From diamond to gridiron, Toppa is ready

Posted 9/18/14

The next time John Toppa picks up a baseball bat, he hopes he won’t put it down for a long while. He’ll play his senior season at Bishop Hendricken next spring. Then summer ball, his freshman …

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From diamond to gridiron, Toppa is ready

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The next time John Toppa picks up a baseball bat, he hopes he won’t put it down for a long while. He’ll play his senior season at Bishop Hendricken next spring. Then summer ball, his freshman year at the University of Connecticut, collegiate summer leagues and beyond.

But for one last autumn, John Toppa gets the chance to be a football player again.

It was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

After taking last football season off to focus squarely on baseball, Toppa is back with the Hawks. When they open league play Friday night, Toppa will be under center, leading the them on their quest for a fifth consecutive state championship.

“Once I’m in college and baseball’s kind of a full-time job, I didn’t want to look back and regret not playing football,” Toppa said. “That was a big part of it, and it’s been great so far.”

Toppa starred for Hendricken’s freshman football team in 2011, leading a talented group to the state title. With his name – he’s the grandson of legendary Rogers football coach John Toppa – and his ability, he looked like a shoo-in to be Hendricken’s next star quarterback.

But he’d always been more of a baseball player than a football player, and the next fall, the quarterback battle went to then-junior Patrick Gill, who led the Hawks to two more state championships. Toppa was a backup in 2012. Last year, he opted not to play football as he pursued his baseball dreams. He played all summer and fall, gave a verbal commitment to the University of Connecticut and then led the Hawks to the state baseball title last spring, earning playoff MVP honors.

But football’s tug was always there, even if it was a risk, with a baseball future ahead.

“I played a ton of baseball last year,” Toppa said. “It was fun, but I felt as though playing football always made me a better baseball player, and that was part of the reason I decided to come back.”

He worked out with his former football teammates in the summer and when fall camp rolled around, he strapped on the pads and threw his name into the hat for another quarterback competition. This time, he won the job over sophomore Chris Hindle.

He was back.

“It’s been fun to put the bat down,” he said. “It’s good to stress over something other than baseball.”

There was an adjustment period as Toppa got his football legs, but it didn’t take long. In last week’s non-league season opener against Johnston, Toppa ran for a pair of touchdowns, including one from 80 yards out. The Hawks cruised to a 34-6 victory.

“I definitely had some butterflies,” Toppa said. “It was a little weird at first, but I felt like I didn’t lose anything. Football is football. Once you get that first hit, you’re right back in the game.”

Toppa gives the Hawks a natural leader under center, even if he doesn’t have the varsity experience of a typical senior. His running ability stands out – just like Gill’s the last two years – and he’s capable of attacking through the air too.

With league play next on the docket, the Hawks are focused on continued improvement. They’re a unanimous No. 1 in the Rhode Island Sports Media High School Football Poll, but they know there’s a long way to go.

“It’s just everything,” Toppa said. “Our coaches do such a great job telling us what we did well and what we need to do better. Every day, we just need to keep getting better. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we’re way better than we are now.”

The Hawks – and their new, old quarterback – hope all the improvement takes them to a familiar place. Toppa has already been part of three baseball state championships.

He’d like one last taste of football glory, too.

“It’s definitely an expectation to always have that goal in mind,” Toppa said. “For me and for every guy out here.”

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