Football: Troy Thomas is headed back to Crespi

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Troy Thomas is coming back to his alma mater, Encino Crespi, as football coach.

That’s the word in a news release sent out by Anaheim Servite, where Thomas has been head coach since 2005. Crespi also has sent out a news release announcing his hiring.

He will replace Jon Mack, who announced his resignation Monday.

‘This is the first opportunity to come back,’ Thomas said.

Thomas said Crespi learned of Mack’s resignation on Friday. He met with Crespi’s president, Tom Batsis, on Saturday when he was attending a service on campus. He was offered the job Sunday night.

‘Crespi is the only school from the San Fernando Valley to win the big-school championship, so I believe you can win there,’ he said. ‘I was part of that team.’

Servite won seven Trinity League championships under Thomas and he will be hard to replace because of his dual role as a coach and mentor. Don’t be surprised if Servite tries to make a run at Corona Centennial’s Matt Logan.

Thomas’ hiring will be welcomed news from Crespi alumni. He was a member of Crespi’s 1986 Southern Section championship team. He was an assistant coach for Tim Lins when Crespi lost to Eisenhower in the 1993 Pac-5 semifinals. He became Crespi’s head coach in 2001 and won a section title in 2004.

He left for Servite after becoming uncomfortable with the Crespi administration. He turned Servite into a Pac-5 power, winning consecutive Pac-5 titles in 2009 and 2010.

Crespi has a new president and is getting a new principal and Thomas’ mother lives in the San Fernando Valley.

‘I’m looking forward,’ Thomas said. ‘The past is the past.’

Thomas will remain at Servite until the end of the month.

‘It’s a great day to be a Celt,’ one Crespi alumnus said when he heard the news.

-- Eric Sondheimer