Nov 16, 2022 4 min read

ON THIS DATE

Nov. 17

1945 – Dan Towler scores three touchdowns as Donora wins the WPIAL Class AA football championship with a 38-6 victory over New Kensington in a rain-soaked game in Latrobe. The win is the 19th straight for the Dragons.

1950 – Canonsburg and New Brighton play to a 12-12 tie in the WPIAL Class A football championship game at Dormont Stadium. Canonsburg led 12-6 at halftime on a pair of one-yard TD runs by Ed Wisniewski.

1968 – The “Heidi” television special starts on time and cuts off the NBC broadcast of the Oakland-New York Jets game in the final minutes, leaving viewers in the dark and unaware that the Raiders score two touchdowns in the last minute for a 43-32 comeback victory.

1970 – In an effort to boost sagging attendance, the Pittsburgh Condors offer free admission for their game at the Civic Arena against the Floridians. Only 8,074 fans show up to watch the Condors lose 122-116.

1974 – Roy Gerela kicks three field goals and J.T. Thomas runs 14 yards with a lateral from Joe Greene for a fourth-quarter touchdown as the Pittsburgh Steelers win at Cleveland for the first time in 10 years, 26-16. The teams combine for 13 turnovers.

1984 – Kevin Russell’s second touchdown pass of the game to Dave Lease, covering 14 yards late in the third quarter, gives California a 21-14 victory over Bloomsburg in the PSAC State Game in Hershey.

1984 – Washington & Jefferson overcomes an 11-point deficit in the final six minutes and stuns host Randolph-Macon 22-21 in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. Mike John throws a game-winning touchdown pass to Jim Greaves on a fourth-and-goal play in the final minute.

1990 – Washington’s defense holds Aliquippa to 82 total yards as the Prexies win 18-12 in the WPIAL Class AA semifinals at Mt. Lebanon. Keith Cushenberry and Terry Vaughn each score on eight-yard TD runs in the second half. The loss ends Aliquippa’s 16-game playoff winning streak.

1990 – Chris Babirad’s diving two-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gives Washington & Jefferson a 10-7 win over Ferrum in the NCAA Division III South Region playoffs at College Field.

1995 – Washington holds Jeannette, the third highest-scoring team in the WPIAL, to only 125 total yards and the Prexies get two touchdown runs from Aaron Gatten in a 27-0 victory in the WPIAL Class AA semifinals at Peters Township.

1996 – The Pittsburgh Penguins acquire defenseman Darius Kasparaitis and center Andreas Johansson in a trade with the New York Islanders in exchange for Bryan Smolinski.

2001 – Brian Dawson’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Todd Fry with 1:13 remaining and Washington & Jefferson’s defensive stand that followed gives the Presidents a 24-21 victory over Western Maryland in the first round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs at Cameron Stadium.

2004 – The Wheeling Nailers defeat the Johnstown Chiefs 3-1 in an ECHL regular-season game played before a crowd estimated at 1,200 at the Iceoplex in Southpointe.

2007 – Waynesburg University’s Robert Heller rushes for 157 yards on 39 carries, but Dickinson defeats the Yellow Jackets 16-10 in the ECAC Southeast Bowl. Heller finishes the season with 2,176 rushing yards, breaking the NCAA all-divisions record of 2,065 held by Joique Bell of Division II Wayne State.

2012 – The Peters Township girls soccer teams avenges its only loss of the season by defeating Cumberland Valley 1-0 in the PIAA Class AAA championship game in Hershey. It’s PT’s third consecutive state title. Emily Franty scores the only goal off a cross from Olivia Roberson in the 45th minute.

2012 – Dominic Moore runs for two short scores and Carter Hill passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns as Waynesburg defeats Carnegie Mellon 28-24 in the ECAC South West Bowl. It’s Waynesburg’s first postseason win since the 1966 NAIA championship.