For Servite’s success, magic number is 48

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The question didn’t come out the way I had planned, probably seemed more insensitive -- or maybe ignorant -- than it should have been, considering Servite had just decisively beaten Santa Margarita, 32-15. The question was about third place in the Trinity League, and the value of finishing third instead of fourth.

Mind you, Servite was in a three-way tie for first place at that exact moment. But Troy Thomas, professional that he is, didn’t slap me with the back of his hand like some coaches have a mind to: ‘Any Trinity League win is a big win.’

‘Every week is a war, and you’ve got to win them one at a time in this league,’ he continued. ‘All I’m looking at is Orange Lutheran. It’s a big game. Every week you’ve got to bring it.’

And that’s what Servite did last week. If it does the same this week, the Friars will be more than a handful for Orange Lutheran, which is ranked No. 3 by The Times and No. 2 in the Pac-5 rankings.

Did I mention that Servite beat OL last year in overtime, 28-21? Or that OL lost only one game last season en route to Southern Section and state bowl game championships?

The key thing for Thomas, though, is that Servite fulfilled its goals against Santa Margarita after losing a week earlier to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 17-9: ‘We set out to play 48 minutes. Last week, we didn’t feel like we did that. Last week was a real disappointment because Servite football is about playing 48 minutes. We made that a goal, come out, get after it to the last bell.’

The other thing it did, despite giving D.J. Shoemate the ball over and over and over in his first game used solely as a running back, was show that the offense doesn’t have to be one-dimensional. That will be especially important against Lutheran, which does a terrific job against the run. Quarterback Johnny McEntee was five-for-eight passing and carried six times for 26 yards.

‘If they take D.J. away, we have to be able to execute with the other guys,’ Thomas said. ‘Everyone has a roll, and we’ve got to get it done.’

- Martin Henderson