Merricks Playing the Field

OXNARD — When Charles Merricks began high school, he had trouble deciding which sport to concentrate on.

Adept at football, basketball and baseball, he couldn’t decide which, if any, he should drop. Searching for advice, he turned to his father, a former basketball player at Oxnard High and Moorpark College.

“He told me to play what I wanted,” Merricks said. “He said I didn’t have to pick a sport right away, one would eventually pick me.”

Midway through his senior year at Channel Islands High, Merricks hasn’t completely decided, but the field has been narrowed.

After deciding to drop football over the summer, the Raiders’ multi-sport standout is playing basketball and baseball this year. And he couldn’t be happier with the results.

A basketball starter since his freshman season, Merricks, 18, leads the Raiders at 18.6 points a game and is tied for second in assists at 2.8.

Helped by a veteran corps of guards, Channel Islands is undefeated outside Marmonte League play. After dropping their first three league games, the Raiders (13-3, 3-3) have won three straight to climb back into playoff position.

The Raiders begin a three-game road stretch tonight when they play Camarillo at 7:30 p.m., followed by a game Friday night at league-leading Simi Valley and next week at Newbury Park, which is tied for second place.

Merricks knows first-hand the importance of finishing in the upper half of league. Only four teams are guaranteed spots in the postseason. Last season, Channel Islands finished 15-8--but only fifth in league--and was left out of the Southern Section playoffs.

“We just want to make sure we get in,” Merricks said. “Just give us a chance to play in the playoffs.”

Merricks almost missed his chance. Around the time he was wrestling with the decision to quit football, he broke his foot in a basketball pickup game.

“After his surgery, he worked really hard to come back, as hard as anybody I’ve even seen come back from an injury,” Channel Islands basketball Coach Gary Abraham said.

It turned out to be too hard. After feeling pain in his foot, Merricks had several additional weeks of inactivity. He was finally cleared to play shortly before the start of basketball practice.

So much for the extra time to concentrate on his game.

“I don’t know if having the extra time would have meant all that much,” Abraham said. “Basketball comes very naturally to him. But I am glad I was able to get him for most of this year.”

Merricks also excels at baseball.

A pitcher and outfielder, Merricks hit .356 with 23 runs batted in and was 2-2 with a 2.63 earned-run average last season.

A varsity running back and quarterback as a sophomore, Merricks was moved to quarterback full-time before his junior season.

Not only did Merricks throw for 1,070 yards and nine touchdowns, he also called his own plays, a rarity in high school football.

“It wasn’t a big deal, it wasn’t like there was a lot of pressure,” Merricks said.

Channel Islands, a Marmonte League doormat in recent football seasons, made progress with Merricks at quarterback, moving from one victory in 1994 to three a year later.

Merricks says the lack of success on the field made little difference in his decision not to play football. But when several other athletes quit the team, it made his decision easier.

“I didn’t really consult coaches or anybody else,” Merricks said. “It was a decision I made on my own, then I told my coaches. They took it well. There were no hard feelings.”

Merricks has a football mentality while playing basketball. Unafraid of physical play, Merricks often guards opposing forwards.

On offense, Merricks is at his best driving to the basket, initiating contact and drawing fouls.

“It’s not just from football, I always played that way,” Merricks said. “I don’t mind doing what has to be done.”

Merricks would like to play baseball and basketball in college, a daunting task considering the seasons overlap by two months at the college level.

“My heart’s a little bit more with basketball but I want to play both as long as I can,” Merricks said. “I’ll have to choose at some point but I’m just not ready yet.”