2 Area Players Investigated in Shootings

Two former high school football players from the Valley now playing for the University of Arizona are under investigation for their alleged involvement in two shooting incidents in Tucson.

Defensive back Derrick Stewart, a 1991 graduate of Granada Hills High, and receiver Jeff Nadeau, a 1993 graduate of Monroe, were identified by victims in separate incidents, Tucson police said Monday.

A third Arizona player also was identified. Police said they plan to question all three players.

Witnesses identified Nadeau, 21, as the assailant in an incident in which shots were fired and a man was struck with a pistol in a restaurant parking lot at about 1:30 a.m. Friday, police said.

Stewart, 23, and safety Brandon Sanders, 22, were identified in another incident in which five bullets fired from a car struck a vehicle with three passengers in front of a nightclub at about 1 a.m. Sunday. One woman was struck by flying glass or bullet fragments.

One victim and another witness identified Sanders as the driver and possible shooter, and Stewart as a passenger.

All three players were accused in assault-related cases earlier this year.

Stewart faces trial in January for allegedly breaking a man’s jaw in May. Sanders was cited on misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct charges in that incident.

Nadeau pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct-domestic violence in an incident involving his girlfriend. He was sentenced to three years’ probation, counseling and community service after originally facing three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one cont of kidnaping.

Softball

Tami Jones, a shortstop and pitcher for El Camino Real High, has signed a letter of intent with Northwestern.

Jones, shortstop for the Conquistadores’ City Section 4-A champions in 1994, pitched last season. She was second among area City Section batters with a .487 average and was selected to The Times’ All-Valley team.

Football

Quarterback Jeremie Watkins of Moorpark College, sidelined this season because of a knee injury, has orally committed to Arkansas State.

Watkins, 6 feet 2 and 200 pounds, underwent surgery for torn knee ligaments sustained in a scrimmage against El Camino on Sept. 1.

He was a backup for the Raiders in 1994. Watkins was first recruited by Arkansas State while at Simi Valley High.

Basketball

Junior swingman Derrick Higgins, Cal State Northridge’s top newcomer, will have surgery today on his broken left foot.

He will miss at least four weeks.

Soccer

La Canada stopper Gaston Haupert, a member of The Times’ 1994-95 all-area team, has committed to Duke, and midfielder Chap Early committed to California.

Haupert will be on a full scholarship and Early will receive a partial scholarship.

Miscellaneous

For the second time, Dan Garcia will be the Oxnard High baseball coach. Garcia, 42, was coach in 1992 and part of the ’93 season before resigning.

Garcia replaces Jack Dalton, who replaced him in April, 1993, and resigned in September.

Dom Yarnell of Chaminade High placed first in the under-20 men’s epee division at the U.S. Fencing Assn.’s Junior Olympic Qualifiers at Chaminade High.

Cameron Hill of Harvard-Westlake won the under-17 epee.

Hill (foil) and Todd Shaff (sabre) of Harvard-Westlake High, and Juan Capdet III (epee) of Chaminade each placed first in a Southern California High School Fencing League tournament.

Maya Madrigal of Chaminade placed second in girls’ foil.

Contributing: Fernando Dominguez, Jeff Fletcher, Steve Henson, Vince Kowalick, Michael Lazarus, Tris Wykes.