Fargas Cancels Weekend Trip

Notre Dame Athletic Director Kevin Rooney said Wednesday that tailback Justin Fargas will not make an official visit to Northwestern this weekend as planned.

“It’s my understanding that he’s not going [to Northwestern],” said Rooney, also the school’s football coach.

Asked if Fargas would visit USC on Jan. 23-24 as he had planned, Rooney said that was “up in the air.”

Rooney and Antonio Fargas, Justin’s father, are acting as spokesmen for the senior because of intense interest in the player’s college plans.

Foster picks Colorado: Paraclete defensive lineman Josh Foster has committed to Colorado.

Foster, 6 feet 7 and 240 pounds, helped the Spirits to the Southern Section Division XI title and was a member of The Times’ All-Valley team.

VOLLEYBALL

Changing his mind: Former Pierce College setter Keith Barnett has decided to enroll at Pepperdine instead of Loyola Marymount.

Barnett, whose brother, Kevin, was an All-American at Pepperdine last season, cited familiarity with the Malibu campus as the reason for his decision.

“I just looked at everything and it was too much of a change [to enroll at LMU],” said the 6-foot-3 Barnett, who will redshirt this season and have sophomore eligibility next year.”

BASKETBALL

Medical news: The results of a bone scan for the lower back of Burroughs High center JoAnna Garrick were negative.

Garrick injured herself when she fell while pursuing a rebound against Burbank in the third quarter last Friday.

The 6-2 Garrick finished the game against Burbank, but aggravated the injury at practice Monday during a scrimmage.

Garrick’s status for an important Foothill League game Friday against Hart is uncertain.

“I would be shocked if she played,” Burroughs Coach Doug Nicol said. “She couldn’t walk [Tuesday].”

SWIMMING

Out of a job: Terry Stoddard, the club coach for most of the top swimmers in the region, was released Tuesday as head coach of Rose Bowl Aquatics, two days before the most important meet of the winter season.

Judith Biggs, executive director of the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, said Stoddard--head coach since 1992--was a victim of “downsizing” because the center was losing money.

“It was a difficult decision but we had a severe economic crunch,” said Biggs. “He gave us a great start for our program.”

Rose Bowl’s top swimmers include Jennifer Parmenter of Granada Hills High, Heather Boylan of Saugus, Joel Everman of Notre Dame and Kenny Carpenter of Crescenta Valley, all Southern Section finalists last year.

Most of the top swimmers in the region are competing in a Q-meet that starts today in Long Beach. The Q-meet is the best opportunity for swimmers to attain qualifying times for the junior and senior national championships this spring.