win and have been in big games, the expectations they have definitely helps the rest of the group.” The returning football players have experience winning in at least two sports. “We’re excited to have their momentum coming into the season,” Ronan said, referring to the District 6-3A champion Penn Cambria football team, whose season ended in a 16-6 state semifinal loss to District 7 Avonworth Nov. 29. Three of the basketball team’s four returning starters played football – seniors Gavin Harrold, a guard, and Preston Farabaugh, a forward, and junior guard Caden Gibbons. “I think they need a break, a good five days off of just doing nothing after the football season ends,” Ronan said during the Nov. 26 media day. “Just letting everything process. Enjoying the moment. Getting their body back and ready to go because basketball and football are such a different sport as far as conditioning goes. “It wouldn’t be fair to anybody to put them on the court two days after their last game. I want to give them the due amount of time to just recoup.” Penn Cambria returns 10 letterwinners. That experience will be important on a team navigating the difficult Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference schedule. “This is one of the deepest teams I’ve had in a long time,” said Ronan, who is in his 17th season. “We’re extremely athletic. We’re going to have 12 of those football players. We’re going to have a lot of kids being able to play high-level varsity basketball, and we’re going to need it.” Late last season, the Panthers stood a game over .500 before dropping four of their final six contests. The losses came to LHAC frontrunners Greater Johnstown, Bishop Guilfoyle Academy, Westmont Hilltop and Forest Hills. Penn Cambria’s players learned from the difficult stretch. Now that the entire until has reassembled, the Panthers are hoping to take another step forward. “I definitely think we’ll just pick up where we left off,” said 6-2 senior forward Isaac Strittmatter. “We’ve played with these guys in the same group since we were in kindergarten, in Mainline basketball. We have a very tight bond and I feel like we’re really going to excel this year.” (c)2024 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) Visit The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) at www.tribune-democrat.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

monday.com Ltd. (NASDAQ:MNDY) Shares Purchased by Pathstone Holdings LLCWhy Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy left Sunday’s game frustrated, even after career high in targetsKINGSTON, Ont. — Felipe Forteza went from delivering hits to making kicks for the Laval Rouge et Or this season. The linebacker-turned-kicker showed a veteran's poise with his boot on Saturday, kicking a Vanier Cup record six field goals to lift Laval to a 22-17 win over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks at Richardson Stadium. "The defence did its job and the offence put me in the right position to do it," said Forteza, who was named game MVP. "So I'm stoked." Quarterback Arnaud Desjardins was 34 of 42 for 320 passing yards to help the Rouge et Or win their second Vanier Cup in three years and record 12th overall. It was the first loss of the year for the Golden Hawks, who last won a Canadian university football title in 2005. Laval set the early tone with some big defensive plays and Desjardins was in fine early form, completing his first 22 pass attempts. Forteza split the uprights five times in the first half as Laval took a 17-7 lead into the intermission. Forteza broke the record with his sixth field goal with 2:31 remaining. His only miss was a 32-yard attempt in the final minute. The Golden Hawks ran the ball out of the end zone but didn't threaten again. "We didn't score touchdowns but we moved the ball very well," said Laval coach Glen Constantin. "We flipped the field on these guys." Forteza did some part-time kicking in high school but this was his first season kicking field goals on a regular basis. The Rouge et Or coaching staff liked his powerful leg and helped him with the transition. "It was a bit heartbreaking for me because I like hitting people," Forteza said. "I like being intense and that job is really about being calm and trying to stay healthy." "I like the position," he added. "I like the pressure of it and I like the preparation. I like the hard work and being able to kick that (well) during a game." Laurier quarterback Taylor Elgersma, who won the Hec Crighton Trophy as most outstanding player this season, had a quiet opening quarter before settling in and throwing touchdown passes to Ryan Hughes and Jaxon Stebbings. Elgersma was 23 of 34 for 246 yards but was sacked five times. "Our game plan was just to be us and execute," he said. "Obviously we didn't do that well enough today." Laurier had an 8-0 record in the regular season and outscored its opposition 128-76 over its first three playoff wins. Laval entered at 10-1 overall (7-1, 3-0) and was coming off two close victories over the last two weeks. A near-capacity crowd at the 8,000-seat Queen's University venue had an even split of Laurier and Laval supporters. The weather co-operated after two days of showers in the area. It was cloudy and 8 C at kickoff. Desjardins marched the Rouge et Or deep into Laurier territory on Laval's first possession before settling for an 18-yard field goal by Forteza. Laval used a no-huddle offence in the early going with Desjardins frequently using dump passes to great effect. A 15-yarder from Forteza with 2:54 left in the first quarter made it 6-0. The potent Rouge et Or defence, which led U Sports with just 106 points allowed in the regular season, showed its form as Jordan Lessard forced a fumble from Elgersma that the Golden Hawks recovered. On the next play, Ndeki Garant-Doumambila walloped the Laurier pivot with a ferocious sack. "We know what it takes to get here and what it takes to win these games," he said. Laurier didn't record a first down until late in the first quarter. Laval's special-teams play was also on point. Forteza booted a 65-yard punt and the Rouge et Or coverage swarmed returner Tayshaun Jackson, forcing him down at the Laurier one-yard line. The Golden Hawks would concede a safety to make it 8-0. Forteza added to the lead at 7:01 with a 35-yard field goal. Jackson gave Laurier some life when he broke for a 51-yard run to the Laval five-yard line. Hughes took a shovel pass from Elgersma and sprinted for the corner of the end zone to put Laurier on the scoreboard with 4:57 left in the half. Forteza made a 32-yard field goal with 2:33 remaining. After a Jackson fumble, he added a 42-yard kick 24 seconds later to make it 17-7. The Golden Hawks came out with more jump in the third quarter. Elgersma found Ethan Jordan for a 45-yard reception to highlight a 93-yard drive capped by Stebbings' three-yard TD catch and a Dawson Hodge conversion. Laval took a 19-14 lead when Laurier conceded a safety to open the fourth quarter. Hodge made it a two-point game when he hit a 34-yard field goal with 8:26 left. A pivotal play came with 4:57 remaining when Laval's Loic Brodeur forced a fumble at midfield. He knocked the ball out of Elgersma's hands and Garant-Doumambila recovered. "We focused, we believed in it, and experience," Garant-Doumambila said. "That's what did it for us." The Golden Hawks fell to 2-4 in national championship game appearances while Laval improved to 12-2. The 2025 Vanier Cup will be played in Regina. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2024. Follow @GregoryStrongCP on X. Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press

Paul Vautin's admission about Peter Sterling as NRL icon reveals real reason for quitting TVCEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Jacob Hutson's 20 points helped Northern Iowa defeat Southern Illinois 78-67 on Sunday. Hutson shot 7 of 10 from the field and 5 for 7 from the line for the Panthers (8-5, 2-0 Missouri Valley Conference). Tytan Anderson added 15 points while shooting 6 of 7 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line while he also had 10 rebounds. Max Weisbrod went 4 of 7 from the field (2 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points. Jarrett Hensley finished with 20 points and six rebounds for the Salukis (5-8, 0-2). Ali Abdou Dibba added 10 points for Southern Illinois. Drew Steffe had eight points. Northern Iowa took the lead with 1:02 remaining in the first half and never looked back. Hutson led his team in scoring with 10 points in the first half to help put them ahead 38-34 at the break. Northern Iowa turned a 13-point second-half lead into a 27-point advantage with a 14-0 run to make it a 73-46 lead with 8:38 left in the half. Hutson scored 10 second-half points in the matchup. Both teams next play Wednesday. Northern Iowa hosts Belmont and Southern Illinois takes on Evansville at home. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Deficit soars as Biden heads out the door

Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”The South Korean president’s stunning martial law decree, explained

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to congressional leaders Monday about the ongoing security issue of drones on game days, a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press. The person, speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because the discussions weren't publicized, said Goodell also joined Washington Commanders controlling owner Josh Harris in a series of meetings concerning the RFK stadium proposal and other league matters. Unapproved drones have become a problem for various sports leagues. There was a stoppage during the AFC championship game in Baltimore last January because a drone violated the restricted airspace. Another game in Baltimore in November 2023 was delayed twice because of a drone. The NFL said there were 2,845 drone flights into restricted air space during games in 2023. That number was up from 2,537 in 2022. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits drones from flying within 3 nautical miles — about 3.45 miles — of stadiums during major sporting events with a seating capacity of 30,000 or more. The ban starts one hour before the scheduled time of a game or event and extends until one hour after it ends. The FAA banned drones within a radius of 30 nautical miles — about 35 miles — of Allegiant Stadium for the Super Bowl last February.