Tolli’s Decision to Relocate Pays Dividends

As a 9-year-old, Barry Tolli was the top home-run hitter at Thousand Oaks Little League. Then he took off with his parents and moved to Sacramento, Cedar City, Utah, and St. George, Utah.

He continued to grow and excel in sports. Last season, as a 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior at Pine View High in St. George, Tolli was a star quarterback and power-hitting outfielder.

Tolli decided he needed to return to Southern California for his senior year to improve his chances of gaining a college scholarship.

He arrived in June and joined the Detroit Tigers’ scout team. In July, tried out for the Area Code team, running the fastest 60-yard time. In August, he played in the Area Code Games in San Diego.

Next Wednesday, Tolli says he will sign a national letter of intent with Loyola Marymount. It will culminate an all-out push during the summer and fall to convince college recruiters of his baseball talent.

“It’s a neat feeling,” said Tolli, who is attending Newbury Park High. “It’s natural to get excited when you’re wanted.”

Tolli’s four-month exposure in Southern California clearly paid off. Loyola Marymount Coach Frank Cruz had not heard of Tolli until his summer appearances.

Tolli had impressive statistics in St. George, batting .542 with eight home runs, but not until local scouts saw his speed, bat and arm were they convinced of his skills.

Only those high school seniors considered elite college prospects normally get the opportunity to sign letters of intent during the November signing period.

College recruiters are careful who they sign because they don’t have the benefit of seeing the athlete perform as a senior.

Eligible to sign next week are seniors in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s gymnastics and women’s water polo.

Last November, a record 17 area baseball players signed early letters of intent. This fall, that number will drop considerably.

The senior class is not nearly as talented and it hasn’t helped that Cal State Northridge won’t be signing any baseball players because of uncertainty in its program’s future.

Among those committed besides Tolli are Westlake shortstop Scott Dragicevich to Stanford and El Camino Real first baseman Woody Cliffords to Pepperdine.

UCLA is making a strong bid to sign the region’s No. 1 pitching prospect, All-City right-hander John Ennis of Monroe.

No one is taking more official college visits than Hart outfielder Chris Wright, who has gone to Georgia Tech, Cal State Fullerton, Fresno State and Long Beach State. He has a trip to California this weekend and visited Pepperdine on his own.

“I just want to make sure whatever decision I make is the right one,” Wright said.

“I’m just going through and making evaluations. I make a positive and negative list.”

The region’s top boys’ basketball prospects have committed, Ruben Douglas of Bell-Jeff to Arizona and Daniel Bobik of Newbury Park to Brigham Young.

UC Santa Barbara and UCLA are the favorites to land Crescenta Valley girls’ basketball standout Michelle Greco.

Hart golfer Charlie Smith, who won three junior tournaments last summer, has committed to UCLA, where he’ll join former Indian teammate Jason Semelsberger.

Although girls’ volleyball players can’t sign a letter of intent until February, several players have already committed, including Brooke Rundle of Westlake to UC Santa Barbara and Angela Eckmier of Van Nuys to UCLA.

Tolli’s emergence is an example what can happen when an athlete is seen by the right people.

Tolli made the decision to come back to Southern California before his senior season knowing he could increase the range of college possibilities if he performed well.

“It did help,” he said of the move from Utah. “My parents were going to come out here after I graduated anyway.

“The biggest difference isn’t in athleticism. It’s the pitching. The pitching is a lot better. It’s the same game no matter who you’re playing against. It’s a matter of stepping up.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

SIGNING ON

Nov. 12 is the first day of the one-week, early NCAA signing period for high school seniors. Here is a list of Valley and Ventura County athletes who have committed to a four-year school.

*--*

SPORT/NAME HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE BASEBALL Woody Cliffords El Camino Real Pepperdine Scott Dragicevich Westlake Stanford Barry Tolli Newbury Park Loyola Marymount BASKETBALL Boys Daniel Bobik Newbury Park Brigham Young Ruben Douglas Bell-Jeff Arizona GOLF Brad Burke Westlake Michigan State Charlie Smith Hart UCLA Russell Surber Flintridge Prep Texas SOCCER Girls Lia Cummins Chaminade Florida SOFTBALL Chrissy Davie Agoura Purdue Kim Diener Alemany Long Beach State Corrie Roberts Harvard-Westlake Southwest Louisiana Jessica Mendoza Camarillo Stanford SWIMMING Girls Heather Boylan Saugus USC TENNIS Girls Marissa Irvin Harvard-Westlake Stanford VOLLEYBALL Boys Larry Cole Campbell Hall UCLA Girls Angela Eckmier Van Nuys UCLA Melissa Kuhn Kennedy Fresno State Sherisa Livingston Royal Wisconsin Brooke Rundle Westlake UC Santa Barbara Michelle Wong Harvard-Westlake UC Irvine

*--*