Sports briefs
Penguins re-sign Aston-Reese
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed forward Zach Aston-Reese to a one-year contract.
The contract runs through the 2021-22 season and carries an average annual value of $1.725 million.
“Zach is a versatile forward that brings energy and edge to our lineup,” said Penguins general manager Ron Hextall. “He is a responsible, two-way player and we’re glad we were able to re-sign him.”
Aston-Reese, 26, has played in three-plus NHL seasons, all with Pittsburgh. In 45 games during the 2020-21 season, the forward had nine goals, six assists, 15 points and was a plus-10. His nine goals were a career high. Aston-Reese’s 95 hits last season were the second-most on the team.
AJGA at Southpointe
Rocco Salvitti of Canonsburg won his first AJGA golf tournament when he topped the field Thursday in the AJGA Junior at Southpointe.
Salvitti shot 4-over 200 to edge Arihau Faana of Lake Mary, Florida, by one stroke. Salvitti shot 74 in the final round but had six birdies to finish at 4-over for the tournament.
In golf
Harris English shot an 8-under 62 on Thursday to match his lowest PGA Tour score and take the first-round lead in the FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
The 2013 winner at TPC Southwind, English had a two-stroke lead over Jim Herman, Carlos Ortiz, Ian Poulter and Matthew Wolff, with Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler and Marc Leishman another shot back at 65.
DeChambeau returned to competition after missing the Tokyo Olympics because of a positive test for COVID-19.
The 32-year-old English birdied the first four holes – making a 27-foot putt on the par-4 second – and added birdies on Nos. 6, 7 and 9 to match the course front-nine mark of 7-under 28. The 28 also is English’s career-low for nine holes.
In the NFL
FL officiating chief Al Riveron, a Cuban who became the league’s first Hispanic referee, retired Friday.
Riveron worked as an on-field official for nine years and became a member of the NFL’s officiating staff in 2013 as a senior director.
He will be replaced by two of the league’s senior vice president in officiating, Walter Anderson, a former referee, and Perry Fewell, a former coach.
In college football
Robert Griffin III has not totally shut the door on his NFL career but he is taking the next step toward his future beyond the playing field.
The Heisman Trophy winner and former Pro Bowl quarterback has signed a multiyear deal with ESPN to be a college football and NFL analyst. Griffin will be in the booth for a college football game on either ESPN or ABC and will also contribute to ESPN’s studio coverage, including during the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl.
In soccer
Barcelona said Thursday that Lionel Messi will not stay with the club after Spanish league financial regulations made it impossible for a deal to be reached between the club and the player.
Barcelona said in a statement that a deal for a new contract had been reached but financial “obstacles” made it impossible for the player to remain with the club.
“Despite club and player reaching an agreement and their clear intention to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles,” the club said.
It blamed “Spanish league regulations” for not allowing the club to sign a new contract with the player. His previous one had ended on June 30