Sports briefs
Wrestling
Four pins and two forfeit wins pushed Peters Township to a 42-24 victory over Jefferson-Morgan in a non-section match Thursday night.
Isaac Meyers (106), Landon Shaffer (138), Noah Schratz (145) and Jiovanni DeChicchis (152) had pins for the Indians.
JamesLarkin (172), Braylin Sekura (215) and Jonathan Wolfe (Hvy) had pins for the Rockets.
Alabama hires former PSU coach O’Brien
National champion Alabama has hired former Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
O’Brien is replacing Steve Sarkisian, who left to become head coach of the Texas Longhorns after the national championship game.
“He has a wealth of experience as both an offensive coordinator and head coach in the NFL and college,” head coach Nick Saban said in a statement. “Bill is one of the brightest offensive minds in football, an outstanding teacher and excellent recruiter.
“He will strengthen our coaching staff and give our players the best possible chance to be successful.”
O’Brien spent six-plus years as the Texans’ head coach, going 52-48 with four AFC South titles and four playoff appearances. The Texans fired the 51-year-old O’Brien after an 0-4 start last season.
O’Brien returns to the college ranks, where he spent two years as Penn State’s coach in 2012 and 2013.
In golf
Danielle Kang managed to steal some of the spotlight from the Korda sisters on Thursday as the LPGA Tour opened its 71st season with a winners-only field at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions.
Kang opened the year with a bogey-free, 7-under 64 for a one-shot lead over Jessica Korda and Nelly Korda, along with defending champion Gaby Lopez, at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando.
Kang is coming off a two-win season last year that was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, winning back-to-back in Ohio when the LPGA resumed after a five-month shutdown.
Pac-12 boss leaving in June
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott is stepping down at the end of June, ending an 11-year tenure in which the conference landed a transformational billion dollar television deal but struggled to keep up with some of its Power Five peers when it came to revenue and exposure.
The Pac-12 announced late Wednesday night that the 56-year-old Scott and university presidents who make up the league’s executive committee mutually agreed that he would not seek a new contract.
Scott’s current deal was set to expire June 2022, but instead he will finish out this academic year to assist with the transition to his successor.
In the NHL
Jordan Eberle scored twice, Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists and Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves as the New York Islanders beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Thursday night.
The Islanders improved to 3-1-0, while the Devils lost for the first time in regulation, falling to fall to 2-1-1.
- Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves and Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele, Adam Lowry and Blake Wheeler each scored to help the Winnipeg Jets beat the Ottawa Senators, 4-1.
Winnipeg opened the three-game series Tuesday night with a 4-3 overtime victory in Ottawa. They will meet again Saturday night in Winnipeg.