Aug 24, 2019 3 min read

In high school football

Marshall Whipkey had three total touchdowns as McGuffey scored 41 unanswered points to defeat Ambridge, 41-6, in a Week Zero game Saturday night.

The game was postponed to Saturday after Ambridge forgot to find officials.

Whipkey completed 4 of 5 passes for 120 yards and a 63-yard touchdown to Nate Yagle late in the first quarter to give the Highlanders the lead for good. He had touchdown runs of one and eight yards.

Jared Johnson had seven carries for 71 yards and a pair of touchdowns for McGuffey, which had 422 yards of total offense.

In the NFL

Houston Texans starting running back Lamar Miller was taken off the field on a cart during the first quarter of the team’s preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys Saturday.

On first down, Miller was tackled by Cowboys tackle Maliek Collins, who hit him just above the left knee. Miller grabbed his left leg and was checked out by the medical staff. He was eventually carted off.

Miller has been the Texans’ lead back since 2016. In 14 games last season, he ran for 973 yards on 210 carries and scored five touchdowns. Miller is entering the last season of a four-year contract.

Houston traded for running back Duke Johnson earlier in the month but was hoping to feature both backs in their offense.

• Patriots tight end Lance Kendricks has been suspended without pay for the first game of the season for violating the NFL’s policy and program on substances of abuse.

Kendricks’ suspension leaves the Patriots further depleted at the position. Benjamin Watson will miss the first four games of the season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancers and four-time All-Pro Rob Gronkowski retired after last season.

Kendricks is eligible to participate in all remaining preseason practices and the team’s final preseason game. He will be eligible to return to the active roster on Sept. 9, following the team’s Week 1 game against Pittsburgh.

WVU receiver granted eligibility

The NCAA has granted immediately eligibility to West Virginia wide receiver Sean Ryan.

West Virginia coach Neal Brown announced the approval Friday.

Ryan is a sophomore who transferred to West Virginia from Temple in May. The Owls underwent two head coaching changes after the end of the 2018 regular season.

The 6-foot-4 Ryan had 12 receptions for 162 yards and one touchdown as a freshman at Temple. He will be counted on to help shore up a West Virginia receiving unit that lost playmakers David Sills, Gary Jennings and Marcus Simms.

Grizzlies waive Howard

The Memphis Grizzlies have waived Dwight Howard ahead of the veteran center’s expected move to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Grizzlies announced the move Saturday. They acquired Howard in a trade with Washington last month.

Howard still must clear waivers before he can sign with another team. The Associated Press and many media outlets reported Friday that Howard plans to sign with the Lakers, with whom he spent one eventful season in 2012-13.

Howard will bolster the Lakers’ roster after the loss of DeMarcus Cousins, who tore a knee ligament in an offseason workout this month shortly after signing with Los Angeles.

Howard worked out for the Lakers and met with several players earlier this week before the team agreed to sign him.