Arizona Gets Quite a Catch With Romero : High school football: L.A. Baptist receiver, who hauled in 86 passes, makes oral commitment to play for Wildcats.

Jim Romero, a wide receiver for L.A. Baptist High who many thought was too small to play Division I football, has made an oral commitment to Arizona.

Romero, a 6-foot, 170-pound athlete who also plans to compete for the Arizona track team, canceled a recruiting trip to Washington after choosing Arizona. The signing period for high school seniors begins Feb. 2.

“I pretty much just sat down and weighed the pros and cons of each place,” said Romero, who plans to study business. “I like the program (at Arizona) and I think I have the best opportunity to play there.”

Romero, the third-leading receiver in the state this season and one of California’s best high jumpers, will join two other area wide receivers in Tucson.

Richard Dice, a redshirt freshman from Alemany, will be Arizona’s only returning starter at wide receiver. Freshman Jeff Nadeau of Monroe redshirted this season and will compete for a starting spot at receiver.

Romero, who let recruiters know he intended to compete in both football and track in college, also attracted interest from Tennessee, California and USC but narrowed his choices to Arizona and Washington.

Climate and playing surface weighed heavily in the decision. Not a cold-climate admirer, Romero opted to play under the hot Arizona sun--on grass. Washington’s Husky Stadium has artificial turf.

Romero helped lead L.A. Baptist to a 13-0 season and the school’s second Southern Section title this fall. He led the area in receiving yardage, catching 86 passes for 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Romero, who has cleared 6-10 3/4 in the high jump and leaped 22-9 3/4 in the long jump, won Southern Section Division IV titles in both events last spring. He placed sixth in the high jump in the state meet.

His decision, he said, was the toughest of his life.

“Especially these last couple of weeks,” said Romero, who committed Tuesday night. “It got bad.”

Now, however, Romero’s anxiety has been eased. “It’s best the thing that’s ever happened to me.”