Monthly Archives: August 2018

Life of a Brave: The makings of a great Liturgical Choir

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by Kyle Moats and Victor Curiel

Calling all Braves! To all interested in acquiring a new skill, joining a tight-knit campus community, or just looking to have an all-around good time with classmates, Bosco’s music department is the right fit for you!

When people hear of St. John Bosco High School, the words that are often automatically associated are sports, academics, and the Salesians. However, while each of these aspects is an integral part of the Bosco experience and community, one component that does not receive as large of a spotlight is our school’s marching band and liturgical choir. 

Due to many of the music program’s members being in last year’s graduating class, the department has been left shorthanded this year. In an interview with Bosco’s music drector Mr. Eugene Fabiero, he expressed his thoughts over his department’s current predicament. 

”Well right now we’re above water, it’s not like we’re dying here. But, I’d like to grow the program,” said Mr. Fabiero. 

While our school’s music program will continue to march on and bring that exuberant Brave spirit to games and rallies, it has been made apparent that the department is in need of expansion. This is where we, as Braves representing the Bosco community, come into play.

If what you’re looking for at Bosco is a welcoming extracurricular with hardworking, passionate individuals dedicated to honing their skills and developing yours, you can’t do much better than marching band. Your age or experience doesn’t matter as much as the music and songs you and your partners perform. Music is a skill anyone can acquire and one we in the Bosco community are always grateful for those who practice it. 

”Sports are very important, but I can’t think of a time I’m turning on the TV on Saturday to [just] watch football. I associate college football with their bands, you wouldn’t want to go to a USC football game and not hear [their band]. It’s part of the whole experience,” said Mr. Fabiero.

The students who take part in the program don’t regret doing so afterwards. Sophomore Max Fernandez is a current members of the music program and had nothing but praise and enthusiasm for his extracurricular experience. 

”I recommend it. I feel like a lot of people who see the choir, or new freshmen, think it’s kind of daunting…but I recommend it yeah,” said Fernandez.

Fernandez hopes to expand the music program program and is very eager to welcome new members into the fold. Even if you have no idea which end of a trumpet you’re holding there’s no reason to fear. The marching band is perfectly fine and content with teaching and instructing those who are new to music. This is part of the appeal of the Bosco music department, everyone in it is learning and working off and with each other.

Each individual works to get better and to ensure their partners do as well. After all, a band is no good if only one or two people can play proficiently, as it’s a team effort. With that being said, we hope more Braves decide to pursue an interest in music and choir because let’s face it, what’s a football game or church event without a good music group? 

RECAP: St. John Bosco 49, Timpview 0

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by Ethan Piechota

The St. John Bosco Braves started their national championship run yesterday with a 49-0 triumph over Timpview High School from Utah.

This game was over midway through the 2nd quarter, as Bosco led 28-0 following another touchdown strike. The festivities started early and went through the night, as the Braves entire student body, faculty, coaches, and players welcomed the new, beautiful Panish Family Stadium.

The athletic stadium is a state-of-the-art piece of work, beautifully designed for all athletic teams within Bosco to use for their seasons.

Braves quarterback DJ Uiagalelei faking the handoff to senior running back George Holani

The Braves high-powered offense got off to a bit of a shaky start, as an unlucky deflection ended up in a Timpview defensive backs grasp, giving Braves star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei his first interception thrown of this season.

The Braves defense would shut down the Timpview offense on this drive like they would all night long, and Bosco’s offense would match the defense’s high level of play.

Uiagalelei delivered a strike over the middle to senior wide receiver Jake Bailey on the next drive for the first touchdown scored in the new stadium.

Running backs George Holani and Keith Savage would follow up with rushing touchdowns of their own in the first half, and the Braves defense would continue to force turnover after turnover all night long.

Braves sophomore receiver Jode McDuffie with a nice punt return in the 4th quarter

Junior safety Jake Newman, senior linebacker Taylon Dalton, and junior defensive lineman Matthew Jordan all had interceptions for the Braves lockdown defense.

USC commit and 6-foot-6 tight end Jude Wolfe also caught a 1-yard touchdown pass for the Braves, following a Kris Hutson deep catch down to the Timpview 5-yard line in the third quarter.

The Braves are #1 in the nation on MaxPreps for a reason. It’s no secret to anybody that this stadium is not going to be an easy place to play in, especially with the performance of the Bosco fanbase and the team here in week 1.

The Braves will look to continue their success next week away in Bakersfield against Garces Memorial.

BOSCO: Panish Family Stadium opening a success

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by Ethan Piechota

The beautiful, state-of-the-art new athletic stadium on St. John Bosco’s campus opened up with a Braves 49-0 victory Friday night on a legendary day in Bosco history.

Five years. It’s been five whole years since a home football game has been hosted on the campus of St. John Bosco. But no more. Panish Family Stadium officially opened last night on a beautiful night in Bellflower, California.

“I think this is big for the culture of our campus. [This stadium] will bring everybody back together and back on our campus, which is great,” school president Dennis Mulhaupt states.

Not only is this new stadium for football, but is for all athletic teams that use the field in their respective sport to enjoy and to use. It will also be a central point for school rallies and community building exercises that all of Bosco can enjoy.

“We are the only school in the Trinity League that has an on-campus stadium [now],” says Mulhaupt in regard to if this stadium really shows the future of Bosco and its progression as a school.

This new stadium shows how far ahead St. John Bosco is ahead of the curve, which is excellent for school exposure and excellent for many on-campus opportunities as well, such as pre-game tailgates and festivities.

“I think it’s huge for the alumni as well,” says Mulhaupt. “I think there’s a tremendous amount of excitement for this from alumni of all eras. It’s great because for the alumni who haven’t been here in a while can now come back and see how much progression the overall school has made as well.”

Bosco alumni of all eras and graduating classes can all be united as one under this stadium’s opening, as many made the trip back to St. John Bosco High School last night to take in the sights and sounds from game one at Panish Family Stadium.

At the stadium, there’s now a dedicated student section for The Tribe and there’s two press boxes with two suites inside them for VIP purposes. The new scoreboard as well has generated much hype, which will show graphics and video throughout games all year long. The school also plans to use this scoreboard to host future classes for student interested in programming and running a scoreboard of its kind.

For the stadium, Bosco just doesn’t have it’s limits set on hosting sporting events either.

“I think it can accommodate concerts, maybe some parties, and other kind of events for the school such as commencement. We’re really not constrained, it’s going to be up to the students to figure out what they would like to have there,” says Mulhaupt.

With this field in place, students now have the space and opportunity to generate ideas for possible events they may wish to have there, which is an excellent sign for the student body and the school in general.

Parking might continue to be tough for the stadium, especially with limited space in the area, which is why school advisors are telling people to get here early.

Nonetheless, Panish Family Stadium is officially open, so welcome to your new home for sports and activities on campus, Braves!

Bosco Football: 2018 Season Preview

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by Caleb Wiley

The nation’s top ranked St. John Bosco football team has extremely high expectations, with star junior DJ Uiagalelei returning under center surrounded by a long list of college bound student-athletes.

The coaching staff and players look to keep their focus and not let the hype get to them, as they want to bring another CIF title to Bosco this season. 

Coming off last season’s defeat in the CIF Southern Section Championship game to rival Mater Dei, the team has held the feeling of losing and is motivated to come back stronger than ever. 

“It’s definitely motivation for us to come back out this and finish it this time,” Uiagalelei said.

With the schedule out already, everyone will have their eyes on the rematch between these top two teams towards the end of the season. The players and the coaches are extremely excited to get the chance to gain revenge against Mater Dei.

The off-season brought new things to the football team as Bosco announced their new athletic stadium they have been building throughout the year will be ready for use game one of the season. Not only is the team ranked at the top spot, but now they have a brand-new multi-million dollar stadium to play in. The team can not allow the high demands and expectations of winning to be detrimental to their overall success however.

Also, during the off-season the Braves said goodbye to former Offensive Coordinator Chad Johnson, who left to take the head coaching job at Mission Viejo High School. The team is sad to see him go, however they are also thrilled to have Steven Lo take over the helm at OC.

Lo is the former OC at Serra High School and has fifteen years of coaching experience along with two years at San Jose State University as a strength and conditioning coach. Lo understands the role he has on the team and is up to the challenge.

“I know I have some big shoes to fill with Coach Johnson [leaving]…but I’m not alone. We have a great staff and players and I’m gonna work my tail off.”  

Steven Lo has also affiliated himself with winning environments, having won multiple championships and titles up north with Serra as their OC.

Not only did the Braves experience a switch in a coaching position, but the overall culture of the team also changed.

“I think there is a universal love for each other. There was a little drama last season and I feel that we are more bonded this year and that will lead us to more wins,” Tight End Coach Nate Munson said.

The love and friendship between the team has really gained power during the off-season, and the coaches have seen how much compassion the players have for each other and winning.

Up-and-down the roster of this football team are highly skilled talents at every position. CB Chris Steele, TE Jude Wolfe, WR/DB Jake Bailey and WR Kris Hutson are all special talents.

“It’s hard to pinpoint on a few certain players because I feel like we have a special group of young men and everyone is going to be good at their jobs,” Lo said.

With the season already starting, the team is ready and excited to take the field in their home opener against Timpview High School from Utah this Friday and hopefully start their national championship season the right way.

 

Fantasy Football 2018 Preview

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by Tommy Fiero

Fantasy Football Sleeper Picks

Football season is approaching, meaning it’s time to set up leagues and draft your teams. Primarily focused on getting the best player possible in the draft, many forget the importance of late-round picks and how waiver wire pick-ups like last year’s Alvin Kamara or Kareem Hunt can change the entire outcome of the league. Looking forward to this year’s draft, it is important to research potential sleepers.

Quarterback: Derek Carr

Having been out of football for a little over a decade, new Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden is ready to elevate Derek Carr’s game. Many forget Gruden still worked the booth and had access to teams’ practices days leading up to each game while working for Monday Night Football. In 2016, we saw Derek Carr in the MVP discussion, and while he may not reach that level in one year under Gruden, you can expect a large jump from a injury-riddled last season.

Running Back: Joe Mixon

Once considered a top-tier talent entering the 2017 draft, Joe Mixon fell to the second round due to character and behavioral problems. Throughout the 2017-2018 season, Mixon averaged 3.5 yards a carry. However, he did not start for the Cincinnati Bengals last year until his final seven games. When he finally started over Jeremy Hill, he averaged under 4 yards per carry only twice in the last seven games. Having many passing game issues and a bolstered offensive line, the running game is Cincinnati’s best feature of their offense and Mixon will get maximum touches.

Running Back: Christian McCaffrey

The 8th pick of the 2017 draft was a little underwhelming last season for the Carolina Panthers, only averaging 3.7 yards per carry. McCaffrey is expected to take on a larger role as a reliable pass-catcher and the team’s number one running back this season. Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner of the Panthers has said it is a realistic situation to see McCaffrey take on 25-30 touches per game. With a bigger role, McCaffrey is poised for a breakout season.

Wide Receiver: Cooper Kupp

It’s been reported that Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff has made a much better connection to Kupp (especially in timing) during training camp. Almost nearing 1000 receiving yards and having 5 touchdowns his rookie year, Kupp is expected to be more integrated into the Rams offense this year.

Wide Receiver: Corey Davis

Battling hamstring injuries throughout the 2017 NFL season, WR Corey Davis didn’t manage to score one touchdown his entire rookie season. That was until his monster one-handed grab against the New England Patriots in the postseason. While Davis has flashed some real potential, he’s entering this season fully healthy. Davis has the speed, size, and hands to be a star in this league, and with Marcus Mariota at QB and a new coach in Tennessee, Davis can expect a step forward in his sophomore season.

Tight End: Trey Burton

New Chicago Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy was the former offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs whose offense centered primarily around the tight end spot (Travis Kelce). Before you assume I’m comparing Trey Burton to Kelce, I’m just highlighting how his gameplan worked in Kansas City. Burton will finally have stability at the quarterback position in Mitchell Trubisky, so expect a larger role than last season.

Defense: Chicago Bears

A defense that has Leonard Floyd, Akiem Hicks, Eddie Goldman, Aaron Lynch, Prince Amukamara, Roquan Smith, Kyle Fuller, and Eddie Jackson should be taken more seriously. Other than the Patriots and Vikings, the Bears are playing much weaker and unproven offenses all year long. Their defense will take advantage and be a reliable group for a later round draft pick, allowing you to focus on other positions and still grab a nice defense.

Kicker: Wil Lutz

Any kicker that has Drew Brees on his team is fortunate. Having multiple field goal opportunities because of an amazing offense will boost his value. Lutz has had significant imporvment over the years and will be a quality kicker for many contending fantasy teams.

 

Bosco Water Polo: 2017 Season Recap

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by Caleb Wiley

The 2017 water polo season was a tough season to say the least. Finishing up with an overall record of 11-13 and going winless in league, along with a no-show in CIF, the season was somewhat disappointing. The team faced a lot of obstacles but nonetheless fought through and played with their best effort in every game. 

The 11-13 record along with no wins in league was not completely shocking: “Sure, the outcome is not what we hoped for, but there were many factors to having that record,” said Varsity head coach Jeff Powers. The team had injuries and a lack of experience that ultimately factored in the outcome of the team’s record.

“With only two returning seniors on the team, we really missed the leadership and experience out there late in the season,” said Coach Powers. Leadership is really a necessity in team sports such as water polo. Senior captain Gabe Chaine really helped the underclassmen learn and grow in the sport. Unfortunately, Gabe suffered an injury in the middle of the season: “We had our best defender Gabe Chaine out for a while and we really struggled during that time,” said junior captain Pat Burke. With only two seniors on the team, it was easy to observe that without Chaine, water polo did not have the benefit of more leadership and experience. Burke says, “We really came together despite all the obstacles and showed perseverance while Gabe was out.”

Senior Gabe Chaine says that he has no regrets and enjoyed the time he got to play during the season. “I had fun this season…a little sadness does come to me knowing that this is my last year (at Bosco) and we didn’t make a big CIF run.” His last year was not what he hoped for but he is satisfied with what he left at Bosco, especially knowing that the team next is due to have a solid season.

The 2018 season is looking more promising than this year, with everybody returning but two players. The team will have the needed experience that was sorely missed this year. Coach Powers explains, “This was definitely a learning season for next year for the returning players which is basically our whole team.” He goes on and adds, “The players next year will now know what is needed to compete in this league.” The Trinity league is one of the best leagues in the nation and Coach Powers feels confident about his player’s abilities to compete in this league.

This means that the current juniors and sophomores will have more important roles and make a bigger impact than they did this year. The 2017 season was not a complete disappointment, because this season really prepared the returning players. The team can now reflect and learn from the mistakes they made this year and correct them for the better. Therefore the team is optimistic about next year and there chances to win league and ultimately make a big CIF run in the 2018 season.   

  

Bosco Cross-Country: 2017 Season Recap

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by Ethan Piechota

Two seasons ago, the dominant run of 25 straight league championships by the St. John Bosco Braves Cross Country team was snapped with a disappointing 6th place league finish.

Last season, the Braves showed resilience, yet came up short; finishing 2nd place in the Trinity League. The cross-country program at Bosco can be viewed as one of the greatest programs of any sport in Trinity League history. Finally, this season, dominance has been restored in the league, as the Braves took first place back, marking the beginnings of a new streak for several years to come.

This team brought a lot of talent win a league championship this year. Colby Corcoran, Albert Serrano, Diego de la Torre, Diego Gonzalez, and Raymond Solorza were part of a strong group of senior runners that lead the way all season for the team. Zeke Delgado, a junior, and Gabriel Cordova and Alexander Frias, both sophomores, were a big part of the team’s overall success this season as well.

On November 3rd in Central Park, California, the Braves dominated the rest of their league in the Trinity League Finals, taking back the league championship with an 11 point victory margin over second place Mater Dei. de la Torre, Corcoran, and Serrano all were top 10 finishers in the race, guiding the Braves to a league title. Gonzalez and Delgado also earned top 20 finishes in the race, showing the importance of the well-rounded team the Braves had.

“It means a lot,” says junior runner Antonio Valles in regards to regaining the league title. “It was important to win it back and keep the tradition going.”

Following this race, the team took 3rd place in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Finals, and ended up finishing 9th place in the entire state of California for the State Finals on November 25th, 2017.

Unfortunately, the downside of this historic season coming to an end will be having to wave goodbye to many of the senior leaders on the team. In order to keep up the grind to continue a new “streak,” many underclassmen and juniors will have to step up and get the job done in the coming years.

In the end, however, this season will always be remembered as a special one for the St. John Bosco Cross-Country team. Hard work, dedication, and commitment to each other got the job done for the Braves, as they restored their rightful dominance in the Trinity League. Bosco Cross-Country is back.

Bosco Basketball: 2017-2018 Season Recap

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by Caleb Wiley

The past season for the St. John Bosco basketball team was its best in a while. This team had many accolades and achievements that not many thought were possible coming into the year. Even though they had their ups and downs, the season was not a let down as they overcame many obstacles. 

When this team was at its peak, it was really fun to watch. The team had a great record of 25-8 and had the most wins against open division teams in California. The league record of 6-4 was not the greatest, but getting 3rd in the very tough Trinity League is not something to be ignored.

The feather in the teams’ cap was of course beating our rival school Mater Dei for the first time ever in the sport with a 60-51 win. This really had a big impact on the students as well as the Bosco community in general. People now began to obtain an idea of just how good this team could be.

Another huge highlight of the season was making it into the CIF Open Division. Making it into the Open Division meant this team was now part of an elite stash of just 8 teams in Southern California. Varsity head coach Matt Dunn had a high point of his own exclaiming, “One highlight of our year that made me very proud of our players was beating Rancho Christian 3 times because they only have 5 losses all year long so 3 of them were from us.”

With highs, come the lows. There was a point in the season where the team went on a 4 game losing streak in the middle of league. The lull included a loss to an 11-17 Orange Lutheran team. Junior point guard Gabe Campos explains, “We kind of had our streak of losing but we picked it back up afterwards.” The team went through much adversity but kept fighting through until the end of the season.

In the Division 1 CIF State Southern regional Finals, Bosco lost to Chino Hills 67-51 in a heart-wrenching end to a historic season for the Braves. Bosco was in control until the 4th quarter, when they couldn’t seem to buy a bucket. The team went 1-23 from the floor in the whole 4th quarter. It’s tough to beat a talented team like Chino Hills when shots are not falling. However, the team still stuck together through all the tough times.

The players were having fun and a good time. During the losing streak, their chemistry was really getting battled tested, but the team actually grew because of it. Returning players from last year can all say the team was in a much better place than the years past. Senior forward Sandy Ryan said it best:

“Last year our chemistry as a team wasn’t that great but this year it’s really changed.” 

It was very evident that they became more of a family throughout the year. The season was very much a season to remember but hopefully the team does not get complacent. Next year, with most of the team returning, they have a great chance to be even better. 

Coach Dunn explains, “I’m really excited to see how much better each individual guy can get.” He knows how good this team can be and I feel there is no limit to how much better this group of players can get. St. John Bosco will have the chance to win league for the first time in a long time next season in the wintertime.

Bosco Signing Day (2018)

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by Julian Boyd

On February 7, 2018, seven athletes from St. John Bosco high school were able to celebrate signing their National Letters of Intent to play sports collegiately. Kevin Coblentz (University of Nevada, Reno), Sal Spina (Stanford University), Cole Aubrey (Montana), Demetrious Flowers (Arizona State University), Kedron Williams (Washington State University), Stephan Blaylock (University of California Los Angeles), and Eli Deroon (Air Force Academy) are among those 7 athletes.

Six out of those 7 athletes listed trusted the process the whole way through, staying at Bosco through every circumstance. A lot of these players didn’t earn much playing time at all until their sophomore and junior years. 

Senior linebacker Kedron Williams expressed gratitude to Bosco for helping prepare him for the next level. 

“I was able to look up to a lot of older [Division 1] guys at my position as a younger guy and I was able to learn from their game and put pieces into mine. Also, the nationally staged games helped me preform on a high level and get looked at,” Williams said.

Williams has not only done a lot for the Bosco football team, but the entire Bosco Community. He recently received the Brave of the Year award at the annual football banquet, expressing his true value of citizenship as a Bosco Brave. 

Demetrious Flowers is a senior running back who has been on the Varsity Team for 4 years. Although he did not get his first start until his senior year, he trusted the process and knew that his coaches and his hard work with every opportunity given would earn him college offers.

“Bosco really helped me with my strength. I think Coach Johnson really helped me physically and mentally and put me ahead of a lot of guys going into college. I’m excited to meet new people, live on my own, and just get the overall college experience.” Flowers said.

Stephan Blaylock – who will be attending UCLA – is also a 4 year Bosco football player. He excels in the classroom and on the field. This explains why Blaylock will be attending one of the most prestigious academic schools in the country. 

Blaylock explained how excited he is for his future while also expressing gratitude towards St. John Bosco, particularly the football coaching staff.

“I think I’ll do fine academically [at UCLA] because there is a lot of Bosco alum at UCLA doing very well. I can’t really say only one person helped me. I was helped by every coach at Bosco, from the Offensive Coordinator to the Defensive Line Coach. I am very thankful for every coach and teammate.” Blaylock said. 

These special athletes have been at Bosco and enjoyed all 4 years of being a Brave. They are all very blessed to leave campus as collegiate student athletes. They will continue their college careers and their entire futures as Brave Men.

Movie Review: Blade Runner 2049 (2018)

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by Caleb Wiley

With the sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” being so beloved and Ridley Scott being the great and successful director that he is, Denis Villeneuve had big shoes to fill in directing the sequel “Blade Runner 2049”. He did not disappoint, delivering a beauty that might very well be another classic, and even surpass the first one.

The movie was one of the best thrillers of the year, with enough action to complement the story. The cast was very talented and did a wonderful job. Amazing scenery and imagery, that did not overdo itself by seeming too futuristic, made the audience believe that this is what the near future may look like. 

The movie takes place 30 years after the first motion picture with a young LAPD blade runner, Officer K, played by Ryan Gosling. The blade runner’s mission is to “retire” old bioengineered human android “duplicates” who have disobeyed their orders. The duplicates are created by a very powerful character named Niander Wallace, acted by Jared Leto.  He acts very godlike, calling his duplicates “angels” and his most trusted duplicate “love”.  

Leto’s character was a insane, industrial leader, and making duplicates better was the only thing he cared about. When he found out that a duplicate had a child with ex-blade runner Officer Deckard (Harrison Ford), he was obsessed with finding it because duplicates are unable to have kids. His objective for the whole movie was to capture the child to study it and find out how it came to be. Showing his insanity was one scene he was visibly disappointed because he was unable to figure out how this duplicate was able to bear a child. He bitterly cut the stomach of a newly made duplicate, very disgusted with himself.  

Director Villanueva did a great job of implementing the aspect of what’s real and what’s not, what makes you a person. In one scene, the LAPD chief made a comment about duplicates not having a “soul”. However, Officer K was a duplicate but he loved something, a hologram played by Ana De Armas, presenting the counterargument that someone soulless would not feel love. 

Officer K is given a mission to “retire” the child of the duplicate, for if the public would find out such a thing society would goes insane. Throughout the movie, as Officer K finds clues that would point that he is himself the child, he begins to worry that he would be running for the rest of his life. 

In another scene, as the Officer K finds out whether or not he is the child, one duplicate says that all the duplicates wishes they were the child of the duplicate. This shows how desperate they are just to feel human rather than engineered. This goes back to the point of what makes you human: is it being created the natural way and being able to feel.

The movie was not a big box office hit because it wasn’t action 100% of the time. I recommend seeing this movie if you are interested in a great story and making yourself think. Even if you did not see the first one, the movie can be really enjoyable, even though Villanueva refers back to the original a lot. Anybody is able to follow the story and understand the essence of what is happening without seeing the original. 

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