Pittman’s focus is football, for a few more days
It appears that the secret to the success of the Anaheim Servite football program is having a quarterback named Cody.
Last season, Cody Fajardo led the Friars to the Southern Section Pac-5 Division championship. So what does Coach Troy Thomas do? He makes Cody Pittman this season’s quarterback, and Servite wins another Pac-5 championship.
The latest Cody has Servite at 14-0 and playing Concord De La Salle for the Open Division championship on Saturday in the CIF state championship bowl game at the Home Depot Center in Carson.
Pittman, a 5-foot-10 junior, is considered one of the best athletes at Servite. He plays point guard for the basketball team and is the starting center fielder in baseball. Asked whether he considers himself a football, basketball or baseball player, Pittman said, “I don’t know. I always say my favorite sport is whatever season I’m in.”
Pittman’s steady development is one reason Servite has become such an impressive team. His ability to run, pass and execute the Friars’ no-huddle offense has taken pressure off a highly regarded defense. Servite has been putting up lots of points in recent games, thanks to Pittman, running back Malik Felton, a dominant offensive line and the play of receivers Robert Abeyta, Sam Hunt and Ainslie Johnson.
Pittman isn’t the only multiple-sport athlete playing for the Friars. Hunt is a standout volleyball and basketball player. Linebacker Butch Pauu also plays tennis and basketball. Those players and others make it easy for Pittman to keep up his routine of going from one sport to another. He’s scheduled to join the basketball team Monday.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said. “I haven’t picked up a basketball since [September].”
Aiding his rise in football have been inspirational text messages before games from Fajardo, a freshman quarterback at Nevada.
And the best news of all for Servite fans is that Pittman will be back in 2011 for his senior year.
Passing circus
The Division II final between Gardena Serra and Folsom is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Open Division final is at 7:30 p.m. The problem is, Serra and Folsom are expected to pass and pass and pass and score and score and score, so don’t be surprised if there’s a late start for Servite-De La Salle.
“I’m sure this is going to be a very stressful game for both defensive coordinators,” Folsom Coach Kris Richardson said. “How many points will we have to score? I’m not sure, but it could be one of those games where it’s 47-45 and may the best team win.”
Dano Graves, Folsom’s 5-9 senior quarterback, has passed for 59 touchdowns and run for 20 touchdowns.
“He’s just an amazing performer,” Richardson said.
Famous father
Palo Alto quarterback Christoph Bono, who faces Corona Centennial on Friday in the Division I final, is the son of former UCLA and NFL quarterback Steve Bono.
He has passed for 2,467 yards and 28 touchdowns.
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