By Don Ketchum

When Vi Teofilo signed a letter of intent to play football for Arizona State on Feb. 2, it probably meant more to the two-way lineman from Phoenix Moon Valley than many other players.

It is because of where he came from and what it took for him to reach this point.

Vi (pronounced Vee) was born in American Samoa and did not come to the United States until around the age of 10. He did not speak English and he had not played football, just rugby and soccer.

Teofilo’s parents, Iuli and Rosina, stayed home, and he moved in with two older brothers in Arizona.

He gradually learned the language and how to play football.

“At first, it (football) was a weird experience,’’ Teofilo said. “I was always built big, but I had never hit the weight room. That was a learning experience, too.’’

Most of the new athletic pursuits came naturally to him. He went on to play on both sides of the ball for the Rockets, and as a senior, the 6-foot-3, 293-pound Teofilo was named the Class 4A Division II Western Sky Region Player of the Year and was selected to the Arizona Football Coaches Association’s Big 25 team, listing players around the state from all classifications.

As a junior, Teofilo was the heavyweight state wrestling champion. He decided not to wrestle this season to concentrate on his football training and his grades.

Moon Valley coach Mark Smith said Teofilo just turned 17.

“The fact that he is going to play at ASU is quite a tribute to his maturity. He is very mature for his age,’’ Smith said. “He is a pretty good athlete. He won that state wrestling title and he moves very well on the field. ASU will benefit from having him there and he will benefit from being at ASU. He is willing to learn and should only get better.’’

It remains to be seen on which side of the ball Teofilo will land for the Sun Devils, but offensive guard appears to be a good fit. ASU coaches like his strength and the way he uses his hands.

After all, it is a matter of survival.

Teofilo said he loves the physical nature of the game, “the “dirtiness’ of it. There are a lot of things that go on out there. The refs don’t always see it.’’

Even up until the time when he was ready to start his senior season, Teofilo didn’t realize what potential he had.

“I didn’t think I was that good. I didn’t believe I could play at the D-I (NCAA Division I) level,’’ he said.

He attended a few summer camps at ASU, and the coaches there took notice. Schools such as Fresno State and Oregon State also showed interest. He took visits to both schools as well as ASU.

“That motivated me to hit the weight room even harder, to work harder,’’ he said.

He settled on ASU, in part so that his family and friends could see him play.

“I feel very good about my decision. It is the right place for me,’’ said Teofilo, who plans to study construction management/engineering or accounting.

He said there are some “ASU haters’’ on Moon Valley’s campus.

“They like the UofA (Arizona), and got on the Oregon and Auburn bandwagons when they played here for the national championship,’’ Teofilo said. “When I go to ASU and hopefully do well, maybe that will get them to change their minds.’’