Life of a Brave: 21 Questions With New Social Studies Teacher Mr. Ryan Voortman

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by Cuahutemoc Solorzano

St. John Bosco welcomes a new sophomore Modern World History and senior Civics instructor, Mr. Ryan Voortman, who wants to provide his students history lessons as well as life lessons.

Photo by Cuahutemoc Solorzano

Q. What high school did you graduate from?

A. I graduated from Ontario Christian High School in 2014.

Q. What college did you graduate from?

A. I graduated from Grand Canyon University in 2018.

Q. What school did you use to work at before you were hired at St. John Bosco?

A. I used to work at Western Christian High School before I joined Bosco.

Q. How did you come across Bosco?

A. I constantly drove by Bosco over the course of the past several years as I went to visit friends who lived in Downey and always hoped that there would be an opportunity in the Social Studies Department.

Q. Why did you come to Bosco?

A. I wanted to work alongside students in a faith-based atmosphere that’s in my local community.

Q. Why did you become a teacher?

A. Believe it or not, I was actually in nursing school for a year before I decided that teaching was what the Lord was calling me to. I believe that holding this position has equipped me with the unique opportunity to share not only my love for history but my faith as well. 

Q. What is the most difficult part of being a teacher?

A. Juggling the many hats that you have to wear as a teacher: grading, lesson planning, attending meetings, doing after-school events and building a relationship with my students, while also taking care of my family at home. 

Q. What’s your favorite part about teaching?

A. Getting to know who my students are outside of the classroom.

Q. Did you move to California? If yes, then from where and why?

A. I have always lived in California. I’m originally from the Chino, Ontario area. However, I moved to Lakewood six years ago.

Q. What do you think the role of a teacher is besides educating?

A. Whether students enjoy your subject or not, as a teacher, it is my job to inspire my students to be difference makers and use their God-given talents to the best of their abilities.

Q. Has being a teacher taught you anything?

A. After being a teacher for seven years, it has taught me not to be so serious and hard on myself. We may have difficult days in this profession, but there is always a tomorrow. 

Q. Did/Do you play sports before and what were/are they?

A. I didn’t play traditional stick and ball sports. I occasionally race in motocross and play disc golf. Those are my favorite pastimes. 

Q. What’s your favorite genre of music?

A. My favorite type of music is country music. I actually wasn’t a really big fan of country music until I got into college. I had a roommate who was a really big fan of it, and I sort of just got into it afterward.

Q. What is at the top of your bucket list?

A. To travel to Italy and the Mediterranean with my family.

Q. What is the highlight of the school year so far?

A. The highlight of my year would simply be how inviting all of the other faculty members and students have been, as well as the connections I have been able to make with my students thus far. 

Q. What do you hope to bring to Bosco as a teacher?

A. I hope that students at Bosco will see me as someone who cares about them as more than just a student, but as a person. 

Q. In high school what was your favorite subject?

A. My favorite subjects would be social studies, English or religion. Though, I’ve always enjoyed Social Studies the most. I liked traveling a lot when I was younger and went to a lot of different countries. My grandfather when I was growing up would bring my sister and I to a different museum almost every single day during the Summer. That really sprouted my love for history. Then I had a lot of really good history teachers in high school, namely my World History teacher who taught me more than just history. He taught me about life in general. My AP US History teacher that I had in high school fostered that love as well.

Q. What do you wish more people knew about you?

A. My testimony as being a father and sharing the way God has affected my life as a whole, especially in the last couple of years. I think that it’s a powerful story that I hope I get to share at some point.

Q. What are certain aspects of history you love the most?

A. The aspects of history I love the most are seeing the way a previous era in history impacts the next era; the way one thing causes another – like a domino effect.

Q. Who in your life inspires you the most?

A. My daughter is the main reason I get up in the morning. She really inspires me the most.

Q. What do you like about Bosco the most so far?

A. I actually got this question a couple of times before. My wife and my family members are like, “What do you like most about this school?” I’d have to say the best part of Bosco is how welcoming everyone is here.

Around Bosco: Mr. Sanchez Plans To Bring Bosco’s Yearbook Into the Digital Age

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by Simon Wei

Former yearbook staff Mr. Issac Sanchez becomes the Moderator of the Yearbook Program, ushering in a new system that will redefine St. John Bosco’s yearbook.

Photo by Andy Ortiz

Mr. Sanchez possesses a great vision for the future of the yearbook. He wants a yearbook that’s more than just something visual to capture the year. He wants the yearbook to be a digital storytelling platform that could capture the essence of the school year from multiple perspectives, not just through the lens of the editorial team.

This vision allows him to incorporate something pioneering to the yearbook design this year, a system that will make collaboration more seamless and dynamic. Mr. Sanchez’s new system brings about a new digital project management tool, “like [an] augmented reality.” It will be a photo that if you click on that would unfold multiple other photos.

“Let’s say we have the Mater Dei rivalry game,” Mr. Sanchez said. “A bunch of photos could be in this [one] football picture, and then you click on it [would expand to] multiple others”.

Mr. Sanchez is also passionate about making an environment where students feel more connected and responsible for what they are producing. His approach will make the students have a say in the process, making them engaged and proud of the yearbook.

Mr. Sanchez realizes it will be a gradual process to make the students invested, and he is willing to hold open meetings, in which he offers the opportunity to both the experienced and inexperienced students to be able to contribute. 

“Students should feel like they have a stake in the yearbook,” Mr. Sanchez said. “When they contribute their ideas and see those ideas come to life, it creates a sense of ownership and pride in the final product.”

Of course, no change comes without its problems.

“Change is always difficult, but it’s also necessary,” said Mr. Sanchez. “The key is to approach it with patience and persistence. We’re not just flipping a switch here; we’re building something new, and that takes time.”

Isaac is confident that clear, patient and step-by-step communication will take care of these kinds of challenges and wants the changes that he is implementing to have a long lasting impact on the students who contribute to it.

“I want the yearbook to be something that students look forward to working on each year,” Mr. Sanchez said. “It should be a project that brings people together, something that everyone can be proud of.”

Life of a Brave: 21 Questions With New Teacher Mr. Robert Hilton

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by Macade Maxwell

St. John Bosco welcomes a new math teacher Robert Hilton, who hopes to make math enjoyable for students with his vibrant energy and expertise. 

Photo by Macade Maxwell

Q. Where did you grow up? 

A. I grew up in the city of Duarte.

Q. What high school did you attend? 

A. I attended Western Christian High School when it was in Covina.

Q. What college or university did you attend and what was your major of study? 

A. I have three degrees from three different schools. First, I have a B.S. in Computer Science from Cal Poly Pomona. Next, I received a B.A. in Music Education. Finally, I have an M.M. in Music Composition. 

Q. Did you always like math growing up?  

A. We tend to like things that we are good at. So since I was good at math, I did like it growing up.

Q. Where did you teach before Bosco?

A. I used to teach at Southlands Christian Schools.

Q. What initially got you interested in teaching? 

A. I used to work as a piano accompanist for Covina High School. Through this experience, I learned that I like being in the classroom and helping students to become better. This motivated me to pursue teaching.

Q. How long have you been teaching?

A. This year is my 19th year of teaching.

Q. Why do you think math is important to learn?

A. While the specific disciplines of math all have their applications, the skills required to be successful in math are skills that can be universally applied in any context of life. Examples of this are the ability to follow instructions exactly as written, the ability to remember and apply a procedure, the ability to use known tools to solve unknown problems and the ability to model problems in a more understandable way.

Q. What made you come to Bosco and start teaching?

A. Bosco has a lot to offer its students and teachers, and I was excited to be a part of a team that does this. I also love working in a place where God is openly glorified and exalted.

Q. Besides teaching, what are some things you enjoy doing in your free time? 

A. I’m a big video game player. I enjoy computer programming and writing music. I like movies, going to see shows and playing board games.

Q. So far, what are your first thoughts on Bosco?

A. I’m really enjoying every aspect of Bosco, but in particular, the students that I get to teach.

Q. What are your favorite foods to eat? 

A. I’m a huge seafood fan, but I have a soft spot for sushi.

Q. What is your favorite movie or movie series?

A. I like movies of the mystery genre. I particularly enjoyed the Knives Out movies.

Q. If you could take a trip to anywhere in the world, where would it be?

A. I’m not super excited about traveling, but maybe to Paris for the food.

Q. What is your favorite sport to watch?

A. Not really a sports fan, but I enjoy watching the Olympics.

Q. If you were to compete in a sport for the Olympics, what would it be and why?

A. I’m not super athletic, so maybe something like archery. 

Q. Do you have any pets? If not what type would you like to have?

A. No pets, but I had a dog growing up. I’d probably get another dog.

Q. What type of music do you like?

A. I’m a huge choir nerd, but I’m more a fan of contemporary choir, like a cappella music. More like the music you’d find on Pitch Perfect.

Q. If you weren’t a teacher, what would you want to be?

A. Probably a professional musician, either in performance or music publishing.

Q. What is a piece of advice that you would give to your younger self? 

A. Everything matters, but not that much. There are a lot of things that I put in the “doesn’t matter” category that I wish I had paid more attention to. There are also things that I thought were more important than they really were.

Q. What is something that you would like the Bosco community to know about you?

A. At some point in my life, I decided that if I was going to do something, I wanted to do it well. I strive to do everything that I do with excellence.

Around Bosco: Familiar Faces In New Roles, Changes To Bosco’s Student Life Leadership

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by Jesus Biag

Staff departures and former Associated Student Body (ASB) moderators stepping down from their positions have led to new additions within St. John Bosco’s Student Life staff.  

Photo by Jesus Biag

At Bosco, ASB is responsible for planning and organizing all of the different events throughout the school year, such as Homecoming and Winter Formal. 

One of the core responsibilities of Bosco’s Director of Activities is to work alongside ASB members and moderators as they come up with ideas for these events. From 2021-2024, Mrs. Mayra Fernandez handled that role within the school. But with her departure, someone new needed to take up the position.

For the 2024-2025 school year, Mr. Geoff McArthur will serve as the Director of Activities. In addition, he will also continue to be the wide receivers coach for the varsity football team, a position he’s held since 2022. 

Mr. McArthur understands the impact that Mrs. Fernandez had on the school and hopes to have a similar one.

“[Mrs. Fernandez] did a great job for us, and it’s hard to fill those shoes,” said Mr. McArthur. “But I’ve had the support of the entire staff around me. We have a family of faculty around us, and they’ve been helping me out in any areas that I’ve had to make transitions in.”

A similar sentiment was shared by new Senior Board Moderator, Mrs. Gina Sterling. She’s felt a great amount of support from Ms. Kelly Blakeman, former Senior Board Moderator and the current Math Department Chair, who has helped her understand her new role alongside all of the logistics that come with it. 

Mrs. Sterling is entering her second year at Bosco. Last year, she worked as an Academic Advisor for SJB Global, but has transitioned into becoming an on-campus English teacher this year. 

She has had a great time as Senior Moderator so far, enjoying the ASB training that took place before the school year began. There, she met with her board members for the first time, as they planned for freshman orientation.

“We had a really good introductory meeting. It was fun because we all got to know each other a little bit more,” said Mrs. Sterling. 

Senior Board President Josh Samonte believes that Mrs. Sterling has done a great job as moderator so far.

“[Mrs. Sterling] has been great to work with due to her supportive and enthusiastic nature,” Josh said. “She has ensured that things be done efficiently, while also making sure that we are engaged during our activities.”

Finally, the new Freshman Board moderator is Mr. Alex Grimm, who takes up a role previously held by math teacher, Ms. Edna Ramirez.

Mr. Grimm, similarly to Mrs. Sterling, is in his second year at Bosco. Alongside his new position on the Student Life Team, he is also a social studies teacher. 

A graduate of St. Anthony’s High School, he participated in ASB while he was there. He believes that his previous experience with ASB is going to help him tremendously as he oversees the Freshman Board. 

As of now, Mr. Grimm doesn’t actually have any board members. With candidates already submitting their applications, however, he has an idea of the types of board members he’s looking for.

“I’m looking for someone who really exemplifies being a young Brave.” said Mr. Grimm. “Someone who is outgoing, someone who is going to take risks and also someone who’s happy with being here.”

Freshman Board elections will take place on Thursday, August 29th for President and Vice President and Friday, August 30th for the rest of the board.

Ms. Jen Schnorr, Vice Principal of Student Affairs, believes that the new leadership will provide a lot of energy and enthusiasm alongside Dean of Academics, Mrs. Elizabeth Hunt, who will return as Sophomore Board Moderator and English teacher, Mrs. Michelle Tracy, who continues her role as Junior Board Moderator.

Sports: ESPN Cameras To Capture Bosco Football’s Saturday Opener Against Florida Powerhouse

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by Jet Walls

St. John Bosco High School’s varsity football team, ranked number four in the nation, hits the road to take on a formidable opponent, the Chaminade-Madonna Lions from Hollywood, Florida, who are currently ranked ninth in the nation, according to MaxPreps. 

Photo by @BoscoFootball via X, formerly known as Twitter

The game is slated as the number two game of the week by MaxPreps and will be televised nationally live on ESPN2. 

Given that this is the first game of the season and an out-of-state road game, preparation has been intense. Bosco Braves quarterback, junior Matai Fuiava, and linebacker, senior Cole Clifton have confirmed that the groundwork leading up to this game has been fierce with them and their teammates watching hours of video to break down the opponent’s offense and defense.

Matai’s individual training for this game has been specific to Chaminade-Madonna, and he feels that he and his team are ready to take the national stage on ESPN2 and open the year with a signature victory. 

Matai said that his plans for the game are to stay mentally positive. Physically he believes that hydration is paramount with the team traveling and being in a new, humid environment. Matai has been working with his coaches, offensive line and God to ensure that he is best prepared for the moment. 

“The Lord calms my storms,” Matai said. 

Matai lets Jesus take the wheel to help him and his team through whatever adversity they may encounter. The Braves plan to stay calm and play their game, not letting the hostile Florida crowd get to them. 

Matai says that as long as he puts his faith in the Lord that he can block out any outside noise against Chaminade’s “very fast and aggressive” defense.

On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Cole Clifton is excited to lead the Braves’ defense as a senior. He realizes that Chaminade-Madonna is a national power, just like Bosco, but as long as his guys do their jobs, they will come out on top. Cole is excited to get on the road with his team and play their first game.

Cole and his teammates are ready, despite the extra pressure from playing on national television. Cole is excited to make memories with his Bosco Brothers starting this year off with a win. Coles message to the members of Brave Nation who made the trip is simple.

“Make us feel like you’re right in the field with us,” Cole said.

But for the many Brave faithful watching on television, Cole also has a request.

“Keep us in your prayers [for God to] keep us in good health at all times.”

The Braves kick off against the Lions tomorrow, Saturday August 24th at 5:00pm (PST), on ESPN2.

Life of a Brave: Grigor Cholakyan, The Heart Of A Champion

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by Jack Turner

Grigor Cholakyan is a CIF State Champion wrestler and Stanford-commit who has left his mark on St. John Bosco wrestling history with his remarkable achievements on the mat. But Grigor’s journey to becoming one of the most sought after recruits in high school wrestling began with his constant hard work, determination and perseverance off the mat. 

Grigor grew up in Burbank, California, but his parents grew up in Armenia and immigrated to the United States of America. Although Grigor did not grow up there, he still takes a lot of pride in his Armenian roots. 

Grigor’s wrestling career began at the young age of ten when he was inspired by one of his father’s best friends, Martin Berberyan, a retired Armenian wrestler who was an Armenian champion, Euro Champion, world medalist and three time Olympian.

“[Berberyan] was coaching at a sports complex where I was doing gymnastics at the time, so I stopped doing that and started wrestling,” said Grigor.

The same sports complex Grigor used to do gymnastics when he was growing up turned into the place where he would perfect his craft of wrestling and learn from his mentor, Coach Martin. 

In his natural ability for the sport and competitive spirit, it was quickly evident that Grigor possessed a talent for wrestling. His coaches recognized his potential early on and nurtured his skills, helping him develop into who he is today. 

Aside from Coach Martin, Grigor has a few more wrestlers in the sport that have continuously inspired him to pursue greatness, people who have achieved success that he can try to chase and replicate. 

“I look up to Jordan Burrows, Kyle Dake and David Taylor,” Grigor said. “They’re really good at what they do, and they’ve accomplished everything in the sport, so that just inspires me to accomplish everything that they have done.”

Grigor’s family has been nothing but supportive to him throughout his time as a student-athlete, and Grigor is always quick to give them high praise for everything they have done to put him in a position to succeed.

“My parents provide me with so many opportunities, and without them, none of this would be possible,” Grigor said. “They take me to practices, fly me across the country to compete and just are with me throughout every step of the journey.”

As Grigor progressed through the ranks, his commitment to wrestling only grew stronger. He spent countless hours grinding on his technique, refining his moves and perfecting his craft. His tireless work ethic set him apart from his peers, earning him respect and admiration within the wrestling community and leading to him being pursued by the top universities in the nation. Ultimately, Grigor signed his letter of intent to continue his academic and athletic career at Stanford University. 

Grigor has expressed nothing but gratitude for his coaches here at St. John Bosco and gives them credit for everything they’ve done to help him along the way. He recognizes how all his coaches played a role in him being the successful wrestler he is today, especially Assistant Coach Ruben Valencia. 

“My coaches have helped me succeed in so many ways, you know?” said Grigor. “Coach Ruben, obviously, he has every college coach in the country in his back pocket, and he helped me get recruited by Stanford and many other prestigious universities and overall helped me jump levels by pushing me to my limits and past my limits every single day. So I owe the world to him.”

With Grigor being a wrestler at Bosco for four years it wasn’t always an easy path to success. During his first three years at Bosco, he did not win a State Championship. Although, that all changed during his senior year. 

“My best memory was how I finished. I didn’t win any state titles my first three years, but my senior season I avenged my only loss and became a State Champion and that was a great feeling,” Grigor said.

Grigor had a dominant senior season with only one loss all year. In the State Championship match, Grigor was blessed with a rematch against the only opponent who beat him during his senior season. Grigor knew he had to avenge himself, and there was only one way he was going to go out: as a champion.

“I felt really confident going into my last match. Right before we had a champions parade – that’s what they do – so when I went there I didn’t even know who was going to be there,” said Grigor. “I was thinking just the usual, my Mom and my Dad, but when I went out I saw all my cousins, my Dad’s friends and my Mom’s friends. So when I saw them, all that was going on in my mind was I wasn’t going to lose in front of them. So going into my last match, I knew I was going to go out and get the W, and God willing, I did.”

With Grigor being a four-year varsity wrestler, he has been able to compete with his Bosco brothers throughout his time and help them out along the way.

“We’ve obviously competed together throughout our years. Not all of us got the results we wanted, but we all learned as the seasons went through how to work hard together, because in the season, we have to weigh in every week and it’s not easy,” Grigor said. “So it’s nice to have a group where we all help uplift each other through our process.”

With Grigor having such high expectations for himself, he also possesses the discipline and determination that comes with it. With his role models being so successful in the world of wrestling, Grigor has many goals for the rest of his career. 

“On the collegiate level, I definitely want to become an All-American and NCAA Division One Champion representing Stanford,” Grigor said.

But Grigor doesn’t just want his success to stop there. On top of dominating the collegiate level, he also sees himself having a professional career. 

“Beyond college, I want to win a World Championship representing the United States of America.”

Grigor has left an indelible mark on Bosco by being an elite wrestler, but even more than that by being a high character, well-respected student and person in the Brave community, which will now be supporting him through the the rest of his career and life. 

Sports: Bosco Track And Field Finalists Ready For CIF-SS Divisional Championship

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by Macade Maxwell

As their season comes to a close, the St. John Bosco track and field team gears up for the CIF-SS Divisional Championship Finals on Saturday. 

The Braves have displayed an impressive amount of success this season from the athletes in their twelve total meets. With notable achievements across the leaderboard of various events, the Braves are putting their names on the map and displaying their talents. 

Out of the 33 runners who competed in the 100m, a whopping 27 have achieved personal records (PRs) so far. Leading the way is junior two-sport athlete Jacob Holmes (10.93 seconds). Holmes also holds the lead for the 200 as well. Seventeen out of 19 athletes reached new PRs in the 400s, as junior Kendal Handy leads in that category (48.40 seconds). Senior Caden Fuller leads in the long jump event, while junior Kijani Dumas leads the 110 and 300 hurdles. Senior Cal Poly San Luis Obispo-commit Aidan Aldana leads in the long-distance events, the 800m, 1600m and 3200m, showcasing his cross country experience.

The Braves had CIF Prelims on May 4th, followed by the CIF Divsional Championship Finals that will take place this Saturday, May 11th. Each event raises the stakes for the Braves, and they continue to live up to all expectations with the help of new assistant coaches.

“We’re working on goal setting, tailored workouts, progress tracking, communication and mental preparation to ensure our athletes perform at their best,” says new Assistant Coach and Bosco alumnus Steven Caudillo. 

“I feel that me and my teammates are having a pretty good season [so far],” said Caden Fuller. “There’s always room for improvement, but I’m happy with the way we performed these past few meets.” 

Fuller, in particular, has shown his versatility among different events.

“My coach put me in a wide variety of events, but I’m most confident in my long jump,” he said.

Adjusting to a new coaching staff can be a difficult task for a team, but for the Braves, it is evident that it has a positive impact.

“There’s a new coaching staff, and at first, it wasn’t very easy adjusting to their coaching styles,” said Jacob Holmes. “But I’m starting to enjoy it, and I believe it’s contributing to our growth as a team.”

“With a team of returning athletes, we are building our way towards winning that Trinity League title,” said Head Coach Tim McIntosh, as his team finished third in league competition this past season. 

The following athletes will compete in the CIF Divisional Championship Finals for division three on Saturday: Jacob Holmes (100m), Kendal Handy (400m), Kijani Dumas (110HH) and, for the 4×100 relay, Ja’Shaun Shaffer, Ethan Naudin, Azari Warren and Jacob Holmes. 

Around Bosco: Seniors Celebrate Another Milestone With Prom

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by Rafael Escobedo

On Saturday, May 27th, seniors from both St. John Bosco and St. Joseph’s High Schools celebrated and attended their final high school dance: Prom.

Photo by @sjbstudentlife via Instagram

This year’s Prom took place at Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles in Long Beach. The dance began at 7:00pm, where students were greeted with decorations and games upon arrival, such as pool tables and air hockey. In addition two photo booths were available for guests to use to create keepsakes for the high school memories they’ve forged.

Shortly after check-in, dinner was served around 7:30pm. The menu consisted of many different dishes and refreshments such as chicken alfredo, mac and cheese, Caesar salad, lemonade and more. 

“The food and beverages were really good. It wasn’t nothing too fancy; it was just plain and simple, which is what I liked about it,” said senior Joshua Lopez

Shortly after dinner, the dance floor began to fill up with students dancing and singing to all sorts of songs that were played throughout the night. And it seemed like the guests were pleased with the music choices, as everyone danced non-stop.

This is all thanks to the contribution of senior Anthony Martinez who is Events Moderator for the senior class and was responsible for choosing which genres of music were to be played and also helped announce this year’s Prom King Candidates.

“I really wanted to make Prom as memorable as possible, not only for me and my friends but for whole class of 2024, and I’m glad I was able to be a part of that,” Anthony said.

Toward the end of the night both Prom King and Prom Queen were revealed. The candidates for prom king were Gerritt Goodman, Andrew Perez, Michael Rodriguez, Onyedikachukwu Omoko and Nicodemus Bezuayeho. For Prom Queen, the nominees were Kylie Anderson, Maria Murillo, Corryn Thrash, Mollyann Donnelly and Amanda Rodriguez.

Prior to Prom, both senior classes voted on who they believe should be crowned Prom King and Queen, and it was revealed at the dance that Gerrit and Mollyann were elected as the 2024 Prom King and Queen. Shortly after, everyone circled around them as they shared a traditional slow dance. 

“Being Prom King is the biggest honor and being selected for something like that really makes you wonder about all the people you are representing with your titles,” Gerritt said. “I am living proof that the job is never over until you say it’s over and right now the job is over.”

Gerrit is involved in theater, ASB, Onori Society and a leader of the St. John Bosco Tribe. After high school, he plans to attend California Baptist University. Not only was Gerritt surprised to win, but Mollyann was shocked, too, while feeling excited and honored.

“To be honest, I was really surprised when I found out I was Prom Queen. It was so special to me because it was my first time winning anything big. I’ve run for ASB and [Homecoming] Court but never won, and [winning Prom Queen] was such an amazing experience,” said Mollyann.

Mollyann is involved in marching band, choir and President of the Anime Club. After high school, she plans to attend California State University, Long Beach and wants to major in Psychology. 

Both students, teachers and, especially, seniors are all counting the days until summer break and graduation. Seniors have one final class event left before Baccalaureate and Graduation, Disneyland’s Grad Nite, which takes place on May 17th.

Sports: Bosco Baseball Secures Its First Playoff Berth Since 2017

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by Luis Hernandez, Managing Editor

The St. John Bosco Braves baseball team is wrapping up their first season with new Head Coach Andy Rojo, who has over 20 years of experience as a coach, with their first CIF Playoff appearance since 2017.

Photo by @sjbathletics via X

“It’s been a terrific experience coaching a motivated group of players who were excited about a new change in the direction of the program,” said Coach Rojo.

They are currently 17-10 after their first round playoff victory and finishing fourth in the Trinity League. MaxPreps currently has them ranked as the number eight team in California. The team has very impressive wins this year, including victories versus league rivals like Orange Lutheran, who is currently ranked the number one team in the state and seventh in the nation by MaxPreps.

The Braves beat the Lancers 8-2 at home in their last regular season game. The bats were hot that day with sophomore Jaden Jackson scoring two runs and having an RBI. Pitcher Anthony Cosme was throwing heat, making Orange Lutheran’s impressive offense look stale. 

The Braves offense has been stellar thus far, players like junior Macade Maxwell have been amazing. He leads the team in batting average with a .474 and an on-base percentage of .574.  

On the other side of the ball senior pitchers Anthony Cosme and Jack Champlin have had great seasons with an average of a 1.84 ERA between the both of them. Senior outfielder Julian Villasenor has also been efficient with a fielding percentage of .982.

While this team may seem dependent on its upperclassmen that is not the case with this team, as they are loaded with young talent.

Julian Garcia, a pitcher who is a sophomore, leads the team with 48 strikeouts and is improving with every throw. He believes that the team is very resilient and is excited to have a bigger role in the upcoming season. Coach Rojo also praised Julian saying he has had a tremendous impact on the season.

“I think this season has been pretty good. We have been successful and had a couple of tough losses, but we bounced back and we are looking good,” said Julian.

While the team’s record may not look special, they have only lost once against a team ranked outside the top 25 in the state and the Trinity League is one of the most competitive leagues in the country. 

The Braves have a few tremendous wins under their belt, including a 7-2 win earlier this month against the “Team in Red” who are ranked seventh in California. The game was a testament to the hard work and grit the team has been playing with this season.

“We accomplished our first goal, which was to end the regular season with a winning record. Our second goal was to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and we did. Now we play bonus baseball and will see how this team can finish the year,” Coach Rojo said.

The Braves were able to complete both their goals, and they’re currently making the most of their “bonus baseball” with a dominant game in the first round of the playoffs against Grace High School. Bosco won 14-0, due to the batters playing excellent and not missing a beat from the regular season.

The offense was not dependent on a few people either, as ten different people scored a run with Pepperdine-commit Zach Woodson leading the team with three runs.

The pitching could not have been better, only allowing five hits the entire game and obviously no runs. This was impressive, because in the game prior to facing the Braves, Grace scored a ridiculous 25 runs.   

Bosco is facing Corona Del Mar High School in the second round of the playoffs at home today at 3:15pm.

The Sea Kings have an overall record of 19-9 and are on a seven-game winning streak. They dominated Burbank High School with a 6-0 shutout of their own in the first round.

The site of their potential quarterfinal game against either Fountain Valley or El Segundo is yet to be determined.

Around Bosco: Attack! Of The Killer Man From The Sun Leaves Audiences In Stitches

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by Andy Ortiz

The Theater Company of St. John Bosco High School concluded performances of their Spring play, the silly and fun Attack! Of The Killer Man From The Sun!

Photo by St. John Bosco Theater Company

This crazy comedy show was chosen and directed by the Director of Theater Production, Mr. Martin Lang. Attack! Of The Killer Man From The Sun! is a satire based on typical 1950’s sci-fi B-movies, like “The Thing” or “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.” It’s an unserious and hilarious story that takes pride in overexplaining its chaotic story and characters, while making fun of traditional clichés in the genre of science fiction.

“[I chose this play] because it was a comedy. It’s silly. We all need to laugh, and because of the way the world is, we need some lightness,” said Mr. Lang.

The premise of Attack! is simple. It’s up to Lou Ion, played by Bosco senior Grant Hidalgo-Villanueva, his wife Anne Ion, played by St. Joseph’s sophomore Kaylee Freesmeier, their forgetful sister, some aliens, a few military privates and plenty of others to save the world from deadly solar flares. 

The marketing and promotion for this show might give people the idea that this was a “serious” and “dramatic” play with twists and turns. Well, one might not necessarily be wrong in those assumptions, but Attack! is better characterized as a fourth wall breaking hell of a time, a show that can’t even take itself seriously and doesn’t care to. Bosco’s rendition of this show especially makes use of its cast to include the audience and the community in the joke. 

“To perform comedy is difficult. If you try to act funny, you’re not,” said Mr. Lang. 

The actors did a spectacular job at performing the comedy the show demanded, making the audience laugh hard at their jokes. One actor that especially did a splendid job in their role was Bosco sophomore William Pearce. He played the role of The Announcer, a narrator that describes the scenes from the side. He is more than just a narrator, he’s an actual character that breaks the fourth wall and calls out the Master Electrician controlling the lights on what to do next. William nailed those sorts of meta, ironic jokes and had great interaction with the audience. 

Another great character audiences loved was Susan Smiths, played by St. Joseph’s junior Daniela Campos. Susan is meant to be the “forgetful” archetype, a sort of airheaded individual. Daniela aced this role, as she excellently portrayed an absent-minded character that fit the comical nature of the play.

One more great performer that had a shining moment near the end of the performance was Bosco senior Zion Perez-Tobar. He played as a tertiary scientist, whose main quirk was that he said absolutely nothing in the entirety of the time he was on stage, except when the characters are about to be annihilated by the Killer Man from the Sun. At that point, he makes this huge emotional speech, and it’s comic timing is perfect. Zion pulls off this kind of personality really well, and while he is well-suited for more loud and boisterous roles, he does an excellent job in a quieter one.

The stage design was relatively simple: painted on the walls was a really cool image of a flaming sun, made by Bosco art teacher Mr. Tommy Johnson and his Visual Arts students. Props were brought in and out between scenes.

But what brought the stage to life wasn’t the stationary objects on it, but the liveliness of the performers and their candid humor, making for a fun good time and a theater full of laughter.

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