Author Archives: The Brave News

Life of a Brave (EXCLUSIVE): The “Team in Red” Will Have Their Hands Full On and Off the Field

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by Aharon Colon, A+E Editor

Not only will there be a battle on the field, but there will also be a battle in the stands. 

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St. John Bosco’s student section, “The Tribe”, has had a great year so far planning new themes and showing out at every home game. Here is everything you need to know about them, and what you should expect from tonight’s game.

With the emergence of a big social media presence spreading across Twitter and Instagram, The Tribe’s stock has risen tremendously over the past 2 years in the eyes of the public.

Starting with our first viral video, ironically at last year’s regular season game, the Tribe was seen jumping up and down singing the tune to “Seven Nation Army” in the rain. This was in response to rumors that the game was going to be cancelled, and a high school football fanpage got a hold of the video and posted it. Since then The Tribe has never looked back.

With their recent hype video even reaching 4,698 views, you could say this rivalry game will be unique, even in the tradition of Bosco playing the “team in red.”

During the week, you can tell that the student body has been anxious for the first whistle to blow. They’re ready to support in the stands and not sit by any means necessary.

“I expect us to be really loud and crazy. Hopefully get in some of the other player’s heads and make them uncomfortable,” Matthew Felix, Tribe Leader, said.

Tribe leaders and administration expect their to be upwards of 500 students at the game.

With the turnout hopefully at a maximum, the football team themselves are very excited to see what’s to come. Beaux Collins, four-star wide receiver, will be looking forward to seeing the Tribe show out tonight.

“Pretty crazy just to look up in the stands after scoring and seeing them going crazy throwing powder and stuff like that,” Beaux said. “It gives us a lot of confidence, and it basically helps us going against the other team giving us momentum at any time in the game,” Collins said.

This week is going to be crucial all the way around from the field to the stands. Expect from our Tribe nothing but craziness and madness all in good faith to support our boys. We are all behind them, and it’s time to show not only California, but the whole nation that the best football team has the best student section.

It’s a great day to be a Brave, Bosco Brothers. Let’s seize this day and make it one we will never forget.

Life of a Brave (EXCLUSIVE): Get Hype for Tonight’s Epic Battle with 4-Star Strong Safety Kourt Williams

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by Kourt Williams

It is difficult to put into words what a game like this truly means. Some are calling this the high school football game of the decade, even the century. From a players point of view, I can tell you this is nothing short of the opportunity of a lifetime. 

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This is the first time Bosco will play the team in red game at Panish Family Stadium. It’s number one and number two. No, not in the state of California, but in the whole United States. I thank God that I can be a part of it.

For the first time in a long time, we are considered the underdogs coming into a football game. We have been waiting for the opportunity to play these guys ever since last Winter, when we lost to them in the CIF-SS Championship game.

You best believe me and my teammates will be coming into the game with a big chip on our shoulders. We know Brave Nation has something to prove.

This will be the closest thing to a college football game you will ever see under Friday night lights: the atmosphere, media and, chiefly, the competition on the field. Between your Braves and the “team in red,” the competition will host close to 50 players with division one scholarship offers.

With all the implications, it’s honestly been hard to focus on anything else except the game. When those lights come on Friday night, the rush is like no other. It feels like going into a boxing match. That feeling of straight adrenaline feels like lightning in my bones, like I can run through a wall. It doesn’t get better than that.

However this game is much more than just winning and losing. Games like this is all about pride. Your manhood is on the line, and it will be tested. I personally know most of the players on the opposing team. Our reputation is up for grabs, and it can be taken in an instant. My 2020 class has only beaten the “team in red” once out of the four times we have played them. With this game possibly being our last opportunity ever to go head to head, our plan is to prevent history from repeating itself.

From a football perspective, the game plan is set and ready. Offensively and defensively we will be ready to battle. If proof from previous years of these teams matching up means anything, there will be surprises that both teams will present to each other. Whether it be particular offensive plays, or defensive schemes. Both teams have tricks in their back pockets that they have been saving for this game, which will be exciting to watch.

The crazy thing about a game like this is that we basically playing ourselves. Both team’s quarterbacks have NFL type playing styles already, both offenses have talent all over the place with some of the best raw athletes in the country, and it is the exact same thing on the defensive side of the ball.

Games like this are won by the team that makes the least amount of mistakes while playing the hardest for the longest. Let me be the first the first to tell you: this game will be physical, nerve wracking and one to remember. I just hope you’ll be in a seat somewhere to watch it unfold.

Around Bosco: Students, Parents and Teachers Catch Up To Schoology Learning Curve

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by Jonathan Gonzalez and Tim Levine, Executive Editor

Schoology, an internet-based learning program for grades K-12 where students can communicate with teachers, find the school calendar and, of course, see their grades, was launched this semester to mixed reviews.

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A lot of Bosco parents are extremely involved with their son’s academic lives, and most of the Bosco community may be familiar with our school’s old system called Moodle. However, Vice Principal Edgar Salmingo ensured that Schoology was a practical and beneficial shift. Bosco has advanced its technology so their platforms are better equipped for students.

“Schoology is better at syncing with PowerSchool with grades–seeing your class, seeing when your homework is due. And it shows you what you have to do for homework that week,” said Mr. Salmingo.

Students around campus are already noticing the benefits of the change. Junior Ben Hill believes that Schoology will decrease the stress and pressure he previously felt.

“Using Schoology now for personal use just for the students gives us less stress and pressure felt on from out parents since they no longer get notifications of our grades as were the ones who have to be dependable on our grades at our own pace,” said Hill.

Teachers also feel that it is easier to put Powerpoints, Ed puzzles, notes, homework, tests/ quizzes, etc; on Schoology. However, Schoology is also just a learning tool and it will not be able to replace PowerSchool. Mr. Salmingo believes that there is still a place for Powerschool and that it will still be needed going forward.

“PowerSchool is good for information with grades/ GPA or transcript, Schoology is strictly just for learning purposes, schedules, and communication between students and teachers. It’s also great with linking to the students Google accounts,” said Mr. Salmingo.

Some of the students who have been used to the old system of Powerschool and Moodle such as juniors and seniors seem to be finding the transition difficult as it is a completely new system that they are not used to. Senior Andrew Serrano believes that Schoology is more complex, however still finds the transition to be a good idea.

“I dislike Schoology in terms of its complexity and how to use it, but do not hate the idea of switching to a better system,” said Serrano.

Andrew Serrano also thinks that the transition could have been handled better and a formal seminar introducing the platform would have been beneficial.

“We students weren’t given a seminar on how to use Schoology or at least have the teachers explain it to us,” said Serrano.

He also did give some good feedback with Schoology. He likes the fact that we can see “percentages of tests, homework, projects, and classwork.”

While some of the Juniors and Seniors are having difficulty and concerns about Schoology, many freshmen who only know Schoology believe that it is a great platform.

“It is an awesome system with grades, homework, and our school schedules,” said freshman Victor Murillo

Murillo loves all the different functions Schoology serves and appreciates the new calendar system.

“I love that you can also check whether your teacher is coming to class or not on different days and that on the calendar you can see what colleges are coming to our campus to talk to us,” said Murillo.

The new system of Schoology doesn’t yet seem to be a perfect match with all of St. John Bosco but with all of the functions it has to offer and the clean interface, it seems to make the teachers’ jobs much easier.

Mr. Fernando who has been a big face at Bosco, being part of the Dean’s staff and now a full-time English teacher, is also getting adjusted to Schoology and time to get to know what Schoology is all about. He believes that it is the right transition, as it creates an easier and more convenient interface for teachers to work with.

“I don’t think it’s easy to compare PowerSchool and Schoology but I do think Schoology is a lot better than Moodle for its interface and ease of constructing classes for students,” said Mr. Fernando.

Parents of students at St. John Bosco also believe that Schoology can be very beneficial for students as well as for them. Freshman Joshua Gonzalez’s mother Ana Gonzalez likes how informative Schoology is.

“Schoology compared to PowerSchool is a lot more informative on the updates it gives out and also how we can see what’s going on at Bosco and I can see what’s upcoming assignments my son has coming up and anything he has late,” said Mrs. Gonzalez

Mrs.Gonzalez also does not have the Schoology app, as she believes it will give her son more personal responsibility and will not make him feel as stressed.

“I don’t have the app Schoology to be able to give my son the responsibility of being a young adult and having to do his schoolwork without me having to constantly remind him like how I have done with my other son. I can tell it gave my older son a lot more stress and was always worrying about grades,” said Mrs. Gonzales

Mrs. Dolphin, a known figure at St. John Bosco, has some thoughts on Schoology not only as a teacher but as a parent as well, her twin boys class of 2019 Myles and Isaiah dolphin both currently attend Brown University. She believes that Powerschool’s interface is more friendly for checking grades, as a lot of parents are not educated on how to use Schoology.

“As a parent, I liked PowerSchool because checking my sons’ grades was a lot easier than Schoology. A lot of the parents of sophomore class to the senior class don’t know how to use Schoology,” said Mrs. Dolphin.

She also believes that while it can be seen as more complicated, it does help provide students with a more stress-free environment.

“Schoology is a lot more effective. Also, it is a lot more stress-free and indicative then PowerSchool, and it gives students more ownership of their grades,” said Mrs. Dolphin.

Schoology has taken its share of criticism in replacing Moodle. Schoology gives the students less anxiety and allows them to focus on school and not worry so much about their grades being shown to their parents day in and day out.

Life of a Brave: Unsung Hero Ms. Jeanne Pantuso

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by Matthew Ruiz

Ms. Jeanne Pantuso is a well-known asset to Athletic Director Monty McDermott, all the sports teams and the staff and faculty members here at St. John Bosco. However, many parents and students don’t know who she is nor do they know all the work that she does to help the school’s athletic department, students and the overall community here at St. John Bosco High School. 

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Ms. Pantuso was born into a large family consisting of four brothers and two sisters. Her family has been associated with Bosco for decades, especially because her brothers came to Bosco. One brother, Mr. Jack Hastert, is still an extremely active and involved faculty member for the school, being the head golf coach and a recently retired religion teacher after over 30 years at Bosco. But Coach Hastert is far from the only connection to Bosco for Ms. Pantuso.

“My son Graduated from Bosco in 98’ with a football scholarship, and my daughter graduated from St. Joseph’s in 00’ two years later,” Ms. Pantuso said. She’s had many family members go through Bosco and St. Joseph’s High School whether that be siblings, nieces, nephews and brother and sister in-laws.

Ms. Pantuso herself has been working at Bosco for 26 years, wearing many different hats in her time on faculty. She especially has been involved with sports because she’s the Assistant Athletic Director under Mr. Monty McDermott. However, at different points in her career here at Bosco, she served as the Alumni Development Program, school secretary and attendance dean. The Alumni Development Program consists of organizing events like the SJB Golf Classic and the Alumni Memorial Mass.

Ms. Pantuso, as the Assistant Athletic Director, works closely with Mr. Monty McDermott, who is yet another Bosco connection as a member of the class of ‘86. In addition to being an alumnus, he has served as the Athletic Director here at Bosco since 2002, as well as having coached baseball and football at Bosco for seven years.

Both Mr. McDermott and Ms. Pantuso have a close relationship in and out of the work space.

“She does everything, scheduling, contracts, transportation, returns calls, collection of tickets and money, organizing volunteers, security, input scores and CIF information – on and on.  We have worked together for so long, I have complete trust in her,” Mr. McDermott said.

“I like to keep my office and department very organized so we split up responsibilities.  Ms. Pantuso’s main responsibilities are handling all scheduling, collection of contracts, all school transportation with buses and school vans, department files, meeting minutes, CIF required paperwork and coaching clearance… However, she will also help wherever there is a need. She is a 100% team player.”

“She is very easy to work with and brings a lot to the table. She is able to always maintain a professional demeanor, while keeping things fun in the office with her funny sense of humor,” added McDermott.

McDermott considers Mrs. Pantuso one his he and his wife’s best friends. The three of them even go to concerts together.

Ms. Pantuso is an approachable faculty member who is always excited to get to know all of the students. This says a lot about her personality and how she puts others before her, and for all she gives our community, she always puts the students first.

“The best part about working at Bosco are the students,” Ms. Pantuso said.

Life of a Brave: The Humility, Gratitude and Leadership Of Five-Star Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei

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by Che Womack, Contributing Writer

The persona of a five-star high school quarterback, especially in the eyes of Hollywood, comes attached with arrogance and an unlikeliness to be deferential of teammates and coaches. This is not D.J. Uiagalelei. A true quarterback has to be someone who has the physical talent and mental fortitude to lead ten other individuals on the field to success. A quarterback is a leader, a headman, a commander. This is D.J. Uiagalelei.

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Growing up, D.J.’s world revolved around athletics, family and church. Coming from a religious family, D.J.’s faith was instilled at a young age. His church, Abundant Living Family Church, in Rancho Cucamonga, California, hosts people from all walks of life, as it opens its doors to people of all faiths. Diving deep into his faith, D.J. gave a visual on how his faith drove him to the promised land of virtue and prosperity.

“God has blessed me with a lot, besides being blessed by waking up day-to-day, he has blessed me with an amazing life, an amazing family, and year-by-year, an amazing team,” D.J. said. “He has blessed me by being able to play the game of football, by that blessing: He gives me the opportunity to showcase the talent he has given me.”

D.J.’s faith and family have driven him to the best person that he can be. Involving himself with Pop-Warner games, youth camps and other virtues that involves him helping others, D.J. chooses to be a part of something greater than himself.

Getting a front-row look at a quarterback’s development are the offensive linemen, who experience and see the true character of the signal-caller. From the classroom to the locker-room, on the field and all the way down to the huddle; the offensive linemen are able to recognize and identify the true characteristics of the quarterback.

The relationship between a quarterback and his offensive line is the most important companionship on the football field. D.J. and his linemen share a relationship that involves the utmost respect for a common goal between both positions. D.J. consistently and publicly shows his gratitude towards the gentlemen who protect him. To show gratification to individuals who do not get much praise, is the work of a leader.

“I feel like my offensive line is a huge reason why I am successful,” D.J. said. “Without them, I would not be in the position I am in today. I owe my success to them they block their butt off for me and I truly appreciate that.”

Being an offensive lineman at Bosco is a serious challenge, as they are tasked with protecting one of the nation’s best quarterbacks. The coaching staff sets a standard for this challenge every week for the offensive line.

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“We have the best QB in the country. There’s no doubt about it,” offensive line coach Jim Adams said. “Every statistic and analytic says it. If we cannot protect this guy, we won’t be successful. Period. We won’t achieve our goals; we won’t be champions. … If you want to win, you’ll protect the big fella. Let D.J. do what D.J. does best.”

The need to protect and serve does not only come from the coaches but from the offensive line itself. The protection they strive to provide is not simply for duty, but for the care and respect they have for their quarterback.

“Being D.J.’s blindside tackle is everything I could ever hope for. I take the highest level of caution and care when protecting D.J. in the backfield and I know my fellow lineman can say the same,” senior tackle Drake Metcalf said. “D.J. is the same guy he is on and off the field. He’s humble and always hungry for the next challenge or task at hand. Being linemen, it is our duty to take care of business upfront and let the cannon launch in the backfield. If we do our jobs, we can guarantee D.J. will make his magic happen.”

It is no surprise that those who know D.J. love him. However, it is not because of his fame but rather character. He doesn’t need to be the most popular guy. He doesn’t need to be someone who is always being talked about, or always in the limelight. He’s just an athlete; just another guy who plays football; just another teammate.

“He’s a humble, stand-up guy. He is a natural leader and a supportive friend,” senior guard Logan Bednar said. “Despite his fame, he is the same D.J. as he was when I met him at 14 years old, and he will be the same D.J. when he’s 30.”

Being humble and an individual of humility can be a great way of getting where you want to go. However, in the game of football, this cannot replace the attitude and hunger that has to come in order to win games.

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D.J. possesses this competitiveness. Competing for a spot his sophomore year, D.J. was named the starting quarterback during the week of the biggest high school football rivalry game in the country. On October 13th, 2017, D.J. made his first start against the then-ranked No. 1 team in the country. Despite the loss, D.J. tossed two touchdown passes and unleashed a multitude of amazing plays that exhibited his talent and love for his team.

Clemson University made a huge and early impression during D.J.’s recruitment process. “The Clemson Effect” is that Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney preaches family. Being a Clemson football player creates a huge task: The process of winning, of course, while respecting the culture that Clemson maintains. Coach Swinney’s culture at Clemson made lasting impact in D.J.’s decision.

“Football and sports is a big thing,” D.J. stated in a video in which he announced his commitment to Clemson. “But I also want to become a better person, get more connected with God. Just get closer with him. Whatever college could also do that, that’s where I want to be.”

Seconds after that line, D.J. announced his commitment to Clemson. A stand-up guy headed to a stand-up place.

Sports: Lakers And Clippers Enter NBA Season With High Hopes

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by Isaiah Holm

With the season tipping off tonight, NBA fans everywhere are beginning to get excited for this year. This summer’s free agency was arguably the greatest off-season free-agent market ever, with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George going to the Clippers, Anthony Davis joining Lebron at the Lakers, and Kevin Durant breaking up the powerhouse Warriors and joining Kyrie Irving at the Nets. This has created insane hype for the season, as there are more than just a couple teams that are title contenders going into the 2019-2020 season. Here are The Brave News’ “way too early” predictions of what will go down: 

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Western Conference Playoff Picture:

  1. Houston Rockets
  2. Denver Nuggets
  3. Los Angeles Clippers
  4. Portland Trailblazers
  5. Utah Jazz
  6. Los Angeles Lakers
  7. Golden State Warriors
  8. New Orleans Pelicans

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture:

  1. Philadelphia 76ers
  2. Milwaukee Bucks
  3. Indiana Pacers
  4. Boston Celtics
  5. Toronto Raptors
  6. Miami Heat
  7. Brooklyn Nets
  8. Detroit Pistons

Western Conference Champions: LA Clippers

The Clippers have a returning team filled with role players that complement their two new superstars, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George perfectly. In addition, they have an amazing coach Doc Rivers which can lead them through a stacked Western Conference.

Eastern Conference Champions: Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks have the reigning MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo and the return of a lineup that made the Eastern Conference Finals last year, the Bucks are the favorites to win the East. Their only real competition is the 76ers, however, they lost Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick, which will make it tough to compete with the Bucks this year.

NBA Champions: LA Clippers

Finals MVP: Kawhi Leonard

With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and a strong supporting cast, the Clippers have the perfect lineup to shut down the Bucks in the Finals. Last year Kawhi got Finals MVP and if he shuts down Giannis as he did in the Eastern Conference Finals last year with Toronto, he will get MVP honors again.

League MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis was a different beast last year in the regular season, and not much will change this year. In the regular season, there are not many teams that can stop this freak of nature. While James Harden and Anthony Davis are also favorites for this award this year, Harden is going to get fewer touches on offense due to the addition of Westbrook to the Rockets, and Davis has not played over 70 games in a season over the past 4 years.

Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis

If Anthony Davis can stay healthy this season, the Defensive Player of the Year award should be his. The Lakers as a whole are not a great defensive team, which should give him the opportunity to rack up stats on the defensive end.

Sixth Man of the Year: Montrez Harrell

Coming in third last year in voting, this should be the perfect year for Harrell to get this award. While Lou Williams seems like a good choice to win the award again this year, his shot attempts will most likely go down due to the addition of two superstar wings. Harrell should not have that problem as a big man.

Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant

While many are saying that Zion will run away with this award, his size and knee problems could pose an issue to win the award. Ja Morant, on the other hand, is on a bad team in Memphis and has the opportunity to put up big numbers.

Most Improved Player: Lonzo Ball

With a new environment and away from the influence of his dad, Lonzo is due for a big improvement. His janky shooting form which has held him back seems to be fixed now. If he can shoot above 33% from three and at least 75% from the free-throw line, along with his playmaking and defense abilities, Lonzo can win Most Improved Player without a doubt.

Local Takes:

Lakers

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Notable Additions: Anthony Davis (Trade), Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook (FA), Danny Green (FA), and Dwight Howard (FA)

Notable Losses: Lonzo Ball (Trade), Josh Hart (Trade), and Brandon Ingram (Trade)

The Lakers dynasty has fallen on rough times over the past couple of years with them missing the playoffs the last six years. However, Laker fans can have hope this year with the addition of arguably the best big man in the game, Anthony Davis.

After the drama with the Pelicans, he was finally traded to the Lakers for their whole young core. Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball and three first-round picks were all traded to pair Anthony Davis and LeBron James together. Both are players that can carry a team to the playoffs by themselves, but now they are together which makes the Lakers another favorite in the West.

The concerns of the Lakers lie in the players surrounding the two stars. After the trade to get Anthony Davis, the Lakers were left with very few people on the roster, leading them to have to go to the leftover free agents that were still on the market. They still have Kyle Kuzma, but the point guard position is a bit shaky.

Rajon Rondo has had experience with Davis in New Orleans. However, he is getting old at 34, and the jury is still out if he can come out and be productive for them. In addition, they added big man Dwight Howard to the roster. The last time Dwight Howard was on the Lakers back in 2012, it did not go very well. What was supposed to be a big three, with Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Howard, fell apart, and Howard’s career went downhill from there.

Howard’s character and back problems are supposedly fixed, but the Lakers still are worried about potential injury issues. Last year was the first year that LeBron really suffered a major injury, and Davis has always had his issues in playing a full season. With their top-heavy roster and a loaded Western Conference, if one of them gets hurt, they can risk getting a low seed, or even being on the fringes of making the playoffs.

Clippers

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Notable Additions: Kawhi Leonard (FA), Paul George (Trade), Maurice Harkless (Trade), and Terence Mann (Draft)

Notable Losses: Danilo Gallinari (Trade), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Trade)

For the first year in a while, the Clippers are no longer the underdogs. To get to this point, they had to make major changes to their roster this summer.

Adding the Finals MVP in Kawhi Leonard and one of the best two-way players in the game Paul George cost the Clippers a plethora of draft picks, a fringe All-Star Danillo Gallinari and a promising rookie in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Last year, the Clippers built their identity on being a gritty team that played hard and together as a unit. With the resigning of Patrick Beverley and the additions of Kawhi and George, their identity remains unchanged even though they are no longer the underdogs of last year. Additionally, the reigning 6th man of the year Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell are still there, bringing the firepower off the bench.

The biggest worry for Clipper fans, like Laker fans, would be injuries. The star power is there, but Kawhi and George are injury prone, and the loss of one of them could knock them out of the championship race in the loaded West. However, by adding two of the best two-way players in the game to an already good roster, the Clippers are currently the favorites to come out of the gauntlet that is the Western Conference.

RECAP: Game Plan To “Dominate from the start” Executed, Bosco 63 – Orange Lutheran 6

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by Travien Sears, Assistant A+E Editor

One might say that the order restored to the football galaxy last week against JSerra found higher order on Friday night in a Brave routing of the OLu Lancers.

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The now 8-0, 3-0 Bosco Braves performed as fans and football enthusiasts expected and then some against the currently 4-4, 1-2 OLu Lancers, who were coming into Friday’s game hot off of a 28-14 win against Santa Margarita. Hot themselves off of a big 49-10 win against JSerra, the Braves proved on Friday, yet again why they are ranked No. 2 in the state and No. 3 in the nation. 

“Basically our game plan for this week was to dominate from the start, and finish it off strong in the end and that’s what we did. As a team, I think we did that perfectly,” said  starting senior center Che Womack.

The Lancers’ lone light on this Friday night was a fourth quarter touchdown in garbage time. Following a pass interference penalty that put the ball at the Braves 2-yard line, freshman quarterback Carson Conklin threw for OLu’s only touchdown of the game. However, even that bright spot was short-lived. Under excessive pressure, OLu’s kicker missed the ensuing PAT. OLu fball7

The Braves got off to a phenomenal start, quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei made three passing touchdowns in the first half alone. The first touchdown of the game was a 3-yard rush made by UCLA commit, #24 Nathaniel Jones with #17 Logan Loya following through with the clean PAT. About 6 minutes later, Uiagalelei threw a 51-yard bullet to #88 Beaux Collins for another touchdown.

Despite Collins’ touchdown happening with less than a minute on the clock in the first, the Braves couldn’t be stopped from scoring again to close the quarter. You could almost sense it in a game that was all-Braves from the get… PICK 6! #8, Tayvion Beasley followed an interception with a 20-yard return to put the Braves up 21-0.

Jabari Bates, #20, added 1-yard rushing touchdown in the second to put the Braves up 27-0. But the play of the quarter, and probably the game, was Uiagalelei’s 81-yard pass to #17, and ex-Lancer turned Bosco Brave, Logan Loya, for a touchdown.

Uiagalelei also had a 62-yard pass for #2 Kris Hudson for another touchdown in the first half, as Bosco went into the half up 42-0.

In the second half Braves brought in #12, senior quarterback Isaiah Saldana, who didn’t miss a beat with an impressive 35-yard pass to #88, Beaux Collins for a touchdown to put the score at 49-0.

Then to close out the 3rd, Oregon Ducks-commit Kris Hutson notched another touchdown grab on a 49-yard pass from Saldana, putting the Braves up an astounding 56-0.

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To close out the game, the work of the younger players was recognized. Saldana, still on the field as quarterback, threw for the second largest gain of the game, a 73-yard pass to #82, sophomore Jaceon Doss for the Braves final touchdown.

“We played our hearts out tonight, and we played together as a team, and we just dominated offensively  and defensively which is what our goals were for this week,” said Stanford-commit, #60 senior offensive lineman Drake Metcalf.

This form of teamwork, sportsmanship, athleticism and drive is what will ultimately be leading  the Braves into next Friday’s match-up against bitter rival Mater Dei at home in Panish Family Stadium. The game will begin at 7:30pm. 

PREDICTED SCORE (in game preview):

Braves- 63, Lancers- 21

FINAL SCORE:

Braves- 63, Lancers- 6

Sports: Braves Look to Avoid Let Down Against Orange Lutheran Ahead of “Game of the Year”

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by Hunter Richardson, Sports Editor

The Braves, coming off an explosive performance versus JSerra, look to avoid a trap game tonight meeting the Lancers of Orange Lutheran before the eventual game of the year next week against Mater Dei.

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The Braves are coming off one of their most impressive outings last week, where they silenced anyone doubting how good this year’s squad truly is. This week Head Coach Jason Negro will need his team ready to avoid a let down against a team that has had a less than stellar season thus far in Orange Lutheran.

The Lancers of Orange Lutheran enter this game with a 4-3 record coming off a win last week by a score of 28-14 against Santa Margarita. Offense has been a bit of a struggle for the Lancers this season only averaging 20 points a game, and to beat the Braves, you must score points. Orange Lutheran has struggled against high caliber teams this season losing to Mater Dei 51-14, Narbonne 38-0, and Corona Centennial 56-14. Tonight will be a difficult task for the Lancers attempting to break this chain of lackluster performances against top teams, as they try to slow down the number two team in the country in the Braves.

Bosco comes into this game with a 7-0 record and a plus 200 point differential mostly dominating their way through this season. The main thing to focus on tonight will be if this team can handle business and not have a let down looking forward to next week’s showdown with rival Mater Dei. Coach Negro’s squad is firing on all cylinders with Mater Dei a week away from coming into Panish Family Stadium.

Tonight might be the game that the running game breaks through and has their biggest night of the season thus far, which is an area of this high powered offence has slowly progressed to where it needs to be prior to Mater Dei and the CIF playoffs. Quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei will also be the star of the show tonight after a six touchdown performance, look for an encore of that tonight.

One other storyline is that the Braves are returning to Orange Coast College, where they had their most difficult challenge with Servite and the officials. Braves fans will certainly have their eyes on every call made tonight after Bosco’s last appearance in this stadium where the Braves spent the night pining for calls in their favor.

The Braves take on the Orange Lutheran Lancers tonight at 7:00pm at Orange Coast College.

Final Score Prediction- Braves 63- Lancers- 21

 

News/Op-Ed: CNN & New York Times Co-Sponsor Democratic Debate Featuring Twelve Candidates

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by Tim Levine, Executive Editor

On Tuesday night, twelve candidates packed the stage as the largest group ever to participate in a United States presidential debate. 

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This most recently anticipated installment of the Democratic Presidential Primary was co-hosted by CNN and The New York Times in Westerville, Ohio over the course of three hours.

The candidates on stage included frontrunners like former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Senator Bernie Sanders, as well as second and third tier candidates like Senator Kamala Harris, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, entrepreneur Andrew Yang, Senator Cory Booker, former Congressman Beto O’Rourke, Senator Amy Klobuchar, former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, and billionaire Tom Steyer. Both Gabbard and Steyer did not meet the requirements for September but qualified for this debate.

With the size of the debate, it made it harder for candidates to get their message across, but one theme was certain throughout and that was attacking the new primary frontrunner Elizabeth Warren, who has begun to edge out former Vice President Biden in some recent polls.

While many polls still predict Biden as the frontrunner, to the candidates on stage, it seemed as though Warren is leading in their minds and candidates felt that attacking her policies could help bolster their poll numbers. Amy Klobuchar attacked Warren on her Medicare-for-all plan, which she deemed too much of a “pipe-dream” that would cut many American’s private insurance plans. Pete Buttigieg also attacked Warren on this issue specifically her refusal to give a number to how much her plan would cost.

While Warren was attacked by Klobuchar and Buttigieg, she was also attacked for her wealth-tax proposal by Andrew Yang. Yang had a strong performance in the debate, countering Warren’s proposal by mentioning that many of the EU’s wealth-tax laws have been repealed, while the value-added tax remains extremely successful, a central component to Yang’s plan.

Yang also continued to bring automation to the forefront, even having Tulsi Gabbard agree with him directly on the issue. This discussion on automation has been brought to the forefront with Yang and, even with his short speaking time, had the biggest impact on the debate.

As far the the low-tier candidate go, Congresswoman Gabbard also had a strong presence on the debate stage, going head to head with Buttigieg on Trump’s withdrawal on troops in Syria and her continued anti-war rhetoric. However, many other candidates seemed to have made little impact on the stage, with their presence scarcely known.

Senator Booker, businessman Steyer and former Housing Secretary Castro all had rather lackluster performances that could send their campaigns a sign that there can’t really be a path moving forward. Biden’s performance was rather weak for a front-runner candidate, which has been a consistent critique of his candidacy.

He did have good points against Senator Warren when it came to bills he helped pass, but his defense of Hunter Biden and attack of Trump did not seem to be conclusive enough to hinder any doubt that Trump has brought up in regards to his son’s presence on foreign boards.

Overall, the debate featured much more concentrated arguments between candidates, even with the crowded stage of twelve, and now only eight candidates have qualified so far for the November debate, so expect the field to narrow slightly.

A+E: Joker “Haunts and Amazes” Audiences

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by Tim Levine, Executive Editor

Joker, directed by Todd Phillips, is an utterly dark and riveting origin tale of the quintessential Batman villain that will forever change perceptions of what a comic book movie can be.

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Set in 1981 Gotham City, Joker tells the story of Arthur Fleck. A man that works as a clown and wants to be a stand-up comedian. He suffers from mental illness, having to visit a social worker and constantly asking for a bigger prescription. He is not happy, but no one in this grim world he lives in seems to be.

Gotham City shows a gross and decaying society, one with rats infesting the streets and rich seeming to continue to prosper while the others are left behind. The setting seems to parallel the Wall Street society of New York but adding a much darker tone and shade to the landscape. People are getting angrier and it is only a matter of time before the city cracks.

Arthur Fleck feels as if he is one of those people, as though the world steps over him. He is isolated and only has his mother who he cares for in their small apartment, as he gets more and more delusional by the day. The movie depicts his quick and dark descent into madness where the lines of fiction and reality become increasingly blurred.

While not necessarily staying true to any prior origin stories of the clown prince of crime, the story is brilliant in its own right, perfectly encapsulating the spirit of the character, an individual haunted by darkness. Phillips breaks the norms of a comic book movie in a manner that truly lets the viewer look into the mind of not just a villain, but one troubled man.

Joaquin Phoenix does an excellent job of portraying the Joker, showing the transition of the character quickly yet with clear intent throughout the film. The shallow and shy shell that Phoenix portrays early on is juxtaposed with the final rebirth of the character near the end of the film, showing the Joker breaking out of his shell and become the character we all know.

While Phoenix’s acting does the character no faults, certain depictions of his mental state seem to show an oversimplification and exaggeration of insanity. Phillips feels as though he needs to spoon-feed the viewer that Arthur is becoming crazy in some scenes when the subtleties in emotion that Phoenix utilizes are more than enough for us to see this transformation. Outside of Phoenix, no one in the remaining cast really stands out as good or bad, but I think this is better for the film, as with the title, all emphasis should be on Joker.

Definitely the best movie I’ve seen this year, Joker does not hold back, and will leave the viewer with a movie experience that will both amaze and haunt. Look out for this film to be a prominent contender in the upcoming award season.

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