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Two years into the lifespan of the PlayStation 3, Sony’s online offerings are a mixed bag.

On the plus side, “LittleBigPlanet” and its energetic community of amateur level designers make it essential for PS3 owners to have an Internet connection.

On the minus side, there’s “PlayStation Home,” the drab, underpopulated virtual world that’s drawn almost universal derision since its beta launch in November.

And then there’s the PlayStation Network, whose library of software, game add-ons and movies has grown at a healthy clip over the last year. Some of PSN’s more experimental titles, like “The Last Guy,” ”Echochrome” and the forthcoming “Flower,” have gotten plenty of much deserved attention. But lately, I’ve been relishing some old-fashioned puzzle games from an unheralded Massachusetts developer called Creat Studios.

MASON – North Aurelius Elementary School students and parents will spend this evening solving math problems and playing math games.

About 70 students are signed up for Family Math Night, Principal Gina Stanley said. The event, with the theme, “Math is Out of this World,” is 6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the school, 115 N. Aurelius Road in Mason.

Students and parents will rotate among 20-minute sessions during which they will work together on math games, Stanley said. At the end of the night, families may take home materials necessary to recreate the games on their own.

The school has organized the event for at least seven years, she said. Other Mason elementary schools also organize their own Family Math Nights during the school year.

Holy Family remained winless in the Tri-Metro Conference and on the season after the Fire was shut out in its last two games.

Holy Family lost 7-0 to St. Paul United on Jan. 24 and lost 12-0 at Blake on Jan. 20 to drop to 0-9 in the TMC and 0-16 overall.

United 7, Fire 0

Carly Bergstrom made 41 saves in goal for the Fire. St. Paul United outshot Holy Family 48-13 in the game.

SPU scored two goals in the first period, two in the second and three in the third to wrap up the victory.

Blake 12, Fire 0

Bergstrom again made 41 saves for the Fire as Blake outshot Holy Family 53-5 in the game.

The Bears scored five first-period goals and had two in the second before icing the victory with five goals in the third period.

The North Star Knights split a pair of conference games this weekend, knocking off Chinook on Friday and losing to Big Sandy Saturday.

Friday the Knights trailed early in a close contest. At the end of the first it was Chinook by 1, 11-10. North Star turned it around in the second quarter and took a 22-21 lead at the half.

The Knights extended their advantage in the third quarter and held a 37-30 lead going into the final quarter. The knights went on from there to post a 48-40 win.

Kellan Warren led the Knights with 13 points. Dillon Lipp had 8, Zack Halter 8, Skyler Melby 7, Jordy Donoven 6 and Nolan Preeshl 6.

It was a different story against Big Sandy as the Pioneers jumped the Knights early and held a 23-12 lead by the end of the first quarter. The second quarter was played even, but North Star trailed 32-21 at the half.

The Pioneers extended their lead in the third quarter and were up comfortably 50-34 going into the fourth quarter. North Star outscored Big Sandy 13-11 in the final quarter, but fell by 14, 61-47.

Jordy Donoven led the Knights with 14 points. Zack Halter was also in double figures with 10. Skyler Melby had 9, Nolan Preeshl 8, Dillon Lipp 7, Zach Anderson 1.

This week the Knights will face Hays-Lodgepole at home and travel to Turner.

POUGHKEEPSIE (AP) — The Hudson Valley committee scheduled to host this year’s Empire State Games said Friday that the events could be canceled because of proposed cutbacks in state funding.

The 2009 Hudson River Valley Empire State Games Local Organizing Committee is unhappy about a proposal requiring high school athletes to pay a participation fee.

The state parks department announced last week that funding for the games will end in the next fiscal year due to the state’s huge budget deficit. Starting this year, the agency says participation fees will be set at $285 for the summer games and up to $100 for the winter games. Previously, there was no participation fee.

Some events will also be suspended in this year’s winter and summer games, including scholastic boxing, bobsled and skeleton. Senior games and all masters and open competitions will be suspended for the 2009-10 fiscal year, which begins in April.

The organizing committee faxed a letter to parks Commissioner Carol Ash on Friday to inform her of their decision.

“The Hudson River Valley Local Organizing Committee arrived at this regrettable decision based on an overwhelming feeling that the participation fee violates the spirit of the games,” wrote Steven Lant, the group’s chairman.

Lant also wrote that objections to the fees were so strong among their host site partners, sponsors and volunteers “that maintaining the support necessary for the games has become untenable.”

“We just received the letter this morning, we are reviewing it, and we still have not determined our next step,” said parks department spokesman Dan Keefe on Friday afternoon.

The Empire State Games began in 1978 and have operated on an annual budget of $3 million, most of it from the state. The 2009 summer games were scheduled to be held at venues throughout Orange, Ulster and Dutchess Counties from July 22-26. The games were linked to celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage.

(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The Southeast Louisiana Roadrunners are making their way to the Motor City, looking to churn out individual titles during the 2008 AAU Junior Olympic Games.

A group of 20 athletes from the area will compete against other young athletes from around the country in Ypsilanti, Mich., at Eastern Michigan University’s Olds-Marshall Track at Rynearson Stadium. Competition begins Saturday and runs through Aug. 2.

Roadrunners coach Miguel Becerra said officials are expecting nearly 9,600 athletes for the Junior Olympics, nearly four times as many athletes that competed in the AAU Club Championships in July in Orlando, Fla.

“Up there, it’s not just going to be the East Coast and the South. You’re going to have everybody there,” Becerra said. “They’re coming out of the woodwork for this one. The championships in Orlando, that’s a club championship and it’s team-scored. This is more of an individual meet.”

Becerra said the Roadrunner contingent could be even larger, but the majority of his female competitors — including top female runner Malia Cali — are attending soccer camp this week. Of the remaining group, St. Thomas Aquinas’ Trey DiCristina looks to have the best shot of either winning or having a top-three finish.

DiCristina ranks 15th among young men (ages 17-18) in the discus with a qualifying throw of 153-7 and 20th in the shot put (47-11.5). Anthony Thomas of Laurelton, N.Y., edged DiCristina in Orlando, and also comes into the Junior Olympics with the best qualifying throw. “He’s thrown 170-something, and the kid that beat him only beat by like a foot or two in that last national meet,” Becerra said. Albany High’s Faylen Hano, one of three Albany athletes competing, ranks 17th among young women (17-18) javelin qualifiers (86-5). Becerra said Hano has thrown in the 100-foot range in regionals, which could thrust her into the top 10 in the Junior Olympics. Another Albany High competitor, Derek Hampton, enters the intermediate boys (ages 14-15) competition fifth among qualifiers (154-1). “Derek’s thrown like 165 since qualifying and is probably capable of throwing better than that next week,” Becerra said. Becerra said the team really has not had to make many adjustments. The team kept up its training regimen, especially the distance runners. Holy Ghost’s Tommy Brocato is ranked third in the midget (age 12) division qualifiers in the 3,000-meter run (10:22.78) and fourth in the 1,500-meter run (4:51.19). “The top five (qualifiers) ran against each other in the Disney meet (in Orlando), which was pretty awesome,” Becerra said. Trafton’s Eric Coston is ranked third among bantam (age 10) qualifiers in the 1,500 (5:13.34). “If he (Coston) runs like he did at Disney, he’ll be right in there for a medal,” Becerra said. Another competitor with local ties qualified for the Junior Olympics. Hammond High standout Abram Taylor, qualified for the young men’s (17-18) 400-meter hurdles competing for a New Orleans-based team.

WAUSAU, Wis. — The Badger State Winter Games have a first this year. The competition will take place over three weekends, but the change is temporary.

Games spokeswoman Jessica Gammey said it’s only for one year.

The 21st annual games begin on Saturday.

Gammey said a third weekend is necessary to accommodate qualifying cross-country ski races for the internationally renowned American Birkebeiner race in Cable, and due to the availability of the venue near Wausau.

Four events for the games — cross-country skiing, snowshoe racing, the quadrathlon and snowmobile racing — take place starting next Saturday. The other 17 competitions unfold the following two weekends.

The games are one of the nation’s largest Olympic-style winter sports festivals. They expect to attract about 4,500 competitors of all ages.

So here we are, fewer than 24 hours away from the kickoff of both NFL conference championship games. And here are some final thoughts on the NFC and AFC matchups before we actually find out who will be playing in Super Bowl 43:

1. The Ravens‘ defense will really miss Terrell Suggs and Samari Rolle. Suggs is Baltimore’s best edge pass rusher, and Rolle’s absence means the team will need to start two backup cornerbacks with the same initials, Frank Walker and Fabian Washington. So Ben Roethlisberger will consistently have more time to throw with Suggs out, and his fastest wide receivers will be working on reserves deep. That should prompt offensive coordinator Bruce Arians to call for several shots downfield to Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington.

2. The Cardinals’ offense will get a big emotional lift from Anquan Boldin. The injury news was better for Arizona, as they are expected to have Boldin back. And there’s no decoy situation here — Boldin will do everything he normally does. Kurt Warner is hot and Larry Fitzgerald may end up having the best playoffs of any wide receiver, ever. Even against a good Eagles secondary, there should be plenty of more confidence to throw the ball often, especially at home.

3. The Steelers need to keep feeding Willie Parker. You can bet Pittsburgh’s coaches watched plenty of film of how the Titans had a successful first half attacking the Ravens’ run defense with speedy rookie Chris Johnson. Parker is healthy, revved up and running with fresh legs. The Steelers shouldn’t be fazed by Parker’s history of limited production against the Ravens or if he finds little room to run early — Baltimore’s defense is banged up, and will eventually wear down if he needs to chase a fast back often.

4. The Eagles need to be cautious with their use of Brian Westbrook. Westbrook will play through his ankle and knee injuries on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean Philadelphia should feel comfortable giving him 25 touches on Sunday. Really, it’s best to give Correll Buckhalter the work between the tackles (10-12 carries) and make the most of Westbrook’s snaps to try to get him in the open field. The Eagles should find the best times to call for outside runs or outside passes to Westbrook, whether it’s out of the backfield on screens or from a wide alignment.

5. Just one bad throw can cost any of the four quarterbacks the entire game. Ravens safety Ed Reed and Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel thrive on interception touchdowns at this time of year. The Cardinals have found a similarly great playmaker in rookie corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Anyone in the Steelers’ linebacker corps or secondary can produce a scoring play. There is no margin of error for Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner, Donovan McNabb or Joe Flacco.

6. No. 3 receivers will play a big role in every game. Washington has come up with many big plays for the Steelers on third downs. The Eagles will focus their attention on Fitzgerald and Boldin, and if they decide to blitz, Steve Breaston will quickly get open against single coverage. Meanwhile, Philadelphia will be happy to have Jason Avant back at full strength. And of course, Flacco has a good wideout-like third option in Todd Heap.

7. There will be more hard hits than points scored in the Steelers-Ravens game. Well, considering the defenses will look to smash every blocker and ballhandler, and that you have tough offensive skill players such as Hines Ward who also are willing to inflict physical punishment, you can bet to hear the requisite John Madden-like sound effect on almost every play.

8. There will be more points scored than hard hits in the Eagles-Cardinals game. Weather won’t be a factor. Both teams are comfortable with getting into a pass-happy mode and just letting the ball fly downfield with McNabb and Warner at the helms. Even the big defensive plays won’t come from hits or tackles, rather interceptions in the open field. Expect a shootout in the desert.

9. Warner will be the MVP in a Cardinals victory. Like they did seven years ago in St. Louis, Warner and McNabb will duel in an indoors NFC West venue with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Warner is clearly a quarterback who much prefers to play at home in his career, especially in big games. He’s 6-0 when his team hosts a playoff game. At University of Phoenix Stadium this season, he has gone 7-2, completing more than 69 percent of his passes for 19 TDs and only 6 interceptions while averaging 290 yards.

10. James Harrison will be the star of a Steelers victory. The defensive player of the year had one of his best games when Pittsburgh hosted the Ravens in Week 4, with 10 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble. He’ll also remember that he was pretty much shut down in the Week 15 meeting in Baltimore. With another chance in a big game under the prime-time spotlight, he will be a disruptive force on Sunday.

Vinnie Iyer is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at viyer@sportingnews.com.