Parmenter Takes on Swim World

For the past two years, L.A. Baptist High sophomore Jennifer Parmenter has established herself as one of the nation’s best swimmers, of any age.

Now the rest of the world is about to find out.

Parmenter, who won the 400-meter individual medley at the U.S. National Championships in February, is competing in the World Short Course Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, beginning today.

She was one of seven women selected for team, based on performances in the nationals.

Parmenter will compete in five individual events--the 200 and 400 individual medley, the 200 and 400 freestyle and the 100 backstroke.

This will be the second time Parmenter has competed internationally.

In 1995, she participated for the United States in a Junior competition in France.

Battleground: Which section produces the best basketball players in the Valley and Ventura County region: City or Southern?

Maybe the Battle of the Valley All-Star Classic can settle the argument.

On Saturday, the Valley’s top seniors from the City and Southern sections will meet in inaugural boys’ and girls’ all-star games at Valley College.

Conspicuously absent will be Harvard-Westlake twins Jason and Jarron Collins, who committed to other all-star games. Seniors are limited to two all-star games.

In the boys’ game at 8 p.m., Cleveland’s Andre Chevalier and Sylmar’s Bort Escoto will coach the City players; Harvard-Westlake’s Greg Hilliard and L.A. Baptist’s Bob Chevalier (no relation to Andre) will coach the Southern Section.

In the girls’ game at 6 p.m., Rich Allen of North Hollywood and Cathi Cornell of Eagle Rock will coach the City team; Alemany’s Melissa Hearlihy and Bell-Jeff’s Jim Couch will coach the Southern Section.

Admission is $8 at the door.

For more information, call (818) 905-2162. (Rosters are on C15.)

Bad break: Michigan’s Sara Griffin, a two-time Big Ten softball player of the year, collided with a teammate while chasing a bunt and suffered a double fracture to her left arm April 5 in a game against Iowa.

Griffin, a junior right-hander who was playing third at the time of the collision, underwent surgery and will be out for another three to five weeks.

The Simi Valley High graduate was the Wolverines’ ace with a 15-2 record and an 0.99 earned-run average.

Griffin also was leading the team with 10 doubles and 36 runs batted in.

Moving up: Jerry Dunlap, 29, a former quarterback at Buena High, was hired as football coach at Napa High. Dunlap was junior varsity coach at the school.