Monthly Archives: January 2024

Around Bosco: Braves And Bishop Celebrate The Feast Day Of School Patron, St. John Bosco

Posted on by Leave a comment

by Andy Ortiz

The St. John Bosco High School community comes together today to celebrate the Feast of Don Bosco with our Auxiliary Bishop Marc Trudeau and to honor the influence of our Salesian patron.

Our school Mass celebrating the Feast of Don Bosco takes place in the neighboring St. Dominic Savio Church. This is a very special day honoring the life and achievements of St. John Bosco, who is the basis of our school community’s principles and values. What makes this day truly special is the coming of our Auxiliary Bishop Marc Trudeau, who comes to observe our celebration and pray with us.

The Campus Ministry students organized the Feast Day Mass along with new religion teacher Mr. James Ritter. Mr. Ritter, being an alumnus of Bosco, worked well with the members of Campus Ministry to put on this celebration for us and our bishop. They spent much time and effort preparing the readings and the church for the celebration.

“This will certainly be one special Mass,” said Mr. Ritter. “It’s not everyday you get to pray and worship with the bishop.”

Campus Ministry has been preparing for this day since the end of last semester, for the reason that the Feast of Don Bosco is not only an important event for us, but also an important event for Salesians the world over. 

“Every aspect, from the beginning to the end of the Mass, is carefully accounted for, and we’ve been working diligently behind the scenes to make it as special as possible,” said Campus Ministry junior Diego Salcedo.

The very special occasion warranted much preparation with most of the time spent choosing the perfect music and demonstrating attention to detail to do this event and the bishop justice.

“The Feast of Don Bosco is crucial to the Salesians because he initiated the entire movement,” said Diego. “It’s a time when not only our community but all Salesian communities come together, sharing a common identity.”

In the absence of Archbishop Jose Gomez, who is unable to attend today, Auxiliary Bishop Trudeau visits us. Both men have done amazing things for our community while being excellent examples of leaders in the Catholic church and standard-bearers of Don Bosco’s legacy. They both spread messages of love and teach the principles of Christ, which is why we admire them and appreciate their presence in our school community.

“We have been meeting with our Campus Ministry [team], Fr. Mike [Gergen], and we were given guidance by the archdiocese for preparing for today. It’s safe to say that there will be some expected surprises for our bishop,” said Mr. Ritter.

The big reason for why we celebrate the Feast of Don Bosco is because we want to keep his teachings and the Salesian traditions alive. A feast day is when we remember a person of great significance. For Don Bosco, a big part of what he was known for was helping young boys become mature, responsible and faithful men. 

“The most special part of the day, in my opinion, is the awareness that thousands of people worldwide are celebrating the same occasion, creating a sense of unity,” said Diego. “For our community, it’s a time to gather as a school and celebrate our shared mission and ideals inspired by St. John Bosco.”

After mass and classes, students will celebrate “field day” activities this afternoon to conclude the day of celebration.

Sports: Well-Traveled And Battle-Tested, Bosco Basketball Sets Its Sights On Back-To-Back League Titles

Posted on by Leave a comment

by Macade Maxwell

As the basketball regular season approaches its end, the St. John Bosco Braves still have all their major goals within reach, as they look to live up to the pre-season hype. Sitting at a comfortable 21-4 overall record, the Braves navigated their way to success against a schedule filled with fierce competitive teams each game. 

Photo by @BoscoBasketball via X

“We knew before the season that our schedule was incredibly difficult, both in terms of the national level teams we were going to play and also the travel,” said Head Coach Matt Dunn.

Not only do the Braves have an impressive overall record, but they also have a respectable 6-1 record in league play, currently standing in a tie atop the Trinity League standings with the “Team in Red.” Despite being in possibly the most competitive league in the state, the Braves have handled their business and showed their ability to compete against any team they face. 

The saying “home court advantage” is definitely in effect when the Braves are playing in the Thunderdome with an immaculate record this season of 8-0 when playing in front of a home crowd. In the last three seasons, the Braves have only dropped two games on its home court.

“I feel like there’s an advantage when playing at home because we know this place better than anybody else,” said five–star sophomore Brandon McCoy, Jr. 

The Braves have established themselves as a powerful presence nationwide, ranking 30th in the country according to MaxPreps. This high achievement shows that the Braves are not only highly ranked in the country but also at the top of the rankings as one of the best high school basketball team in California. 

The unique attributes of each player are the recipe for success for the Braves. Everybody on the team plays a unique role and can contribute their talents to secure wins.

Number two nationally ranked sophomore, Brandon McCoy, Jr., has been a standout performer for the team. According to MaxPreps, McCoy leads the team in points scored (440, 18 per game), rebounds (198, eight per game) and steals (67, three per game).

Senior sharpshooter Jack Turner has showcased his ability to hit shots from anywhere on the floor, maintaining the highest three-point percentage on the team. Beyond his ability to get buckets and create offensive opportunities for the Braves, the Loyola-Chicago commit has cemented himself in his senior season as a leader and floor general, showcasing excellent intangibles on both ends of the floor.

Junior Elzie Harrington has been a consistent playmaker for the team, being able to convert his shots at a high percentage and set up opportunities for his teammates to score, as he leads the team in assists averaging six per game to go along with 14 points per game. 

Junior Kade Bonam was also a reliable force in the first half of the season, shooting an efficient 60% field goal percentage and averaging 17 points per game before being sidelined with a shoulder injury suffered in the team’s loss to the “Team in Red” at Crypto.com Arena. Nonetheless, the Braves have embraced a “next man up” mentality and have seen major contributions in recent games from their bench.

“I believe if we all play our part and play together as a team, we can definitely win it all this year,” said junior Jaison Joyce, who has had a personal resurgence off the bench in Kade’s absence. 

The season’s has brought the Braves a series of triumphs and obstacles. The Braves made the trip to Honolulu, Hawaii to compete in the Iolani Classic, where they finished 3-1 in the tournament, including a win against nationally ranked DeMatha High School from Maryland. Despite a tough loss against their league rival, the “Team in Red,” the Braves have been able to bounce back and show their ability to move forward and progress as a team. 

“I think we have learned a lot from each of our four losses, and hopefully, we are applying those lessons as we move forward,” said Coach Dunn. “I do feel like we are playing our best basketball at the right time, which is the goal of every season.”

Some additional achievements and challenges followed the team to the 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Missouri, giving them the opportunity to play some of the best teams across the country at the most highly attended high school basketball tournament in the nation. Playing in big venues like the Great Southern Bank Arena in Missouri and the famous Crypto.com Arena, home of the Lakers and Clippers, has allowed the team the opportunity to play under pressure in front of high-capacity crowds. 

In Missouri, the Braves picked up a big victory against nationally ranked Edmond North High School from Oklahoma before losing in the tournament’s title game to the then number one ranked team in the country, Paul VI High School our of Virginia.

With three Trinity League match-ups remaining, the Braves are preparing to play critical games against Santa Margarita, the “Team in Red,” and Orange Lutheran. With aspirations to win another league title and hopes for high seeding in playoffs, Coach Dunn’s squad has to remain focused and finish the season off on a strong note, as the journey to settle unfinished business remains in sight. 

The Braves take on the Santa Margarita Eagles tonight at 7pm at the Thunderdome with the crowning of St. John Bosco and St. Joseph’s High Schools’ Winter Formal King at halftime.