Author Archives: The Brave News

Halloween: How To Make The Most Out Of Spooky Season

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by Samuel Rodriguez

Halloween is around the corner, which means that there are a lot of fun new activities to enjoy in Los Angeles for all of October.

The Halloween season brings scary fright fests at various amusement parks, scary mazes throughout the city, and festive pumpkin patches. Such events include Universal Studios Horror Nights, Queen Mary’s Dark Harbour, Knotts Scary Farm, and Six Flags Fright Fest.

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Knotts Scary Farm

These places are sure to include scary and twisted mazes, giving you chills but still offering a good time with friends and/or family. These amusement parks also keep their rides open in case you had enough scare for the night and need a different kind of rush. Students that have went to these events report a great time and would like to go again.

“I went with the homies and some girls from Joes [St. Josephs] and it was pretty chill. The mazes were actually kind of scary, and it takes a lot for me to get scared. Overall, it was super fun and I would recommend going,” said senior Andro Labastida about Universal’s Horror Nights.

Amusement parks’ special Halloween events offer a general admission price between $60-$100 depending on the day and park. Although it is a little pricey, the amusement parks offer lots to do and start early around 7 PM and end around 2 AM to provide enough time for you to experience everything.

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Universal Studios Horror Nights

Other Halloween special events include the Los Angeles “Haunted Hayride,” pumpkin patches, and “Boo at the LA Zoo.” These events offer safe family festivities while still giving a scare to each person. The LA Haunted Hayride is located at the old Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park and their attractions include their famous hayride which “transports you into the unknown” and 3 other mazes that you can go to. The general admission, which grants access to all attractions, is $40 a ticket.

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LA Haunted Hayride

Pumpkin patches are another desirable destination for families, friends, and couples. Pa’s Pumpkin Patch, located in Long Beach, offers a variety of rides, games, and pumpkins to choose from to take home, not to mention the petting zoo and pony ride along with fresh cooked food and a pumpkin wonderland. General prices for this pumpkin patch are $20 for 10 tickets, $50 for 30 tickets, or individual tickets for $2.50. Many people who came to this pumpkin patch report a good time with a family friendly atmosphere that is fun for all ages.

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Pa’s Pumpkin Patch

“I went with my friends last week and it was pretty fun. It was a great place for everyone to get together and just relax and chill. We bought a few tickets and went on a couple of rides, but the best part was probably the pumpkins and getting to fool around and take pictures with it. The patch is also aesthetically pleasing and looks really pretty,” said St. Joseph’s senior Olivia Maxwell.

The Boo at the LA Zoo is another popular spot during the Halloween season. Boo at the Zoo offers special shows, a spooky stroll filled with various games and activities, and allows you to get up close with some zoo animals. Ticket prices for this vary, but the most expensive is for adults at $21.

“I went with my family and had a good time. It’s actually super cheap and worth it. We got to see two shows and they were actually kind of cool. At first I didn’t think I would like it, because I was with my family and stuff but ended up having a really good time,” said St. John Bosco senior AJ Castillo.

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LA Boo at the Zoo

This Halloween season offers many events and festivities that you can do with your friends and family. Be sure to keep your eyes out and check out the coolest events that are happening near you to make the most of the season.

 

Movie Review: “First Man”

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by Matthew Ruiz

“The Eagle has landed. One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

This is the most famous quote in space travel history. The recent blockbuster movie, “First Man” tells the story of famous astronaut Neil Armstrong’s life before and during the space race and during the United States’ Cold War against Russia.

This movie takes you through the life and journey of Neil Armstrong. The movie starts off showing him running a test flight, scratching the atmosphere in a rocket-powered jet. He is constantly running test flights, but this one was his last one because he couldn’t control the stability of the flight.

Throughout this movie we see how Neil Armstrong feels about death and how it affects him mentally and physically. Armstrong also is affected by depression and loss of hope for all the people he has lost in the past. This depression not only affects him, but the people around him, such as his family members, friends, and even co-workers.

During the first 15-25 minutes of the movie, Armstrong experiences one of his hardest losses, as his baby daughter Karen is diagnosed with a malignant tumor which was in the middle of her head. She passes away and Armstrong loses the youngest of his two children. The tumor had affected her ability to walk and talk, and she died ultimately from pneumonia, which related to her weakened health.

During the reception, Armstrong held onto his daughters bracelet and placed it in his office, closing himself off from everyone. He goes back to work and is told the program is interviewing brilliant engineers for a space exploration. When Armstrong gets the job, he learns in the meeting room that the Russians have already beaten the Americans to space with four satellites.

The astronauts alongside Armstrong move now into basic training, where they are put in to machines that spin them and simulate life in space. Most of the trainees throw up their guts, and then move on to learning about rocket physics, which is considerably long. After years of training and studying test flights to get into space, they now plan their takeoff to the moon.

Unfortunately on his mission, Armstrong loses his two best friends on space test flights. On the Apollo 11 flight, he takes his daughters’ bracelet up with him and leaves it on the moon along with the American Flag in her honor.

The movie is a heartwarming and family-orientated tale about a man having good morals and being rewarded with arguably one of the greatest accomplishments in American history.

 

RECAP: St. John Bosco 49, Santa Margarita 14

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by Ethan Piechota

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Holani runs for one of his two touchdowns. Credit – EC Sabin

The St. John Bosco Braves improved to 9-0 on the year and continued their quest for a national championship with a 49-14 rout of Santa Margarita on Friday.

Coming off an emotional victory last week against Mater Dei, St. John Bosco showed no signs of a hangover and kept their foot on the gas, defeating Santa Margarita easily.

Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei continued his unreal season, going 10 for 13 from the field and throwing for 255 yards and two touchdowns, only playing roughly a half of the game as well.

Senior wide receiver Colby Bowman had a solid game as well, catching just three passes but taking them for a total of 142 yards and a touchdown.

Running back George Holani also added two touchdowns, rushing and catching one of each. Holani – a Boise State commit – continued his unbelievable season, amassing 94 yards on just nine total touches.

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Credit – EC Sabin

The game begin with Uiagalelei rushing for a one-yard touchdown to give the Braves a quick 7-0 lead. Santa Margarita quickly responded with a touchdown drive of their own, but this marked the last time this game would be close.

The Braves scored 42 straight unanswered points, putting them up 49-7 at one point in the fourth quarter.

The Braves continue to show out as the best team in America for high school football and will take on the Service Friars next week at Panish Family Stadium in their final league and homecoming game.

 

Life of a Brave: Nnamdi Chugbo Breaks the Mold

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by RJ Johnson

Traditionally, the Brave of the Issue has been awarded to exceptional Bosco athletes and scholars, such as Jaiden Woodbey and Colby Bowman. However, even these illustrious awardees haven’t achieved some of what class of 2019 senior Nnamdi Chugbo has in his own time at St. John Bosco.

On December 24, 2017, Nnamdi launched his clothing brand ‘Saint’ with the release of his “The World is Yours” t-shirt. His inspiration behind  “The World is Yours” design came from his feelings toward life.

Nnamdi has always grown up not only believing, but knowing that he was destined for more in life than just traditional standards in which to conform.

If he was going to reach his desired point of success, it would be through an alternate route. A route that many of today’s youth are discouraged from taking because of how easy it would be to fail, which Nnamdi has no fear of doing.

“I’m really not meant to be average,” Nnamdi said.

Nnamdi’s freshman year on St. John Bosco’s campus, he began to realize that he didn’t like school as much as he thought he did.

“I began noticing I wasn’t into school a lot, I would get good grades and do my work, but it was never truly something I wanted to continue or had a passion for,” he said.

Nnamdi sometimes struggles to relay this message to his family members, especially since Nnamdi has seen how far school took them. Without educational success, it’s safe to say Nnamdi’s family would still be living in Nigeria without ever having the treasured opportunity of emigrating to the United States.

Although Nnamdi sometimes feels apprehensive about expressing his creative goals, he drew inspiration from the place he least expected it–in school–in the form of Bosco’s assistant basketball coach and AP English teacher Mr. Michael Bartelt.

“Coach Bartelt has been a great figure to me because of how expressive and artistic he is with his teaching style, also while finding a way to relate to his students,” Nnamdi said.

According to Nnamdi, he appreciates Mr. Bartelt’s lack of inhibition in being “out of the ordinary.” This alone made it easier for Nnamdi to grow closer to Mr. Bartelt on and off the court.

Another place Nnamdi drew inspiration from was the music industry. Being a huge fan of the artist Tyler, the Creator and his collective Odd Future.

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“I liked their music a lot, but their sense of fashion along with the way they carried themselves really inspired me,” he said.

This gave Nnamdi the idea to start learning how to draw and concept some of his own fashion designs. Whenever he had the time in class or at home, he took the time to do whatever he could in his notebook.

Eventually with the feedback he was getting for his designs, and the fire burning inside him to showcase his talent, his first clothing release came December 1, 2017 during his junior year.

With this release, Nnamdi’s buzz and fanbase began to grow with the heart of it all being in the Cerritos area, which is also Nnamdi’s hometown. His brand began to expand into the schools in that area, like Gahr, Artesia and Cerritos High Schools.

The Bosco student body has always backed Nnamdi’s brand by wearing it, and posting any Saint t-shirts and hoodies that they buy.

“I feel like social media is a big part of everything bro, because nowadays everyone has an Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat and I even have my own website now which is saintmob.com,” Nnamdi said.

He credits a lot of his success to social media, allowing his clothing to not only be sold locally but with getting out of state purchases ranging as far as Germany.

With it being Nnamdi’s last year in high school, he can’t wait to tackle the real world in front of him. He hopes to gain plenty of internships within his business major and network with people who can get him contact with higher ups in the fashion industry.

“Other than the school aspect, going out into the world by myself, meeting more people in the world and making my own connections will be extremely important for my brand and is going to really help skyrocket Saint’s growth and sales,” he said.

Nnamdi has made it a serious point in his life to never be complacent where he’s at. He wants not only his brand but himself to continuously evolve. He believes that this is because of the hunger he has for his form of success.

“When I do something new, it is only cool to me for a few days. My main focus is to keep pushing and get better at the things I do,” Nnamdi said.

Keeping himself happy and making those around him proud is what matters the most to Nnamdi.

For those of you Braves who may have similar aspirations to Nnamdi, here’s his best advice to you: “If you are planning to do something, then do it. Don’t hesitate, we only have one life and you have to do what you have to do. If something makes you happy, don’t let others opinions get to you. No one else can make you happy except yourself.”

Sports: “Just Do It” Campaign a Movement

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by Nikolas Molina and Elliston Ospina

Nike’s 30th anniversary of the ‘Just Do it’ campaign sparked a lot of controversy concerning their newest poster boy, Colin Kaepernick, who himself is a flashpoint of political division in an America more polarized than ever.

“Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,”

This quote was used for their new advertisement with a picture of Colin Kaepernick’s face in the background. People are complaining that he has not sacrificed anything compared to other football players–players like Pat Tillman, who left the NFL to sacrifice his life in the U.S. armed forces.

On the other hand, others support Nike in their controversial campaign.

Nike, who has long been the subject of ethical criticism for their outsourcing strategy, is finally throwing their hat in the the ring of social justice, showing their point of view on the the racial injustices in the United States.

Where most companies would’ve tended to stay away from politics and race relations, Nike showed their firm stance on the subject. 

Kaepernick tweeted the full ad on wednesday. The video is a compilation of athletes who have to overcome obstacles to become the best in their sport. Towards the end of the video it shows Kaepernick in the middle of a city and he states, “Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough.”

After the ad was released people immediately posted pictures and videos of Nike products being burned, Nike’s logo being cut out and people stating they will no longer be purchasing products from Nike and will take their commitment from Nike to other companies such as Adidas, Reebok, and Converse (even though Nike owns converse).

After these pictures and videos were released people started comparing Kaepernick to other athletes and posting memes about this ad, with many on social media saying, “Just Don’t” 

Kaepernick set in motion his controversial  political legacy with kneeling during the national anthem. People were outraged arguing that he is disrespecting our fallen soldiers. He compared his kneeling to those soldiers kneeling by graves of fallen comrades. Except, he’s kneeling for those victims of social injustice.

People argue that Colin is not fit to be the face of Nike, saying he did not do anything compared to the actions of someone like Pat Tillman, a former safety for the Arizona Cardinals who left the league to join the forces and lost his life in a friendly fire incident. People are saying all he did was protest police-brutality by kneeling.

On the other hand, there are those who are frustrated by all the publicity something like this is getting. Something that was a real eye opener was a tweet by an unknown account saying, “Imagine a country where a shoe ad is more controversial than a school shooting”

The American people care more about materialistic issues caused by an ad campaign by greedy shoe company than they do about the issues that corporation’s ad claims to reflect. This shows how distorted our societal views are these days. People give more time to something so minute compared to real world problems.

When the ad came out people expected the stock and the sales to plummet. But Nike surprised everyone when their sales increased by a whopping 31%. People all over social media recorded videos of Nike products burning, getting thrown away, and hashtagging #BoycottNike all over social media. All of the actions trying to protest Nikes new campaign were pointless, as they did not affect Nike’s income negatively whatsoever.

Nike has made a ton of social statements through their ‘Just Do It’ campaign, beginning  in 1988 when they addressed ageism featuring 80-year-old Walter Stack. Stack was a cross country runner who ran more than 62,000 miles over his life. Another a year later, the company advocated for people with disabilities starring Paralympian Craig Blanchette.

More famously, in 1993, an ad with Charles Barkley sparked a conversation about whether celebrities and professional athletes should be held to higher standards.

“I’m not paid to be a role model. I’m paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court,” stated Barkley.

In 1995 a “Just Do It” ad featured openly gay, HIV-positive runner Ric Munoz. AIDS activists applauded Nike for the campaign.

Nike tackled gender issues with its “If You Let Me Play” ad, which addressed the issue of organized sports for girls. The ad featured young girls quoting statistics about how sports can improve their lives.

In 2007, Nike featured Matt Scott of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association in a “Just Do It” ad.

Nike touched on gender issues again in 2012 with its “Voices” ad, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of Title IX.

Nike’s 2017 “Equality” campaign featured black athletes like LeBron James, Serena Williams, Gabby Douglas, and Kevin Durant, along with actor Michael B. Jordan talking of the parallels between equality in sports and equality in the broader world.

Nike also released the “What Will They Say About You?” ad in 2017, which featured five Middle Eastern women pushing social norms to succeed in sports like boxing and skateboarding.

In short, Nike has had a history of politically conscious ads, and the track record of these ads, regardless of Nike’s other business practices, proves they’ve come out on the right side of history time and time again. Will the same be true of Kaepernick?

People should worry less about answering that question and more about the pressing national issues at hand, which continue to breed deep-seated division.

Bosco: Long Hair Not Cutting It

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by Joshua Lucero 

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As cliche as it sounds, many students believe their hair can be an important way to express their inner selves and their culture.

On August 21st, sixth grader Faith Fennidy arrived to school at Christ the King Parish School in Terrytown, Louisiana and received a notice about being in violation of dress code. The Archdiocese of New Orleans stated she was not expelled, but rather “withdrawn” from Christ the King. But what school administration didn’t bargain that day was this being the beginning of a problem for the school’s haircut policy.

Faith and her family were sidetracked and shaken by the news. Faith left her campus in tears after her natural hair didn’t meet her school’s standards. However, this was not the first time Faith received notice regarding her hair being in violation of dress code.

The first day of school Faith received a letter stating she must change her hairstyle to conform to the school’s policy. The first time her parents took her to change her hairstyle. But after receiving second notice of her violation, Faith’s parents were surprised at the suddenly harsher repercussions.  

In today’s society, we are taught to reform social standards for the betterment of all in order for us to become all we can be as individuals. Creating this sense of individualism can be difficult when students feel restricted in the expression of their culture.

Saint John Bosco has created a school community with excellent unity, openness and understanding. Unlike Christ the King Parish School, Bosco’s administration is open-minded about their policies.

When violations arise in dress code, students here are given an opportunity to correct them before facing punishment. But while the rules at Bosco are clear and known, many of us adhere don’t adhere these rules, creating at times an unneeded tension within the rules and the student community.

As cliche as it sounds, many students believe their hair can be an important way to express their inner selves and their culture.

“As a black youth growing up in a non-black environment, I feel as if my hair is one of the very few ways I can express my culture,” said junior Elijah McCray.

Through his hair, McCray is able to express his culture and who he is. This major conflict is something that he and many others are trying to bring to light. Some students of color feel they are trying to be molded into this “cookie-cutter” of a person when they do not fit the neatly into the descriptions outlined in the school’s policy.

Other students have expressed no problem with the school’s haircut policy. The caveat, however, is that many of these students wear their hair over the three-inch limit stipulated in the policy. They don’t have a problem because they aren’t being held accountable to the rules that are supposed to govern all students.

I’m a living example of the contradictions present in the enforcement of school’s current policy. My hair well-exceeds the three-inch limit, but because of my Latino descent, my straight, thick hair looks up to policy. One month into school and eight inches later, I haven’t been held accountable for my long hair since I served as a “big brother” at the freshman orientation in August.

For others, like McCray, who have curlier hair due to their ethnic background, it’s harder to fly under the dean’s radar.

This is no fault of the administration and certainly does not reflect purposely targeting certain students. Simply, it is not possible to catch every student in Saint John Bosco with hair over three inches. While many students do keep their hair cut within the rules, in other cases, students can break the “three-inch rule” but still present themselves as “well-groomed” and “professional.”

“Coming to Bosco, the hair policy is understandable,” said junior Ryan Jones, a participant in the Biomedical Pathway and member of Bosco’s performing arts program. “But in order to succeed in today’s society we should, as Braves, be able to express our individuality. Our hair can be a symbol of who we are.”

Jones, one of many who feels this policy can be revised for the better, believes if students stand together with the administration, they can impact more a culturally inclusive policy regarding hairstyles and show that Bosco is not like other private schools who have simply stuck to the book without adapting to ongoing social and cultural changes.  

Junior Brad Dominguez, another excellent student who is in the Biomedical Pathway, feels as if the haircuts are “fair game.” He expressed more concern with the the rules surrounding facial hair in particular.

“Students who shave on Monday and see that their beards grow back within two days should be able to have some leeway,” said Dominguez.

It makes sense for students like Dominguez, who have demanding academic and extracurricular schedules, to be granted some extra time to shave when they might not find the time to do so on a daily basis.

Students are not the only people at this school who believe the hair restriction can be changed for the better.

Mr. Mario Cordero, a well respected history teacher at Saint John Bosco, believes that the hair policy can be altered and justified by the way we present ourselves.

“I see hair that is out of compliance by students, but they take pride in their hair,” Mr. Cordero said, who himself has worn his hair long and is in favor for a revised policy.

That said, he understands that a Bosco Man must know proper etiquette and discipline. This is where he draws the line, as he is ultimately in support of the well-mannered and well-groomed Brave, conceding that hair can be outside of official policy while still being considered “well-groomed.”

Vice Principal of Student Affairs Mr. Adan Jaramillo understands where his students are coming from when talking about this issue. Being a former Bosco Brave, he has experienced everything we have.

Looking at the diversity of our school, Mr. Jaramillo understands that many students do have hair that looks longer because of their ethnic background and they can’t help it.

Mr. Jaramillo and other administrative members are looking through the current policies and considering amendments to those that may be culturally outdated.

He says rather than the handbook’s stipulation that students must have no facial hair and hair under three inches, we could potentially change to hair and facial hair that is simply “neatly groomed and presentable.”

How our community determines the definitions of “neat” and “presentable” remains unclear, but the issue certainly garnered attention at the start of the 2018-2019 school year.

Bosco: New Bell Schedule Coming Soon?

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by Joshua Adoh and Ethan Piechota

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Talk of switching to a permanent block schedule at St. John Bosco High School is a hot topic, and the general feel among students and faculty is that the school is ready to make this change.

“It’s a community decision, and if you talk to some teachers they’re ready to go now, but I would like to move slower because this is something that affects everyone,” school principal Dr. De Larkin said.

Dr. De Larkin is in no rush to implement this potential schedule change and looks to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“This is something that affects not only teachers but affects students, parents, after school-programs, before school-programs, dismissal times and more,” De Larkin said.

Once all the logistics are settled, the school administration looks to implement the new permanent block schedule as early as January.

There are many positive changes that come with this proposed change. Two benefits are potential late starts once a week for all students, which better accompanies the way students learn at this age.

“[Benefits of late start] are that kids can sleep in and have a later start to their day, and studies say that teenagers can better function later in the day,” said Mr. Salmingo.

Late starts not only help students but also the faculty, as with late starts teachers can hold more faculty meetings to help share ideas on benefiting the school community.

Students are currently in high praise of the block schedule, as it is most of the time easier to manage for them. Less classes and less teachers to see per day is a plus for most students.

“I could see less stress because you don’t have to worry about going to all seven classes every day and always get to learn the max amount of content in that hour and a half you have. It would be a lot easier for us students to manage,” said senior Parker Gray.

The new schedule also provides more opportunity for office hours in the afternoon. Senior Daniel Munoz shared that he would enjoy the extra time in the afternoon with consistent 2 p.m. dismissal.

“[After school] we could have more time to focus on our studies or have more time to focus on a particular class. I see it really benefiting us overall,” said Munoz.

However, some students do still see benefits in sticking with the regular schedule that is already enforced daily.

“With the community at Bosco mostly composed of athletes, [those athletes] are going to be missing a lot more meetings, homework, tests, quizzes and assessments using an everyday block schedule,” said junior ASB member Nate Quigg.

With everyday block periods enforced and more one-on-one time from teachers to students, missing class periods can become crucial, especially for athletes with other obligations.

However, teachers are still primarily benefited and are better fit to stay consistent with a potential block schedule in place.

Benefits for teachers include getting more instructional time to teach their material, even despite seeing students less times during the school week.

“In science classes you can have lecture and a lab without having to space it out, because 45 minutes is such a little amount of time to be able to accomplish everything,” said science teacher Mrs. Michele Dolphin.

Mrs. Dolphin is a science teacher on campus but also a parent to two current Bosco seniors, so she has a perspective on the situation from both sides.

“As a teacher, it would allow me to have more time to teach each thing without having to rush through, and as a parent its beneficial because it allows [the students] to absorb information and get through more content,” says Mrs. Dolphin.

History teacher Mr. Mario Cordero also agreed that he wouldn’t be opposed to seeing a change, even though he does like the current tumbling schedule.

“You can get into a lot of topics and cover them in great depth [in a block period]… in final analysis I would say [the change] is a good thing,” said Cordero.

Teachers have also been trained in professional development sessions to prepare and become accustomed to these proposed schedule changes.

“We have met both formally as a faculty and in focus groups to discuss the bell schedule. We looked at the pros and cons and decided that there was more to [this proposed bell schedule] that worked than didn’t work,” said Mr. Linares.

So the question remains: Is change coming?

The supposed “finalized” new block schedule was posted on the school’s website for a majority of the summer only to be removed and replaced with the current schedule in the days leading up the the school year’s start.

The general feel around the campus here at St. John Bosco High School is that administration, teachers and students are ready and willing to accept change.

The final decision will ultimately be made by Dr. De Larkin in cooperation with his administrative team, taking into account all the stakeholders involved–student, parents, teachers as well as coaches and other faculty members that coordinate extracurricular activities.

RECAP: St. John Bosco 41, Mater Dei 18

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by Ethan Piechota

The St. John Bosco Braves defeated the Mater Dei Monarchs 41-18 last night at the Santa Ana Bowl, making it clear to everyone who the top team in the nation is for high school football.

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Jake Bailey celebrates one of his three touchdown catches on the night. Credit // EC Sabin

If there was any dispute over who’s the clear number one team in America, it’s now settled.

It was a total beatdown from start to finish from the Braves, clearly outplaying the Monarchs in all three phases of the game.

Mater Dei’s weak pass defense was no match for Bosco five-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who went 15/21 for 278 yards and FIVE touchdowns. Uiagalelei made it clear who was the best quarterback on the field last night, and maybe even in high school football.

Bosco’s offensive line came in and kept him clean as well, doing an excellent job of containing defensive end Bru McCoy amongst others.

The Braves started the game with a perfectly-executed, balanced drive that culminated with Uiagalelei throwing a 10-yard touchdown strike to star senior receiver Jake Bailey. Bailey was a star on the night for the Braves, catching six passes for 161 yards and THREE touchdowns (offer that man please).

Mater Dei would answer back on the next drive, with McCoy catching a screen pass for 39 yards and quarterback Bryce Young scrambling for 48 yards to set the Monarchs up at the 5-yard line. However, Bosco’s defense made a great goal line stand, ending with defensive back Kourt Williams II sacking Young to force Mater Dei into a field goal try.

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Williams sacks Young. Credit // EC Sabin

Right away, the Braves high-powered offense answered back, as Uiagalelei threw a 24-yard touchdown to wide receiver Kris Hutson, giving the Braves a 13-3 lead after a missed extra point.

Still in the first quarter, Young drove his team down the field and threw a 8-yard touchdown pass to McCoy, trimming Bosco’s lead to 13-10.

But this was the last time Mater Dei’s supposed highly-skilled offense would be heard from, as Bosco’s defense shut down Young and company for the rest of the half, and really, until the fourth quarter.

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Bailey with his third touchdown catch on the night. Credit // EC Sabin

Uiagalelei threw touchdowns on back-to-back drives to Bailey and star running back George Holani, as Bosco took a 27-10 lead into halftime.

 

Both teams drew a standstill for the third quarter, but Holani opened up the fourth with an electrifying 75-yard run, something we’ve seen so often from him this year. He finished the game with 12 carries for 118 yards, matching his 9.8 yards per carry average on the season.

In a final effort, Mater Dei put together a touchdown drive with a Young pass to tight end Mike Martinez for a 20-yard touchdown, and a following two-point conversion to him.

But from there, Bosco capped off the night with a Uiagalelei touchdown strike to Jake Bailey again for 30 yards, increasing their lead to 41-18.

Bosco would hold on to win the game 41-18 as well, proving to everyone who the number one team in the nation is. Head coach Jason Negro’s record is now 8-4 all-time against Mater Dei since his arrival at Bosco.

“I thought we did a great job tackling in space,” Negro said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “The mentality of this football team is next level.”

The Tribe showed out as well last night, providing an excellent boost from the sidelines all night with constant cheers and noise towards the Mater Dei players.

The Braves continue their national championship quest next Friday, taking on Santa Margarita in an away game.

St. John Bosco @ Mater Dei Postponed

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by Ethan Piechota

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The Santa Ana Bowl showered with rain, thunder and lightning just minutes before kickoff.

The St. John Bosco Braves will take on the Mater Dei Monarchs tonight at Santa Ana Stadium after last night’s scheduled game was canceled due to lightning and thunder in the area.

How long has it been since California even got that much thunder and lightning? How long has it been since that much rain poured down?

It feels almost wrong that a game so highly-anticipated has to be pushed back and waited for another day. But the game will happen.DpW4BcoU4AE7nRc.jpg

The Tribe and student section on Bosco’s side was 100 percent ready last night, with energy through the storm that was contagious amongst the Bosco side of the stadium. The Tribe needs to bring back that same energy tonight on Saturday night.

All fans tickets will be honored for tonight’s game, as long as the ticket from yesterday is presented at the front gate. Tonight at 7 PM, the Braves will take on Mater Dei in the game of the year, again at the Santa Ana Bowl.

Cancel your previous plans. Come out and support. It’s Saturday night, and this game between high-profile college recruits will have the feel of a real college football game.

There’s a long time before tonight’s game, so in the meantime, go ahead and read our preview of the Super Bowl of High School Football that will happen tonight.

Bring your jackets and umbrellas just incase. Go Braves.

Sports: NLCS Preview (2018)

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by Enrique Gutierrez

The Milwaukee Brewers dominated the Colorado Rockies in a quick three-game sweep, clinching a spot in the NLCS to go against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who come off a four-game series victory against Atlanta Braves.

Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee continues their hot stretch as they bring the regular season momentum into the postseason with an 11-game win streak. After Milwaukee won the NL Central tiebreaker, they faced the Colorado Rockies in the Division Series. The Brewers swept the Rockies as they held Colorado to two runs in three games. Rocktober did not last for long as their offense stayed quiet. 

The Milwaukee Brewers have been a team that has been slept on for majority of the season due to the popularity of the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. Milwaukee began their year acquiring outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich, bolstering their offense. It wasn’t until the trade deadline when the Brewers became relevant once again. At the trade deadline, Milwaukee traded for second baseman Jonathan Schoop, starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez, reliever Joakim Soria, and third baseman Mike Moustakas. The Brewers traded their prospects in 2018 to achieve their goal to be a contending team and potentially win the World Series. 

162 games later culminated with a Divisional Series win against the Colorado Rockies, with Milwaukee now moving onto play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Milwaukee and Los Angeles have announced the NLCS starters which go: Game 1- Gio Gonzalez vs Clayton Kershaw, Game 2 – Wade Miley vs Hyun-Jin Ryu, Game 3 – Jhoulys Chacin vs Walker Buehler. Rich Hill is expected to start Game 4 for the Dodgers, but Milwaukee has not yet decided on their starter.

A major strength for the Milwaukee Brewers has been their pitching staff. Brewers starting pitchers have been perfect thus far in the postseason, not allowing a single run. The Brewers bullpen has been lights out. With studs Josh Hader, Jeremy Jeffress and Corey Knebel, Milwaukee’s bullpen has been the best bullpen in the National League in 2018. The Brewers bullpen has been the most consistent throughout the major leagues.

Besides pitching, Milwaukee has been incredible offensively as they acquired many key bats in the 2018 season. One major key player has been outfielder Christian Yelich. Christian Yelich was traded from the Marlins and  now leads the NL in Batting Average, Slugging Percentage, and On-Base-Slugging. Yelich was just shy of winning the first triple crown trophy since Miguel Cabrera in 2012, and is a favorite for NL MVP honors this year.

Los Angeles Dodgers

It seems like the Dodgers have been playing October baseball in the month of September. The Dodgers were fighting for a NL West title against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies for the entire season. The NL West was a horse race until the final week, where Arizona fell off and Colorado stayed alive pushing towards a game 163 to decide who wins the west. LA won that game and won the NL West for the sixth consecutive year. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Atlanta Braves in the Division Series. The Dodgers-Braves series was a four game series with the Dodgers relying heavily on the long ball. The Dodgers led the National League in homeruns and came in second overall in both leagues. Some key players of the series were Max Muncy, Manny Machado, and Justin Turner.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were expected to be the same team they were the year before. The Dodgers were one game off of winning the World Series against the Astros. 2018 was a rough start for the Dodgers as they lost Corey Seager for the entire year, Justin Turner injured for half of the season, and Clayton Kershaw being on and off the disabled list for majority of the season. The Dodgers fixed their issues during the trade deadline and traded for Shortstop Manny Machado, first baseman David Freese, and second baseman Brian Dozier.

The Los Angeles Dodgers pitching staff has excelled without their ace Clayton Kershaw for most of the year. Someone who has stepped up to the mound and stood out to his peers, Walker Buehler has been lights out since the All Star break in the regular season. In the month of September, Buehler held the best pitching stats in baseball concluding the year off right. 

In the Atalanta vs Dodger series, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw exceeded expectations. Both of them pitched outstanding and kept Atlanta shut out. The offense erupted in Los Angeles as the Dodgers scored most runs on homeruns. Some notable hitters of the series were Max Muncy, Manny Machado, Joc Pederson, and Justin Turner.

NLCS Matchups

162 games later and a Division Series win from Milwaukee and Los Angeles, they will compete in the National League Championship Series. Milwaukee and Los Angeles announced the NLCS starters which go: Game 1- Gio Gonzalez vs Clayton Kershaw, Game 2 – Wade Miley vs Hyun-Jin Ryu, Game 3 – Jhoulys Chacin vs Walker Buehler, and Game 4 Milwaukee has yet to decide and LA is having Rich Hill pitch. The Los Angeles Dodger starters are very left handed heavy compared to Milwaukee as they have much diversity in the starting rotation. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers batting order consist of many platoon players. Dave Roberts changes the lineup depending if there is a lefty or right handed pitcher playing that game. If there is a lefty on the mound, Roberts will stack a right handed lineup and if there is a righty on the mound, Roberts will stack a left handed lineup. 

The Milwaukee Brewers tend to have the same lineup no matter who the opposing pitcher is. Craig Counsell’s lineup consist of the same players day in and day out. Players that must be in the lineup are Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, and Jesus Aguilar. The three of these players had an outstanding 2018 and Counsell will keep them in as long as they’re performing well.

Predicted Results

This series will be a nailbiter and have the fans at the edge of their seats. The Dodgers offense hit many home runs and can produce when there are runners in scoring position. The Brewers have an amazing bullpen and a great lineup. What will lead these two teams to success would be scoring first and attacking the starters. Both of these teams are equally good and the series will most likely be extended to a Game 6 or Game 7. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers were just one win off of the World Series in 2017 and most of their roster remains in tact. Most of the Dodger roster knows how to play under stress and being in the heat of the moment. The Milwaukee Brewers surprised everyone this season by being a contender and winning the NL Central. Besides Lorenzo Cain and Ryan Braun, the Brewers roster lacks of playoff experience. With a shot at the winning the National League Championship and a World Series ticket, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain favorites to win and return the the big stage. 

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