Father Seeks Eligibility for Merrill

The father of high school pitcher Tajah Merrill, who transferred last week from Camarillo to Channel Islands, will file a hardship claim to regain the player’s athletic eligibility even though it may be granted by Friday.

Merrill, a junior left-hander with a 2-1 record, left Camarillo because of personal reasons, enrolled at Channel Islands two days later and pitched for the Raiders on his first day at his new school. The Southern Section suspended his eligibility, but he may regain it if the Merrills prove they have moved to the Channel Islands attendance area and have found a renter for their home in Camarillo.

For an athlete to remain eligible, the athlete and the family must change residence without maintaining two addresses. Tom Merrill, Tajah’s father, said he will provide a rental agreement today that proves the family has only one residence. He also intends to sell the house.

“If he provides the rental agreement, the kid will have eligibility,” Southern Section administrator Dean Crowley said Wednesday.

Still, Merrill will file a hardship claim because he wants to prove the move was made for reasons other than athletics and to keep open the possibility of moving back to Camarillo should the house prove difficult to sell.

“Ultimately, this move had little to do with athletics,” Tom Merrill said. “My son absolutely will not go back to Camarillo High. He never felt like he belonged at Camarillo.”

Merrill, who said his son likes the ethnic diversity at Channel Islands, added that he will file the claim early next week. The Southern Section can reach a decision in two days, Crowley said.

Tajah Merrill had an 0.91 earned-run average in 23 innings for Camarillo and shut out Kennedy on two hits in March. For Channel Islands, he allowed five runs on four hits in one inning of a 17-12 loss to Thousand Oaks.