UCLA or USC for Grootegoed

By BEN BOLCH

Jan. 24, 2000 12 AM PT

Mater Dei defensive back Matt Grootegoed has narrowed his college choices to USC and UCLA, his father, Russell, said Sunday night.

Grootegoed has eliminated Michigan from consideration.

According to Russell, Matt told UCLA Coach Bob Toledo that the plane ride [from Ann Arbor, Mich.] was pretty long when he came back.

Grootegoed, who took his official visit to USC over the weekend, is expected to receive home visits from Toledo and Trojan Coach Paul Hackett this week.

Mission Viejo offensive lineman Scott Paffrath has committed to Missouri, his mother, Dinah, said.

Paffrath, part of a line that paved the way for Diablo running back Robbie DuBois’ 1,500-yard season, was selected to The Times’ Orange County first-team offense.

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Ben Bolch

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

UCLA or USC for Grootegoed

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