In brief: Facebook post from Michael Phelps fan with autism inspires

Miscellany: A Michael Phelps fan who has autism has become an inspiration on his own after sharing his dream of competing in the Olympics one day on the swimmer’s Facebook page.

Austin Levingston’s Aug. 16 post has received more than 3,000 likes. In it, the 21-year-old man, from Great Bend, Kansas, says he’s attending college and hopes to be the first person in his family to get a degree. He also tells Phelps, “I’m hoping to swim in the Olympics just like you someday.”

Levingston also is a doppelganger for Phelps, who grew up outside Baltimore. Levingston included a few pictures of himself which show a strong resemblance to the 23-time gold medalist.

Levingston told The Baltimore Sun he doesn’t know if Phelps saw his post.

Lyerla arrested for heroin: Former Oregon tight end Colt Lyerla was arrested on a charge of heroin possession in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Washington County jail records show Lyerla was arrested on Sunday and he remained on the inmate roster Monday morning.

Once considered an NFL prospect, Lyerla left the Ducks in the middle of the 2013 season after he was suspended for violating team rules.

He pleaded guilty to cocaine possession in December 2013 and received a short jail sentence. A DUI charge in 2014 was dismissed.

It’s unknown if he has an attorney. His lawyer in the prior cases, Stephen Houze, did not immediately return a phone call on Monday.

Lyerla tried to make a comeback earlier this year. He earned a spot on Portland’s Arena Football League team, but suffered a shoulder injury in the second game.

Former Patriots lineman Lenkaitis dies: Former New England Patriots offensive lineman and team dentist Bill Lenkaitis has died.

The team announced that Lenkaitis died Saturday. He was 70. His obituary says he died after an 18-month battle with brain cancer.

The San Diego Chargers drafted Lenkaitis out of Penn State in the second round of the 1968 AFL draft. After three seasons in San Diego, he played 11 seasons in New England.

He started 119 games, including all 16 in 1978 when the Patriots set a team NFL rushing record with 3,165 yards, a mark that still stands.

Team owner Robert Kraft says Lenkaitis was “a big man with an even bigger personality and a huge heart.”

Lenkaitis earned his dental degree while still an active player.

Quintana wins stage, regains lead at Vuelta: Nairo Quintana retook the lead of the Spanish Vuelta after leaving title rivals behind on the final grueling ascent to win Monday’s mountainous 10th stage in Lagos De Covadonga, Spain.

Chris Froome fell back early on the special category climb to the Lagos de Covadonga summit, but the British rider recovered to finish third behind Robert Gesink.

Quintana won back the red leader’s jersey which he first took after the eighth stage but ceded to David de la Cruz on Sunday.

Alberto Contador stuck with Quintana until the final 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) when the three-time Vuelta winner fell behind, finishing behind Froome and Alejandro Valverde.

2018 skating trials to be held in San Jose: San Jose will host the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which essentially serves as the trials for the Winter Olympics.

The championships will be held from Dec. 29, 2017 through Jan. 7, 2018 at the SAP Center, home of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. Nationals also have been staged there in 1996 and 2012.

Champions will be crowned in 20 events in women’s, men’s, pairs and ice dance at the senior, junior, novice, intermediate and juvenile levels.

“The Bay Area is steeped in figure skating tradition with some of the sport’s legends calling the area home,” U.S. Figure Skating President Sam Auxier said, referencing Olympic champions Peggy Fleming, Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi.

Boitano, Fleming, Rudy Galindo and Yamaguchi will serve as honorary co-chairs for the championships.

Earthquakes fire longtime GM Doyle: The San Jose Earthquakes fired longtime general manager John Doyle on Monday, replacing him with technical director Chris Leitch on an interim basis.

Coach Dominic Kinnear and his staff remain in place, the team said.

Doyle, who in 2005 was the inaugural member of the San Jose Earthquakes Hall of Fame, had been the general manager since October 2007 and helped bring the franchise back following a two-year absence. He is a former player, assistant coach and color analyst with the organization.

San Jose has a 7-8-11 record for seventh place in the Western Conference and was three points back of Portland for the final playoff berth.