SPORTS digest

Heyward sticking with tribute to father

PITTSBURGH

Cam Heyward is more concerned about paying tribute to his late father and those battling cancer than whatever fine the NFL might throw his way.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end wore eye black with “Ironhead” written on it for the second straight week during Sunday’s 25-13 win over Arizona. Heyward’s father, Craig Heyward, went by “Ironhead” during a standout career at Pitt and then another 11 years in the NFL as a running back for four teams. The elder Heyward died after a long fight with cancer in 2006.

The NFL hit with Cam Heyward with $5,787 fine for displaying a personal message. Heyward said he’ll continue to pay the fine, adding he doesn’t “want to ruffle any feathers, but this is bigger than all we play for. There are people fighting for (their) lives.”

Texas football player collapses, then dies

ALTO, Texas

An East Texas high school football player has died after collapsing on the sidelines during a game.

The Jacksonville Daily Progress reports that Alto High School junior Cam’ron Matthews collapsed Friday night during an Alto home game against Price-Carlisle after reaching the bench from a kickoff return seconds before halftime. He suffered a seizure and doctors, nurses, coaches and trainers worked to keep him breathing.

The rural community is 11 miles from the nearest town, so after a 20-minute wait for an ambulance officials summoned a medical helicopter from Tyler, about 50 miles to the north. He remained in critical condition until dying Saturday night. No official cause of death has been determined.

Alto High School has an enrollment of almost 200 students.

Golovkin stops Lemieux in 8th

NEW YORK

No big drama this time for Gennady Golovkin. Just a lot of big punches as he dominated his middleweight title fight with David Lemieux.

Golovkin battered Lemieux around the ring Saturday night on the big stage at Madison Square Garden, landing punch after punch before the referee mercifully stepped in and stopped the fight in the eighth round. He remained unbeaten in 34 fights, and stopped his opponent for the 21st straight time.

Fighting before a sold-out crowd of 20,548 cheering his every move, Golovkin was methodical as he knocked down Lemieux in the fourth round, bloodied his nose and dominated almost every second of the way.

Lemieux was on the ropes taking punch after punch when Steve Willis finally stepped in at 1: 32 of the eighth round to call an end to the fight.

Grillo wins in debut

NAPA, Calif.

Emiliano Grillo of Argentina won his PGA Tour rookie debut Sunday at the Frys.com Open by holing a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 3-under 69, and then making the most out of a second chance in the playoff to beat Kevin Na.

Nearly as impressive as his closing birdie was the way the 23-year-old Argentine bounced back from a shocking miss. Grillo had a 3-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win and was stunned when it caught the left lip and spun away. Then, he drove into the fairway bunker on the 18th on the second extra hole with Na in the fairway.

The next mistake belonged to Na. He used driver off the fairway for the second time and hooked it behind a tree, leaving him little chance of getting his third shot on the green. Na wound up with a bogey. Grillo hit a bold approach shot over the edge of a bunker to just inside 10 feet. Needing two putts for the win, he made it for birdie.

Earlier this year, Grillo missed a short birdie putt to win the Puerto Rico Open, and wound up losing in a playoff. Grillo has won his last two tournaments in thrillers. He made a 25-foot birdie putt on final hole of the Web.com Tour Championship two weeks ago.

Na got up-and-down with a 6-foot putt on the 18th in regulation for a 70 to force a playoff.

Staff/wire report