Nastari 10th at nationals

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Penn State junior and former United High School state champion Kaleb Nastari raced in the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Randal Tyson Track Center last weekend.

Nastari joined Matt DeMatteo, Niko Schultz and Nick Sloff on the Nittany Lion men’s meter distance medley that finished 10th in 9:32.87 for the 4,000-meter race. It was the sixth-fastest time in program history. Northern Arizona won in 9:19.95.

On Saturday, Penn State senior Ryan Henry finished ninth in the men’s shot put (62-feet-11 1/2). Ole Miss senior Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan won his third straight NCAA indoor national title with a toss of 67-9.

Henry was a Horizon League champion at Youngstown State, a state champion at McDonald High School and a state qualifier at Western Reserve High School.

All-PAC honorees

A pair of former area standouts were named to the All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) men’s basketball team.

Westminster College senior guard Drew Weir from Salem earned second-team honors, while Geneva College senior guard Jonathan Bertovich from Heartland Christian,

Weir guided Westminster to a 19-9 record as he was 10th in the PAC in scoring (14.2), fifth in rebounding (a team-high 7.3) and fifth in field goal percentage (51.2%). He started all 28 games.

Bertovich led Geneva in scoring (14.0) and assists (3.1) and added 4.9 rebounds a game. He also shot 39.3% from three-point range and 76.5% from the free throw line. Geneva finished with a 10-16 record.

Players are good sports

Basketball players Nick Million of Geneva College and Mick Hergenrother of Westminster College were named to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Sportsmanship Team.

Million, a Columbiana High School graduate, averaged 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 18 games for Geneva.

Hergenrother, a Youngstown Mooney High School graduate, averaged 6.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 27 games for Westminster.

The PAC Sportsmanship Team recognizes student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior.

Crosby returns for Penguins

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sidney Crosby is back.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ captain was productive almost immediately in his return to the lineup Wednesday night after missing nearly a month with a lower-body injury sustained while competing for Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Crosby had a goal and an assist, but it wasn’t enough as the Penguins lost 6-5 in overtime to the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.

But, the game was a valuable step for the team’s scoring leader.

“Definitely some rust,” Crosby said. “You’ve just got to find a way to make sure you adapt as soon as possible. Every game is so big. To come back at this point in the year, you’ve got to find a way to get that timing and make sure my game is where it needs to be.”

The 38-year-old Crosby logged about 18 1/2 minutes. His team-high 28th goal tied the game at 1-1 midway through the second period. He assisted on Erik Karlsson’s tying goal in the third period, pushing his points total to 61 in 57 games.

Crosby was injured four weeks ago when his right leg buckled during a collision with Czechia’s Radko Gudas during Canada’s quarterfinal victory.

Penguins coach Dan Muse said Crosby found a good rhythm quickly.

“I thought that Sid’s line was good,” he said.

Crosby also spent time in the penalty box — in the second period for roughing and in the third for tripping.

The Penguins and Hurricanes combined for seven third-period goals.

“Some lead changes, things like that,” Crosby said. “But sometimes that’s what the game dictates and obviously it’s about winning at the end of the day, so we’ve got to find a way to win that game.”

The Penguins, eying their first playoff spot since 2022, went 5-3-3 during Crosby’s 11-game absence.

“It’s never easy watching, but I think you gain even more appreciation when you’re up top, and you just see on a nightly basis, the way we compete, the way we work,” Crosby said before the game.

The Penguins, who are second in the Metropolitan Division, completed a 2-1-2 trip. Crosby will play in a home game for the first time since Feb. 2 when the Penguins meet Winnipeg on Saturday.