by Luis Hernandez, Managing Editor

St. John Bosco High School Cross Country, led by Head Coach Tim McIntosh who has coached for nearly 40 years, currently holds third place in the Trinity League and fourth in CIF Division Four while relying on underclassmen contributors.

The Braves have just recently competed in the Clovis Invitational, which they won and look to continue the streak at Mt. Sac, which is their division sweepstakes.

Bosco Cross Country team is very different from previous years, due to the lack of older runners that have experience. This has caused the team to depend on the younger runners to perform well, which they have done thus far.

“This big group of freshmen are important,” said Coach McIntosh. “We need them, and usually they would be brought up a lot later, but we simply need runners.”

This influx of younger athletes has allowed the seniors and juniors to be mentors to them and help the team develop as a whole.

“With these new freshmen coming in, I am happy about how fast they are evolving and I am happy to be there to help them,” said senior Andrew Perez.

The team coming into this year only had four runners on varsity, which forced new runners to take a bigger role on the team. Seniors Aiden Aldana and Andrew Perez have performed very well this season and are the backbone to the team.

Aiden Aldana has been an essential element of the team especially, as since he has had consecutive top finishes, most recently getting second place in the Trinity League contests. Aiden’s senior leadership makes a great impact, as the younger runners can look up to him for help and inspiration.

“The older runners helped bring the team together and helped [the freshmen] become better runners. They have played a big role,” Coach McIntosh said.

Coach McIntosh thinks that better times are ahead with the COVID-19 pandemic behind the program and the runners being able to practice and spend more time together. He emphasized that Cross Country is a team sport, and in order to be successful, they must all work together.

“You will run harder for your team than for yourself,” said Mr. McIntosh.

The Braves have their eyes are on the podium, as their main goal is to win league and place well in CIF-SS and State. This team has high expectations for themselves, knowing what they are capable of and believing this season is a perfect opportunity to succeed despite their youth.

“I am very impressed with the team this year and believe that we are in a position to accomplish great things,” said Andrew Perez.

The team has done great things to this point in their season and look forward to ending it in a similar fashion with Trinity League Finals on the horizon.

by Macade Maxwell

With the season coming to a near end, Head Coach Adam Lee and the rest of the St. John Bosco Water Polo team hang their hats on building a culture of toughness and discipline, regardless of the results.

Heading into the final stretch of the season, the Braves find themselves in a situation where every game matters. With a couple of tough games to come, they are fearless of any opponent and won’t let anything inhibit their resolve. 

For Bosco Water Polo, it’s not about how you start; it’s about how you finish. Aquatics Director and Head Coach Adam Lee is looking to apply his expertise and experience in collegiate-level coaching and motivate his team to finish off their season on a strong note. Although the team has faced some adversity, Coach Lee is dedicated to his squad and believes in each in every one of them. 

“During the games, he is always telling us to keep going no matter what the score is and to use the time spent in the water to always be learning,” said junior Julian Almanza. “Just seeing Coach Lee’s desire to win and desire to make the whole team better has made me want to work even harder to help benefit the team as much as possible.” 

One certain player who stands out the most in the water would be senior Adrian Lobos. Adrian is the main example of what a leader in the water should look like. Not only using his athleticism but setting an example for his teammates. 

“I simply go out there and give it everything. I’ve been playing this game for five years and I’ve learned that one thing you can’t do is display emotion,” said Adrian. “I must set a good example for the other guys on my team and encourage them to do the same.” 

He also emphasized that practice and preparation plays a crucial part in his recent success. 

“If I practice with 110% effort. I like to assume that it will start to show in the game. I’ve always practiced as though I were playing a game, giving [it] my all.”

Julian Almanza has seen the impact that Lobos has made on the team. Julian along with the rest of his teammates placed their trust in him whenever he’s in the water. 

“He understands the game, and we trust him and his judgment,” said Julian. “He is one of our top scores and he’s definitely a guy we can trust to lead the team whenever we are down or we just need something to bring us back into the game.”

With the expertise of Coach Lee and the leadership of players like Adrian, the Braves are building a hard-nosed culture. Although this may not have been the start that they were hoping to have, as they currently sit at a record of 7-11 on the season, Coach Lee and his squad look forward to capping the year off with a strong finish. 

by Jack Turner

St. Frances Academy dropped its fourth straight game to a topped ranked national opponent last Friday, with the undefeated defending National Champion Braves coming out victorious 37-14. 

Senior running back Cameron Jones got the scoring started with a 2-yard rushing touchdown. Then it was senior quarterback Caleb Sanchez who went to work, completing 25 of 32 passes for four touchdowns to four different receivers. Caleb had touchdown completions to senior linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa for six yards, senior Stacy Dobbins for twelve yards, sophomore Daniel Odom for 47 yards and sophomore Madden Williams for 15 yards. 

“I think we’re taking a step forward every game as an offense,” said Caleb. “This offense has all the tools to be the best in the country, but we have to put it all together and operate more cleanly in the future. It will come as the season moves forward.”

With no surprise, Bosco’s defense had another big night. With the best secondary in the nation, the Braves gave St. Frances fits throughout the contest.  

Senior Peyton Woodward, in his first game back from injury, secured an interception, while junior Tamali’i Su’e had one as well. 

The linebacker core of the Braves was giving St. Frances’ quarterback extra trouble, with senior Jordan Lockhart sacking him three times. Senior Max Amasio added two sacks, and sophomore Dutch Horisk had a strip sack that forced a fumble, which was recovered by his Brave teammate senior Sir Tyler Thomas. 

Bosco Football is currently traveling in Hawaii where they will face Kahuku High School, and the Braves will not let any “island hospitality” distract them from their championship focus. 

“I’m super excited to have this game on our schedule. Obviously, we are going to be playing in paradise in Hawaii, but we can’t let that distract us from who we’re playing and how we operate,” said Caleb

The Braves will look to push their record to 5-0 on the season against Kahuku this Saturday at 7pm PST.

“Kahuku is the best Hawaiian program right now, and they play with a lot of pride,” said Caleb. “They are definitely a worthy opponent, and I feel like we prepared well for them. We’ll be more than ready. The atmosphere is going to be exciting, and I can’t wait for the game on Saturday.”

by Jack Turner

Last Friday night, the undefeated St. John Bosco Braves played friendly host and dominant defending national champion to Friendship Collegiate Academy (Washington, D.C) at Panish Family Stadium, winning 48-12.

The Braves got off to a semi-slow start with the score being 7-6 in favor of the Braves after the first quarter, with the first score being a six-yard touchdown pass from senior Caleb Sanchez to sophomore Daniel Odom.

Bosco picked it up going into the second quarter starting with a 65-yard touchdown pass from Caleb to senior Tommy Maher. With a very deep offensive attack, the Braves were doing solid work with their senior running back crew that showcases Chauncey Sylvester, Cameron Jones and Khalil Warren. 

Quarterback Caleb Sanchez had the passing game clicking, completing 14 of 19 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Once the Braves offense started flowing there was no stopping them.

“We always say we have to beat ourselves first,” said Caleb. “So if we stay focused on us, it really doesn’t matter who’s in front of us.”

But the Brave defense was the story of the night, showing it has the best secondary in the country. Despite being down five-star, Alabama-commit and senior Peyton Woodyard, Bosco’s secondary secured five interceptions.

Servant Leadership Always. Brotherhood over Everything! God is good, all the time! @peypey_wood @boscofootball pic.twitter.com/wdGhIHY7V2

— Coach G (@GeraldWoodyard) September 4, 2023

Seniors Marcelles Williams, Dillon Rickenbacker and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa had one interception a piece with Kyngstonn’s resulting in a pick-6, with the other two interceptions coming from sophomore Tay Lockett. The Braves defense is looking sharp and will continue to keep this momentum in weeks to come. 

“Getting a pick in any game is a big momentum swing, and we were able to get five so that’s big for us. We’re gonna keep the energy up in practice this week and stay locked in working hard everyday to reach our goal of going back-to-back,” Marcelles said.

The Braves will host another out-of-state opponent in St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) tomorrow, who is currently 0-3 after being a topped ranked team nationally coming into the season. The Braves will look to keep their undefeated season alive at Panish Family Stadium at 7pm. 

by Jack Turner

In an early season thriller, the St. John Bosco Braves took the field last Saturday evening in the humidity of Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a nationally televised battle against the number nine team in the nation according to MaxPreps, St. Thomas Aquinas.

Aquinas has won four straight state championships in Florida, but that was inconsequential to the defending CIF State and National Champion Braves. Bosco jumped on Aquinas from the jump and controlled a tight game throughout, ultimately securing a victory by a score of 20-7. 

The offense, despite only scoring 20 points, had the passing game clicking on all cylinders, with uncommitted three-star quarterback Caleb Sanchez completing 37/48 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior Stacy Dobbins was Caleb’s main target on Saturday with 14 receptions for 125 yards. Big contributions also came from sophomore receivers Madden Williams and Daniel Odom. Madden finished with seven receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown. Daniel had three receptions for 68 yards, which included a 50-yard touchdown grab for the first score of the game.

Senior kicker Marcus Lee, often unsung for his steady consistency and a hero of last year’s CIF-SS Championship game against the “Team in Red,” had a perfect outing, going 2/2 on field goals and 6/6 on PATs for a total of 8 points.

Braves defense had another strong outing and are looking to keep that momentum going forward. Holding St. Thomas Aquintas to only 7 points was impressive for Bosco, but the Braves are not satisfied going into tonight’s game against Friendship Collegiate Academy (Washington D.C.).

“We played a good game. We need to improve on tackling and wrapping up for sure, not just getting there. We have to finish every tackle,” said senior linebacker Khmori House. “So cleaning up on that and other ticky tack stuff, we can keep working to be that powerhouse defense that we are.”

But it wasn’t simply all business for Bosco Football in Florida, as student-athletes participated in different team activities planned for their stay.

“We went on a cruise, where we took it to an Island, where we ate barbeque and watched a show that they had for us,” Caleb said.

“We got to go out to the beach,” said senior cornerback Marcelles Williams. “It was great vibes with the team and a good time for sure.”

The Braves will host Friendship at 7pm tonight at Panish Family Stadium. Looking to have another dominant performance on their journey to another National Championship, the Braves hope to clean up the little things and improve the things they can control.

“Honestly, we Just need to improve a little on everything as a team,” said Caleb. “I feel like we could’ve been even more dominant last game, and if we just focus on ourselves and the mistakes we can control, it doesn’t matter who is in front of us.”

by Jack Turner

The anticipation for last Friday night’s season opener was contagious, as the defending consensus high school football National Champions, the St. John Bosco Braves, beat Liberty High School (NV) 42-22 at Panish Family Stadium to begin their quest for back-to-back state and national titles.

Bosco Football is playing a national schedule again this year, traveling to Florida and Hawaii and hosting teams from Nevada, Washington D.C. and Maryland. The Braves season started at home with the Liberty High School Patriots, the number two team in Nevada, according to MaxPreps. 

As the game kicked off, senior running back Chauncey “Boogie” Sylvester rushed for the first touchdown of the season and the game. 

“[It] felt great to get the first touchdown of the season, and [I] can’t wait to get out there next week with my guys in Florida,” said Boogie. 

Next week, the Braves will travel across the country to face St. Thomas Aquinas in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. St. Thomas Aquinas is the number nine ranked team in the nation, according to MaxPreps.

In their week one matchup against Liberty, senior quarterback Caleb Sanchez was awarded the starting job after three years of being a backup. Caleb pounced at the opportunity. 

In his first start, Caleb completed 22 of 26 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns. 

“I waited patiently for this opportunity, and it finally came,” said Caleb.

Caleb was ready, in part, due to the great quarterbacks at Bosco who he’s played under in the past. 

“Obviously, I’ve backed up some really talented guys since I’ve been here,” Caleb said. “Katin Houser, who’s now at Michigan St., and Pierce Clarkson, who is at Louisville, [had a big impact]. Being around those guys every single day at school and at practice and seeing how they operate on game day really helped me prepare for my first start. I was just a sponge when I backed those guys up and I really learned a lot from their game.”

With a deep receiving core, Caleb targeted many throughout the night. Senior transfer Stacy Dobbins had five receptions for 71 yards, while senior Tommy Maher also had five receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown. Sophomores Daniel Odom and Madden Williams also both had 4 receptions. 

The Braves defense, loaded in the secondary with five and four star recruits, had an unsurprisingly strong performance. Seniors Marcellus Williams, Peyton Woodyard, Tamal Johnson, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Khmori House and Jordan Lockhart headline what is arguably the best secondary in the country. 

“It felt good to be out there with my guys again,” Marcelles said. “Every game we are just gonna get better and better because we know how important it is to our success as a team.” 

With many players leaving from last year’s team, the new class of seniors is being called upon to lead. 

“I know that now I’m senior – along with the other seniors – we have to lead by example and have the mindset of getting stuff done everyday. By us doing that, the rest of the team will follow,” Peyton said.

The defending National Champion Braves have their eyes set on another championship and won’t be satisfied with anything less.

 “The huge goal for us as a team is to repeat as State and National Champions. It’s never been done at Bosco, and I hope this is the year that we do it,” said Caleb. “I believe we have all the tools necessary to do it. It won’t be easy, but we definitely feel that it’s within our reach.” 

The next step in the Braves championship journey will be in Fort Lauderdale, Florida against St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday. The game will be the first of the season for St. Thomas Aquinas and the Braves first road match-up of the year. Kickoff is at 1:00pm PST, and the game will be televised on ESPN 2.

by Marcelles Williams

This year was another historic year for St. John Bosco’s athletics programs, which featured many highs, accolades and championships. The Braves won a National Championship, a CIF State Championship, Trinity League Championships and are still on the hunt for more.

The Braves Football team was crowned National Champions this year for the third time in ten years and finished the year with their fourth state title. The Braves dominated their regular season schedule this year, but most notably won at the Rose Bowl over the “Team in Red.” The 24-22 victory sealed another well-deserved CIF-SS Championship. To cap off a CIF State title run, Bosco defeated Serra (San Mateo) in dominant fashion with a 49-0 victory. 

The Bosco Football 2024 class is looking to make history next year and be the first team to win back-to-back National Championships. With one of the toughest schedules in the nation, including trips to Florida’s St. Thomas Aquinas and Hawaii’s Kahuku, the Braves have a high bar to hit.

”We’re coming for it again next year. We aren’t satisfied yet,” said two year starter and incoming senior safety Peyton Woodyard, who’s committed to the University of Georgia.

The Bosco Wrestling team also boasted a very impressive year with two players winning individual CIF State Championships, Nicco Ruiz and Nicholas Sahakian. Nicco will graduate this Spring with his second state title in a row. They both heavily contributed to the Braves winning the 2022 CIF-SS Team and Masters Championships. All this on top of yet another Trinity League.

They finished as the fourth best team in the state this year and with Nicholas Sahakian returning for two more seasons as he’s only a sophomore, expect for the Braves to have continued success in the near future.

“We put in the work and it paid off,” Nicholas said.

The Bosco Basketball team also won a Trinity League Championship, the program’s first outright Trinity League title. Undefeated at home in the regular season, they had a very successful year finishing 26-7 and making the CIF-SS Open Division Championship game. The Braves also had some big wins this year, like over Harvard Westlake, a top ten team in the nation, during their run in the CIF-SS playoffs. 

They also came back from a 21-point deficit at home against the “Team in Red” to help secure the top spot in the Trinity League. This coming after what was perhaps their most historic win of the season, which came on the “Team in Red’s” home court. It was the “Team in Red’s” first home loss since 1998.

“We didn’t finish the year the way we wanted to, but we’ll be back,” said sophomore guard Elzie Harrington, who is one of the top ranked players in his class in both the state of California and nationally.

A lot of the key braves from this year’s Bosco Basketball team are returning, so look for them to have an even more successful year next year. The top three scorers all return next season.

Bosco Esports team was another program that secured National and State Championships in multiple games. Their seven-player team made a historic run to become the 2022 HSEL National Champions. The Esports team also won two more State Championships in Rocket League and Valorant. The Bosco Rocket League team swept Novato High School 4-0 to capture their title, and the Valorant team swept Arcadia High 2-0 to capture theirs.

The Braves aren’t done competing for gold, though. Bosco Lacrosse takes on Aliso Niguel tonight at 6pm on the road in the CIF-SS Semi-Finals. The team is making a Cinderella run after qualifying for the Division II playoffs in a wild card game.

By Carter Daley

Winning is a term that has become familiar term to the St. John Bosco varsity Valorant team. In just three years of having an official Valorant team, Bosco has won two High School Esports League (HSEL) titles.

The team is full of young talent, made up of two juniors, two sophomores and a freshman. Captain Max Abrahamson, ranked as the 17th best Valorant player in North America, is only a junior and will get another chance to repeat and become a three-time champion.

“[Winning the HSEL championship] feels like last time: great. But the job isn’t finished. We have to go to Kansas City in May to actually compete for a National Championship,” said Max.

The talent does not just stop at Max, however, as the most highlighted player of the Bosco team is freshman Alex Banyasz, who ranked as the number one player in North America across all Valorant servers in the past month. 

“It’s great playing with Alex. I definitely feel like he can go pro,” Max said.

The Braves had the challenging task of bouncing back in their HSEL league after failing to beat Arcadia High School in the same championship game the previous semester. This emphasized the importance of this rematch, as they had that chip weighing on their shoulders.

This chip carried onto the start of their season this semester, where they held a perfect 8-0 record in the regular season, being the only team that maintained a perfect record. 

With momentum, the Braves would only drop one map during their entire playoff run and cruise into the finals. They would be competing against Quartz Hill High School, a team they lost to the previous season. 

In dominating fashion, this talented squad of youngsters would beat Quartz Hill by a score of 2-0, completing their perfect season, the second championship this team captured in just two years.

“It was mixed feelings of excitement and relief. We’ve been trying to make nationals for three years, and every year, I felt like we had a good team but always seemed to fall short in the playoffs,” said Coach and 2020 Bosco Alum Eli Giangualano. “To have a near-perfect playoff season and end it in such a dominant fashion was rewarding to not only me, but also our captain Max Abrahamson who’s been a part of this team every year.”  

On top of the Valorant team’s recent success, the Rainbow Six Siege team is captained by senior Ezekiel Tejeda. The team that finished their regular season with a record of 4-4 barely clinched a playoff berth, but earning that spot in the playoffs has brought great momentum to the squad. 

With back-to-back upset wins over opponents, the Rainbow Six Siege team will have the opportunity to shock everyone and claim the first championship in program history for the specific game. 

“This team means so much to me,” said Ezekiel. “This is the second time we’ve made it to playoffs, both being this academic year. Even though most of the time was a complete headache for me, I’m still so proud of the young men who will be taking the reins of this team when I graduate”.

With big games on the horizon for Bosco’s Esports program, there will surely be a lot of noteworthy action. The Bosco Valorant team will head to Kansas City on May 20th, and the Rainbow Six Siege team will continue their playoff run tonight.

by Noah Dawson

St. John Bosco Track starts the season with hopes to win big in the Trinity League and CIF this season, earning a spot as one of the best track programs in Southern California.

Excitement is in the air around Bosco Track. The season may be just starting, but the athletes have been working hard all winter to prepare for it, hitting the running drills and practicing their technique. The hard work is starting to pay off, and they are eager to see what they can accomplish on the track.

As the athletes hit the track, the focus is on hard work, dedication, teamwork and faith. They know that the road ahead will be challenging, but they are ready to face those challenges head-on. They are a tight-knit group, and they support each other both on and off the track.

For the seniors on the team, this season holds a special significance. It’s their last chance to compete at the high school level, and they are determined to make it count. Senior Ahrian Mcneil, who is a sprinter on the team, is excited to get back out on the track.

“It’s a really good experience to get back on the track and I’m going put my all into this season,” Ahrian said. “I’ve really just been praying on [the upcoming season] and making sure that not only does God got me but that I have myself. I get that assurance through training.”

Ahrian has recently been offered spots on the Track and Field roster for teams such as North Carolina Agriculture & Technology State University and Chapman University

Senior Harold Munoz, a distance runner who has been out since last season due to a leg injury, is also anxious to begin his senior campaign.

“I’ve been training hard all winter, and I’m ready to see what I can do. This is my last chance to compete at the high school level, so I want to make it a good one and improve from last year,” said Harold.

First-year track athlete, senior Nethaneel Loolo, who competes in the long jump and triple jump, wants to see what he and the team can accomplish this year.

“This is my first season, you know? So I really want to show out and prove that I can do this.” Nethaneel said. “Not just for me, but I want to put on for the school too.”

Both seniors continue to improve and put actions behind their words with Nathaneel leading the team in sprint and hurdles with a 10.92 second time in the 100m sprint and a 23.11 second time in the 200m sprint. Ahrian continues to shine as the team’s prominent hurdle runner, being the leader in both the 110m high hurdles and 300m intermediate hurdles. running a 15.29 second time in the 110m and a 40.88 second time in the 300m.

For Track and Field Head Coach Tim McIntosh, the start of the season is a time to evaluate the team and see where they need to improve.

“Our first few meets are going to be a good gauge of where we’re at as a whole team and where we should be at. We’ll be able to see where we need to make tweaks and make adjustments,” said Coach McIntosh

The Braves have also performed well in the field in addition to the track. Senior Mark Lutke has accepted an offer to California State University, Long Beach to take his talents to their team in the twelve pound shot put and hammer.

Aidan Aldana serves as an asset for the team as he continuously places himself at the top of the leaderboard for long distance events. For the past few meets, he has placed number one for the Bosco team in both the 1600m and 3200m race.

If you’re looking for a way to support the team, come out to their meets and cheer them on. Your support can make a difference and give the athletes the motivation they need to perform their best. 

Spectators can come to check out the Braves on Wednesday, April 5th for the Trinity League Cluster Meet at home on the St. John Bosco Track.

by Carter Daley

A team full of young talent and untapped potential has just recorded one of the best starts to their season in program history. The Braves have started 15-2 with wins over big name teams such as South Torrance, Los Alamitos and Marina.

Although this great start was not expected from all, this early success is not surprising considering the experience of fifth-year Head Volleyball Coach Shane Beatty. Coach Beatty played collegiate volleyball at Hope International University, where he was named Setter of the Year in the GSAC conference. 

Coach Beatty then went on to become the assistant coach for the men and women’s volleyball teams at Holy Names University from 2015-2017. From there, he would move to an assistant coaching job at Long Beach City College during their 2017-2018 season.

The experienced coach would then take on the task of trying to transform the Braves program, as he took the head coaching position right before the start of their 2019 season.

Captain Matthew Gallegos has a big role to play this year, as he is the only senior in the starting lineup. This lineup is made up of one freshman, two sophomores, two juniors and Matthew. 

“We have a very young team with not a lot of seniors, but our young guys are so talented. We will be extremely competitive for the next few years to come,” said Captain Matthew Gallegos.

The Braves this past weekend competed in a very tough tournament at the Long Beach Invitational. Although the competition was challenging, the Braves shined by beating Los Alamitos and coming up short against Long Beach Wilson to secure a second place finish. 

A stand out player in that tournament was junior, Tucker Carichner. Tucker, who received First Team Trinity League honors as a sophomore, had an impressive third set against Los Alamitos, ultimately helping the Braves secure the victory.

“Tucker was without a doubt the reason we won that game against Los Al. He had three kills and two blocks in just that third set alone which got us the win,” said Coach Beatty.

The Braves would take this game against Los Alamitos by a score of 2-1, which helped the Braves make some noise in the Southern Section CIF rankings. As of March 5th, the Braves find themselves 25th in the CIF rankings, earning them their first top 25 spot since their 2013 campaign. 

“Four of our league opponents are ahead of us in the top 25 rankings. So even though we have celebrated this achievement, we need to keep working and put our foot on the gas,” Coach Beatty said.

The Braves have an extremely difficult road ahead of them, as they start their Trinity League season with Santa Margarita on March 13th. They hope to be one of the top teams in their league as the Trinity League is known to be one of the best leagues in the state for volleyball. 

Coach Beatty asks that students pack the Thunderdome tonight, as Bosco Volleyball takes on local rival Long Beach Poly at 5:30 pm.