FOOTBALL

LSU kicks Heisman finalist off the team; reports indicate a failed drug test

Tyrann Mathieu, a Heisman Trophy finalist, was kicked off LSU’s football team Friday for breaking an athletic department rule, a blow to the Tigers’ national championship hopes three weeks before their opener.

The junior defensive back, nicknamed Honey Badger for his tenacious style, small stature (5-foor-9, 175 pounds) and blonde streak of hair, rose from obscurity to become one of college football’s biggest stars last season.

The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, citing an unidentified person close to the player, reported that Mathieu failed a drug test for a second time.

GOLF

LPGA: Chella Choi shrugged off two bogeys to start the back nine, birdieing three holes coming down the stretch for a 4-under 67 and a one-shot lead after the second round of the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

Choi, winless in her four years on the tour, started with a 66 and was at 9-under 133.

TENNIS

ROGERS CUP: Top-seeded Novak Djokovic advanced to the quarterfinals, beating Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-4 in a rain-delayed match at Toronto.

Richard Gasquet, Mardy Fish and Janko Tipsarevic also advanced. The 14th-seeded Gasquet beat fourth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-2, Fish topped Juan Monaco 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 and Tipsarevic beat Marin Cilic, 6-2, 6-4.

AZARENKA OUT: Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka withdrew from the Rogers Cup at Montreal because of a knee injury but hopes to be ready for the U.S. Open.

SHARAPOVA OUT: Maria Sharapova dropped out of the Western & Southern Open that starts this weekend at Mason, Ohio, because of a stomach virus.

SOCCER

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Scottish champion Glasgow Celtic will play Swedish league winner Helsingborg for a place in the first round of the Champions League as pairings were drawn for the final qualifying round.

Also, Malaga of Spain will meet Greece’s Panathanaikos, Germany’s Borussia Moenchengladbach will face Ukraine’s Dynamo Kiev, and Russia’s Spartak Moscow will play Turkey’s Fenerbahce.

HOCKEY

NHL: One day after Commissioner Gary Bettman promised the league would lock out its players if a new collective bargaining agreement wasn’t in place by Sept. 15, representatives from the league and players’ association exuded optimism that the season could start on time.

BASEBALL

JUNIOR LEGION: Tanner Marston had four RBI to power top-seeded Tri-Town past fourth-seeded Brunswick 6-1 on the first day of the state tournament at Gorham.

• Alex Chesley singled home Cody Martin as second-seeded Fairfield beat third-seeded Gray-New Gloucester 1-0.

— From staff and news services

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