Football: Troy Thomas had seen enough, so he went for two
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In overtime on Friday night in the Trinity League title decider, Anaheim Servite had scored a touchdown and only needed a conversion kick to tie Santa Margarita and send the game into a second overtime. But Servite Coach Troy Thomas said the game had gone on long enough.
‘I was ready to go home one way or another,’ he said Saturday morning. ‘I had enough of Harry [Welch].’
Yes, good old Coach Harry Welch and Santa Margarita gave the Friars quite a scare, but Servite came through with a two-point conversion to win, 43-42.
‘I just thought it was a smart thing to do at that point,’ Thomas said. ‘I just thought it was the right decision to make as far as the timing. We’re both in the playoffs. I don’t know how much longer he wanted to play.’
Another close game and another close victory for Servite (9-1), but don’t anyone think the Friars are suddenly not the team to beat in the Pac-5 playoffs
‘I like our team in close games,’ Thomas said. ‘They’ve been in a lot of them and don’t lose their composure.’
Once again, Servite found a way to win even without their best players on the field. Running back Charlie Etiaki didn’t play because of a sprained knee. Running back Sean DeRosa (concussion) was knocked out on the opening kickoff.
But the Friars have quarterback Cody Pittman, and he completed 20 of 23 passes while running for 102 yards. What a player he has become.
The only bad part for Thomas is that he got home Friday night and couldn’t sleep.
‘My adrenaline was going too much,’ he said.
It’s that time of the year _ playoff time. And Servite and their fiery coach love every minute of it.
-- Eric Sondheimer