Transfers: Transgression and Transition : Sagoian Makes His Pitch but Is Denied Eligibility After Enrolling at Calabasas

Calabasas High baseball Coach Scott Drootin projects a bright future for pitcher Matt Sagoian, who might someday soon be good enough to choose among several scholarship offers.

“In two years, he could be an impact player in college,” Drootin said.

But for now, the 5-foot-11 junior is ineligible to play for the Coyotes and has apparently run out of options to overturn a ruling by the Southern Section.

Sagoian enrolled at Calabasas last fall after transferring from Chaminade. The section rules committee denied eligibility after learning Sagoian was asked by Chaminade, a private school, to withdraw for apparent disciplinary reasons.

The Sagoian family has had no comment, except to say Matt was wrongly implicated in an on-campus incident last spring.

Chaminade Principal Charles Potts would not comment on the circumstances of Sagoian’s withdrawal, but said, “We sat down as a committee of nine and made the best decision we could make based on all the factual information we had.”

Commissioner Dean Crowley said the Southern Section denies eligibility for one year to students who have been released by a school for disciplinary reasons.

“Under our rules, it is not a valid reason for [granting eligibility at another school],” section Commissioner Dean Crowley said. “Even under open enrollment, if it is the result of disciplinary action, he can’t play.”

The family appealed the Southern Section decision, but the California Interscholastic Federation appeals board upheld the ruling.

Crowley said he would overturn his section ruling only if athletic administrators at the six Frontier League schools voted unanimously to let Sagoian play for Calabasas.

The league held a vote, and the result was 4-2 against letting Sagoian play.

Drootin was upset by the outcome. He said Sagoian, who carries a 3.2 grade-point average, probably would have been the team’s No. 2 pitcher.

“I couldn’t believe our league would turn it down,” he said. “Every teacher at our school said Matt is nothing but great--a model student.”

Crowley said Sagoian is eligible to play junior-varsity baseball this spring, but he can’t do that either, because the Frontier League prohibits 11th-graders from junior-varsity competition.

Crowley said the only other option for Sagoian would be to return to Chaminade, where he played part-time last year, and apply for a hardship waiver.

“He’s a great player,” said Chaminade Coach Denny Barrett of Sagoian, who had a 4-1 record in limited action last year. “I have a lot of respect for Matt. He would have helped us out a lot.”

Sagoian has decided to stay at Calabasas, accepting his fate and setting his sights on 1997.

Sagoian continues to practice with the Coyotes during sixth period, often throwing batting practice, and attends games.

“We need to move on,” said Rick Nathanson, who shares coaching duties with Drootin. “We believe the young man can come back and give us a strong senior season. We hope he has enough character to weather this storm.”