Savvy DiPadova Helps Propel Taft to New Heights

WOODLAND HILLS — All right, so Taft High quarterback Nick DiPadova isn’t quite perfect.

The morning after the Toreadors lost a 22-20 heartbreaker to San Pedro in the City Section 4-A Division championship, DiPadova was back in a classroom, taking the American College Test.

“I couldn’t concentrate at all,” he said. “I was totally spent.”

DiPadova, The Times’ Valley offensive player of the year, left everything on the field, leading Taft to its most successful season in school history.

As a sophomore, he was a wide receiver on a run-oriented team, then switched to quarterback in the spring of 1995 because of his leadership credentials, which include a 3.8 grade-point average.

DiPadova attends a Mormon church seminary class each morning before school and recently completed the requirements to become an Eagle Scout.

His first season as a quarterback was a moderate success. Taft finished 7-3-1 and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

After a crash-course with quarterback coach John Mazur, a former El Camino Real and USC player, DiPadova was spectacular as a senior.

Even though Taft lost the final, he was chosen 4-A player of the year along with San Pedro quarterback Melvin Yarbrough.

DiPadova (6 feet, 180 pounds) completed 189 of 327 passes for 2,726 yards. He also had 31 touchdown passes and threw only six interceptions. The yardage and touchdown totals are school records for one season.

He was also a weapon on the ground, leading Taft with 19 rushing touchdowns.

The greatest moment came in a 15-8 semifinal victory over Westchester. With less than a minute left Taft trailed, 8-7. DiPadova scored on an 18-yard bootleg.

“It was the greatest feeling to win a game like that,” DiPadova said.