Author Archives: The Brave News

PREVIEW: St. John Bosco Poised For A National Championship And State Run

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by Ethan Piechota

The 10-0 St. John Bosco Braves are the clear number one team in the nation for high school football and are in prime position to win a state and national championship this year.

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Credit – EC Sabin

The Braves dominated nearly every regular season opponent they faced this year, with their closest win being their opening Trinity League matchup against a good JSerra team. Mater Dei, the often regarded number two team in the nation behind Bosco, was easy work for the Braves as well, as they blew out the Monarchs 41-18 on the road.

Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, number one in his 2020 class out of all quarterbacks, was unreal all regular season, posting a 73 percent completion percentage and throwing 34 touchdowns to just two interceptions.

Senior receiver Colby Bowman was huge as a deep threat all year, catching 38 passes for 725 yards on the season and six touchdowns. Senior receiver Jake Bailey added eight touchdowns of his own, and tight end Jude Wolfe reeled in six.

Junior receiver Kris Hutson has been a “do-everything” guy for the Braves this year, catching eight touchdowns and posting an insane average of 15.3 yards per catch.

The Braves offensive line, though somewhat inexperienced, has been dominant game-in and game-out, keeping Uiagalelei on his feet and opening up huge roles in the running game.

The O-Line’s work has allowed senior running back George Holani to absolutely dismantle defenses this year, scoring 19 total touchdowns and averaging an insane 9.3 yards per carry. Holani will be a major key to the Braves’ success in the postseason.

Defensively, Bosco has taken pride in shutting down their opposition and forcing turnovers, which they’ve seemed to do consistently each game.

A deep Braves defensive line and talented linebacking core and secondary has allowed them to get after the quarterback and stop running games with ease.

Playoff Preview

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CIF D1 2018 Football Bracket

The Braves open up their postseason this Friday at home against Serra (Gardena). Serra is representing the Mission League, sporting a 5-5 record and getting into the top division in So-Cal due to an at-large bid.

Other talented teams on the Braves side of the bracket include the South Coast League number one seed and red-hot San Clemente, scrappy Long Beach Poly, JSerra and an undefeated and somewhat underrated team in Oaks Christian.

The Braves, if they win Friday, would take on the winner of San Clemente and Murrieta Valley in the next round and could end up facing one of Long Beach Poly, JSerra, or Oaks Christian in a semi-final matchup.

Every game will be tough from this point out, up until the championship game which will be held at Cerritos College on November 24th.

A 10-0 Bosco record means nothing now, with every team playing for their lives and trying to keep their season alive each game. If you lose, you’re out.

On the other side of the bracket, Mater Dei, Bishop Amat, Mission Viejo, Centennial and Trinity League member Orange Lutheran headline some of the contenders.

We will have the coverage of every game and every week this postseason here on The Brave News, as our Braves try to assert their dominance in the high school football world and take home both a state and national championship this year.

 

 

News: Pittsburgh Synagogue Mass Shooting

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by Enrique Gutierrez

On October 27th, 2018 an Anti-Semitic gunman shoots up a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, murdering eleven people and leaving six critically injured during the event.  

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Women mourns the loss of the 11 Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting victims

Waking up early Saturday morning, one expects their morning to be peaceful and quiet, continuing the normal routine. This was not the case for the Jewish community in Pittsburgh, as many awoke with tragic news.

In Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill, the population of Jewish citizens are one of the largest amounts in America. A large mass of Jewish people were attending a synagogue Saturday morning, but their reception was interrupted by a crazed gunman. The gunman opened fire and killed eleven people and left six others wounded. The event being held at the synagogue was a child’s birth ceremony, but was ultimately turned into the scene of a hate crime homicide.

The Pittsburgh gunman was identified by officials as Robert D. Bowers. Robert Bowers held a history for hating against people’s beliefs and actions before committing the homicide. Bowers expressed his anger against the Jewish community and immigrants on social media before this horrible act.

Bowers decided that a perfect way to show his domination in society was to shoot up a synagogue and disturb the peace. Bowers identifies himself as a White Supremacist and a Anti-Semitic through social media platforms, posting racist images and making offensive comments towards other cultures and belief groups.

According to the New York Times, some comments made by Robert Bowers included:

“Jews are the children of Satan.”

“Trump is a globalist, not a nationalist. There is no #MAGA as long as there is a Jew.”

While the shooting took place, he yelled, “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in,” said Bowers as he took the lives of innocent Jewish citizens.

Robert D. Bowers blamed the Jewish community for worldwide issues with criticism and prejudice.

Bowers was not killed at the scene. Authorities captured Bowers, who was already injured, and took him to a nearby hospital to get treatment for the wound. Bowers was charged with 29 criminal counts for his homicide and aggravated assault against the Jewish people. Bowers had possession of 21 guns under his name. During the violent crime, Robert used an AR-15, three handguns, and was dressed in tactical gear knowing he would draw gunfire due to him carrying weapons.

This starts a whole new discussion and again brings up the issue of gun control in America. Gun violence has been evident throughout history and has been the cause of the death of millions, and recently thousands here in the US.

Many protests have taken place with people against gun usage, and also protests have been held for people wishing to allow citizens to keep possession of guns. People who possess guns feel that they need guns to have self-protection for themselves and their family.

The United States Constitution’s Second Amendment states, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” US citizens can possess arms under the owner’s name with legal rights and a background check.

Hate crimes and discrimination continues to exist in the US and across the world, which seems to be the bigger issue. Most hate crimes exist because of different viewpoints and opinions people have towards others religious beliefs and skin color.

In the Pittsburgh shooting, the cause of the terrible incident occurred because of a man’s political views and his religious beliefs. The possession of guns remains to be an issue with many assaults and crimes being committed with arms. The Squirrel Hill community will forever mourn and remember the lives lost in the synagogue shooting, and hope for soon reform.

 

News: Pipe Bombs Intercepted In The US

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by Nikolas Molina and Elliston Ospina

According to CNN and The Washington Post, 14 pipe bombs were intercepted over the past week intended for extremely popular figures: George Soros, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Former Attorney General Eric Holder, Democratic US Rep. Maxine Waters, John Brennan, Actor Robert De Niro, Former Vice President Joe Biden, Democratic US Sen. Cory Booker, Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Democratic US Sen. Kamala Harris, and Democratic Donor Tom Steyer.

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FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney has not confirmed where the packages came from, but believes they were delivered and sent from Florida, according to CNN.

They sent the packages through a US Postal Service facility in Opa-locka, Florida, two law enforcement officials with the investigation said.

“Some were obviously in the postal system,” said Sweeney.

The US government and higher ups in America released a statement recently, clarifying the nature of the event and the latest news.

“We cannot provide additional information at this time due to the active nature of this federal investigation,” read the statement.

An examination showed shortly after that all the pipe bombs had the same construction, with some even having shards of glass in them.

The bombs were shipped in manila envelopes, wrapped in bubble wrap, with six “American Flag Forever” stamps on it. The packages were extremely suspicious before deep examination, with timers on the packages.

“Each of the [improvised explosive devices] was largely similar in design and construction; they each consisted of approximately six inches of PVC pipe, a small clock, a battery, wiring, and energetic material. Certain parts of the mailings included photographs of the target-recipients marked with a red X,” according to CNN.

There has been an arrest made in relation to this incident already. Cesar Sayoc, 56, of Aventura, Florida, was arrested Friday in Plantation.

The FBI used flahsbangs to arrest him near an Autozone in the city of Plantation. Initially, Sayoc was cooperative and said that the pipe bombs wouldn’t have hurt anyone and that he didn’t want to harm anyone.

A white van with stickers of President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a “CNN Sucks” sticker was towed on Friday to Miramar, Florida, where the local FBI office is located. It has been reported that Sayoc was living in the car following being kicked out of his parents home.

They suspected Sayoc of making the bombs in the van, finding soldering equipment, stamps, envelopes, paper, a printer and powder.

Investigators identified Sayoc because they found his own DNA on ten of the packages and investigators were also able to track him using his cell phone signal.

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Cesar Sayoc currently faces five criminal counts: interstate transportation of an explosive, illegal mailing of explosives, threats against former presidents and other persons, threatening interstate communications and assaulting current and former federal officers.

Say will reportedly face up to 48 years in prison, according to a report from ABC News.

According to CNN, Soyac was not on the Secret Service list but he had a string of arrests since the 90’s. Soyac was arrested in 2002 when he threatened to bomb the Florida Power and Light Company and plant and, stating that the potential incident “would be worse than September 11th.”

The records show a total of eight arrests, grand theft, battery, fraud and drug possession, as well as probation violations. He was arrested in 2014 and later pleaded guilty to stealing copper pipes at a Home Depot.

Sayoc has been arrested and the problem has seemingly been adverted, but more connections to the investigation could be made in the future. It was extremely fortunate that this incident and potential catastrophe was avoided.

 

RECAP: St. John Bosco 56, Servite 0

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by Ethan Piechota

The St. John Bosco Braves defeated the Servite Friars 56-0 on homecoming night at Panish Family Stadium, finishing their regular season at 10-0 and as Trinity League champions.

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Credit – @FootballRecruit on Twitter

It’s safe to say that a national championship and a state championship are very real possibilities for the number one team in America, the St. John Bosco Braves.

The Braves put a stamp on their undefeated regular season with a 56-0 beatdown of Servite, lead by quarterback DJ Uiagalelei’s 287 yards and four touchdowns.

Uiagalelei had one of the best season’s for a quarterback in high school football this year, finishing with a 73 percent completion percentage, 2355 total passing yards and 34 touchdown passes to just two interceptions.

The five-star junior sensation also averaged 7.5 yards per carry this season and rushed for five touchdowns, as he will continue to be the focal point of the Braves offense heading into the postseason.

Braves’ wide receivers got the wealth distributed evenly last night, with Jake Bailey catching four passes for 103 yards and 2 touchdowns, as well as Colby Bowman catching five passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. Beaux Collins and Kris Hutson added touchdown receptions as well.

George Holani, the regular workhorse of the Braves backfield, rushed 12 times for 89 yards and touchdown, and Keith Savage added 10 carries for 101 yards and touchdown of his own.

Bosco senior defensive back Titus Toler also had an interception on Servite’s first possession of the game, anchoring a championship-level performance from Bosco’s defense last night.

The Braves are clearly the number one team in high school football in the nation. Their postseason schedule and run will begin shortly, and we’ll have all the coverage of it over here on The Brave News.

Bosco Theatre: A Great Experience

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by Victor Curiel

Some of the qualities our school tries its best to instill in each of its students are those of leadership, empathy, teamwork, and compassion for others. It is the Salesians’ mission to make certain that all young men who pass through St. John Bosco leave with these lessons ingrained in their character.

Here at St. John Bosco, students are provided with various opportunities and pathways to learn and practice these skills. However, while some may argue that this is best accomplished in clubs such as youth ministry or ASB, there is nowhere that this is better exemplified than in St. John Bosco’s and St. Joseph’s theater departments. 

I’ll be honest, when I first came to St. John Bosco 4 years ago, the last thing I expected to catch my interest was the theater program. I assumed that it would be either subpar or that it’s content just wouldn’t interest me, but after much consideration, I decided to find out for myself and auditioned for the 2017 spring musical.

What I ended up finding was not just an engaging extracurricular but a family, one that John Bosco himself would be proud of. I feel confident that this realization is not just something I alone experienced but rather that it’s an inherent quality of the Bosco-Josephs theater department.

“I would say acceptance and like uniqueness. Everyone gets to shine and everyone gets to show off their uniqueness and their personality or their characteristics and it’s not always about physicality like in sports,” said Bosco junior Joshua Dreyer.

There is something truly special about the program, anyone can tryout, anyone can join and they’ll be accepted regardless of what sport they previously played, their beliefs, or their grade level. 

“Don’t be afraid at all because really everyone in theater is just accepting, that’s what I’ve seen at least. And it’s not only accepting, it’s like you’re encouraged to show your weird side,” said Dreyer.

“The journey you go through from auditioning for a show to putting it on and going through closing night is amazing, and when you go through that with a big group of people you bond with them. I think that’s pretty great,” said Veronica O’Connor, a current senior at St. Joseph’s. 

Another appealing quality of theater is the level of comradeship it allows between St. John Bosco students and their female counterparts at St, Joseph’s. The program has prided itself for being part of two schools yet remaining one program for years, a fact that members from both school’s enjoy and support. 

“I think it’s a great way to connect both the schools because it’s difficult with sports and stuff. You get to connect through the arts, which is a very wholesome way of connecting the two schools and you produce something in the end. So it’s not like fruitless interaction, you’re interacting for a purpose or for a goal. I think we could definitely use more programs like this,” said O’Connor. 

“I think it’s actually pretty fun to work with the girls because opening that up to women as well is a really good way to find people that are like you,” said Bosco junior Ryan Jones. 

Theater is accepting and it provides an opportunity to grow closer to our sisters at Joseph’s, but what does it do for students personally? Aside from the obvious public speaking skills, theater helps foster an environment where one can learn confidence and how to find empathy in others. 

“I think that theater does help me a lot with confidence and I think that theater helps me a lot with my social skills because I feel that I’m never necessarily a bad person socially because theater has taught me that you can talk your way out of all things,” said Jones. 

If you’re looking for an environment that will provide a challenge and a family, look no further than the Bosco-Joseph’s theater department. If you’re nervous about auditioning for roles or are unsure of whether it’s for you, don’t worry, it’s something all theater kids have gone through. 

“I feel that theater is something that some people see as just a hobby, that’s not as high or as important as sports. But theater is something that’s just as challenging and if you want to do it, don’t be too scared about it but at the same time realize how challenging it can be and don’t scare yourself because of it,” said Jones.

Don’t be afraid to try out for the next play or musical. You may not get the position you want, there’s not always enough roles unfortunately, but tech and crew positions are always available and are just as important and appreciated as lead roles.

It all really comes down to this, if you’re interested in finding a high school family full of people who will happily support you and your quirks all while participating in engaging, challenging, yet appealing work, the Bosco-Joseph’s theater program might just be the answer. So why not give it a try? 

News: The Terrifying Story of the Death of a Saudi Journalist

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by Victor Curiel

Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian journalist, author, and a former general manager and editor-in-chief of the Al-Arab News Channel was killed in his hotel on October 2nd. No one knows the real story of what happened.

The well known critic of the Saudi government and of both Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, and the country’s king, Salman of Saudi Arabia went missing. He also opposed the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen. On October 2nd, 2018 Khashoggi entered the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul but did not leave the building and had many people worried. After several news outlets started to publicize and speculate his death, Saudi officials teamed with Turkish investigators to lead an investigation inside the consulate on October 15th to discover the actual whereabouts of the journalist.          

Since then, Saudi Arabia has presented an unstable and unclear narrative of what happened to Khashoggi. After weeks of denying involvement in Khashoggi’s disappearance and claiming that Khashoggi was in fact alive and had left the building unharmed,  Saudi Arabia stated that he was killed in the Istanbul consulate, and that his death was the result of a fistfight on Friday, October 19th. The cause of death was later specified to be the result of a choke hold or strangulation by an unknown perpetrator. As a result of the initial investigation, the Saudi government fired five top officials and arrested 18 other Saudis for questioning. Those fired included Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Major General Ahmed Al-Assiri. Although the official story never specified such, on Sunday during an interview with Fox News officials, Saudi Arabian foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, went further by describing Khashoggi’s death as a “murder” and a “tremendous mistake.” He also said they “don’t know where the body is.”

“The individuals who did this, did this outside the scope of their authority…There obviously was a tremendous mistake made, and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up. That is unacceptable in any government,” Jubeir later said that Saudi Arabia was taking action to investigate how Khashoggi died and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

“We are determined to uncover every stone. We are determined to find out all the facts. And we are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder,” he said.

On Monday, CNN published surveillance footage which, according to a Turkish investigator, showed a Saudi operative dressed up in Khashoggi’s clothes on the day the journalist was killed. The man, whom the Turkish official alleges is a body double, was seen at various locations around Istanbul that same day. Jubeir told Fox that Crown Prince Salman was not aware of the operation beforehand and the senior leadership over intelligence service was not aware of this.

The United States views on the case have been generally neutral, as the events and evidence regarding Khashoggi’s disappearance have been unsteady. When inquired on the case, President Trump has clearly stated that the Saudi government has not been truthful about everything.

When asked about Saudi Arabia’s account of the killing of Khashoggi Trump said, “Their stories are all over the place.” 

However, despite the questionable occurrences, Trump has continued to be supportive of the Crown Prince’s leadership and reiterated the importance of economic ties between the two countries.

“He’s seen as a person who can keep things under check…I mean that in a positive way…He truly loves his country,” said Trump.

 The international leaders have to come to question Saudi Arabia’s story. Saudi Arabia has gone from blanket denials of any involvement to an admission that the journalist was killed while visiting the consulate. Omer Celik, a senior official in Turkey’s ruling political party, has vocally questioned the credibility of Saudi Arabia’s explanation for Khashoggi’s death and the credibility of Saudi Arabia’s story.

“We are not preemptively blaming anyone but we will also not allow a coverup…It is a matter of honor for us that this is uncovered. We will shed light on this using all means we have. That is the will of our President,” Celik said on Saturday, in the first official Turkish reaction to Saudi Arabia’s midnight statement saying Khashoggi’s death was accidental.

President Trump, however, again indicated to journalists that he believed the Saudi account was credible, although he added that some questions remained, including the whereabouts of Khashoggi’s remains. It seems that the world will have to wait a little longer for investigations to turn up new evidence, until then it cannot be accurately concluded whether or not the official story by Saudi Arabia is regrettably true or  dreadfully false.

 

News: Honduras Citizens Lead The Biggest Migrant Caravan Ever Recorded Into The US

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by Lucas Agatep

On October 12th, a massive caravan of migrants, mostly made up of Hondurans, started their journey to the United States. Migrant caravan have happened before, but this one is the biggest of them all.

Past migrant caravans were around a few hundred to a thousand, but the initial amount of migrants for this caravan were estimated at about five thousand. The numbers grew over the last couple weeks, reaching seven thousand, as the number is only expected to grow as the days go on and the caravan nears the U.S. southern border.

Reasoning behind the current migrant caravan is to escape from crime and poverty in the people’s home country of Honduras. There are over 9 million people that live in Honduras, but 5.5 million of them – around two thirds of the population – live in poverty, with most people’s average income ranging around $120 per month.

In recent years murders have gone up to 43 per 100,000 people according to Honduras’ National Autonomous University.  Gangs have a big contribution to the murders and problems that Honduras faces. They control large amounts of territory, and conduct drug trafficking through the country. Crime and corruption amongst government and police leave public support and opinions hopeless.

The migrants on this immigration hope are that they will be able to get a better life in the US and achieve the American Dream.

The caravans plan is to get to the US by traveling on foot or by vehicle through Mexico to the US-Mexico border. Recently, the caravan has already gone through Guatemala where police made an attempt to delay or stop the caravan, but still got through.

This goal and recent activity has a negative view from US president Donald Trump, who has made claims of it being a terrorist and cartel influenced problem, which is false due to no proof of his claims. Trump warns that if the caravan isn’t stopped, he will cut financial aid to certain South American countries and deploy military personnel to close the border between US and Mexico.

Immigrants are looking for a better life and will continue to make their journey from the poverty of Honduras to try and live out the American Dream.

 

Movie Review: “Venom”

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by Nick Hernandez

“Venom” was released on October 5th and quickly received a 31% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Stating that the movie was confusing and screenplay lacking, reviews given were not in favor of the anti-hero.

An early look at “Venom” showed that critics didn’t like it one bit. Venom’s first incarnation on the big screen was trashed across social media and dreams of a 3-series franchise were crushed by what was determined in early screenings of the movie. Despite the outlash, the movie still saw an incredible turnout, grossing over $80 million from its opening weekend in the U.S. alone, breaking the October domestic box office record. 

Tom Hardy playing the protagonist, Eddie Brock, who acquires the Venom symbiote, and the two save the day in an action filled adventure. Full of fight scenes, romance and evil plotting; the movies’ basis revolves around Eddie, his fiance-(soon to be ex) and an evil mastermind with plans on “helping” the human race. 

While elements like side-characters and antagonists usually help the plot of a movie, in this instance the direct opposite occurs. Eddie’s love life – almost as fast as it was introduced – is quickly thrown out of the window, and the villian, Carlton Drake never does anything to prove his worth. This applies to basically the entire cast, with characters written for the sole purpose of advancing the plot; Their roles, while small, do not affect the movie in any sort of way, making it practically boring to watch. 

With all its malfunctions taken into account, the writers were effective in one aspect, that being creating an awesome and entertaining main character. This small success within the film has the greatest payout, as the movies’ creators have your attention and finally make what you watch intriguing.  

Together Eddie and Venom steal the show, immediately bringing action and fight scenes along with them, but also a humorous aspect as well. Their bond portrays a friendship that has developed for years, where their dialogue although not intentional, comes off as funny. These two are the reason why fans and moviegoers alike loved the movie. Despite its areas of bad development, the true masterpiece evolves when the couple is added into the mix. 

Their success becomes obvious when looking at fan feedback that the movie received. On the same website that crushed it, Rotten Tomatoes’ fan review shows that 88% of viewers like the film. It’s evident that these members of the audience were not deterred because of “Venom’s” early reviews; in a sense those judgements are valid, but it does not take away from the work of art that was Venom.  

Kairos 46 Reflection: Live the 4th

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by Joshua Adoh

Out of all the retreats that St. John Bosco holds throughout a traditional Braves’ four-year experience, Kairos takes the cake.

Going on this retreat is a guaranteed eye-opening experience. I learned many messages, such as how to treat people the right way and how to spread love to others. One major thing I took away however is that you must first love yourself in order to love others. That will stick with me forever.

I have learned the importance of self-love and how it plays a big part in my life as a young man. Ms. (Mama) Valerie Shields opened my mind to the idea of going on this retreat, which helped me understand that I am never alone in this world as long as I have God, my family, and my close-knit friends.

At St. John Bosco, we are told since freshman year that we are brothers and that this is a brotherhood, but on Kairos this bond is truly emphasized. Nobody is perfect in this world, and with all the problems and hardships each of us go through on a daily basis, knowing someone has your back can go a long way.

I can honestly say Kairos has made me stronger in my faith to God and has given me confidence in my God-given abilities on and off the basketball court. This retreat has taught me what it truly means to be a Bosco Brave.

St. John Bosco is a great school and I have come to love all of my friends, the faculty and staff. This place truly is a home, school, church and playground.

If you are interested in finding out who you are as a young man and a Bosco Brave, then I strongly recommend going on this retreat when the time comes. Live the 4th!

 

Sports: World Series Preview

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By Enrique Gutierrez and Kyle Moates

The Boston Red Sox eliminated the defending 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers won a tough 7-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers to clinch a World Series birth for two consecutive years.

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The Boston Red Sox have been favored to win the 2018 World Series all season long. After the regular season ended, the Red Sox finished with a 108-54 record, one of the best marks in MLB history. They came into the playoffs knowing where they stand as a team and their goal was to win a World Series this year.

The Red Sox first took on their rival New York Yankees in the ALDS. The Yankees had an outstanding team this year, yet they were still no match for the Red Sox and lost the series 3-1.

Next, the Sox took on the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros in the ALCS. The Astros looked very strong this year again, finishing with one of the best records in baseball once again and winning the tough AL West. This series was expected to be a very exciting one and one that people would talk about for years. Sadly, the Red Sox showed their dominance and gentlemen swept the Astros 4-1.

Houston stood no chance as Chris Sale, David Price, and Nathan Eovaldi had clutch performances on the mound for the Red Sox. Key players such as Jackie Bradley Jr. and J.D. Martinez were just ripping the cover off of baseballs for the Red Sox offensively. The Sox roster only seems to be heating up more and more as we progress throughout the postseason.

The Red Sox have one of the best rosters in baseball history this year. Mookie Betts, Chris Sale, David Price, Andrew Benintendi, J.D. Martinez, Craig Kimbrel, Jackie Bradley Jr, and Joe Kelly headline some of the talent they have up and down the scorecard. Postseason pitchers and hitters from opposing teams have struggled to find success against this stacked team.

Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was named the ALCS Series MVP due to his clutch performance and three home runs in key situations for Boston. The Red Sox have seemed to deliver at every key point in each game this postseason, driving in runners in scoring position and running the bases well.

Needless to say, the Red Sox are going into this year’s World Series with a lot of confidence.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers in a 7-game NLCS that culminated this weekend. The Dodgers proved to have a winning mentality in the last stretch of the regular season that has now carried over to the postseason. LA has now been crowned National League champions for two consecutive years, their first time winning back-to-back pennants since 1987-1988, which was also the last time the Dodgers won the World Series.

After going on an 11-game winning streak, the Brewers were set to face off against a Dodger team that was somewhat unknown. Before the series began, the strengths for Milwaukee was their offense and bullpen. Throughout the series, it was shown that the Brewers bullpen was their weakest link, as they were completely outmatched against the Dodgers. Any time right-handed pitcher Jeremy Jeffress was put into the game by manager Craig Counsel, he would struggle and give up runs in key situations.

Despite this, the Los Angeles Dodgers struggled in many key situations, leaving too many runners on base. Max Muncy, Enrique Hernandez, Yasmani Grandal, and Matt Kemp played extremely poorly in the series. During the NLCS, Yasmani Grandal was the worst player on the field at times, racking up multiple passed balls and errors behind the plate. After Game 3, Grandal was benched and backup catcher Austin Barnes took over the starter position, proving that he is the better defensive and overall catcher of the two.

Surprisingly, the Dodgers bullpen was the key to success in the NLCS. The unit held the Brewers in check, allowing less runs than the starting pitchers altogether. Some relievers that helped shut down the Brewers were Ryan Madson, Kenley Jansen, Pedro Baez, and Julio Urias.

The Dodgers are going back to the World Series this year with a new look team and a different mindset. The Dodgers enter this World Series with the hope of shortstop Manny Machado and second baseman Brian Dozier to go off offensively against the Red Sox. Justin Turner, Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor, Cody Bellinger, and David Freese need to continue their hot hitting this series as well to give the Dodgers a chance.

World Series Matchups

The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers have only faced each other once in the regular season in the past decade. The two ball clubs have many strengths and this World Series is due to be high-powered and exciting. The pitching matches are extremely intriguing, with Game 1- Chris Sale vs Clayton Kershaw, Game 2- David Price vs Hyun-Jin Ryu, Game 3- Nathan Eovaldi vs Walker Buehler, and Game 4- Rick Porcello vs Rich Hill. The Dodgers starting rotation consist of all lefties and the Red Sox consists of two lefties and two right handers.

Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, Steve Pearce, Rafael Devers and Jackie Bradley Jr. headline some of the star bats the Red Sox have in their lineup this year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers lineup consists of many platoon players who are set out to play depending on whether the opposing starter is a lefty or righty. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has seen the players who have struggled in the postseason and also those who are carrying a hot bat. Three players who are bound to have a big series are Manny Machado, Brian Dozier, and David Freese.

Predicted Results

The 2018 World Series will be a hard fought series as both teams have had a successful year and have incredible young talent. The Boston Red Sox had the best record in all of baseball meanwhile the Dodgers were the underdogs until the month of September. Both offenses will be tough to contain, but the Dodgers pitching staff has been unbelievable in the postseason. Both offenses have woken up recently and can give issues and stress to opposing pitchers.

The Los Angeles Dodgers return to the World Series to get redemption after being one game away from winning it all last year. The Boston Red Sox have been hungry for a championship for the past few years as they have developed their roster and prepared for the big stage.

The Dodgers are overlooked in this series, as many predict that the Boston Red Sox will win the 2018 World Series. But being one game away from winning the World Series in 2017, the Dodgers will look to prove everyone wrong and come away as champions this year.

This series will go down to the wire and probably end in a game 6 or 7, but I ultimately believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers will be the 2018 World Series champions.

 

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