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Junipero Serra High School Alumni eNewsletter
Bad Night at the Hanky Bowl
It hurts to write this: The 2013 Cavaliers lost to the Chaminade Eagles 38 to 35. The winning field goal was kicked on the last play of the game. The 2013 season is over.
The game see-sawed back and forth all night. Every Cav score was a hightlight film. A 52 yard strike on a sideline fly Greene to Burnett. Serra 6-0 after a missed two-point try. Green to Lasley on a deep post 37 yards. Serra 12-8 after the PAT was blocked. An amazing show of speed from Jordan Lasley, who caught a short pass on the left side of the field, ran from the left hash mark to the opposite sideline passing eleven Eagles on his way to the goal line. 40 net yards (70 actual yards). Serra 18-14 after a second blocked PAT. Adoreé Jackson back in form when he picked up a perfect coffin corner punt shook off the first tacklers, hurdled the next, and outran the remaining Eagles for a 94-yard touchdown. 25-14 after the PAT. Sifa Maama, who shrugged off the blocks and kicked a 37 field goal with no time remaining in the half. Serra 28 - 14.
Serra's last score as another highpoint on the Adoreé Jackson Farewell Tour, a pyrotechnic kickoff return after Chaminade had tied the game at 28.
Needless to say, Chaminade answered. Not with deep touchdown strikes, but with five, seven and ten play drives. Donovan Lee had a much better night than he did in the league game, but Serra's defense was up to the Eagle run game all night. It was the passing game that brought Chaminade back from its 14-point deficit at half time. Brad Kaaya played a great game finding open receivers in 3rd and situations all night long. The Eagle receivers consistently made sure catches of difficult balls to keep fading drives alive. Even more significant than the Eagle passing attack were the penalties.
They nullified good defensive plays by the Cavs or resurrected failed offensive plays for the Eagles. At least two of the Eagles touchdown drives were kept alive by critical penalties.
The differential in penalties was scandalous. Whether because of undisciplined play by the Cavs or flaky calls by the zebras will be argued on and on. Either way, the disparity of penalties tipped the balance and ended the Cavalier season. (Most serious Cav fans, after reviewing the critical pass interference call on their DVRs, have ruled that there is irrefutable video evidence that the call was wrong. Similarly most serious Eagle fans still contend that there is irrefutable video evidence that the call of illegal touching on the Eagles perfect on-sides kick at the end of the 2012 game was wrong.)
It's difficult not to moan about the saddest of all the words of tongue or pen...that is, about what might have been. Better to think of what was.
Serra fans owe a debt of thanks to Scott Altenberg, his staff and the 62 young men who were the 2013 Cavs. They spent the whole of 2013 working to be the great football game they became, and they are no less great today than they were Friday morning. It will be a long time before anyone tops the instant, game-changing acrobatics of Adoreé Jackson. The Serra defense of 2013 -- headlined by Glen Inacho, Dwight Williams, John Huston Malachi Mageo and Olajuwon Tucker -- was possibly the most consistent and dominant element of a nationally ranked team. Jalen Greene's steady poise and incredible durability set a standard and was the critical difference in at least half of Serra's wins. Darrion Naylor came into his own as a runner with both power and guile and kept the season alive. Jordan Lasley, Isaac Cox, Gregory Webb and Deontay Burnett carried on the great tradition of Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. And it almost defeats the purpose to single out the skill players whose names are called every night. It was a team effort. Sixty two for all and all for one. It was a great season of football. Thanks.
Now we watch and cheer for Dwan Hurt and McKenzie Hadley the 2013-14 basketball Cavs.
Pat Lynch '59
Former Serra Teacher: Kristine Sullivan
Serra High School was sad to lose one of its most dedicated and charismatic teachers last year, but the reason for her leaving was more than justified. Kristine Sullivan took a full-time position as the new Program Coordinator and Development Director at Educate for Change, a non-profit dedicated to serving the youth of Gulu, Uganda. Educate for Change takes a three-tier approach to address the difficulties met by the war and disease-ravaged country: providing mentorship, building a secondary school and creating a feeding and literacy program for Gulu's "street kids". Sullivan sees the approach as a being a community-led assault on the problems faced by so many young Ugandans. "We are targeting at-risk students, anywhere from high poverty to HIV, orphans, former child soldiers, and we are creating opportunities for them to attend school. We don't want to just pay for them to go to school; we want to provide a mentor program whereby we get them to excel academically and socially and give them access to career opportunities."
Sullivan made a pitch for her non-profit at a school-wide assembly at Serra High School, and many students left with a goal of donating to the cause. Principal Christian De Larkin urged the Cavaliers in attendance to consider fasting for one meal in honor of those who are starving, and to donate the two dollars they would use for a cup of coffee to Educate for Change.
A Serra Tradition
As the Holy Season of the birth of Jesus approaches, the Creche is placed in the courtyard as a reminder to us alkl of Serra's reason for being.
Harris Connect
We are glad to receive the many inquiries about post cards and e-mails you are getting regarding the Serra 2014 Alumni Directory.
Harris Connect did the Junipero Serra High Alumni Directory published in 2009. And they are now publishing a current version. We have done a reasonably good job of maintaining our database of Alumni. We are weak in the more recent years. Graduates leave home, head off to college, move away etc. We lose track. Alumni pass on. Sometimes we are notified, sometimes we aren't.
Harris does all this at no charge to Serra. Once they are done gathering the data, Harris will make the directory available at various prices. If 10% of our list purchases a directory, they will be back in 5 years to do it again at no charge.
Neither Harris Connect nor Serra sells or gives away the information.
Help them help Serra.
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