Notre Dame High School

Justin Fargas of Notre Dame High rushed for 2,945 yards and scored 38 touchdowns last fall. He won the boys' 100-meter dash in the state track and field championships at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento on June 7. So what does Fargas do for an encore? He improves. Whether slashing through opposing defenses with a football cradled in his arm or blasting down the straightaway against some of the state's top sprinters, Fargas wants to do it better as a senior than he did this past year.

When Notre Dame High's top-ranked football team lost back-to-back games last month, the sports editor of the school newspaper decided to write a commentary examining the Knights' future. The team could be headed for difficult times, he argued, when it moves to a tougher league next year. The story was never published.

Doctors believe a severe sinus infection caused the mysterious illness of lineman Peter Forlano of Notre Dame High, who underwent brain surgery earlier this week, the player's father said Friday. Forlano, 17, remains hospitalized in serious condition at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, where he was admitted Oct. 7 after complaining of dizziness, blurred vision and numbness of his right arm. On Tuesday, doctors relieved pressure from the left side of Forlano's brain.

Deceptive strength. Excellent balance. Above-average speed. And, above all, the ability to break tackle after tackle. All of which seemingly no one was prepared for when junior tailback Justin Fargas of Notre Dame High burst into the spotlight with a 215-yard, season-opening performance against Alemany.

The ball is snapped and Travis Johnson is causing a ruckus in the opponent's backfield. What else is new? Only a junior--best wishes to offensive coordinators and linemen who must prepare for him next season--Johnson made an impression in many ways at Notre Dame High and is The Times' Valley defe1853057398 The 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive tackle had 17 sacks, forced five fumbles, blocked three punts and two extra points, forced 13 hurried passes and had 62 unassisted tackles.

Tommy Barber of Notre Dame High swung his first golf club--a miniaturized version--a few months after he began to walk. His grandfather Jerry won the 1961 PGA Championship. His father Tom played in PGA Tour events in the late 1960s and early '70s and has been the head professional at Griffith Park's Harding and Wilson courses since 1972. Yet the youngest Barber made an important discovery this year. Improving your short game can make a huge difference on the golf course.

Before they became engrossed in the emotion and intensity of the USC-UCLA football rivalry, Chris Sailer, Shaun Williams and Troy Garner received plenty of preparation and training. They played in the Notre Dame-Crespi football series. "It just seems like it's always the biggest game of the year, and there's always an extra spark in everyone's eyes before the game," said Sailer, a kicker and punter at UCLA and All-American for Notre Dame in 1994.