Monthly Archives: May 2025

Sports: Bosco Baseball Secures Trinity League Championship, Top Seed In CIF Playoffs

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by Simon Wei

Coming into Trinity League play with expectations sky-high, St. John Bosco knew they had to prove themselves week in and week out. Over five grueling series, they showed resilience, depth and growth along the way, earning one of the top seeds in the CIF-SS division one playoffs and moving up the rankings to number 17 in the nation according to MaxPreps.

The Braves started league play with a series against Orange Lutheran that very quickly set a tone for the season. Game one was a fierce duel that began with both teams trading defensive blows and went all the way down to the late innings.

Freshman Aaron Garcia came through with a huge hit, a two-out, fifth-inning single that broke a tie and sent the Braves to a 2-1 win.

In game two against the Lancers, junior Gavin Cervantes threw a complete-game shutout that was pure dominance. Cervantes allowed just three hits and brought the Braves another 3-0 win in a game that featured some speedy baserunning from junior James Clark that set up an RBI situation for junior Jack Champlin, who had a nice day at the plate.

Junior Noah Everly had just a little bit more fun in Game 3, going 3-for-3 with a homerun and helping the Braves secure a 5-3 comeback win after being down 3-1 at one point.

“The whole series against Orange Lutheran was earned,” said senior Phillip Swinford. “Our mindset was to win every inning, and that’s what we did. We controlled what we could control; we competed in the box. And the results gave us a historic sweep. James Clark was a major factor offensively—going 7-for-11 in the series.”

Riding high after sweeping Orange Lutheran, Bosco stumbled out of the gate in Game one against the Santa Margarita Eagles, dropping a tough 10-5 loss where walks and defensive miscues piled up. Micah Taguiam helped keep the game close with two RBIs, but the Braves just couldn’t find their rhythm.

Game two was a turnaround. Gavin Cervantes returned to the mound and gave the team exactly what it needed, keeping the Eagles in check. James Clark led the charge again at the plate with a 3-for-4 day, driving in three runs. junior Jaden Jackson and senior Carlos Barajas added key hits, and Champlin closed out the 5-3 win.

Game three was more one-sided. Bosco’s pitching staff combined to allow just three hits. Offensively, Clark and Everly continued to produce, helping the Braves cruise to a 6-1 win and take the series 2-1.

“[Santa Margarita] punched us in the face in the first game with a 5-10 loss. We knew we had to punch back harder in the next two games, and that’s what we did,” said Phillip Swinford. “Our bats started waking up, and they started making errors on defense. We didn’t waste that opportunity to score runs.”

This led to Bosco’s series against the “Team in Red,” which was easily one of the most intense of the season. Game one went ten innings, with both teams refusing to give in. In extra innings, Cervantes and senior Trevor Heishman had the situation under control, keeping the opponents bats at bay. And so, with a final score of 3-2, the Bosco boys emerged victorious.

Game two followed a similar script; it was tight, low-scoring and dramatic. Cervantes was dialed in again, pitching eight innings and allowing just one run. The Braves walked it off with a 2-1 win, taking the series.

Game three was the outlier, where Bosco exposed the “Team in Red’s” defense and gained an 8-1 win. Junior Miles Clark went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Everly pitched the final three innings to seal the sweep. Everly also achieved the Press-Telegram Athlete of the week following that series. 

The Braves carried the momentum into consecutive sweeps of Servite and JSerra to secure sole ownership of the Trinity League Championship.

With league play in the rearview, the focus now shifts to the playoffs. After achieving a first-round bye, Bosco looks ahead to this afternoon, when Vista Murrieta plays comes to campus for the CIF-SS division one playoff’s second round.

Vista Murrieta enters the game with a strong 23-5-1 overall record and a 14-1 league performance, putting it in a tie for 14th in a top-heavy California. Vista Murrieta appears to have a balanced offensive attacks and strong pitching to challenge the Braves.

Bosco Baseball knows the road ahead won’t be easy, but their Trinity League journey prepared them well. They’ve been battle-tested, and more importantly, they believe in each other. If there’s one thing this team made clear over five weeks of hard-fought baseball, it’s this: they’re not backing down from anyone. First pitch at home this afternoon is at 3:15pm.

A+E: Annual Spring Coffeehouse And Improv Rocks Out, Leaves Audience In Stitches

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by Nels Nelsen

The theater program at St. John Bosco put on their annual Spring Coffeehouse and Improv on Friday, May 2, 2025, where audience members saw a variety of performances done by students at Bosco and St. Joseph’s.

Photo by Nels Nelsen

The coffeehouse performances were done as a first act where there were singers, dancers, actors and a jazz band. Everyone who had stepped up had something interesting to offer like singing their favorite song or acting out a monologue.

Improv was after the intermission, which had a Minecraft theme consisting of a cast of actors who did games on stage where they had to improvise their own lines and commit to a character on the spot from the recent Minecraft movie.

The energy on the night of the performance was electric. Everyone who came focused on the show, and the engaged audience just kept feeding energy to the performers on stage.

Bosco Theater Director and Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair, Mr. Martin Lang, had hopeful expectations going into the night of the show, which were clearly satisfied.

“I have great hopes that it’s going to be a great show” said Mr. Lang “I know the acts are good. I know the comedians. They are sharp and funny, and so I’m hoping it is a great way to end the year.”

Mr. Lang puts on shows like these so that people can feel free to perform and show their talent on stage. It is an opportunity for letting loose and trying out something new.

Jayden Garcia, a junior and actor from Bosco who came to support the show, particularly enjoyed it. 

“I just wanted to help support them and be able to do future productions,” said Jayden.

His favorite part of the show was the second half with the improv. To him, it was just funny, and he had a blast watching the performance. On a scale of one to ten with ten being the highest, Jayden Garcia rated the show a ten.

He highly recommends the show next year for others because it is just a genuinely good time with people laughing and live musical performances.

Noah Villalobos is a sophomore at Bosco who also attended the show. His favorite part was the jazz band during the coffeehouse performances because most of the people who played in the band are friends of his.

Sophomore actor, Jacob Perez, performed in the improv and dressed up as the Minecraft movie’s rendition of the character Steve.

Before the show, he had some rather typical emotions for someone in his place.

“I’m a little nervous, but I’m excited and optimistic about it,” said Jacob.

The kind of mindset he had before the show was that not everything he said needed to be funny, but it needed to build the character he was acting as in the current moment. Another thing is that he also does not focus on what the audience thinks.

Jacob believes that what sets improv apart from traditional acting is the emotion. In a play, you stay in a limited range of emotion since the characters have a specific way they need to be portrayed. With improv, you get to express yourself more in a character.

After the show, Jacob was happy with his performance, but he thinks that there is still room for improvement. 

In his head, he always tries to find what is right for the scene, to stay in character and to keep it funny. Even though it was not as good as it could have been, Jacob would still want to perform again because he loves going on stage with all his friends.

“Mr. Lang says not to see it as a family, but I kind of disobey it and like to speak about all of us as family,” Jacob Perez said.

Around Bosco: Bosco Students Live Out The Oratory Model On Marian Day

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by Josue Sanchez, co-Editor-in-Chief

Marian Day reflected the foundations upon which St. John Bosco High School is built on, as carried out by students and faculty.

To many, the celebrations carried out on the first day of May could simply appear to be a free day—a break from the academic environments that Bosco students face.

However, the festivities that were celebrated two Thursday’s ago were not exclusively based on the simple idea of rest. Rather, the day is rooted in Salesian ideas that also connect to the four pillars of the Oratory model that St. John Bosco High School is built upon: home, school, church and playground.

These ideas were of particular interest to Dr. Francesca Po, the Coordinator of Youth Ministry and a senior theology instructor. She was behind much of the planning of the event and wanted to ensure that the ideals of the Salesian faith remained an important part.

First and foremost, she stated that it is a day to honor Mary, the mother of Jesus, for saying “yes” to God’s plan. While this is not seen in the form of prayer—Salesians do not pray to Mary, rather asking for her intercession in our matters—it is seen through the developments of events like these.

“The Salesians, in particular, have a special devotion to Mary Help of Christians,” Dr. Po stated. “Mary Help of Christians is a specific [version of Mary] that St. John Bosco had a devotion to, so that’s why we Salesians have a devotion to her.”

This is seen through some of the preparatory events that happened before the Bosco “field day” that is most associated with the event. Earlier on April 30th, the statue of Mary in the Bosco Quad was crowned, reflecting the importance of faith in the celebrations carried out by Bosco staff.

This includes the Mass that happened approximately midway through the day: a representation of Salesian belief on the Bosco (or rather, St. Dominic Savio) campus. All of these highlighted the religious significance—or the church aspect of the Oratory—of the day.

Of course, the other aspects of the Oratory model shine through with the other events. The playground aspect was represented through the variety of games held on the fields of the Bosco campus. The teachers vs. students baseball game was another important representation of this, making Bosco seniors and faculty compete against each other in a lively game—which the teachers won, 3-0.

All of this is meant to present Bosco as an active, engaging space: a home, again representing the corresponding aspect of the Oratory model.

“Having that fellowship time with your Bosco brothers,” according to Dr. Po, allows for the formation of the positive experience that students of all types can enjoy.

“We’re all part of one family,” Dr. Po said.

Of course, Bosco students didn’t spend the entire time at Mass and in the outdoors—classes, although significantly shortened, still took place, reflecting how Bosco is still a school at its core.

This different day resulted in a variety of different experiences for many Bosco students. An anonymous junior used the time in Marian Day to meet with various friends and connect with others at Bosco.

“I like the fact that we get to roam a lot freer than I usually see,” said the junior. “People are a lot freer, and I see that most people are using that pretty responsibly.”

These positive experiences were also seen with other students. Josiah Hernandez, a current freshman, found that it was a positive opportunity to learn from and connect more with other students on campus.

“Marian Day is probably my favorite day of the school year,” Josiah said. “[I liked] hanging out as a community [and] being able to connect with more people than I usually do.”

As a whole, Bosco’s celebration of Marian Day is a representation of what makes the school an impactful place—especially when it comes to the ideals that are established here on campus. It is one of the best manifestations of the Oratory model that is preached for the benefit of everyone in the Bosco community.

Most importantly, it is a sign of our commitment towards Mary—as shown through Salesian belief. While Salesians do not directly worship Mary, Dr. Po emphasized that there is still a powerful connection to Mary. When we partake in events like Marian Day, it is a sign of the commitment and importance that we give to her, as an important part of Christian beliefs.

“It’s a big part of our faith as Catholics and as Salesians,” said Dr. Po. “We want to make sure that we honor that and we spend some extra time focused on that devotion to Mary.”

Around Bosco: Seniors Celebrate Prom 2025 In La La Land

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by Cuahutemoc Solorzano

St. John Bosco seniors just had their last school dance of the year! The class of 2025’s prom was a spectacular night with an unexpected but welcomed surprise. 

Photo courtesy of @sj.jesters via Instagram

According to St. Joseph’s Senior Treasurer Julia Gisel, this prom was held at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach Hotel, which was chosen because it has areas separated from each other. 

“Our board didn’t want a venue that was too far, and one of the things we were looking for was a divided space. We wanted areas divided so that people could actually talk away from the dance floor or hang around the drinks,” said Julia. 

More so, this venue was previously used for a Mother-Daughter brunch hosted by St. Joseph’s High School. Though, prom might’ve taken place in an entirely different venue. 

“We considered doing the venue at the Queen Mary, but the ceiling inside of it was about 6 feet, and we didn’t like it since people wouldn’t be able to jump on the dance floor, especially for taller people,” said Julia.

They venue, in the end, was well-received by attendees, who experienced a night to remember.

“My prom experience was a 10 out of 10 – I had a lot of fun. The food’s really good and the venue’s beautiful, but an elegant kind of beautiful,” said St. Joseph’s senior Maerix Hernandez.

The lights within the venue were strung in waves throughout the entire ceiling and created a calm atmosphere during the prom dinner, according to Maerix, while the young men at Bosco appreciated the food.

“This prom is really good. I’m having a great time with my friends, and the food is really good,” said Bosco senior Elijah Sanchez.

The dance floor was wide enough for everyone to dance at the same time, and let students dance whilst surrounded by those they’ve known for the past four years, providing a sense of closure for some individuals, according to SJ senior Jolynn Hallum. SJ seniors Sofia Castro and Saydee Morales shared that sentiment.

“I would give my prom experience a 7 out of 10. A lot of work and thought were put into it, but I feel like the music wasn’t taking into account the students’ choices. But it added to the overall classic bittersweet prom experience for me,” said Sofia.

“Being able to enjoy my last dance with my best friends is so special, and it’s already memorable,” said SJ senior Saydee. 

Prom was, for the most part, a great experience for many SJ and SJB students. 

Something extremely special occurred at the end of the dance, according to Jolynn Hallum. 

“I really liked [at the end] when we held hands and danced around in a circle together. I liked how when the DJ played ‘Party in the USA.’ All of my friends sang the SJ version of it; it was really cute.”

SJ and Bosco students gathered around in a circle with arms interlinked as they danced to the last few songs of the night, while Elijah Farris and Jacquelyn Reyes were crowned 2025 Prom King and Queen.

Sports: From Hardship to Hope, The Future Looks Bright For Bosco Tennis

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by Macade Maxwell, Sports Editor

When the school St. John Bosco comes to mind, most would often think about the powerhouse football program or the formidable basketball program. But an unsung team on campus would be tennis. 

Photo by Gabriel Lopez

This team has been steadily building its legacy year by year and making a unique story of its own. One made up of growth, determination and hard work put in behind the scenes that doesn’t always get noticed. 

Bosco tennis is slowly transforming from a small, under the radar team into a competitive, gritty team that can come out and show teams what they are made of. 

Head Coach Jacob Negro focuses on developing strong relationships with his players and developing them not only on the tennis court but off it as well. 

“For us, it’s not just about the wins and losses. It’s about building disciplined young men who are ready to compete in both tennis and in life. Every time we are out on the court is an opportunity to work on that,” said Coach Negro.

Unlike many other schools, the Braves do not have tennis courts on campus to practice and play on. Instead the team travels to the Lakewood Tennis Center everyday after school in order to get their work in. While some may feel like this is a setback, it builds character and shapes the team’s identity. 

“It’s not ideal, but it builds character,” said junior Noah Garcia. “Traveling to practice every day made us closer as a team, [and it] teaches us to be grateful for what we have.” 

The Braves capped off the 2024-2025 season, finishing with a 7-13 overall record while going 0-8 in the Trinity League, which features some of the toughest competition in California. Although it doesn’t show in their record, the Braves competed in each game and showed that they have what it takes to compete against the best. 

“I joined the tennis program in 2024 and have been a part of the team for two years now. When I first joined, it was sort of a rebuilding process with new players, coaches and opportunities to get back to being a top team in the Trinity League,” said senior Eratzmo Ovando. 

Looking past the losses were dominant victories, such as 13-5 over Hillcrest, 18-0 against Lynwood, 14-4 against Carson, 13-5 over Alhambra and 17-1 against Lakewood. These wins show the growth of the program, as they went totally winless two seasons ago. 

“This year, we won our first game in two years against Lynwood, and from there, we continued to win and fought hard all season,” said Eratzmo. “We only improved with the addition of new players with even greater talent. We went from not being able to win games to being able to actively compete against top teams in California.” 

A big part of this year’s success came from their senior class. The Braves had seven seniors leading the way for the team and bringing their experience in each match. A standout performer this year would be senior Ben Gillett.

As a singles player, he has to be on top of his game at all times. Gillett is a source of motivation and improvement for the whole team. 

While senior’s occupy most roster spots on the team, junior Diego Fonseca-Perez is captain of the squad. As captain, he assures that the team constantly stays focused on their goal: to get better and compete. 

“This is definitely a start to what we want to achieve. One of the team’s biggest accomplishments would be moving up in the rankings,” said Fonesca. “Last year, I believe were were top 350 and this year we finished in the top 100 in CIF rankings, so I definitely see the improvement.” 

Looking ahead, the Braves aren’t just focused on climbing up in the standings. They’re focused on setting a new standard for Bosco Tennis. They may not have all the resources, but the Braves have the will to get better and an unbreakable bond.