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Football: He knows the directions to Crespi

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If the bus driver transporting the Anaheim Servite football team to Encino Crespi on Friday night happens to need directions, the head coach, Troy Thomas, can help.

Thomas played on Crespi’s 1986 Big Five Conference championship team under Coach Bill Redell. He was defensive coordinator at Crespi under former Coach Tim Lins. He guided the Celts to a 2004 Southern Section championship as head coach. He considered returning to Crespi this past season.

‘I think it’s cool,’ he said of playing the Celts. ‘I’ll enjoy seeing all the Crespi people.’

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What Crespi people will see is an unbeaten Servite team that hits nonstop, plays discipline football and hasn’t lost since a regular-season game last year to Huntington Beach Edison.

Crespi, though, has speed, and Servite struggled at times against a similar team in Bellflower St. John Bosco. If the Celts avoid can turnovers, they’ll be able to give the Friars a tough game.

Of course, this game is causing some fans to keep their mouths shut because they support Thomas and Crespi. Redell, asked who he is rooting for, said, ‘I’m rooting for a tie.’

No one should be happier that Servite is on the road than Thomas’ mother. She lives in Canoga Park and gets to see her son without taking a long drive to Orange County.

-- Eric Sondheimer

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